Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - My Southern Drawl Ah-ha Moment

1) Think of any number of genealogy events or moments that make you have a genealogy happy dance, an ah-ha moment, or a genea-gasm (tsk tsk Randy, getting a tad bit risque there!  LOL).

2) Tell us about them in a blog post, in a comment to this blog post, or in a comment on Facebook.

Lets chat about an ah-ha moment I had in my first year of research, newbie, green and eager to learn.

I was doing lots of census work, but, of course. I was working diligently on my Bowen ancestry, had worked back to my first and second great-grandfathers, both named Hezekiah Bowen. So, I am looking for 2 Hezekiah Bowens. Actually, I am looking for three Hezekiahs, because there was a grandson named Hezekiah too. OK, we are all confused, lets just say, I was knee deep in Hezekiah Bowens.  Thing was, at the time of the search, I had no idea I was gonna end up with three Hezekiahs, and of course, that is important to understand my Ah-Ha moment.

I found my 2nd great grandfather, as Hesachiah Bowen (as indexed at Ancestry.com) on the 1880 U.S. Census, living in Lockhart, Bulloch County, Georgia.

I found my great-grandfather, as Hezikiah Bowen on the 1880 U.S. Census, living in District 50, Emanuel County, Georgia

And, I found the third Hezekiah indexed and written as Hesachier Bowen on the 1880 U.S. Census living in Club House, Bulloch, Georgia.  This is the Hezekiah I did not know I was gonna find.

So, what is my ah- moment? Well, it took me 6 months to figure out that Hesachier was Hezekiah (I told you I was GREEN!!!). Gotta say, it bugged the beejeebees outta me!  Just what kind of name is Hesachier anyway??

When did I finally GET it?? In the middle of the night, came to me in a dream I guess, as I sat up in bed and said to Carol, “Carol, say that name Hesachier with a southern drawl”.  This entire family was from Georgia, and there is little doubt they would have had a decent southern drawl.  So, I did just that, out loud and lo and behold, I was able to fake a southern drawl and was able to go from Hesachier to Hezekiah.

Ah-Ha!



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