Betty Lucille Saunders = Mom + so much more

I tend to think of my Mom as just that "MOM".  In reflecting over this Mothers Day here is a glimpse of who else Betty Lucille Saunders was in addition to being the worlds best MOM!  .




Daughter

Tom Boy

1. 
2. 

   

   Sister

3. 

Teenager

Who is this adorable girl named Cuba?

It's funny how we are drawn to certain people. I have many pictures of people I don't know anything about and yet Cuba has called out to me. I'm sure her name has a lot to do with my curiosity as I think its sounds exotic and it isn't a common name.

I have a few pictures of Cuba. On the front of the photo above in my dads handwriting is: Friend of Dads  Cuba.

I also have this picture of Cuba and my grandfather (Francis Harold Saunders). On the back of the photo is written: Cuba & Doc. This was also written in my dads handwriting.

My thinking went something like this. This is a friend of my grandfathers and they know each other well enough for a picture to be taken of them then they were small. My grandfather was born on Roberts Island so she must be from this area. I hunted around the census records checking out neighbors in the area with no results.

So move forward in time and I'm looking up relatives in Vallecito and what do I find but the following.

  

1910 Census: Cuba M Saunders

1900 Census: Mildred C Saunders

Cuba was my Grandfathers 1st Cousin. They shared the same Grandfather Moses Saunders.  She was born and raised in Vallecito. I did a little more digging and was able to connect with Cuba's grandsons wife. She confirmed Cuba and Mildred are one and the same. Cuba is a nickname. She will always be Cuba to me!  

There are several pictures of Cuba/Mildred in the book Vallecito History mentioned a few posts back.

No better lesson learned then by first hand experience. Never assume anything when doing research. Always rely on a consensus of information to lead you in the right direction. 

Thanks for sharing your time with me!

Trying to get organized and the treasure I found along the way

I’ve been on vacation for the last week and was determined to spend time organizing some of last of my family stuff. So here it is Sunday and I am trying to cross this off my to do list!   I’ve had these items semi-sorted by person in Christmas bags for the last few months. These bags have been sitting on a table in my office so I would be motivated to keep going, but instead they just sat there made me feel guilty and who wants that!

 

 

Now I  only have 2 bags left (granted they are the two with the most stuff in them, but hey whatever works J.



four bags done



only 2 bags left!

 

I know you’re not really interested in how I basically moved my piles around into smaller more (hopefully) organized piles.  But at the end of the day that’s basically what I did.  But I must say I feel better and this stuff can now quietly wait for me in a dresser drawer I cleared out just for this purpose.   


my new drawer :-)

 

 

 

 

I ran across a lot great stuff today but here is what I wanted to share with you today. Two confederate bills! They were/are still folded into small squares inside an envelope.  They are not in great shape, but still pretty neat. I will need to get the protective plastic sheets they make for this type of money and I'll need someone to confirm they are the real deal.

I don’t know who they belonged to other then they were saved by my Great Aunt Addie Muri.

 

Click here to check a website called the: The Rebel States Currency. Its has good information and pictures of  Confederate Currency.

Thanks for sharing your time with me!

 

   

Cousins: so close and yet so far apart ~but not for long

I have connected with yet another cousin I didn't know about!. His name is Paul Schuler.  As it turns out Paul is into Genealogy too. Actually much more dedicated then I am.  He is a huge contributor to the website named Find a Grave. For those of you not familiar with Find a Grave it's a wonderful (free) site for locating you guessed it: graves and other forms of final resting places! It's staffed by volunteers and Paul has contributed to over 9300 memorials.

Paul and I are 3rd cousins as we share the same great great grandparents: Moses and Eliza Saunders.
Now get this. We both were raised in Stockton Ca, only 10 years apart in age, and we didn't know we existed.   Go figure!

I have 1st, 2nd and 3rd cousins and I refer to them all as 'cousins'.  I plan on continuing with this but took this as a opportunity to brush up on the correct definitions.  When I went and researched (you know: Googled) I found lots of complicated descriptions and diagrams. The following explanation  seems pretty easy to follow:

• First cousins are the people in your family who have two of the same grandparents as you.
• Second cousins have the same great-grandparents as you, but not the same grandparents.
• Third cousins have in common two great-great-grandparents and their ancestors.

When cousins descend from common ancestors by a different number of generations they are called “removed.”     

• Once removed means there is a difference of one generation. Your mother's first cousin would be your first cousin, once removed. She is one generation younger than your grandparents and you are two generations younger than your grandparents.
• Twice removed means that there is a two-generation difference. Your grandmother's first cousin would be your first cousin, twice removed because you are separated by two generations.

I found the above information at about.com Genealogy

So where did Paul and I meet today? The San Joaquin Catholic Cemetery of course! He was there adding more memorials to Find a Grave.  While we were there he showed me a family plot I wasn't aware of. It belongs to Laura (Saunders) and Andrew Blossom. I would not of known this by looking at the headstone as their names are NOT on the marker. Please please don't do this!  Names are very helpful.  Luckily the marker had the birth & death years, plus most of their children are in the same plot so Paul figured it out.
I'm oh so happy for more family/genealogy connections!

 
 

 Thanks for sharing your time with me!

Vallecito History A History of Vallecito, California since 1848

 Thanks to Harvey Williams I have in my temporary possession a book Titled: Vallecito History A History of Vallecito, California since 1848.  The book is about 100 pages and has quite a few pages with pictures and references to the Saunders family.  Unfortunately no pictures of Moses Saunders (my 2nd Great Grandfather) yet. As I am learning it's all about the hunt!

This excerpt is from page 1  

 This one paragraph has already left me with questions which I'll share in my next post.

This book was created by the Fourth Grade Class 1973-74 of Vallecito School as a school project.

 

Thank You Vallecito Class of 1973-74

Thanks for sharing your time with me!