Map My Ancestors: Searching for Safety
In the evening’s darkness, children are automatically drawn to the harbor of light offered by a lantern.
A sailor is guided to safety by a steady welcoming beacon signaling from hundreds of lighthouses along America’s coastlines, where thousands of visitors seek out this history, united in remembering.
It is a childhood of memories that still unites me with my Grandma and Grandpa Toth, resting in Michigan.
In a harbor promising a better life, Kankakee, Illinois we heartily high five 4th great grandfather John B Marcott’s family to America, and reassure them that the search and rescue of those back in Canada will go on.
Herman Daggett Bayles, 4th great grandfather, has beat us to Nauvoo! His warm embrace harbors us. He has buried treasure to share, but only after we hear his stories of faith and sacrifice to build a different kind of lighthouse, one with a promise of peace…..the Nauvoo Temple. Faith is a harbor. It has been said, “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture, is like a tree without roots.” The storms of life fall on all generations, sinking ships and uprooting trees. Our family tree is a harbor promising greater resiliency during such storms. It is here that we can slow down the pace of life. It is in these branches that we can try on all kinds of shoes and find our part in history. It is in this leafy harbor that we will find strength to anchor our emotions with those in the War of 1812, shouting and succeeding in, “Don’t give up the ship.”
Thank you to everyone who helped us navigate our treasure map….and especially for those shining the light from the harbor of home!
Can Map My Ancestors on your Family Search Tree app help you locate ancestors from Michigan? From Illinois?
Find A Grave and Billion Graves are websites that provide a harbor for deceased ancestors headstone pictures, biographies, and family connections. Be a lighthouse and bring others into the harbor by taking and uploading a picture next time you are at an ancestor’s grave. It will record the location with the GPS address making it easy for others to visit. There are opportunities to transcribe headstone pictures taken by others, and to take pictures for others requesting pictures in cemeteries close to you.