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Article: My journey of discovery: finding family treasure in the Old West: genealogical digging may unearth Western roots.(PIONEERS AND SETTLERS)(Personal account)
- Article from:
- Wild West
- Article date:
- December 1, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 Weider History Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Until I was past 60, I believed I was alone in the world, an orphan with no history, no family background, no stories to pass on to children and grandchildren. Then, one by one, I began meeting my ancestors and discovered a deep personal connection to California's past. I struck it rich in ways I never dreamed possible.
I never saw my mother after I was 5 years old, and I have few memories of my father, an itinerant construction worker who placed me in foster care after my mother left. I was left rootless.
I had long since accepted that as my lot in life until a friend who was deep into genealogical research on her large family offered to help me find my ...