Brothers

 

FUN FACT: Brothers Robert L. Smyrl and Hugh T. Smyrl are BOTH my 3^rd great grandfathers! They are two of the children of Thomas Smyrl Jr and Mary Lee Anderson Smyrl.

Robert is my Grandma Lou Clyburn Myers’ great-grandfather on her mother’s side. He was born in 1807, married Nancy Love, and their child Mary Etta Smyrl became Etta Kelly, my 2^nd great grandmother.

Hugh is my Grandma Myers’ great-grandfather on her father’s side.  He was born in 1815, married Margaret McKain, and their child Mary Ann Elizabeth Smyrl became Mary Clyburn, my 2^nd great-grandmother.

I don’t know anything about my Smyrl, Love or McKain ancestors – I can see that family history research will be never-ending!

Anticipation

 I have collected quite a few old disposable cameras, and one old roll of film.  I have no idea when or where the photos on them were taken. Most of them are mine, but there are a few that were found in the belongings of Sean's mom Ruth. 

I took a few of them to CVS today for processing.  The staff member there told me they no longer process on-site, but mail it to FUJI Film for processing. It is then returned digitally to the CVS location for printing. She said it can take 10-14 days,  and they will contact me by phone when ready. 

I can't wait to see what might be on them! I'll share here when I get the photos. 

Grandma & Grandpa Myers

Grandma & Grandpa Myers are my Mama’s parents. They are the grandparents I spent many summers with. I miss them both so very much!

I'm not sure how old they are in this picture, or where it was taken, but it is one of my favorites of them. Young and having fun! Even though you can't see Grandma's face, you can tell she is smiling!

Grandma is Lou Singleton Clyburn, born November 10, 1918 in Camden, South Carolina. Grandpa, Charles Hazel Myers, was born two years later, on September 2, 1920. I could not locate birth certificates for either of them, so I do not have documented proof of their birth dates. I applied for copies at the SC Vital Records Office and obtained statements for both that certificates could not be located based on the information I provided. 

They were married in 1938. While trying to find marriage documentation for them, I assumed they were married in Camden. With no luck at the Kershaw County Probate office, I started searching for a newspaper announcement. I was amazed when I did find a notice, and it said they were married two counties away, in Newberry. I would have never checked in Newberry! I would love to know how it came to be that they were married there. The announcement also says the marriage, “comes as a surprise to their many friends”.  Why was this a surprise? 

With this new information, I was able to order a record of the marriage from Newberry County. This indicates they were married March 26, 1939. If the information on this certificate is accurate, then Grandpa was the older one, not Grandma, as we have always thought. It states he was 21 and she was 20 when they married. That would mean he was born September 1917, not September 1920.

Without a birth certificate for him, or some other documentation, we may never know for sure. Is it possible they deliberately stated he was older on the certificate, or did the probate office make an error?

 

New Beginnings

 As I've become more involved in family history research, I've tried to think of a better way to share information. I thought I'd try a blog. No idea what I'm doing, or how a blog really works, but giving it a shot!

Like everything else I do, this won't be kept up on regular basis, of course. When I do share things, they may be just "generic" facts about someone, or an interesting tid-bit I find. Maybe I'll be asking for your input or help if I'm stuck or run into a dead-end.

I didn't give much thought to the name of the blog - just came up with something as I went through the process of creating the blog. I originally thought something like "Past Lives" or "Bygone Tales", but then thought I might also include present day stories. 

Let me know what you think. Suggestions/ideas/improvements?