DOREEN DOLLEMAN’S RESEARCH

When Carlton Hommel asked if I would be willing to write articles for the “Jabez of Ware Newsletter” it only took a moment of reflection to realize how much I would enjoy sharing with the readers some of the wonderful genealogy research adventures we’ve had over the years on our travels around the U.S. and Canada. My interest in tracking down information on Olmstead’s began over 25 years ago and from that moment on I handily managed to arrange every single family vacation so that we passed through at least one place where I could do a little research! My ever-so-patient husband, Bill, was never quite as enthused about my hobby as I was, but he always willingly escorted me to quaint little towns, long forgotten cemeteries, libraries, out of the way town halls, courthouses, and on endless other escapades that I had schemed. Much to his amazement and that of our four children, we almost always had some exciting adventures which often were the highlight of our trip, met wonderfully helpful people, and have many treasured memories of those times together. Much to my amazement, Bill often turns out to be a better detective than I, usually the first to spot an Olmstead tombstone, dig up an old land record, or decipher some strange or illegible word on an archaic document.

I wouldn’t be very honest if I failed to mention that not all our experiences were great ones. We’ve been up to our knees in muck and mire, snagged by barbed wire, caught in downpours, consumed mouthfuls of gnats in cemeteries, faced crabby librarians and irritable town clerks who more resembled security guards than public servants. Sometimes we were just plain disappointed to come up empty handed in our quest for information. These times were the exceptions and usually only made me more determined than ever not to give up or lose hope that “somewhere out there” intriguing clues about our ancestors were just waiting to be discovered.

In the next newsletter I will tell you about the exciting information we found on our first two trips to Berkshire County, Mass. I consider these to be some of the most valuable records I have ever collected and am eager to share them with you.

Doreen Dolleman.