Hi there! Thanks for visiting my profile & taking a moment to read this. I love learning about my own family & helping others in their search, too. For about 7 years, I've been on a mission to organize and preserve the history of my ancestors. I consider this to be a calling that nags at the hearts of those who share a passion to honor those gone on before us. So many special stories & connections have been the exact encouragement needed for me to press on. We just have to break brick walls one at a block at a time.

Honoring Veterans is very important. I have been blessed with a family rich in military service. I am interested in joining organizations that share my family history. In my research, I have found documentation for numerous direct ancestors who fought to establish our Nation's Independence. In fact, I have yet to find any American war or conflict since they first arrived to the colonies that my ancestors were not present & fighting for the USA.

The vast majority of my family fought for the Confederacy. Some family lived in areas allied with the USA and fought in support of the GAR. I am honoring their brave sacrifice and love learning all I can about each person. I pray our nation never faces a time as horrible as it faced during the war between the states. I cannot imagine the agony of soldiers on each side. They faced crude medical care, starvation, disease, heart breaking battles against their own friends and family and the hell on earth of POW camps. We owe it to them to learn and teach others the stories of their sacrifices during those terrible years. So many people left home with no guarantees to return in one piece or at all. It's heartbreaking to learn details of just how many never lived to see home again. They faced fears to defend their views & the loved ones back at home. That noble dedication deserves to be remembered. I would love to meet others who participate in local genealogical organizations and attend military reenactments.

Based on my research, my family originally immigrated from Scotland, Ireland and Wales. After immigrating to the earliest colonies, they eventually migrated to the Carolina's, to the Atlanta, Georgia area, then to Alabama, to Northern Louisiana in the early 1800's (where I remain). My home was built by my Great-Grandparents in approximately 1905. My daughter is the 5th generation to be raised in this home. The ancient plumbing, out-dated electrical, drafty windows, repair challenges from non-standard parts of every nook & cranny AND lack of central heat & air do not dull my determination to continue living here. The home represents each special person that came before me. I just cannot walk away from that connection. Even if I have moments of weakness when the newest crisis breaks out at the worst possible time! Plumbing only fails when you have a house full of company for the holidays. Timing is uncanny. Thank the Lord for YouTube and Wifi. I've learned a lot about "guerrilla style" home maintenance since moving back here about 15 years ago. Old homes look so grand on HGTV. My eyes have been opened to the reality of keeping a 100+ year old home running without going broke or insane. It's definitely a labor of love. I don't recommend it to anyone but I would not give it up for all the tea in China.

I doubt I'll ever be "done" with my family history. I keep adding each new piece of the puzzle to my records. My family enjoys learning about my findings but I am on my own with the hunt. Please message me with any shared connections, hints, advice or just to connect with another soul who lives with one foot in the past and one in the present. Genealogists are a wonderful community of folks who always humble me with their selfless willingness to help another on their quest. One thing is certain... the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know. I admire those who have all their records "done and dusted". I don't know if that is a realistic possibility for me if I live to be 150! My goals are to learn for myself, share highlights with living relatives & document details for the future generations. In the process, I enjoy meeting others who share a passion for preserving the past as well.

If you are still reading, thank you for following me down the winding trail of my mind. I wish you all the best in your efforts to find your ancestors.
Please let me know if I can help. I would LOVE to meet my own living relatives, regardless of how distant our shared connection may be. My health has been an issue for the last few years. I am doing better and will be getting back out to document local cemeteries after this summer is over. I will be photographing numerous graves throughout Northern Louisiana, Southern Arkansas & East Texas to start. Eventually I would like to travel back to the graves of my family in Ireland, Scotland & Wales. I will be working on the graves here in American by traveling to one state at a time after I complete my local Ark-La-Tex area. Maybe our paths will cross along the way!

My PATERNAL Sur names include: Amis & Amos, Aycock, Camp & Kemp, Collier, McEachern, McClendon & McLendon, Morgan, Seale, Shaw, Shumaker & Shoemaker, Starling, Steen, Stribling, Taliaferro, Ward, Watters & Waters, Winn & Wynn

My MATERNAL Sur names include: Ails & Ailes, Avery, Baker, Burton, Gibson & Gipson, Grider & Gryder, Lackey, Mendenhall, Pool & Poole, Ross, Stephenson & Stevenson, Williams

Links to some of my direct descendants:

Paternal Grandfather: Wesley Miller Winn, Sr (WWII ARMY) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16296432/wesley-miller-winn

Paternal Grandmother: Gladys Eloise MORGAN Kemp Winn Tiernan
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/137166680/gladys-eloise-kemp

Paternal Great Grandfather: Linus Miller Winn https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16296375/linus-miller-winn

Paternal Great Grandmother: Blanche Watters Winn https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16296278/blanche-winn

Paternal Great Great Grandfather: Robert Abner Newton “R.A.N.” Winn (CSA, 28th Louisiana) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16296419/robert-abner_newton-winn

Paternal Great Great Grandmother: Mary Josephine “Maud” McEachern Winn https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16296404/mary-josephine-winn

Maternal Grandfather: Noble L. Williams (WWII) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23623082/noble-l_-williams

Maternal Grandmother: Ouida Grace Pool Williams https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/135505302/ouida-grace-williams

Maternal Great Grandfather: John H. Williams https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19083118/john-h_-williams

Maternal Great Grandmother: Ethel Gibson Williams https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19083114/ethel-g_-williams

Hi there! Thanks for visiting my profile & taking a moment to read this. I love learning about my own family & helping others in their search, too. For about 7 years, I've been on a mission to organize and preserve the history of my ancestors. I consider this to be a calling that nags at the hearts of those who share a passion to honor those gone on before us. So many special stories & connections have been the exact encouragement needed for me to press on. We just have to break brick walls one at a block at a time.

Honoring Veterans is very important. I have been blessed with a family rich in military service. I am interested in joining organizations that share my family history. In my research, I have found documentation for numerous direct ancestors who fought to establish our Nation's Independence. In fact, I have yet to find any American war or conflict since they first arrived to the colonies that my ancestors were not present & fighting for the USA.

The vast majority of my family fought for the Confederacy. Some family lived in areas allied with the USA and fought in support of the GAR. I am honoring their brave sacrifice and love learning all I can about each person. I pray our nation never faces a time as horrible as it faced during the war between the states. I cannot imagine the agony of soldiers on each side. They faced crude medical care, starvation, disease, heart breaking battles against their own friends and family and the hell on earth of POW camps. We owe it to them to learn and teach others the stories of their sacrifices during those terrible years. So many people left home with no guarantees to return in one piece or at all. It's heartbreaking to learn details of just how many never lived to see home again. They faced fears to defend their views & the loved ones back at home. That noble dedication deserves to be remembered. I would love to meet others who participate in local genealogical organizations and attend military reenactments.

Based on my research, my family originally immigrated from Scotland, Ireland and Wales. After immigrating to the earliest colonies, they eventually migrated to the Carolina's, to the Atlanta, Georgia area, then to Alabama, to Northern Louisiana in the early 1800's (where I remain). My home was built by my Great-Grandparents in approximately 1905. My daughter is the 5th generation to be raised in this home. The ancient plumbing, out-dated electrical, drafty windows, repair challenges from non-standard parts of every nook & cranny AND lack of central heat & air do not dull my determination to continue living here. The home represents each special person that came before me. I just cannot walk away from that connection. Even if I have moments of weakness when the newest crisis breaks out at the worst possible time! Plumbing only fails when you have a house full of company for the holidays. Timing is uncanny. Thank the Lord for YouTube and Wifi. I've learned a lot about "guerrilla style" home maintenance since moving back here about 15 years ago. Old homes look so grand on HGTV. My eyes have been opened to the reality of keeping a 100+ year old home running without going broke or insane. It's definitely a labor of love. I don't recommend it to anyone but I would not give it up for all the tea in China.

I doubt I'll ever be "done" with my family history. I keep adding each new piece of the puzzle to my records. My family enjoys learning about my findings but I am on my own with the hunt. Please message me with any shared connections, hints, advice or just to connect with another soul who lives with one foot in the past and one in the present. Genealogists are a wonderful community of folks who always humble me with their selfless willingness to help another on their quest. One thing is certain... the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know. I admire those who have all their records "done and dusted". I don't know if that is a realistic possibility for me if I live to be 150! My goals are to learn for myself, share highlights with living relatives & document details for the future generations. In the process, I enjoy meeting others who share a passion for preserving the past as well.

If you are still reading, thank you for following me down the winding trail of my mind. I wish you all the best in your efforts to find your ancestors.
Please let me know if I can help. I would LOVE to meet my own living relatives, regardless of how distant our shared connection may be. My health has been an issue for the last few years. I am doing better and will be getting back out to document local cemeteries after this summer is over. I will be photographing numerous graves throughout Northern Louisiana, Southern Arkansas & East Texas to start. Eventually I would like to travel back to the graves of my family in Ireland, Scotland & Wales. I will be working on the graves here in American by traveling to one state at a time after I complete my local Ark-La-Tex area. Maybe our paths will cross along the way!

My PATERNAL Sur names include: Amis & Amos, Aycock, Camp & Kemp, Collier, McEachern, McClendon & McLendon, Morgan, Seale, Shaw, Shumaker & Shoemaker, Starling, Steen, Stribling, Taliaferro, Ward, Watters & Waters, Winn & Wynn

My MATERNAL Sur names include: Ails & Ailes, Avery, Baker, Burton, Gibson & Gipson, Grider & Gryder, Lackey, Mendenhall, Pool & Poole, Ross, Stephenson & Stevenson, Williams

Links to some of my direct descendants:

Paternal Grandfather: Wesley Miller Winn, Sr (WWII ARMY) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16296432/wesley-miller-winn

Paternal Grandmother: Gladys Eloise MORGAN Kemp Winn Tiernan
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/137166680/gladys-eloise-kemp

Paternal Great Grandfather: Linus Miller Winn https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16296375/linus-miller-winn

Paternal Great Grandmother: Blanche Watters Winn https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16296278/blanche-winn

Paternal Great Great Grandfather: Robert Abner Newton “R.A.N.” Winn (CSA, 28th Louisiana) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16296419/robert-abner_newton-winn

Paternal Great Great Grandmother: Mary Josephine “Maud” McEachern Winn https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16296404/mary-josephine-winn

Maternal Grandfather: Noble L. Williams (WWII) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23623082/noble-l_-williams

Maternal Grandmother: Ouida Grace Pool Williams https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/135505302/ouida-grace-williams

Maternal Great Grandfather: John H. Williams https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19083118/john-h_-williams

Maternal Great Grandmother: Ethel Gibson Williams https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19083114/ethel-g_-williams