Patsy's Family History

Patsy Atwood Reese in Fort Worth, Texas is spending a year sharing about her family history starting in the 19th century...



Why did you decide to do this project? I have hundreds of family letters and some very old pictures, even tintypes.

I have been collecting photos and artifacts (mostly ephemera) from both sides of my family for decades.  To me as a history major it is fascinating, on many different levels. I was raised by a large family in my father's home town in central Texas. Every aunt, uncle, and cousin has a great story (I think.) So do my grandparents and great-grandparents (Civil War veterans, for example, on my father's side.)

For many many years I have been promising myself I would put this all in a book, to give to my offspring, and other family members as well. I am 73 now, and I can't take it with me!!

Dragging stuff around, trying to take care of it, losing some of it in a flood around 1990, I read your piece and realized this was my answer. In 366 days I will be able to put it all out there, for family as well as interested friends, to  enjoy and/or save for themselves.  I have digitized almost everything except textiles, which are very few, and will be photographed.



How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I find I look forward to every post, sometimes even setting some up in advance.  I just don't want to miss a single day. And there is so much more that I have to tell.

It has been great to realize that after a year I will likely be near my goal. If I print all the blog entries, my long-awaited book will be a reality!!! I have been thanked on Facebook by several people already.

I have heard from family and extended family about this, a few wanting to contribute, or comment, but not many.  Perhaps as time goes by more folks will join in. My four grandchildren are certainly interested. and  I already have two great-grandchildren. Some of my life will  seem very strange to them, as will the lives of my parents and grandparents.

My two daughters have put me off every time I have tried to get us together for digitizing and scrapbooking.  Now that this project is started, they have actually arranged for us to spend a weekend in March together, sharing and documenting what we can about ourselves, our forebears, and our loved ones.



Read Patsy's family history HERE

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