When I first starting to do genealogy, I wanted to find out more about my Place ancestors. I quickly came to the conclusion Brig. Gen. Solomon Place was a direct ancestor. I soon found some cousins had come to the same conclusion. It seemed to be a family tradition. But, we were all wrong. Wishful…
Utah Accent
For Pioneer Day, some quick examples of the Utah Accent, also called a Mormon Accent or a Pioneer Accent. It’s a little different from a standard American Midwest Accent. I don’t know why linguists so often ignore it. If you know how to hear it, you’ll find it in Utah, eastern Nevada, southern Idaho, southwestern…
Findagrave Shenanigans
I’m increasingly convinced Findagrave is moving toward a naked power grab of our data. I learned this week that they have no scruples about taking away “added by” credit and giving it to someone else. Dates don’t actually matter. The point of altering the facts seems to be rewarding the people who add masses of…
Crackers
I think probably the first time I heard the term Cracker was in Gone With the Wind. Maybe it’s a Southern word. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it used by a Westerner, at least not un-self-consciously. Many people I’ve asked have no idea what it means even though most have heard it. I read…