Contact
I travel extensively, so forgive any delays in responding. The best way to contact me is through the comment form below.
If you ask for help researching your family’s history, I cannot help you. I’m not a genealogist or specialist in genealogy research. I’m too busy researching my own family. 
However, I continue to collect and post many different resources to help you research your own family history. Search through the Genealogy Resources for help finding resources to help you with your family history research. For more help, check out the many tips and techniques for researching your genealogy in the Genealogy Techniques category.
For information on our other blogs, see Taking Your Camera on the Road and
Lorelle on WordPress, which will help you if you are building a genealogy blog for your family history.
Email: Lorelle VanFossen
DO NOT LEAVE PERSONAL AND PRIVATE INFORMATION HERE
It will be deleted immediately. This includes email addresses, mailing addresses, and any family names which might risk your privacy on the web. NEVER share any personal information on a web page. Ever. Got it? Good.
Or leave a comment below.
June 15th, 2006 at 5:28 pm
I have been looking for the West family for many years now, with not any luck. I’m looking for a Ruby e. West or Ruby West born 27 Jan 1881, in Michigan. She married Franklin Booth in Michigan. Any help would be greatly welcome…. thanks Donna
June 16th, 2006 at 10:21 pm
Sorry, we have no Ruby nor Booth yet in our West family tree. I still have a lot of information to dig through, but I recommend you also search for “Wing” as the West and Wing families have a lot of connections that I’m still trying to figure out. Let me know if you find them. And really hit the census records, state and local. I found that the hardest people to find can often be found by “browsing” the census record rather than using the search. If you know the town or county, it’s time consuming, but I’ve found many people that way.
July 6th, 2006 at 8:20 am
Hello,
My father, Howard Elwers Willis, served on the USS Arizona from 1924 to 1925. I know the chances are slim considering the number of men on board, but I just wondered if your grandfather and my father knew each other. I have his logbook and am searching for information about his ‘pals’ onboard. Do you recognize any of the following names:
H.E. Willis (my dad); F. Beaumont; (maybe D.) Austin; Volz; May; Green; Harper; Collins; Roter or Potter; Purin; or “Peaches”?
Was your grandfather aboard the USS Arizona while it was in California in 1924 for the Vallejo Cup? The team consisted of: Fretwell, Whitney, Tyler, Cardella, Fetzer, Willis (my dad), Bogardus, Parris, Perry, Merritt, Misell, Brickup & Shirling. I have not been able to find out much about this race, but I do know that the team either won, came in second or third because the team received a trophy. I have the photograph of the team receiving their trophy.
Do you have any pictures of the men aboard the USS Arizona during this time frame? I have but a few and would love to have a more complete photo gallery for my father’s time aboard this ship.
Thanks for your help and your website!
Sharon
July 6th, 2006 at 2:47 pm
Sharon,
Wonderful and how exciting. I have my grandfather’s log book, but there are no names of his fellows on board, which is very frustrating. In fact, there is little information, except what I posted. I do have a lot of photographs that I recently scanned and will be processing them for display on the web page and I would adore any and all help identifying anyone in those photographs. I’ll contact you when those are up and maybe we can make some connections.
Howard William West Sr. was on the Arizona during 1924 and 1925, so they might have known each other. My grandfather did hang out with the Marines a lot, though, which he did eventually join or had been with. Sorry, I’m traveling and don’t have his information handy.
I’ve never heard of the Vallejo Cup, but I also don’t have all of my grandfather’s records yet. I’ve been bugging my aunt’s family and hopefully will have some material soon.
This is exciting. Thank you and I hope we can make some connections!
July 25th, 2006 at 9:24 am
In reading your entry on the descendants of David West, I believe there is an error regarding the children of Almond B. West. My grandfather (Almond G. West - born in Attica MI) was the son of North I. West, who was the son of Almond B. West and Hannah Phelps. There is no doubt of this, as I have the DAR records compiled by my uncle North E. West. In your article, you have a Noah West. I wonder if this may be “North”. The other children appear to be correct.
Thanks for the connection to the Dutchess County Quakers you have provided. Several branches of my family, especially the Potter branch appear to have been Quakers in Washington County, NY before becoming Baptists at the end of the 18th century. I have always wondered why my ancestor Rev. John Burgoyne Potter (son of Steven Potter born in Fort Ann, NY would have been named after John Burgoyne. I wondered if there might be a connection with his Quaker roots and some connection with the loyalists.
I can provide further information if you wish.
Jason Potter
July 25th, 2006 at 1:50 pm
Wow! I would love more information. This connection with David West is very new, and I haven’t had time to substantiate all the information. I will email you regarding this and hopefully our information will fill in some missing blanks.
This is the most exciting part of sharing information online - you find new information and new relatives. Thank you!
July 29th, 2006 at 6:50 am
My name is Luis Knapp, Grandson of Theron Knapp born in 1910. Theron passed away in Quincy WA 10 years ago. I am trying to find my family,
Luis Knapp
July 29th, 2006 at 11:05 am
Well, hello, cousin! Wow. My assumption is that Theron Knapp was a descendant of Theron Knapp of 1870 in Michigan? I have no information on the 1870 Theron Knapp family, though you may find information on him from our Knapp Family Online Resource Links. I would love to get information on him and the family before and after. I’ve been recently putting more effort into James Acey/Asa Knapp Senior and Junior and coming up empty, and Theron Knapp (1870) is a son of the senior Knapp.
If you have information on that connection, I’d appreciate it. Thanks!
October 1st, 2006 at 5:18 pm
Has anyone in this line submitted to one of the DNA tests? There is a great DNA project for the WEST surname, found at http://web.utk.edu/~corn/westdna/
I see some links with the line I am working with, which includes Ichabod West, b in RI ca 1710 - 18, died in Shaftsbury VT ca 1787 He also resided in Pawling (beeksman patent)NY and was a Baptist. I believe my line will lead back to Francis West and Susanna Soule, and when I find a male WEST cousin willing to donate his DNA maybe we will all know. Even if this is not the same line as mine, the DNA test will be important to ascertain the original ancestor.
October 1st, 2006 at 7:41 pm
We’re working on DNA submissions and hopefully will have some results soon. For many years, my modern ancestors told everyone that we were related to Sir Fredrick West of Virginia/England. It wasn’t until recently that I figured out that they had read a book or someone had told them about those Wests and they assumed they were related. No wonder I ran into so many dead ends for so very long, following the claims of several generations. It looks like we’re heading back to West and Soule, too.
Maybe we’re related.
December 2nd, 2006 at 2:38 pm
I have recently become involved in finding my family and can relate somewhat to your frustrations. Although not a family history guru by any means, I have enjoyed the process of finding my ancestors. I have also recently become informed of World Vital Records which may be of some help to you. They offer a free newsletter, a free ebook, and a number of databases.
I hope you find this helpful. Good luck in your continual pursuits to find your family. It is very rewarding when we find and understand our ancestors.
December 11th, 2006 at 12:53 am
Hi Lorelle,
Do you have the name Lomelino or Lomellini in your family tree?
Thanks in advance,
Miguel
December 11th, 2006 at 9:09 am
Not to my current knowledge. Thanks for asking.
December 15th, 2006 at 5:37 am
This past July the Mayflower Society’s West Family Historian Louise W. Throop contacted me about giving her my family records and about taking a DNA test. All of the records I had went from my family in Vermont to Minerva, New York to Connecticut to North Kingston, Rhode Island and finally to the Plymouth Colony. All evidence pointed to being a descendant of Francis and Susannah (Soule) West. I ended up taking the test (as did a distant cousin) and we both came back a positive match. Needless to say the West Family DNA Project has posted our results. I am “W105″ in “Group 20″ on their website.
I also have a blog that I started in November that I haven’t had a chance to update:
west-soulegenealogy.blogspot.com
February 11th, 2007 at 9:23 am
Your site is excellent! I operate a site that could be a helpful resource for users of your site: storyofmyhome.com. I’m interested in keeping history alive: everytime somebody moves out of a home, they take their knowledge of that home’s history with them. I want to capture that history and preserve it for others to use.
Come take a look at the site. If you agree with the mission, I’d love to link with your site so that we can give both our user’s greater options for their research needs.
Thanks!
February 22nd, 2007 at 2:13 pm
Hi my name is William Reid my grand daddy told the family that we was kin to King David 17 Genration of King David the Gidron family.I know it sound crazy but that what he said,we also had a family reunion that said 17 Genration of King David the Gidron family root.How do i find out rather or not it is true. I know my grand daddy will not make that type of thing up. My grand daddy name is William Gidron he pass away in 1997 that an old ages.
please help me find out rather or not it is true about my grand daddy is related to 17 genration of king david.
February 23rd, 2007 at 1:03 pm
I can’t help you as I do not offer personal genealogy research help. I’m too busy trying to dig up my own family.
However, there are a whole lot of people associated with Descendants of King David to Meet in Jerusalem that might be able to help.
I was told my whole life that we were descendants of the British Royal Family through Cornwallis. I found out two years ago it was a load of crap. Someone probably read a book that said that Cornwallis was a “West” and told enough people, and it passed through the ages, that we were related. Not even close to the truth. In fact, the truth is actually more fun than the fiction.
Good luck with your search.
February 25th, 2007 at 11:39 am
Hi, Lorelle,
I stumbled across your site here when I was googling genealogical blogs. It is a great resource! I am a contributing editor for Genealogical Helper (and was for Heritage Quest for 17 years before GH and HQ merged). I would like very much like to make reference to cameraontheroad in the current article I am working on. It will definitely appear in an upcomin issue, as it is an assigned article. I will also include your link.
Thank you in advance.
Janet Elaine Smith, author
March 22nd, 2007 at 3:35 am
we have been reading your post and noticed you question. We just introduced Kincafe- www.kincafe.com. This is for families to come together. Children can get updates about families.
We just launched a family 2.0 social network. We would like to invite you for the review of the service and provide feedback to us.
Thanks
Andy
May 24th, 2007 at 9:26 am
I want to know If I was thinking that gived me something that I want and let me know Pleas and thank you very much and anway what I am going to say thins I want something that my family history I want to find outg Please and thank you very much?
May 26th, 2007 at 8:05 am
I believe you are asking my help to do your family research. I’m not a family researcher. I just dig into my family’s past. I cannot help you research your family. It’s not hard and I’ve included many articles on this site to help you get started and dig even further on your own.
Good luck.
May 29th, 2007 at 11:18 am
Hi Lorelle, i’d like to know from a WEFT-Pro (you seem to be one :)) if you have ever heard of a way to get WEFT-Fonts rendered in a ordinary Firefox (or other Gecko based browsers)…
Because exactly this is what a german web-agency leader tells, they were or are doing from time to time. He noted this in an interview in the german Design Magazine “PAGE” 5/2007 (without further explanations). Unfortunately i’m not that familiar with WEFT or alternative embedding-methods asides the MS proposed CSS (intended for IE).
Did you hear or read about WEFT in FFs?
regards, Erik
May 29th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
Odd you ask here instead of on my other blog post, CSS Experiments With Web Fonts and Embedded Fonts, which explains all this, but the answer is that Firefox does not work with embedded fonts. WEFT is proprietary for Microsoft only.
However, in an interesting twist, if you designate a specific font along with the “font family style”, such as “fantasy”, if the specific font doesn’t exist, Firefox will use the first fantasy font it fines on the computer. It’s not the use of an embedded font, and there are a lot of strange fantasy fonts out there that are hard to read, and the web designer wants to “set” the font, not be victimized by chance, so this isn’t a way to go, but something to know.
Check out the article for more information on this.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
DEAR SIR ,MADAM
I AM RESEARCHING MY FAMILY HISTORY. I FOUND THIS
INFORMATION COULD YOU HELP ME . MY SUR NAME:
INANOGULLARI
June 15th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Again, I do not offer any family history or genealogy research help other than that related directly to my own family. I am not a genealogy researcher.
June 26th, 2007 at 12:32 am
I ran across your genealogy blog translated in Chinese and find it fascinating to read it in Chinese first and then read it in English. I have my genealogy published in Chinese and revised in 1930. It has a list of 24 generations for about 700 years. I would like it translated into English from Chinese, the reverse of what is done on your blog. Please give me your contact to see if it can be done for me.
Many thanks for reply.
C. Lee
June 30th, 2007 at 8:49 am
I do not allow translations of my content without permission, so I would love to know where you found this blog translated. As for helping you with translations, I’m sorry, since the translation you mention was done illegally, without permission, and in violation of my copyright as well as my knowledge, I don’t have the answer for you.
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:18 pm
I am trying to locate imformation on a Zebulon (John)Smith of Raisin Township, Lenawee County, Michigan. His second wife was an Elizabeth M. (sirname unknown). Was this her legal name?
On or about Christmas 1873 an Alice M. Smith witnessed the wedding of her daughter, Nancy Alice (Ella) Smith, to one Elon Boyce in Farwell, Clare County, Michigan.
There were four daughters born of this marriage before Ella Smith Boyce disappeared into the piney woods with another man. The daughters were Alice Cora Boyce Higgins, Florence (?), Janine Boyce Parrish Conley, and my grandmother Myrttle Clara Boyce Robinson. Any help you could provide would be appreciated.
July 3rd, 2007 at 9:44 pm
As stated clearly in my comments policy and contact information, I am not a genealogy researcher. I cannot help those outside of my immediately family research.
However, I would check the Diary of Hannah Pierce on the Lenawee, Michigan, genealogy site and search through it for names of your relatives. I do not recognize any of these names in association with my family tree.
The family history researchers associated with that site may also have more information and help for you.
August 8th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Came across your blog from Steve’s. Great reading! I would like to suggest however that you add dates to your blog posts.
August 9th, 2007 at 8:18 am
Hi, Lorelle,
I found your blog listed as a referrer in the stats for my Terry’s Tips site - didn’t know until then you were posting about it. Thanks for the traffic.
I’m glad to see you are finding what I wrote helpful.
Terry
August 14th, 2007 at 9:08 am
Hi Lorelle,
Your last posting on your blog asks if anyone knows of a good genealogy podcast. I produce and host the Genealogy Gems Podcast which you can find at www.genealogygems.tv. It’s a weekly podcast running about 20-25 minutes & I pack each one with the research and display ideas. My website is more than just a Show Notes blog, but a full blown website with videos and resources. And coming in September will be my new book “The Comprehensive Guide to Season One of the Genealogy Gems Podcast.” I hope you and your readers will check it out. All the best, Lisa
November 8th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
@Taneya:
Thanks, and there are dates on my blog posts. In the post meta data section, the paragraph at the end of the post content. Much of what I write is timeless, so there is no need for dates to be BIG and bold.
November 8th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
@Lisa Louise Cooke:
Thanks for the info. I checked out your site, and my, well, oh. I do hope with your new book you also give your site the face life it needs as you have valuable information presented in an out-dated fashion, very difficult to search and navigate. Your information is too valuable to be hidden behind such a site.
November 11th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Hi Lorelle,
I know you are probably traveling around doing whatever it is that you do best but I wanted to say hello! Also, I have website questions for you, so, come home!
November 24th, 2007 at 10:44 am
Lorelle, I have read through your genealogy posts on Lorelle at wordpress and scanned through this website. How did you export your data to fill pages like David West Descendants? I use WordPress and am looking at incorporating genealogy into my website, but am having trouble finding a decent, easy-to-use way to do so.
November 25th, 2007 at 9:17 am
@Jeremy:
I use the Master Genealogist program to export an HTML file with a list of the generations. Then I use ALL my HTML expertise to clean it up since it comes out in a horrible table format, over-coded, and ugly. I wish they would clean up their HTML export to meet web standards.
December 25th, 2007 at 3:34 am
Just wanted to let you know that your family history site isn’t valid - all you’ve got to do is remove the “border” attribute in the amazon.com iframe.
December 27th, 2007 at 11:21 am
@Bobby:
Can you be more specific with what “valid” means to you? An error or four in the W3C validation test does not mean that the site doesn’t work. It may mean that the test doesn’t recognize the code. Ad codes have long been a problem with validation but they do not impact the site’s function nor form. Is that what you meant?
February 8th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Rogue Valley Genealogical Society operates a genealogy library with an extensive collection of Southern Oregon records. Please include a link to us on your website.
February 27th, 2008 at 10:19 am
@Barbara Basden:
If I had family ancestry that covered that area, I would indeed. Thank you, though.
March 19th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
I have done some research, and pieced together the pieces of my family tree at least on the knapp line, using familysearch.org. if this information is correct then i believe i am a 13 generation direct descendant of Nicholas Knapp from Suffolk England. im not sure if there is anything i can do, but i was wondering whats the best way to do genealogy research.
April 9th, 2008 at 8:42 am
@Justin Knapp:
I don’t understand. What should you do about it? Do you have proof? Do you have information that isn’t public and published that would help add to the information on the family research? Then publish it via a blog or whatever and get the information to the leaders in the Knapp family research. There is a Knapp family mailing list on Ancestry.com so that would be a good place to start.
July 17th, 2008 at 7:19 am
I am the granddaughter of Allen James Knapp and found your site while looking up my Grandmother. Thank you for having this information!
July 18th, 2008 at 6:13 am
Hi Lorelle,
I am Miriam Parker from the Hachette Book Group. We are publishing a novel in September by Kathleen Kent, who is descended from Martha Carrier, one of the first women to be tried and executed for being a witch in Salem, Mass. She did extensive family research for the book and the book is a fictionalized account of her own family history. I wonder if you would be interested in reading/reviewing it for your Family History blog.
More info about the book: http://www.hachettebookgroupusa.com/books_9780316024488.htm
If so, do let me know. I look forward to hearing from you.
Best,
Miriam
–
Miriam Parker
Online Marketing Specialist
Hachette Book Group USA (Formerly the Time Warner Book Group) http://www.hachettebookgroupusa.com
July 29th, 2008 at 7:43 am
I’m trying to locate a copy of The Van Fossen’s in America and any information on Lawrence S. Van Fossen, from ohio (could be laurence)born in the 1900’s. His father was Sidney (Sydney?)Van Fossen
August 16th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Hi. My Van Fossen line goes from a John Van Fossen,1630, Philadelphia Pa. area to Hervey Van Fossen, 1900’s in Ohio. My father is Michael Van Fossen and we are trying to locate any connections in the Ohio/Michigan area. Thanks for any information you may have.