Branching Out - About This Site

About This Site
The Inspiration to Track My Family History

Originally known as The Homestead, Branching Out is the Internet home of my family genealogy. Every school child remembers the assignment 'round about the eighth grade when they're asked to compile a family tree. For me, that was decades ago but my love of genealogy never completely died. My renewed interest and subsequent quest began with a book: The Wild Rose by Doris Mortman (©1991, Bantam Books). The story of a Hungarian concert pianist, Ms. Mortman details the trials and tribulations of living in Hungary during the political upheaval of the 1950s. After finishing this wonderful novel, it dawned on me that I knew nothing of my Hungarian ancestors nor any of my other ancestors.

Since 1992, I have haunted libraries, written blind letters and hounded family members researching my roots. Frustrating at times, fulfilling at others, I have made amazing progress over the years. The advent of the Internet has also been a boom to my research. Through it, I've made several "family connections". If you can supply missing data or suspect there might just be a family link, please email me.

Exactly what will you find at Branching Out? A page about my immediate family, the surnames I'm researching, Family Treasures, a memorial page, links galore and a whole bunch of other stuff. If you are researching in Northeast Ohio, this should be one of your first stops for links to genealogical information and sites.

I hope you enjoy your visit and find something helpful.

The Family Tree

One tree outlives the mighty oak,
Because it's made of special folk,
Through generations changing form,
Providing shelter from life's storm.

Our parents' parents and before,
Who may have lived on distant shores,
They root our lives in memories;
We're nourished by their histories.

A sturdy trunk that lends support
And gives us care of every sort --
The fathers, mothers, uncles, aunts,
Who nurture us like tender plants.

The children, branching toward the sky,
Have brand-new dreams and deeds to try,
And babies, buds that seem so small,
Will flower so the tree grows tall.

--Jill Wolf

Genealogy Brings Families Together

This site is
Made With Love

PRIVACY NOTICE:

As all living persons have a personal civil right to privacy, specific information for living relatives has been deliberately omitted from this site.