Charboneau

Eighth blogiversary, and the family stories just keep coming!

22 Comments

Sepia Satuday 619. Celebrating the eighth blogiversary of Molly’s Canopy.

If anyone had asked me eight years ago whether I would still be blogging in 2021, I’m not sure how I would have answered.

Yet here we are celebrating the Eighth Blogiversary of Molly’s Canopy, the family history and genealogy I launched in April 2014 — and the family stories just keep on coming!

Celebrating the 8th Blogiversary of Molly’s Canopy, which launched in April 2014.

Photos led the way this year

When I began blogging, I let ancestral stories lead the way — illustrating as best I could the lives of forbears who left no photo legacy. But this past year has been a treat, because I let family photos lead the way.

My maternal Italian and German ancestors in Gloversville, Fulton Co., N.Y., left a rich photo legacy — particularly the extended Curcio family and its many branches.

The extended Curcio-Del Negro family of Gloversville, N.Y. (circa 1911). Scan by Molly Chaboneau/ Charboneau-Laurence Family Collection

Their stories captured the immigrant experience, the importance of family networks to success in the U.S., and the legacy of hard work and determination they passed on to their descendants.

As a child, I was honored to meet some of the younger Curcio family members — and marveled at their strong family connections.

One of the Curcio descendants was my maternal grandfather Antonio W. Laurence, the young boy seated at the right side of the front row in the photo above.

Chronicling my early teen years

Another fun writing project during 2021 was chronicling Endwell: My early teen years — when rock-and-roll was overtaken by the British-invasion and 1960s culture began to take hold in my generation.

Oct. 1964. That’s me at age 14 inside New York State’s Tent of Tomorrow at the World’s Fair in Flushing, Queens. Photo by Norm Charboneau

What a joy to revisit my teens from the perspective of age and to add my own story to those of my ancestors — from my visits to the 1964-65 World’s Fair in Flushing, Queens, to rock concerts and junior prom (in between school work, of course).

And now, the 1950 US census…

As I enter my ninth blogging year, the long-awaited 1950 US census has gone public — and I found myself listed for the first time at age 2 months. How fantastic was that!

Dec. 1950: My first Christmas at 45 Grand St., Gloversville, N.Y., where I was enumerated in the 1950 US census. There I am at 11 months learning to party hearty for the holidays. Photo by Norman J. Charboneau

As with any census, there is more to the family story that those dry entries on a pre-printed form.

How to explain my ancestors’ answers to the regular and “extra” questions? What is the significance of those stray marks made by census takers and tabulators? What family photos correspond to this slice of 1950s time? Readers of Molly’s Canopy will want to stick around for those answers and more!

Meanwhile, many thanks to my family, friends, colleagues, readers and the intrepid bloggers at Sepia Saturday, Geneabloggers and the Genealogy Blog Party for your continued visits, comments and support — and if you are new to Molly’s Canopy, I hope you’ll subscribe join me on the journey!

Up next: My maternal grandparents in the 1950 US census. Meanwhile, please visit the blogs of this week’s other Sepia Saturday participants.

© 2022 Molly Charboneau. All rights reserved.

facebookShare on Facebook
TwitterTweet
FollowFollow us

Related Posts:

22 thoughts on “Eighth blogiversary, and the family stories just keep coming!”

  1. Happy Blogiversary! 8 years is quite a long time! I have no idea if I’ll still be blogging that long! Yes, your pictures added to your blogs is what really helps me get to know your family so much better and really adds to their stories…from their portraits, to the buildings and homes, and even all the Sanborn maps! These definitely help make the story! You inspired me to try to add more visuals to my blogs; although, I don’t write about my family, which which you have shown to be way more interesting! 😉

    1. Thanks, Diane. The web is a visual medium, so adding more photos, charts and maps is a great idea. You may also want to consider adding family examples when you explain genealogy/research techniques to generate reader interest.

  4. Congratulations on your 8th blogging anniversary. Like you, I never expected to be still blogging when I began my blog in 2010. Having a rich collection of photographs to draw makes all the difference and you have some lovely ones.

    1. Yes, the photos are definitely a plus in writing an ancestral story. I only wish I had inherited more from my dad’s line.

  5. Congratulations on your 8th blogversary, am amazed how you’ve come a long way! Great to know of your Italian and German ancestry and how through the years you’ve found your roots. Hoping I learn much from you in finding family history.
    That’s also awesome, being listed in the 1950 US Census, you have a cute baby face there!

  6. Congrats on your Blogaversary! And I, too, enjoy your posts about your family. Your Grandfather Antonio was sure a cute little fellow, and looked so mature for your age in that picture by the Tent of Tomorrow. I wonder how many things displayed in that tent came to be? 🙂

    1. The Tent of Tomorrow had a map of New York State on its floor and you could stand on your hometown (which my younger brothers and I did). The floor is still there, buried in dirt to preserve it for future development (fingers crossed).

  7. Congratulations! I started my first blog in 2009 (and my ‘Greetings from the Past’ one in 2012) and I’d never have guessed that was something I’d keep up for so many years either.

    I found my emigrated relatives in the 1910 US census (the year before they returned to Sweden again!) and that was very helpful to me to understand what their work situations were like during their years in the US.

    1. Thanks, Monica. You definitely lucked out having your relatives in the U.S. during the 1910 census year. I’m loving your post-card series!

  8. Congratulations on your Blogiversary! I always enjoy your posts and often get inspiration for my own blog.

    1. Thanks, Kathy. I love reading your blog as well — so many heartfelt stories and photos of your ancestors and their neighbors.

  9. Congratulations on another year of blogging! Your grandfather looks so happy and cute in the family photo. And your baby face and 14 year old face are the same! Well, of course they are, but I can see the baby back in that of the 14 year old.
    Looking forward to following your 1950 census discoveries.

  10. Congratulations on your 8th blogiversary. We both started about the same time. I wish you many more years of blogging fun and sharing your family stories.

Comments are closed.