What to ask? What to ask?

It is best to ask open-ended questions that are not answered by a “yes” or “no.” For example, when I asked Perry Jackson to tell of his life and what was his earliest memory?, he answered with this descriptive statement: “I’d better start out the day I was born. They say the doctor slapped me, and I said, ‘Where’s my gun and my fishing pole?’ Hunting and fishing were the two things I really love to do.”

When I ask him question # 12 from the list below: Describe what the main street of your town was like, he told an interesting story of an event that happened there rather than a description of buildings etc.

Here is a list of questions to help you or someone you know start their personal history. This list is only a beginning to help you make your own list of additional questions or inspire you to get stories from your family you never heard before.

1. What do you believe is your earliest memory?

2. Tell about your brothers or sisters? What makes each of them special?
3. What kind of lessons did you take as a child?
4. What do you remember about your first home?
5. Describe your favorite smell from your childhood.
6. Do you recall any outstanding trips or summer vacations you took as a child?
7. Tell about a favorite vacation as a child. As an adult.
8. Where did you go to grade school? Describe It.
9. What was a typical school day like as a child?
10. Did you have a favorite school teacher? Why?
11. Did you have a bicycle? What was It like? Where did you ride?
12. Describe what the main street of your town was like.
13. Describe your favorite “spot” in the world.
14. What Instrument do you wish you could play?
15. What special things did you do with your mother?
16. What special things did you do with your father?
17. What games did you play as a child, both indoors and outdoors?
18. What did you want to be when you grew up?
19. Do you recall any special event that took place In your neighborhood when you were growing up? (fire, accident, illness etc.)
21. Describe a night at grandma’s house.
22. Describe your grandparents.
23. Describe your parents.
24. What did you look like as a child? What were you like?
25. What were you frightened of as a child?

26. What was your most embarrassing moment?
27. Describe a childhood Christmas?
28. What was your most memorable Christmas?
29. How did you celebrate Christmas as a child?
30. Describe getting a Christmas tree with your family? How did you decorate it?
31. What did your parents do for a living? Your grandparents?
32. Are there any family heirlooms in your family? Tell about them.
33. Tell about how you learned to drive.
34. Tell about a frustrating experience you have had with a car.
35. What was your favorite Saturday activity as a child.
36. Describe Sunday as a child.
37. What things do you enjoy doing today that you did as a child.
38. What do you feel Is the most important world event that has taken place in your lifetime.
39. Describe a serious illness you have had.
40. Tell about your first date.
41. Who was your first boy friend (Girlfriend)?
42. How did you meet your husband (Wife)?
43. Describe how you got engaged.
44. Describe your wedding day.
45. Tell about the birth of your first child. Each child thereafter.
46. Here it comes . . .What were you doing when John F. Kennedy was shot?
47. What are the top 10 most wonderful things that have ever happened to you?
48. What is the most adventuresome thing you have ever done?
49. What is the most trying experience that has ever happened to you?
50. What is comforting to you physically, mentally and spiritually?
51. Describe your first paying job.
52. Tell about the places you have worked.
53. Would you choose different if you could choose your occupation again? What would it be?
54. What is your favorite holiday?
55. Have you had a religious conversion? Describe it?
56. Tell about some of your friends (both as a child and as an adult).
57. Tell about several times when you were trouble.
58. Describe the events of your birth.

Morrel History in the United States

JOHN MORRELL Sr. of Kittering, Maine was born about 1640. The known information concerning the Morrell lineage extends back four generations to an early period in New England colonial history. The first known Morrell ancestor in America was John Morrell Sr., who resided in Kittery, Maine, in 1663, just 42 years after the first permanent English settlement of New England. John Morrell Sr., was a plasterer and a mason by trade. In this connection several accounts refer to him as a stonelayer or bricklayer. In 1665, he married Sarah Hodsdon (Hodgdon) of Kittery, Maine, the daughter of Nicholas Hodgdon and Elizabeth Wincoll Needham. It was after this marriage that John Morrell learned to write his name. At that time, a man who could sign his name was an exception.

In the 1600’s and early 1700’s, the French and Indians combined to fight the English colonists. The area of Maine where John Morrell lived was the scene of periodic Indian attacks. In fact, in 1720 and 1722, John Morrell was ordered to fortify his house as a garrison against Indian attacks. Being Quakers, they fought Indians for defensive purposes only. John Morrell Sr.’s posterity contains a large contingent of noted men including leaders in politics, religion, education, manufacturing, doctors, lawyers, authors, editors, farming, cattlemen etc. Included in this history is a short bio of Cyrus Wilson Morrell and his wife Mary Worley that are shown on Perry's pedigree chart.

Some noted descendants of John Morrell (Morrill) are Edmund Needham Morrell, who became Governor of Kansas in 1895 and a Congressman for 8 years; Daniel J. Morrell Representative from Pennsylvania and industrialist; Lott H. Morrill, Governor of Maine and Secretary of Treasury in 1876, following the Civil War; Anson P. Morrill, first Republican Governor of Maine and Congressman during the Civil War, and of course the honored subject of this Blog, Perry L. Jackson.

Jeremiah Bingham

JEREMIAH BINGHAM was born on June 15, 1806 at Cornwall, Addison County, Vermont. His parents were Jeremiah Bingham who was born April 17, 1760 at Cornwall, Vermont and Mary Ives who was born April 25, 1766 at Wellingford, Connecticut. He was the youngest of their ten children. Jeremiah married Abigail Harrington on February 2, 1829 at Brockville, Leeds, Ontario, Canada. Abigail died leaving Jeremiah alone with a family of seven children to raise. Jeremiah met and married Sarah Keele on February 14, 1846 in Iowa. They had four children. Abigail died when their baby Augustus was born, and Jeremiah was left with an additional young family. In 1846, he had also married Susan Keele, a sister to Sarah.

Jeremiah was in Nauvoo when Joseph Smith was martyred. He was well acquainted with the prophet, and at one time was his body guard. There was but six months difference in their age, and they were the same size. At times, they liked to wrestle, a form of sport both enjoyed on the “Common.”

After they were driven from Nauvoo, Jeremiah and family joined the pioneer company of Captain Daniel A. Miller, having eight persons in the family, one wagon, and twelve head of cattle. He joined on April 6, 1852, but had planned on coming with the first company. Ezra Benson ask him for a loan of a horse, which he did, and this kindness caused him to remain behind until he could earn enough money to purchase another horse. He left with the second company on June 8, 1953

After arriving in Utah, a place the Mormons hoped to be a refuge from persecution, on September 9, 1953, the Bingham family settled first in Ogden where Jeremiah did what he could to help build up the community for a year. They then moved to Payson where he assisted in building a fort for the protection of the settlers.

Jeremiah and his son Joseph, who had learned the blacksmith trade from his father, worked together in their shop in Payson. Jeremiah suffered a broken leg from which he never fully recovered. He was an invalid, for two years, and died May 6, 1890 at Payson.

The Bingham genealogy has traced the Bingham name to Augustin Bingham born about 1075 and who lived in Bingham, Melcombe Dorsetshire, England.

I am looking for a photo of Jeremiah Bingham. If anyone can help me, leave a comment on this blog.

To view the headstone of Jeremiah Bingham click this link: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=15202110

Sarah Ellenor Bingham, A True Pioneer Woman

SARAH ELLENOR BINGHAM was a true pioneer woman, born of pioneer parents at Mt. Pisgah, Pattomatomic County, Iowa, April 15, 1850, where her parents Jeremiah Bingham and Sarah Keele had been driven at the time of the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois. She spent the first two years of her life there, until her mother died in 1852 as a result of the hardships she had to endure.

That same year, her father resumed his journey to Utah, having in his charge a four-year old and a two-year old daughter.

For a time, her father journeyed with Daniel A. Miller/John W. Cooley Company. After living in Salt Lake City for some time, the family moved to Payson, Utah, where they remained during such hardships as the Walker war between the whites and the Ute Indians.

On October 30, 1871, Sarah Ellenor married John William Jackson, who had emigrated from Manchester, England in 1856. After a difficult life with many challenges the family finally settled in Lyman, Utah.

Lyman is two Miles east of Loa on Highway U-24. The settlement was originally named East Loa and then in 1893 it was changed to Wilmoth. The following year the name was changed to honor Apostle Francis M. Lyman, a Mormon Church official who had suggested they move their settlement to higher ground.

The Jacksons were the last family to abandon the old town site. They had taken in an Indian baby who had been reduced to skin and bones from starvation and disease. The will to live and the fortitude to suffer so inherent in the Indians made her survival possible. Sarah was about fifty-five years old when the little girl became part of their household. They named her Eliza.
Sarah Eleanor Bingham descends from the early royalty of England, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Sweden and Vikings. Some of these ancestors included Reverend John Lothrope, William the Conqueror, John Lackland, King of England, Henry I and Henry II, Kings of England and Charlamagne, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

Sarah died on April 15, 1936 and was buried next to her husband, John William Jackson in the Lyman cemetery, Wayne County, Utah.

To view her headstone in Lyman, Utah go to this site: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=jackson&GSiman=1&GScid=77315&GRid=18983206&