A Collection of Fascinating Individuals from the Ancestral Tree of Clara Forbes Batton Rice

Clara Forbes Batton Rice
1888-1987

About a year ago my Mom asked me one little question about something she saw on Ancestry.com.

A few months later there was a book delivered to her door,

A Collection of Fascinating Individuals from the Ancestral Tree of Clara Forbes Batton Rice.

I started looking up one thing and got obsessed.

I am a genealogy junkie.

I spent a lot of time in my 20s in Newberry Library in Chicago watching microfiche whiz by until it made me feel queasy. I've tromped around cemeteries from Autaugaville, Alabama to Leighlinbridge, Ireland.

My childhood love of the Shirley Temple movie, The Bluebird, is what really started my longing to know more about my family history. When Mytyl (Temple's character) is on her journey to find the bluebird of happiness she goes to the Land of Memory to visit her grandparents who had passed away. They "wake-up" and are so happy she remembered them because a loved one thinking is what keeps them alive. 

I thought I would share the information I put in the book for my Mom on a blog so it would be easier to share.  I have tried my best to be as accurate as possible but I am sure I have probably made mistakes along the way. Genealogy is an ever evolving mystery to solve.  I have paraphrased my findings on some ancestors but will add links to further information. 

Many years ago my Mom asked Mommie (what we all called Clara Forbes Batton Rice) where her family came from.  Her answer went something like Alabama, and before that, Tennessee and before that, Virginia.  For a long time I thought this answer was just a brush off answer but I was wrong.  Her family has been in America for a very long time.