My Journey

As a young girl I grew up wondering what it
was like to live back in the “olden days.”
What it must have been like to be a pioneer,
fight for freedom, survive a voyage across a
foreign sea or wear the clothing of yester year.
I read many books and often fantasized
about these things, never thinking that my
ancestors actually lived them.

It wasn’t until about the age of twelve
that I began to ask questions.
Who was great great grandpa?
Grandma? Where did they come
from? How many children did they have? etc…

It became a habit, obsession and a quest that would get me shoed from a room on many occasion. But, my persistence paid off and by the Fall of 1982 I began documenting every bit of information that was given to me by relatives or anything that I could find about my heritage. How fascinating to find of my Scottish, Irish, German and French ancestors.

Although it's been a long journey I've never been alone, with the help of cousins, Nancy Varkalis, Chick Varkalis, Hartley Barclay, Paul Barclay, James Grandpre, Bonnie Ward, David Dillenbeck & numerous other relatives, we've rambled through the gravestones together and their help has been a blessing.

This search will continue throughout the remainder of my life and hopefully my
children and their children will continue. Regardless, I hope all who take a journey
through the pages enjoy and find it as exciting as I have.

~ Dawn Wendt *2001

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