A Journey
Opening the Family Vault
This blog is dedicated to the discovery of family and self. I grew up with stories passed on to me by my grandmother and other family members; however, I didn’t understand the breadth and nature of those stories. I’ve embarked on a journey to examine many of the artifacts I have inherited over the years with the hope that my inquiries and estimations of ancestors’ lives, especially the women in our family, will give a sense of time, place, and discovery.
A little bit about me. I’m a lifelong educator and tutor, freelance copy editor, photographer, home chef, and family historian. For the past year, I have been traveling and researching many of my family lines.
My travels have taken me to the coastal region of Georgia where many of my ancestors lived (Liberty, Glynn, McIntosh, and Chatham counties) and to other Southern towns and cities such as Limestone Springs, SC and Savannah, GA. I have met many people in my journey, and I’m especially grateful for the Harris Neck Community where our connections to one another have deepened the need for honest, loving communication as descendants of that region.
My archival research includes the Georgia Historical Society, McIntosh and Chatham County Courthouses, First African Baptist Church–Harris Neck, Walthourville, GA, Midway, GA, the Georgia Archives in Morrow, GA, Bullstreet Library, Savannah, GA, and many more online archives via the Library of Congress, Georgia Historic Newspapers, and other historical/genealogical websites.
Photograph by
Jennie Clayton Photography
Daryl O’Hare Blog
A Journey: Opening the Family Vault
Is this site appropriate for all viewers?
This site it open to all. Topics will include sensitive material, however, so I do advise anyone visiting the site to be aware that as I investigate the past, I am working to discuss it in a way that always respects the humanity and dignity of all people. Topics may be difficult to view and may not be appropriate for all people. Many primary sources reflect biases that I do not hold personally, and I use them for the historical context to investigate my ancestors’ pasts, not to promote any flawed attitudes, prejudices, or behaviors.
What is your policy for the photography/media on this site?
All photography/media on this site (unless I have noted another source) is copyrighted by Daryl O’Hare. Visitors to the site are welcome to link others to my site for viewing, but downloading photography/media from the site is not permitted unless someone has asked me directly and received written permission to download the photographs/media or take images of them. Please be respectful of my work. If you are interested in a photograph/media I have provided on the site, contact me at [email protected].
How did you get started?
Over the years, I have attempted to do some basic genealogy research to build family trees, but the time has always been a bit limited. I have a collection of artifacts that were passed down to me, and I decided to figure out who they belonged to or how they came into my possession. I joined various genealogy sites to start. I have spent almost 2 years now working on discovering all the people in my family.
What types of artifacts do you have?
I have photographs, portraits, a family Bible, a speech from 1913, a memoir written by my great-great-grandfather, furniture, letters, maps, jewelry, ticker tape messages from the WWII era, medals, and many other things I hope to share, if appropriate.