Roots Researcher Recommends Webinar

Featured Photo: Lynell Moss, striped dress-bottom center, and her close-knit family in Dallas, TX. 1948. Courtesy of Lynell Moss.

Family runs deep in the heart of 50+ year veteran genealogist Lynell Moss of Plano, Texas, who will be sharing her wealth of knowledge in an upcoming ten-week FREE webinar, to help researchers of any level learn to explore their family roots. [Informational flyer below]

Lynell was born in a Dallas neighborhood called Urbandale, where once upon a time you could buy three lots for only $10 down. Lynell’s home was a humble five-room home where she shared a room with her brother, and when extra finances were needed her mom would find work out of the house to help supplement the family income.

Her extended family all lived nearby and got together “for every holiday and sometimes in between,” remembers Lynell. “I grew up knowing my grandparents and cousins.” She also grew up knowing enough about her ancestors and the state that she calls home to drive her at the young age of 24 to dedicate the rest of her life to researching her roots and helping others to research theirs.

“I’d rather search for family than most anything else,” she says. It’s amazing to me that some people think looking for their ancestors is boring. You know immediately they have not engaged in the exploration! It is anything but boring.” Lynell is passionate about those who paved the way for the life that she lives today.

“Texas is really different from other states,” she says of the home that she so dearly loves. “Texans fought for their freedom. Citizens, not soldiers, were the ones fighting for that freedom and independence. Our freedom was won by over-whelming odds to become an independent country. And while fighting the Mexican Army, there was another fight going on against Indians who did not like invaders taking over their land. No other state in the union was a country before becoming a state,” she adds proudly.

Of her own ancestors she also humbly gives credit. “They traveled across trackless plains to settle the country. They lived in houses with dirt floors and cooked in fireplaces. They had little and worked hard for everything they did have. They left a legacy and a place for me to grow in better than they had.”

Hiram Bennett, Lynell’s first ancestor who came to Texas in 1845, was mentioned in a newspaper report on the 1889 Pioneers of Dallas County Reunion, “Mr. Bennett was present at the reunion two years ago when, with bent form and lagging footsteps, he admitted an age of 91 years. [Judge Nat M.] Burford spoke feelingly of the deceased gentleman’s career and the share he had taken in the upbuilding of Dallas County in the days when the ready hand and stout heart counted for far more than mints of gold.”

“It is so much fun to see the excitement on people’s faces as they learn about the people who made life possible for them. It makes a difference in their lives,” said Moss.

What do you know about your people? Where do they come from? How did they live? What obstacles did they have to overcome to survive? Do you look like one of your ancestors? What paths have they paved for you? What paths are you paving for your future generations?

Due to the persistent presence of COVID-19 and its variants, Plano’s 17th annual GREAT FAMILY SEARCH CONFERENCE 2021 will be postponed in its usual format. In its place, Lynell Moss will be teaching an online webinar, “Exploring My Family History – A 10-Part Weekly Series on Genealogy Research,” featuring familysearch.org, a free, non-profit website dedicated to making genealogical resources available to help connect families worldwide. Classes will be via ZOOM beginning September 1st at 7:00 pm and run each Wednesday through November 3rd. Handouts before each class can be found at greatfamilysearch.com under the “forms” tab. Specific Class information can be found on the attached flyer.

Family History Centers Around the World

In addition to this ZOOM conference, did you know that at no cost to you, you can visit a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Family History Center near your home? At these centers, you can get the help of seasoned genealogy experts who can guide you in exploring your own family roots. The centers also provide you access to thousands of books, microfiche, microfilm, and other online records that are only accessible in Church Family History Centers and Affiliated Public Libraries. To find one near you go to: https://www.familysearch.org/fhcenters/locations/