CMJ Office Blog

This is a picture of my husband’s maternal great-great grandmother, Hannah M. Eddington Boyer.

She was born in 1863, Ohio, and died in 1951, Kansas.

The interesting note here is that her great granddaughter (hubby’s mom, Sharon Gragg) shared their birthdays, April 17^th. We almost witnessed history repeat itself again when my daughter, Sharon Gragg’s granddaughter, was born on April 18^th. So, my daughter blew history by being a day late. I can’t even say that it was a close call either. Emily wasn’t born until late in the afternoon on the 18^th. Oh well.

Hannah and Sharon pictured above in Kansas. Sharon was born on Hannah’s 77^th birthday.

Does your family have a birthday that repeats itself throughout history?

Colleen M. Johnson, CMJ Office

CMJ Office is a certified and licensed virtual administrative business supporting business owners, bloggers, genealogy and history authors, speakers and researchers.

I’m assuming this picture is dated around 1925.

L to R: Nellie Reeder Boyer, Leona Boyer Gragg, and Chester Edward Boyer

Colleen Johnson, CMJ Office

CMJ Office is a certified and licensed virtual administrative business supporting business owners, genealogy and history authors, speakers and researchers.

Michael Joseph Finnegan (1907-1983)

This photo of my maternal grandfather was taken in the 1930s in Rhode Island. He definitely had quite a head of hair on him!

Colleen M. Johnson, CMJ Office

CMJ Office is a certified and licensed virtual administrative business supporting business owners, genealogy and history authors, speakers and researchers.

Happy Halloween!

In honor of Halloween, I have selected a frightening photo taken in 2003. My hubby was in Iraq and I had traveled home to New England to visit family. I only had two children at the time. We ventured up to La Salette Shrine in Attleboro, Massachusetts to view the Holiday Lights. Their lights are incredible.

While there, I snapped this shot. As I snapped it, I thought I saw something; but when I put the camera down, nothing was there. I kept looking around and my mother questioned me. I shrugged and said, “I thought I just saw something but I guess not.”

As you can clearly see, there is a spirit in my snapshot. I freaked out when I got the photos developed and saw this. Of course, the Shrine is a very spiritual place with quite a few prayers and devotions. There is no question in my mind that this is a spirit. I just have no idea why it jumped into my family photo. LOL

Colleen M. Johnson, CMJ Office

CMJ Office is a certified and licensed virtual administrative business supporting business owners, genealogy and history authors, speakers and researchers.

The Finnegan family is pictured above in June 1947 with friends in Rhode Island.

My grandfather, Michael Finnegan, is holding my 3 month old uncle, Michael Finnegan, jr. I love my grandmother’s face. Anna Clune Finnegan doesn’t look too confident with grandpa holding Joey. My mother, Mary Finnegan Degnan, is standing in front of my grandmother beaming in her strawberry dress. The other family pictured is the Lee family – Bill, Helen, Maureen and Billy.

Colleen M. Johnson, CMJ Office

CMJ Office is a certified and licensed virtual administrative business supporting business owners, genealogy and history authors, speakers and researchers.