Authors' Bio

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My Story, Morning Glory, and I'm Sticking To It !

I was born in south west Indiana where several generations of my mother's ancestors lived, Greene County, IN to be specific. (click map to enlarge). Most of my Indiana ancestors came from Washington, Orange, Lawrence and Floyd Counties and migrated west to Sullivan County, IN. Greene County where I was born; Greene is one county over from Sullivan.

My father worked construction when I and my three siblings were young (all about a year apart in age) so we moved around a bit before settling about ten miles outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan in the quiet country. (a Midwest girl).

I enjoyed growing up on dirt roads with cows across the street. Having fun as a teenager was sneaking out late and running around, especially through the local cemetery. This is a picture of the house I grew up outside of Ann Arbor, MI.

My father built this house and was my first home.

My mother planted this tree when we bought this property around 1970 when I was very small. It was a very small sapling type of limb when she planted it. When I was a child growing up here, my mother would plant all four children on the front porch on the first day of school and take our picture, I thought a reenactment was necessary.

After graduating high school and going to night school while working full time at the University of Michigan Medical Center I continued working at the University until I had progressed from Lab Assistant to Executive Administrative Secretary working in the Dean's office of the Medical School, I very much enjoyed my ten years at the University of Michigan - Go Blue!

But the itch to move, like most of my ancestors who came before me, got to me. (Boy were they hard to find and keep track of at times!). The mountains of beautiful Colorado beckoned eighteeen years ago and I've never looked back.

Skiing

Looking up at the sky while skiing

Moab, Utah, Porky Pine Trail

skiing

skiing

Skiing 2005

Another passion is cycling, with regular outings to the mountains and up the passes, (mountain passes, that is, 10-11,000 feet.) I've biked almost every part of Colorado and around 15-20 passes on several tours since I've moved here.

My other loves are my cat (yes, I'm a "cat woman"), (my cat Lucy), left, computers and web design/graphic design, reading, especially history.

And, one of the greatest loves of my life, my family's history. I don't know why it fascinates me so, I've heard it's a disease and you either get it or you don't, well, I have it big time :)

My mother, Barbara Ratcliffe (on right) started researching our family history in the '70s and to her I am forever grateful.

I suddenly got interested when she got cancer 12 years ago and caught the bug. On right, my mom getting an award at her office.

Mom passed on with the rest of the ancestors, and now I have this wonderful treasure and hobby to work on for the rest of my life. I have one eye on my nieces and nephews looking for a budding genealogist.

Well that's enough about me. Catherine

I recently came across some pictures of the hospital where I was born in Linton, Indiana, (talk about dating myself !) ~ it's since been torn down and they put up a Wendy's........ I had lunch there on my birthday a couple of years ago. The other photos are myself at 6 months and about 3 yrs.

A favorite poem of mine:

Census Taker, by Darlene Stevens, Spokane, WA:

It was the first day of census, and all through the land; the pollster was ready ... a black book in hand. He mounted his horse for a long dusty ride; his book and some quills were tucked close by his side. A long winding ride down a road barely there; toward the smell of fresh bread wafting up through the air.

The woman was tired, with lines on her face; and wisps of brown hair she tucked back into place. She gave him some water ... as they sat at the table; and she answered his questions ... the best she was able. He asked of her children ... yes, she had quite a few; the oldest was twenty, the youngest not two. She held up a toddler with cheeks round and red; his sister, she whispered, was napping in bed. She noted each person who lived there with pride; and she felt the faint stirrings of the wee one one inside.

He noted the sex, the color, the age, the marks from the quill soon filled up the page. At the number of children, she nodded her head; and saw her lips quiver for the three that were dead. The places of birth, she "never forgot; but wait, was it Kansas? Kentucky? Tennessee or not?

They came from Scotland, of that she was clear; but she wasn't quite sure just how long they'd been here. They spoke of employment, of schooling and such; they could read some and write some ... though really not much. When the questions were answered, his job there was done; so he mounted his horse and he rode toward the sun. We can imagine his voice loud and clear; "May God Bless you all for another ten years."

Now picture a time warp ... it's now you and me; as we search for the people on our family tree. We squint at the census and scroll down so slow; as we search for that entry from long, long ago.

Could they only imagine on that long ago day; that the entries they made would effect us this way? If they knew, would they wonder at the yearning we feel; and the searching that makes them so increasingly real. We can hear if we listen the words they impart; through their blood in our veins and their voice in our heart.

Some of Life In Pictures