Ripley Roots Main Page

	Ripley Roots

William, Raymond, and Ray Ripley, 1935

I have enjoyed the fruits of genealogy research for over three decades. In the beginning it was getting names, dates, and facts about the ancestors before me. Luckily, I started this quest before either of my parents died in 1977. We had good times going to cemeteries in Illinois; sorting through and labeling old pictures; going to places where family use to live; and me hearing stories they remembered of generations before them. I gathered this information in the 1970's and tried to record it as clearly as possible. I really did not revisit the information until the late 1980's. After good genealogy software became available, it gave new ways to organize and sort.

In addition to facts and dates I became more interested in telling the stories of people I knew. I started with telling stories about my family, and then I branched out to tell stories, fictionalized, of ancestors before me.

The quest to try and understand their times and places has enriched my life.

This site contains most of what I have gathered and written.

Here's a start to getting your kicks on our Rt. 66.

Theresa M. Ripley