My name is Barb Barnhart.  I was born in St. Louis, Missouri and have never moved from the state.  My husband, Bill, and I have been married 40 years this year, 2000. We are both retired from a large St. Louis based company where we met 43 years ago.  My interests are genealogy, golf, creating family photo albums, cross stitching and folk art painting.  Genealogy doesn't leave much time for other interests, but do get a game of golf in occasionally. We have three children and five beautiful grandchildren.  Our grandchildren are our bright and shining stars and light up our lives with their love.   click for picture. Many years ago, my cousin, Lura, developed a descendant chart going back to our Great Grandparents.  I thought that was nice and put it away.  The Great Grandparents' names didn't mean anything to me - they were just names.  I was busy with our young children and doing all the things Moms do.  Didn't give it another thought until I read a newspaper article about genealogy 20+ years later. Bill and I decided to give it a try.  Dug out the family chart and began our quest for family. After a year of searching, traced most of the families back to mid 1800.  Thought I had enough to do an unpublished manuscript for my children and Fowler cousins. Did that!  Thought I was done!  Not so! So, here I am still researching and ... "diggin" for my roots! Little did I know where Lura's family chart and a newspaper article would lead me. My family and friends do not always share my excitement of genealogy finds. However, I have a captive audience in my oldest grandson.  He is nine years old and loves to talk about our ancestors and how they lived.  He is doing family charts for his paternal line.  Love the quality time with him.  I learn from him and we have fun. Hope to keep his interest in family and genealogy alive. Genealogy has enriched my life.  I have become better acquainted with my cousins and found new "kissin kousins".  You form a bond with someone you have never met and become friends.  It doesn't make any difference the degree or times removed, you share a common thread - FAMILY.  Most of all, it has given me a presence of those that came before and the hardships they endured. Those names of many years ago now have a place in my heart. My first website has been a learning, frustrating, challenging task, but rewarding. And  ...  fun - well, most of the time!  SO SITE MAP