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A lot of time while writing about our ancestors, we focus on those who would be considered successful by current standards. After all, there is usually far more documentation and sources that we can draw from that makes developing the story of their lives much easier. Looking through photos I made a discovery! I have quite a few pictures of my ancestors wearing farmers overalls. The majority of my ancestors spent their whole lives making a home and raising a family on a farm. To them, wearing overalls was a sign of honor, and they were proud of what they did. So to honor these hard-working men I will highlight the life of one of the “overall gang” each week, including the photo and a brief biography of the legacy they left behind.
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Oliver Bryan “Keggie” Register, my paternal 2nd cousin, was born on July 26, 1906, in Jefferson City, Cole County, Missouri. Oliver was raised on the family farm outside of the city limits. This wasn’t his fathers only source of income because he also worked in the Freight Office on the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company. When Oliver was growing up he refused to wear anything but overalls. He had several jobs, each one including working at the same Railroad as his Dad, allowed him to dress as he liked. I was told that the only few times that he did not wear them was the day he got married to Laura Buckner (1903-1979) and to funerals. When he died on December 20, 1993, he was even buried in his favorite pair.
I am a professional genealogist, writer, photographer, wife, mother, and grandma. I have two books available on Amazon.com: Your Family History: Doing It Right the First Time and Planning Your Genealogy Research Trip. You can also connect with me via Facebook or Twitter.
