I started working on my family tree after the death of my paternal grandmother, Oleta Mildred Hoover [Southern] Apr 7 1995. I was 32 years old and after her passing wished I would have known more about her and my grandfather, Bert Edwin Hoover. I was paying to work on the family tree and got frustrated with it after trying to gather information on my family.

After 911, September 11, 2001, for absolutely no reason other than government fear my wife Jenn was challenged to prove her American citizenship by the U.S. government. I started researching the Sawyer Heritage after that to help prove that she was indeed an American citizen.

The research turned into a hobby after learning of the bravery of the Sawyer's paternal ancestors.