Roots of Discovery

hi! i’m jenne :)

  • I was raised in a small town outside of St. Louis, MO.
  • I’m the baby of my family.
  • I am Dolly Parton & Elvis Presley’s Biggest Fan and Laura Ingalls Wilder obsessed.
  • I love cooking, homemaking & decorating.
  • I never got beyond the elementary school Girl Scouts, but I still remember all the songs!
  • I eat bell peppers like apples.
girl with smile and earring red lipstick
Jenne with Roots of Discovery
  • My most embarrassing moment was in a porta potty.
  • I wrote a childrens book years ago & you can find the book by clicking here 🙂

Hello,

,

I came looking for one missing piece of my family history and ended up uncovering generations of stories, sacrifices, mysteries, and connections I never expected to find.

Roots of Discovery grew from a love of genealogy into something much bigger — a place where family history, military research, storytelling, and preservation meet. Through blog posts, research tips, and our Snapshots of WWII podcast, I share the journey of uncovering the lives behind the names on a family tree.

Some discoveries have been joyful, some heartbreaking, and many completely unexpected — but every one of them reminds me why these stories matter.

Thank you for being here and exploring the past with me.

Let’s connect

To watch our podcast videos check us out on Youtube!

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Recent Instagram Posts

🎙️ NEW EPISODE: Across the Atlantic — Arrival in Wartime England 🇺🇸➡️🇬🇧 There are moments in history that feel distant… until they become personal. I’ve now brought this summer recipe to two gatherings, and it’s been a hit both times—so I knew I had to share it with you all! It’s simple, a little bold, and totally delicious. Give it a try at your next get-together and watch it disappear. #linkinbio✅ Such a fun day at the Antiques Roadshow at Grant’s Farm! It was amazing to see how the show comes together behind the scenes and to experience it right here in our hometown—especially in such a special spot. We met so many kind, fascinating people and saw some truly incredible items. Feeling so lucky to have been chosen to attend. Definitely a day to remember! This month, I had the joy of attending a baby shower for my nephew Alex and his wife Morgan as they prepare to welcome their first child. This little one marks the beginning of a new generation on my mother’s side of the family. It was a truly beautiful and thrilling occasion, and the shower was filled with laughter and joy. Generational widowhood trickle down through reconnecting line in my family tree. The trauma that it must have caused is overwhelming to think about. Do you have any lines of widowhood in your family tree? *linkinbio https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5twvvypvhk/ This little Campbell’s tin recipe box is a little battered and bruised. It’s not much to look at objectively but it came right out of my grandma Ila’s kitchen after she died and straight into mine. It’s home is next to my recipe books and my very own tin box of recipe cards. I see it all the time and it brings me comfort in those little seconds my eyes glance it over while looking for a recipe in its vicinity. This morning, while I was putting a recipe card away in my box, I picked up grandmas tin box and placed it on my counter. I didn’t need anything from it physically. I opened it up just to smell its contents. The scraps of paper with haphazard writing of ingredients, cut or torn recipes from magazines, hand written instructions on the backs of envelopes and lovingly typed menus are soaked in the scent of her home. In doing so my eyes had no choice but to close and for a few seconds I was in her home and the long ago memories were close at heart and could I say tangible? No, not quite. Nothing has been quite right without her. What I wouldn’t give to hear her southeast Missouri accent say ‘Hi hon, I’ve missed you. Come in, come on. I’m so blessed you came today.’ Of all the things I’ve found at a garage sale this takes the cake 🍰🎭. *linkinbio