Welcome to the Heritage House Web Site, one persons journey into not only the past but into the story of a family.  This site contains the results of individual searches and my personal reflections on the connections between myself and the Gorby, Hostetter, Hughes, Miller and Starkey Families.

My name is Valerie Jean (Miller) Buchanan and the pages of this site are the product of various searches into the various families that have come to make up the history of my family.

While there are specific pages within this site that do contain some photographic images, they are provided from my personal library and are not for reproduction for any reason.  Copies can be provided to family members upon request.

If you are visiting this site for the first time, the pages listed in the Navigation Bar to the left are pretty much self-explanatory.  However, a brief description regarding the purpose of that page is provided below.

Overview:  This page is actually quite lengthy and goes into great detail regarding the historical inspiration for the creation of this site.  It also contains some basic information for family members about what happens to the information submitted through this web site and it purpose.  It also explains a little bit about the how and why certain information is recorded the way it is.

Family Workshop:  This page takes you to a separate web site that is intended for use by family members only, there is actually no information recorded or maintained on that site.  It is nothing more than a series of interactive forms provided for the purpose of sharing information.

Branches:  This page is a launching pad into the different surnames, which I have found to be a part of my personal family history.

In Search Of:  This page is one of the few that does contain specific photographic images.  They have been posted here on this page because there is a need to identify or clarify the identity of those individuals depicted therein.

Heritage House Note-Pad:  This page has been established for the purpose of hopefully obtaining additional information concerning a person or topic where the "known" information is either incomplete or believed to be incorrect.

Heritage House Memorial Tributes:  This page is dedicated to the publication thus preservation and sharing of the Obituaries for Family Members who have passed away.  It is a public blog where individuals can post their 'Remembrances' in their own words.  Any post not deemed to be respectful will be deleted as soon as it is discovered.

Research Links:  This page contains various links to pages where I have found some historial information that warrents further reseach.

On a personal note, this site was created as another means of both connecting and reconnecting with family members.  Genealogy is a captivating subject to me and quite frankly there just isn’t enough hours in a day to be able to spend in the fascinating world of the past.

Most of the knowledge we have about the historical past in general, has come from the careful preservation of letters between family members as to how life was ‘back in the day’.  However, as we continue to advance into the 21st century and beyond, so much of this same information that is now shared briefly can be totally lost in the blink of an eye.

It is my hope that by creating this interactive site, it will give our family the opportunity to establish a pivital point for the most effective collaboration for the objective presentation of the historical facts about our heritage.  I believe that by working together we can provide a wonderful journey into the past and establish an inspirational legacy for our children and many generations to come.