A recent DNA match caught my eye. It was a very good match on a line that I haven't been able to extend past my second great grandfather, John Bruce (born in Edinburgh, Scotland about 1843 but lived most of his life in Tunstall, Co. Durham, England). I immediately sent an e-mail to this DNA … Continue reading Alleged Bigamy at Sunderland
Category: Ancester Narratives
Finding Harry
Harry Joshua Davis was a seemingly complicated man. I never knew him, but the records he left often describe a man with many complexities. Living family members knew little of him, except rumors and hushed opinions as to where he had ended up. His birth in Lancashire, England in 1879, was innocuous enough. The oldest … Continue reading Finding Harry
James Box – Artificial Limb Maker
Did a serious injury prompt the start of a family business? In 1861, James Box was a young boy of about 14 years old. He lived with his parents, John and Ann Box, and several siblings, in Surrey, England.1 By 1871, James was on his own, having moved from Surrey to West Ham, Essex. James … Continue reading James Box – Artificial Limb Maker
The Youngest Among Us
“I will lend you, for a little time, A child of mine, He said. For you to love the while he lives, And mourn for when he's dead.” Edgar Guest (1881-1959) It is always difficult to comprehend the deaths of the youngest among us. All of us have come across sad family stories. When they … Continue reading The Youngest Among Us
My Grandfather’s Sword
As a young child I can remember opening my father's closet and seeing a very fancy looking sword hanging in there. I don't think I knew whose it was until I was older and learned it belonged to my mother's father. My grandfather, Harold James Davis, died about 2 years before I was born. The … Continue reading My Grandfather’s Sword
The Story Behind the Headstone of George A. Craft
Last year I came across a photograph of the gravestone of George Albert Craft, my husband’s second great-grandfather. He is buried in the Chico cemetery, in Chico, Butte County, California. 1 As I studied the gravestone I realized that I really didn’t know much about him. What I discovered was a hardworking, family oriented man … Continue reading The Story Behind the Headstone of George A. Craft
Two True Friends – the Soldier and the Nurse
Charlotte Lillie Davis never married and probably would have been known as the maiden aunt of the family. However, that doesn’t mean she never loved nor led a fulfilling and interesting life. She was my second great grand-aunt; a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a niece, and a fiancée. Very little is known about Charlotte’s … Continue reading Two True Friends – the Soldier and the Nurse
The Goodman family of St. David, Arizona
The Homestead Act of 1862 opened up the American West to settlement. Any person (a citizen or someone who intended to become a citizen) could apply for a section of land (160 acres) in any one of the "public domain states". "Public domain states" were all the states except for the 13 original states and … Continue reading The Goodman family of St. David, Arizona
‘Where there’s a (contested) will …Thomas Lantry of St. Lawrence Co., New York
Well known as one of the first settlers in Massena, St. Lawrence county, New York, Thomas Lantry died at the age of 98 in August 1887. 1 He left an estate of some $35 000.00, equivalent to approximately $890 000.00 today. For the thirty years previous to Thomas’ death, he had been living with his … Continue reading ‘Where there’s a (contested) will …Thomas Lantry of St. Lawrence Co., New York
Family Heirloom: The Thomas family bible.
The family bible is one of the most precious heirlooms a genealogist can have. A few years ago, my father was visiting his brother in England, and the subject of the family bible came up. My uncle was kind enough to pass the bible on to me, knowing of my passion for genealogy. It is … Continue reading Family Heirloom: The Thomas family bible.
KindredPast 