As 2025 begins, years of research have already passed, DNA tests have been done, stories have been written, records have been found, and mysteries have been solved.  However, much more remains to be done.  This article takes a look at the current state of my research as the year begins with an update on my special projects, which dig deep into DNA and traditional genealogy.   The Family Tree Evolves Every year my family

  Dad always did things for people, but he never made a big deal about it and he rarely would accept money for his actions no matter how much time he spent or how inconvenient it was to help the person.  Two good deeds that he did at Christmas stand out in my memory.   Out of Commission One Christmas Eve many years ago, a tractor trailer broke down along Highway 7 near Uncle Dewey’s

This article focuses on the dogs that over the years who were chosen to join our family and live at the home where I grew up.  Timeline Our first dogs were Sputnik and Gypsy. We inherited them from Grandma and Grandpa McCracken Ginger joined them as the Mayberry family insisted that we take one of their dog’s pups since Sputnik was the father. After Sputnik died, we got Trixie. Misty joined the family after Gypsy

When people think of handing down things, often they think of people handing down clothes to younger siblings or handing down family heirlooms to the next generation.  This article, however, takes a look at some of the other things, many non-material, that were handed down from one generation to the next in the Peelle family.   Handed Down In Families Families also pass down skills, abilities, interests, beliefs, lifestyle, culture, longevity, stories, tendencies for particular

With the holiday weekend coming up, it seems like a good time to share some fun short stories of Joe and Nellie (Peelle) McCracken’s kids.   On The Roof The younger McCracken kids liked to tell stories about their older siblings.  One of them involved the time some of the older kids along with some of their friends decided to have some fun by putting a buggy up on someone’s roof.  We aren’t sure whose