Graveyards of the Revolution
Thomson

Graveyards of the Revolution

Revolutionary Soldiers are buried in various cemeteries and graveyards with some near battle grounds and others near lands where they moved after America gained its...
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Missing Johnson Children
Peelle

Missing Johnson Children

The Johnsons & The Smiths When I found out that my great-great grandmother Martha (Johnson) Peelle's parents were William Johnson and Rachel Smith, I figured...
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Beards of Days Gone Bye
Jury McCracken Pellett Thomson Van Allen

Beards of Days Gone Bye

Beards are something that come into style and then go out of style.  Some men can grow them and some can't. Neither my dad nor...
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The Ball Goes Bald
McCracken

The Ball Goes Bald

Little Pawnee Creek runs through our family's property.  To the south, it crosses the road at what is affectionately called "The Crooked Bridge."  The bridge,...
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The Animal Whisperer
McCracken

The Animal Whisperer

I don't really think of my Uncle Dewey as having a lot of pets.  However, I do remember him as someone who liked animals.  And,...
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Digging Deep With DNA
DNA McCracken

Digging Deep With DNA

    I use DNA almost every day.  I use it to research distant ancestors where research has hit the brick wall, to help people...
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Rebecca’s Tragic Life
Uncategorized

Rebecca’s Tragic Life

Some lives sound just like a movie script or a good book.  You can't wait to find out what is going to happen next.  Such...
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Those Who Lie Alone
McCracken Thomas Van Allen

Those Who Lie Alone

When I go to cemeteries, which I do more than most people, I generally notice two types of graves in particular - the graves of...
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Mystery Man
Peelle

Mystery Man

The smallest piece of information generally is the one that gets me involved in a crazy genealogy hunt.  And, sometimes they lead to the biggest...
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Lights Out
Helm McCracken Pellett Thomson

Lights Out

 World War II brought the threat of attacks from the skies.  As such, the coasts began blackout practice, which entailed extinguishing or covering anything that...
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Grand Army Of The Republic
Pellett Thomson

Grand Army Of The Republic

The Grand Army of The Republic (G.A.R.) was an organization for veterans of the Civil War that fought for the Union.  It existed from 1866...
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Don’t Burn The Child
Pellett

Don’t Burn The Child

I never knew how close I came to not existing until I heard the family story of  Archibald Crawford Jr., who nearly died at the...
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Translating “Old Speak”
McCracken Peelle Thomson

Translating “Old Speak”

Most things that I encounter in genealogy require some level of translation or interpretation.  The obvious is when a record is in German or French. ...
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No Grandpas
McCracken Pellett

No Grandpas

I never knew either of my grandfathers.  Similarly, my dad didn't know his grandfathers and my mom didn't know her grandmothers.  It is like a...
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Identification Complications
General McCracken

Identification Complications

Identifying a person's ancestors isn't always easy even with records and DNA.  I have worked a quite a few confusing lines in my own families...
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