William Johnson Peelle was my great-grandfather.  He was also a carpenter, farmer, and all around jack of all trades.  He kept a journal from 1878 when he was 22 until 1894.  That journal primarily focused on his work and the places he went.  He spoke mostly of men, even referring to his brother-in-laws instead of his sisters.  He rarely wrote of personal family events.  Thus, this story will outline his life, focusing on his carpentry

  Rod’s 4th-great-grandfather Jesse Klinefelter and multiple of his brothers were steamboat pilots and captains.  Initially, they piloted boats on the Ohio River primarily between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cincinnati, Ohio.     Jesse’s brother John became well-known as the captain and owner/co-owner of several different boats over the years.  One passenger described Captain John Klinefelter as a stout Pennsylvanian of German descent with a face that indicates it would be difficult to keep him from

Eleanor (Willett) Jury Genealogy is a great avenue to find new mysteries.  This is the case with my recent research into William Willett, Jr., the brother of 3rd-Great-Grandmother Eleanor “Ellen” Willett.  Ellen and William Jr. are two of the children of William Sr. and Harriet (Holden) Willett.   For context: Ellen married William Jury in Canada and is the mother of John Charles Jury.  Ellen, John, and two of John’s siblings immigrated to the United

This is a follow on to my article “Last of His Generation.”  In that article, I touched on the physical and mental strength of my father.  Yet, when the topic of strength arose this week, I could not help but think of him again.  Thus, in this article, I will dig deeper into strengths of his character.   Learning, Growing, & Sharing   Dad had a love of learning.  He read extensively, which is why

Sometimes things aren’t as they are portrayed – even when it comes to family.   Thomas & Ellen Hartnett Family Jury-Hartnett Family   On February 12, 1873, great-great grandpa John C. Jury’s sister Eleanor “Ellen” married Thomas Hartnett in Hiattville , Kansas.  Ellen and Thomas initially lived in Hiattville and Thomas worked as a farmer and a section foreman for the MK&T Railroad.    During the 1870s and 1880s, Ellen gave birth to three children,