I first met Mrs. McLeery in the diary of James Black, proprietor of the Randalstown cotton mills in County Antrim, Ireland, and a merchant of Charleston, South Carolina. Mr. Black was tangentially connected to my ancestors in Augusta, Georgia. The following entry from 31 August 1841 caught my attention because of Mrs. McCleery's nephew: Attended … Continue reading In Search of Mrs. McCleery
Adams & Eve’s Paradise
Wondering why there's an "s" on Adam? Read on to find out about this Eden of the 19th century. When Sarah Eve was a young woman, she was intrigued by a list of books that she found in her uncle's trunk. Sarah lived much of younger years with her aunt Catherine in Charleston, South Carolina. … Continue reading Adams & Eve’s Paradise
The Real McCoy
My grandparents' met sometime between 1938 and 1939. Grandpa was a sales rep with Swift & Company which sold meat to grocery stores. His routes took him to various places, including Abbeville, South Carolina, where my grandmother lived. By 1940, they were dating and grandpa sent grandma this note (hopefully with some flowers or chocolates): … Continue reading The Real McCoy
Unchilled by the Cold
Isabella and William Campbell made the trip across the Atlantic ocean just weeks after they were married in August of 1838. According to Isabella's letters home, they sailed from Belfast to Liverpool and then on to Canada and down to Georgia, probably making stops along the way. By November they were in Augusta, Georgia, staying … Continue reading Unchilled by the Cold
Peculiar Gratitude
My 4th great-grandmother, Mary Elizabeth (Eve) Carmichael, kept a diary from 1837 to 1850 that was passed down and is now kept at the library at University of North Carolina. As a teenager, on one of our semiannual drives from Washington, DC to Clemson, South Carolina, to visit my grandmother, we stopped at UNC so … Continue reading Peculiar Gratitude
Mother Aunt Adams
Twice my 5th great aunt, Sarah (Eve) Adams intrigues me and I keep coming back to her. Maybe it’s the romantic account of her courtship with her husband. Perhaps it's the dramatic story of having to cross the Atlantic alone after the death of her husband and brother during the War of 1812. It could … Continue reading Mother Aunt Adams
Glad to Get Him Away From Chester
I found him! My 5th great-grandfather, the presumed John Holden, has been an enigma for many years. I've had lots of questions and doubts, but very little information, and a lot of dead ends*. But one simple detail in one short paragraph of a letter was the key to solving the mystery. In a previous … Continue reading Glad to Get Him Away From Chester