James Bones is a bit of a legend in our family history. There are several stories surrounding his participation in the 1798 Rebellion for a free and independent Ireland. One legend says that James, fleeing for his life, took a piece of the Giant's Causeway with him before he met a boat at nearby Dunluce … Continue reading Fort of the Fianna
The Invention of Wings
As my kids have gotten older, I've been able to get back to reading for fun. I'm the type that you'll find reading at 2 am because I keep saying to myself, "just one more chapter." I love lots of genres, but especially enjoy historical novels. Last summer, I read "The Invention of Wings" by … Continue reading The Invention of Wings
Seashells and Sunshine
My grandma loved the beach. She could spend hours looking for seashells. According to my aunt, grandma was really good at finding whole shells of all sizes. She kept some of these in glass containers around her house. I also remember a seashell wreath as well as prints of beach dunes and the battery in … Continue reading Seashells and Sunshine
Finding Siblings
I had been on the trail for several years, looking for the siblings of John Adams of Chequer Hall, County Antrim, Ireland. The only sibling I knew about was a brother named James, who received £50 in John's will. Family stories say that John and James were business partners. But without known parents and thin … Continue reading Finding Siblings
The Old Presbyterian Churchyard
Sarah (Eve) Adams, my 5th great-aunt, married an Irishman by the name of John Strong Adams on 2 March 1803. He was a clerk to her uncle and she thought he had exceptional taste in literature. Sarah and John made trips to Ireland to visit his family in Randalstown, County Antrim, Ireland. On one of … Continue reading The Old Presbyterian Churchyard
The Second Wife
When Julia Anne DeVore King was 15 years old, she married her Aunt Ellen's widower, Dr. William Edward Prescott, who was 35 years older than her. Julia became stepmother to her three cousins, Julia Annie and Wallace Thomas, who were older than her, and Eustace, who was 6 years old at the time. Julia and … Continue reading The Second Wife
Photo: On a Jet Plane
Bettye (DuPre) Medlock with her children and siblings at the Greenville, SC airport, ca. 195*. Bettye and her children were on their way to join Henry Medlock in Puerto Rico. Doesn't my grandma and her children look nice, all dressed up for their flight to Puerto Rico? Air travel sure has changed over the years.