The old, worn, red-covered book for genealogy of the Carmichael Clan* records John Carmichael’s parents as Archibald Carmichael and Isabella Dunlap and that the family lived near Dungiven, County Londonderry, Ireland. However, the only source listed is a Carmichael family Bible and in our copies of the Bible nothing is mentioned of John’s parents. So … Continue reading Carmichaels of Dungiven
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
John Holden is a brick wall and a stubborn one at that. There are no birth or death dates for him, no place of birth or death, no known grave, no census records. I'm not even sure his name was John. His wife and daughter were the only proof of his existence until recently. Last … Continue reading A Brick Wall Named Holden
The transcription from the diary entry said her parents were Johann Miller and Anna Barbara Muring. I was uncertain. The transcription could have errors, especially since the original writer used a slightly different alphabet and spoke a different language. I didn't know where the original diary was or if it still existed, I just had … Continue reading The Daughter Of
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
Genealogy research isn't always easy. Most of the time it takes some creative thinking to find new way to get to the answer of the question being asked, especially as you get further back in time. Records can become thin or non-existent due to war or natural disaster. Sometimes you only have a name, sometimes … Continue reading Mystery Women
Mary Lyon made up a husband. Mary was the mother of three children: Damsel (b. 1843), John Thomas (b. 1852), and George (b. 1858). Mary told people the father of her children was Thomas Lyon. Her tombstone says that she was the wife of Thomas Lyon. Even decades later, church records were corrected to reflect … Continue reading The Pretend Husband
Heart Genealogy 