On a recent trip to the National Archives, I was able to look at the widow and minors' pension applications filed by my 2nd great-grandmother, her siblings, and their mother. Augusta Roth Eigenmann was only two years old when her father, Johann Adam Roth, died. This left Augusta's mother, Eleanora Wissig Roth, a widow with … Continue reading Application Denied
As a bachelor, my dad was stationed in Stuttgart and then Nuremberg, Germany, with the U.S. Army. While there, his mom and sister came for a visit. They traveled to several places including Neuschwanstein Castle. The castle is built on a rugged hill above a village. There are scenic paths, bridges, and waterfalls around the castle. … Continue reading The Bridge to Somewhere Else
Family legends go with family history like oreos go with milk. While often not provable, there can be nuggets of truth to many of our families' legends. James Bones was born about 1766 near Randalstown, County Antrim, Ireland, the first child of John and Elizabeth (Scott) Adams. James had four brothers and one sister. As … Continue reading A Rebel with a Cause(way)
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
As I research the descendants of my ancestors, I sometimes come across uncles who never married. The reasons they didn't marry are sometimes clear and sometimes not, but one thing I have noticed, especially for those who lived in the 19th century, there is very little to be found about them. As I thought about … Continue reading Where Have All the Bachelors Gone?
Growing up, we would make semi-annual trips to visit my paternal grandma. As we grew up, our three-week summer vacations turned into long weekends and Christmases always had a slightly different grouping of relatives. But among the things that changed, a few stayed the same, including the way my dad and his mom, siblings, and … Continue reading The Embodiment of Love
Creating connections with my ancestors as I research their lives is just one of the many reasons I love genealogy. As I find information and stories about them, I put together a picture of who they were. I wonder if we all got together in a group, how would that interaction go. But research usually … Continue reading Of Traitors and Patriots
