The Battle of Alamance in the colony of North Carolina was unknown to me until my husband and I started sharing our family history with each other. One of his ancestors, Samuel Flake, fought in this pre-American Revolution battle for independence from corrupt government practices. As early as 1765, rural North Carolinian colonists united against… Continue reading The Battle of Alamance
December marks the anniversary of the death of both my paternal grandparents: this week brought the 11th year since my grandmother's passing and next week brings the 34th year since my grandfather's passing. I don't have any memories of my grandfather, but I knew my grandmother pretty well and sometimes her absence pains my heart.… Continue reading Grandma Wasn’t at Antietam
The prompt for 52 Ancestors this week is Thankful. Of course this week is Thanksgiving in the United States. There is a lot of things to be thankful for: family, friends, a place to sleep, food, technological advances that allow for genealogy to be done from the comfort of my home, among other blessings. But it's… Continue reading Virtue Names
This week's prompt for 52 Ancestors is Family Legend. One of the most interesting family legends in my paternal family is that of the supposed engagement of Sarah Eve, the sister of my 5th great-grandfather, to Dr. Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a celebrated physician. I told their story in an… Continue reading She Died Three Weeks Before
The prompt for Week 30 of 52 Ancestors is Colorful. William Longstreet led quite a colorful life. He was an inventor, often mocked for his dreams, filing early patents for a steam engine and a cotton gin. He was always just a moment behind inventors that earned the credit in the end. He appears to… Continue reading Without a Paddle or an Oar, Billy-boy?
The prompt for week 28 of 52 ancestors is Travel. I often think about how difficult travel must have been for some of my earliest known ancestors as they crossed continents, oceans and mountains. Each one was travelling for a different reason and each one traveled these long, difficult journeys because it was the only… Continue reading With the Speed of Electricity
The prompt for 52 ancestors for week 27 is Independence. James Bones was born in 1766 to John Bones and Elizabeth Scott in Ballyportey, County Antrim, Ireland. Nothing is known about his childhood. As an adult, he worked as a linen bleacher in the ubiquitous Irish linen industry. He was also a farmer, leasing a… Continue reading Seeking Independence
