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
Category: Remarkable Women
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
Photo: Birthday Girl
My mom with her dad, ca. 1950. In honor of my mom's birthday this week, here she is as an infant with her dad. Mom was the fourth of six children, born while the family lived in Colorado. She has an incredible song catalog in her head, remembering countless songs all the way back to … Continue reading Photo: Birthday Girl
What Mary Taught Me
Recently I was interviewed by Denys Allen on her podcast, "Your Pennsylvania Ancestors." We talked about what I've learned from my 6th great-grandmother Mary Adams Bones about getting through difficult times. Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.
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
Grandma Wasn’t at Antietam
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
Heart Failure Following Childbirth
Martha Lake Carmichael, my great-grandmother, had the nickname Heart. It's not exactly known how this name came to her, but as I've researched her life and death, I've found it very fitting. During her short life, Heart had a very active social and community life and appears to have been loved by all who knew … Continue reading Heart Failure Following Childbirth