A few years ago, a friend approached me to ask if I could help him with a book project he was working on with a colleague at the Smithsonian's National Postal Museum, one of my family's favorite museums in D.C. I agreed and spent several weeks getting to know the Walters family of Indiana who … Continue reading Between Home and the Front
Category: Research
Carmichaels of Dungiven
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
The Daughter Of
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
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
Creating a Map
Maps are a big part of my genealogy research. It's a great way to orient yourself to a location and there are lots of different types of maps. There are maps just for census and property records. For example, for 19th century Irish ancestors, this Griffiths Valuation site allows you to fade out the historical … Continue reading Creating a Map
Distant Cousins
"Talk to Pat," my dad said. I had been looking at the family of my ancestors, Oswell and Anne Moore Eve, and found some conflicting information about Oswell's religion. A granddaughter of Oswell and Anne claimed that Oswell was a Quaker and this was published far and wide. My research of Quaker documents told a … Continue reading Distant Cousins
My Brother is My Son-in-law
On 23 November 1788, Mary Elizabeth Eve was the fourth child born to Oswell Eve and Aphra Ann Pritchard. She joined three older sisters and would be followed by six more sisters and five brothers, including John Pritchard Eve, who was born 24 June 1800. He was the 11th child and the last one born … Continue reading My Brother is My Son-in-law