John Bones lost his wife, Maria, to tuberculosis. In a letter to his mother dated 4 June 1833, he writes, "I thought when in health that I appreciated her...but I now find that much as I love her I was never fully aware...of the treasure I possess in her, until the prospect of her removal, … Continue reading Something to Change My Plans
Letters were a lifeline for the Bones family and their associates to their families in Ireland in the 19th century. They communicated the latest family news, neighborhood changes, business dealings, and political perspectives. But their letters also had limits. Some letter writers were limited by a scarcity of paper or ink, keeping letter writers to … Continue reading A Thousand Letters
Three words: "Emmet's Speech framed." These three words didn't mean much to me as I read through the inventory of John Strong Adams' Charleston, South Carolina, house. I was more intrigued by some of the other pictures listed, portraits of Bonaparte and Mary, Queen of Scots, curious about their significance. But the significance of Emmet's … Continue reading Emmet’s Speech framed
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
Wondering why there's an "s" on Adam? Read on to find out about this Eden of the 19th century. When Sarah Eve was a young woman, she was intrigued by a list of books that she found in her uncle's trunk. Sarah lived much of younger years with her aunt Catherine in Charleston, South Carolina. … Continue reading Adams & Eve’s Paradise
Isabella and William Campbell made the trip across the Atlantic ocean just weeks after they were married in August of 1838. According to Isabella's letters home, they sailed from Belfast to Liverpool and then on to Canada and down to Georgia, probably making stops along the way. By November they were in Augusta, Georgia, staying … Continue reading Unchilled by the Cold
My Pritchard and Wright lines have a history in County Cork that may have started in the late 17th century. Several of my ancestors appear to have benefited from Williamite Wars, obtaining land confiscated from Irish landowners that was sold or given to mostly English Protestants. The Pritchards and Wrights thrived as farmers and tradesmen, … Continue reading County Cork
Heart Genealogy 