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?
I have been entrenched in Irish family history. My husband and I are visiting the Emerald Island this Spring and are carefully climbing every Irish branch of our family tree. My branches are concentrated in the north and in the south. The farmers, a rebel, and women of great courage came from two northern counties, Antrim and … Continue reading Luck of the Irish
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
This week prompt for 52 ancestors is "Maiden Aunt." My 7th great-grandfather, John Adams of County Antrim, Ireland, had five daughters. In birth order, they were Mary (my 6th great-grandmother), Elizabeth, Ann, Martha, and Jane. Mary married James Bones, Elizabeth married James Brown, and Jane married William Staveley. Ann and Martha never married and family … Continue reading Two Blind Aunts
This week's topic for 52 Ancestors is "Strong Woman." There are many remarkable and strong women up and down my family tree. Some leave home, parents, siblings, and even their home country to make a new life; some loose parents at an early age or lots of children; some deal with absent spouses; and so … Continue reading Peculiarly Great
The topic this week for 52 Ancestors is "Where There's a Will." John Strong Adams dangled out on the edge of a branch of our family tree, an orphan with no connection except to his wife. He married my 5th great-aunt, Sarah Eve, and worked for the husband of my 6th great-aunt, Christopher Cashel Fitzsimons. … Continue reading It’s in the Will
Heart Genealogy 