Barbara Bush’s passing this past week at age 92 brought back such bittersweet memories for me. Barbara was an amazing lady in her own right as a President’s wife and another President’s mother, but she was also a warm and … Continue reading
You have no idea how much it pains me to write a – dare I say the ugly word – retraction. Ugh☹ However, when I’ve reached an incorrect conclusion, no matter what the reason, I feel morally obligated to set … Continue reading
It was a beautiful fall day in the mountains of Lee County, Virginia that October 10th in 2009. Basket sized fall Mums were in bloom, it was still warm and the leaves hadn’t yet begun to turn paintbrush hues that would … Continue reading
This is that week. There’s one day every fall where I feel like I’ll never be warm again. I know that the earth is becoming dormant, gradually descending into what feels like eternal darkness, and I hate it. For months, … Continue reading
Try as I might, I’ve never been able to find a second DNA tester to discern my paternal grandmother, Ollie Bolton’s mitochondrial DNA haplogroup. Why do I need a second person tested, you might wonder? My aunt Minnie, my father’s … Continue reading
The story of the Reverend George McNiel includes the oft-repeated 3 brothers story, and one of the three brothers in this version was named Thomas, or so the legend goes. I’m used to 3 brothers stories, sometimes used to explain … Continue reading
Hiram B. (probably Bauke, “Baker” in English) Ferverda (1854-1925) married Evaline Louise Miller (1857-1939) on March 10, 1876 in Goshen. Indiana. At least, that’s where their marriage license was filed. Beyond that, and knowing that they were both Brethren, until … Continue reading
For three days and nights, the tears rained like a defective faucet that I couldn’t turn off. A combination of nerves, excitement and sadness, all tossed together in a salad-spinner. That DNA match set off a tear tsunami. Finding your … Continue reading
My Dearest Brother Dave, It’s been 6 years last week that you left, departed this side, leaving your broken earthly vessel behind. Six very long years. I thought the sun would never shine again, but somehow you arranged a gloriously … Continue reading
4-15-2018 – After this story published, we subsequently discovered that Irene is not a Schlosser, meaning Conrad is not her father. I am leaving this story because parts of this information have been on the internet for some time – … Continue reading
