We don’t know who Mary’s parents are, but Mary Lytle’s surname comes from two sources. First, an 1877 letter written from her unnamed granddaughter in Texas to a relative in Wilkes County provides us with this information: Nacogdoches, Texas. May … Continue reading
Frank Sadowsky, or Sadowski, whichever way you prefer to spell it, was my mother’s fiancé who was killed on Okinawa during the brutal battle that led to the end of World War II. I mentioned Frank in my mother’s story … Continue reading
A few weeks ago, someone from Scandinavia asked me the question, “What is a quilt?” First, I was a bit stunned because of all the locations in the world, people in the far north need quilts more than people in … Continue reading
While an ancestor’s death record might not seem like much to write about – Michael’s is – at least to this descendant. We’ve looked for informatoin about his death for what seems like forever. Michael was a Revolutionary War pensioner, … Continue reading
I wasn’t even looking for John Estes – either one of them. There were two, of course, living in Claiborne County at the same time, both my ancestors. This couldn’t be simple, could it? I was reading the unindexed court … Continue reading
This is part two of a two part series. You can read part 1, The Farewell Tour, here. In the summer of 2018, I returned to my home town for a high school class reunion, not really realizing at the … Continue reading
Sometimes, you just need to say goodbye. Call it closure, resolution, moving on, or what have you. Some things just need to be done. This door closed, ever so gently, but not before wandering around one last time. Smiles, tears, … Continue reading
We first find Charles Hickerson in Surry County, North Carolina on January 11, 1771 when he witnesses a will by Lydia Stewart. Charles isn’t on the 1771 tax list, but he is there by 1772. He was not a young … Continue reading
Sarah Hickerson was nearly invisible, and she would have been lost forever to history were it not for her marriage to Daniel Vannoy on October 2, 1779 in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Why didn’t Sarah Hickerson’s father, Charles Hickerson, or … Continue reading
Daniel Vannoy is the father of Elijah Vannoy who was born about 1784. This seems like such a simple statement, but believe me, identifying Elijah’s father was anything BUT simple. In fact, without DNA testing, we would never have been … Continue reading
