I know. I know. That name sounds awful and morbid. But trust me on this one – it’s really not. At least, it’s not as bad as it sounds. Additionally, this topic is timely right now, because the holidays are … Continue reading
Have you ever been busy doing something to discover that one of your ancestors just gave you a really, REALLY unexpected, completely out-of-the-blue wink and a nod? Of course, immediately you think that’s entirely silly. I mean, that’s not possible. … Continue reading
Probably 20 years ago, I discovered that Jacob Dobkins (1751-1835) was my ancestor, and began researching in Claiborne County, Tennessee where his daughter, Jenny Dobkins lived with her husband, John Campbell. In fact, two of Jacob’s daughters married Campbell men. … Continue reading
Jacob Dobkins is one of those border ancestors. What do I mean by that? Some ancestors spanned certain events or timeframes. One of these critical junctions was the Revolutionary War and the westward movement from the colonies into the frontier. … Continue reading
I have absolutely no idea where I got this newspaper clipping, but I found it buried among some papers as I was sorting through a box. I’d much rather go down this rabbit hole than sort and clean any day, … Continue reading
It’s amazing what you discover going through old, dusty, boxes. Joel Vannoy, my ancestor, was probably born in 1813 in Claiborne County, the portion that would become Hancock County some three decades later. One record shows his birth in North … Continue reading
9-11 seems both like it happened a long time ago and that the trauma occurred just yesterday. Two decades have passed. That day both broke us and buoyed us as Americans. It also terrified us. I remember, vividly, in the … Continue reading
The final goodbye might not be what you think it is, or when. It certainly wasn’t what I expected. I thought the final goodbye was when I buried my loved one. Or maybe the final goodbye was the goodbye just … Continue reading
Today was an incredible day – one I’ve been working towards and looking forward to for more than a year. One that Robert Vernon Estes earned more than 70 years ago. Robert was a POW, captured in Korea on November … Continue reading
Anyone with Acadian ancestors knows that the Acadian families were forcibly deported from Nova Scotia beginning in 1755 by the English military in retaliation for refusing to sign a loyalty oath to the British king. This event was known as … Continue reading
