One month ago I wrote about the Rev. Solomon Gleason Barber who raised my 2nd Great-Grandfather, his nephew, as his own son. Since this week’s 52 Ancestors theme is about farming, this post belongs to the younger Solomon. Many of my American ancestors either farmed as a profession or lived on small family farms while…
This week’s 52 Ancestors theme is “Unusual Sources.” Most of the sources I’ve referenced have been what you might call “usual.” Census records, birth, marriage, and death certificates are all commonly used by genealogists to confirm evidence. Many people have family bibles where their older relatives have recorded family events. Not many of my ancestors…
This week’s 52 Ancestors theme is the ancestor with the “birthday closest to yours.” According to my research, I don’t have anyone sharing my birthday, not even brothers and sisters of ancestors. I’ve already written about the ancestor whose birthday was closest: Jonathan Ellis, born April 11, 1762. Next in line is Lucy Sylvester Morse,…
In celebration of Labor Day, the theme of week #36 of the 52 Ancestors challenge is “work.” I knew my Granddad as someone who could fix anything electronic. The Shell Geophysical Lab in Houston, Texas knew him as their “first radio man.” According to an article from a company newspaper he saved, he was responsible…
I’m participating in the 52 Ancestors challenge: Post about a different ancestor each week of the year. “Back to School” is the theme for week 35. I have already written about several ancestors who were teachers as it was a common occupation in my family. This time I’ll talk about my great-grandmother Mary Ellis Pray. She…
The week’s theme is “Non-Population Schedules.” My 2nd great-grandfather, Solomon Gleason Barber is supposed to have been born in 1843 in Vermont to Timothy and Ann (nee Benson) Barber. I have yet to find any supporting documentation for his or any of his sibling’s birthplaces and dates other than a Barber genealogy written in 1913…
This week’s theme is “Family Legend.” The last batch of my family to arrive in the United States came over from England (via Canada) in 1910. Bertrand Sidney Avenell, his wife Emily (nee Thomas), their oldest son Roland, Bertrand’s parents Walter and Jane Ellen (Hagell) Avenell, his sister Eleanor, and Jane Ellen’s sister Letty all…
This week’s theme is “oldest” I remembered a Twitter post David Allen Lambert made a few months ago asking “what is the oldest headstone in your family.” At the time I didn’t know. Many of my ancestors died in this country in the 16th and 17th centuries and have profiles on websites like Find-A-Grave but…
This week’s theme is “colorful.” As a young child, I was fortunate to live close to my maternal Grandparents; Dr. Donald Seward and Dorothy Melcher. The best thing about staying at their place? Unlimited art supplies. My favorites were the watercolor paints and the Cray-Pas (pastel crayons). Grandma Seward died when I was only seven so it…
This week’s theme is “Music.” His birth certificate says “Montford” but he used “Monfort” when writing out his full name. My late grandfather was supposed to have been named for our ancestor who was one of the first Europeans to immigrate to New Amsterdam, now New York City: Pieter Janse Monfoort. Back in grad school…
