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…
This week’s theme is “travel.” My ancestor Caleb Douglas was born in Connecticut and later settled in Whitestown, NY. In his late 60’s he took a mission trip to Michigan and purchased land there. Caleb was born in 1756 to John and Esther (Leach) Douglass. He grew up in New London, Connecticut with his parents…
The theme for week 27 was “Independence” in honor of the 4th of July. I am working through reviewing all the patriots in my line, so I chose one John Douglas to feature for this week. John Douglas was born in 1724 to Thomas and Hannah (Sperry) Douglas(s) of New London, Connecticut. He married his…
The 26th week’s theme was “Black Sheep.” Jonathan Ellis did not start out as a black sheep, but then he left his family and disappeared. I have been gathering family stories since a young age and very few have been what you might call scandalous. A few NPEs (Non-Paternal Events) here and there, maybe a…
Alternate title: “How many James Prays were there in Maine?” This week’s theme is “Same Name” and many genealogists are faced with untangling which James Pray (or Robert Smith or Patrick O’Brien) belong to which generation. If you do a search for James Pray in Maine on FamilySearch you will see many many James Prays….