Despite sworn affidavits from three soldiers who came forth and testified that her son, Milas, a Union soldier, had been executed by rebels and had not deserted as the Army concluded, Lydia Ann Deason, my 4th great grandmother, was unsuccessful in obtaining a mother’s Civil War pension. I finally made my way to the National Archives to view the complete file which… More →
Month: March 2016
L is for Lutiness
Thrice. That’s how often the name “Lutiness” shows up in my family tree. The first instance is Lutiness Alonzo Trantham, Sr., who was my great grandfather. Having run out of doctors after whom he could name his children, he then passed the name on to his youngest son and 11th child, Lutiness Alonzo Trantham, Jr. So that accounts for the second instance. At the risk of… More →
My Woody
Woodrow Wilson Guthrie, a.k.a “Woody Guthrie”, was an American singer and songwriter who was born in Oklahoma about 1913. Born in Oklahoma in 1913, Woodrow Wilson Guthrie, a.k.a. “Woody Guthrie”, was also my 4th cousin, 1x removed. I never met either one of them. Utter joy and disbelief ran through my head simultaneously when I discovered Woody’s name in the 1920 census. Could… More →
Boren Bridge Builders
Margaret Boren, my 4th great grandmother, was 90 years old when she appeared in the 1870 census in Itawamba County, Mississippi. A widow, she and husband, John Boren, had raised at least seven sons who were born in Madison County, Alabama. There is evidence, which I have yet to see personally, that John was Margaret’s second husband. Her maiden name appears… More →
Once More From The Top
My 3rd cousin, 1x removed, Irene, is no stranger to this blog. Married to my paternal grandmother’s 1st cousin, Irene’s mother was an Uthlaut and a relative of my mother’s. Over the last year, Irene has become a good friend, helping me fill in the blanks on Uthlaut family members from her neck of the tree. Just recently, I learned that Irene and I… More →
Blarney Stone-hinged
Unlike the TV spokesperson for Ancestry.com, who traded in his lederhosen for a kilt, on Thursday I’ll be wearing one atop the other as I celebrate my Irish heritage. The roughly 6% of me that is Irish came from my mother’s Joyce ancestors and from my father’s Hollingsworth and Boren ancestors. Speaking of Borens, one of the treasures I came across… More →
My, Oh, Myrick
My quest to solve the mysterious DNA connection between the Tranthams and Myricks of Henry County, Tennessee led me to the hallowed halls of the Library of Congress this weekend. Although it is located practically in my “backyard”, I have never visited this massive monument to the printed word. The experience alone deserves its own post. With my newly-created, official Library of Congress Researcher identification… More →
Trantham Tractates
Class is now in session. In my opinion, there are only three documents that accurately depict the often mixed-up relationships between the members of the early Trantham family. One is Lewis Peach’s 1884 letter in which he reveals most of the names of Martin and Elizabeth (Martinleer Eppinger) Trantham’s children and their spouses. The second is the 1783 will of Martin Trantham,… More →
By Hook or By Crook
When I learned recently that Peter Heinrich von Behren, my 5th great grandfather, was a German shepherd, I must confess I was a bit perplexed. The first thoughts that ran naively through my head were something along the lines of: Good Lord, how on Earth did he provide for his family wandering aimlessly about the countryside keeping sheep? and Oh,… More →
Cousins marrying cousins, Hollandazed
Not long ago I wrote about the possibility that my mother’s ancestor Drury Holland might be a descendant of (Frances) Gabriel Holland who was an early settler in Jamestown, Virginia. Much controversy exists as to whether or not Gabriel was actually descended from English royalty. Meanwhile, there is no proof that Drury is a descendant of Gabriel. Nada. Too bad. I was hoping… More →