history is Like a Box of Chocolates
Slow news days happen every once in awhile and sometimes things that might go relatively unnoticed to the rest of the world, in today’s parlance, “go viral.”
William and Frances
William and Frances Finding the Unexpected When You Least Expect it William Bousman was my great-great-great grandfather. Born in 1837 in Clark County, Illinois, William was one of seven boys and six girls born to William Delos Bousman and Nancy Biggs. In 1855 William married Frances Shoemaker of Cooper County, Missouri. The Shoemakers were a…
Older Than Dirt
When my youngest daughter Katie was little, I was driving her to Grandma and Grandpa Baugh’s house and I mentioned that it was Grandpa’s birthday. She asked how old he was and I replied, “Oh,he’s older than dirt.” “No, he’s not!,” she rather forcefully explained. “Yeah, he’s older than dirt,” to which Katie even more…
Mama Didn’t Raise No Fool, But She May Have Raised a Wilson
One of the things I tell clients and those interested in family history and genealogy is to be prepared for what you might find. Case in point: me.
For the Last Time, Newsom is Not Pelosi’s Nephew
Sometimes, genealogy can be used not only to prove family relationships, but also to disprove it. If you follow California wing nuts you have no doubt heard that our governor Gavin Newsom is Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s nephew. Uh, no. He’s not. Here’s the scoop. Gavin Christopher Newsom was born in 1967 to William Alfred Newsom…
I Am Not a Crook, But I Am Your Cousin
While doing routine ancestry research one day on my own family tree, I discovered a rather significant and totally unexpected family connection on my mother’s side with the Quaker tradition. In doing so I also came across the surname Milhous, which I knew to be the middle name of the only Quaker American president, and began to put two and two together.
The Begatin’ Man
Based on family oral history it is highly likely that I am related to William Jennings Bryan but exactly how is still not quite clear from the documentary evidence. This points out an important factor to consider when doing genealogy research, namely that one cannot sit in front of a computer and expect perfect, full, and complete answers.
Just Who Was James Dudymott?
Most of my family tree branches go back several hundred years. The oldest person recorded so far is my 17th great-grandfather Roger de Carruthers, 1st Laird of Holmains, born in 1345 in Holmains, Dumfrieshire, Scotland. The Carruthers line extends all the way down to my great-grandmother Mary Alma Carothers and then joins up with the Penroses.The…
My Parents and Grandparents
Actually, none of the people in the photo were parents or grandparents of mine. If I were to print out my entire family tree it would take roughly 525 pages and it would not be amenable to the almost daily changes that occur through editing, corrections, additions, deletions, and the like. Enter the good folks at WikiTree, some…
The “Celebrities” Among Us
We all remember Lois Lane from her Superman days of lore. Here’s what happened one day to a real-life Lois Lane.
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