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Monday, August 19, 2024

A Few Books to Add to Your Genealogy Library

 To assist and enhance your genealogy research, the following books come highly recommended by like-minded researchers.

Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia, Vol. 1 - Augusta County
Information is extracted from the original court records in Augusta County 1745-1800
ThrifyBooks (tiny URL): https://tinyurl.com/mu4wmcnz 

Scotch Irish Pioneers in Ulster and America
Charles Knowles Bolton 
Originally published in 1940, this book offers a systematic treatment if the migration of the Scotch and English from the north of Ireland in the New World. Appendixes include lists of ships from Ireland arriving in New England between 1714-1720, including existing vital records of towns in Ulster, families and more.  

Early Western Augusta Pioneers (Virginia) Including the Families of Cleek, Gwin, Lightner and Waewick, and many related families, by George W. Cleek
Amazon: (Tiny URL): https://tinyurl.com/4atbvu83

Annals of Augusta County, Virginia, With Reminiscences Illustrative of the Vicissitudes of its Pioneer Settlers by Joseph Addition Waddell
This series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately preserve the original format of each page while digitally enhancing the quality of the aged text.

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Roots Tech - 2024 Online

 


Don't forget - Rootsweb 2024 is LIVE! RootsTech begins Thursday, February 29, and goes through Saturday, March 2, 2024. 

Register and view events at https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/ There will certainly be something you will want to see/learn. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday choices begin at 10 am EST. and it's FREE !! 

Monday, February 19, 2024

A look back during the Texas Revolution

 


Special thanks to Traces of Texas for permission to post this interesting article on the Texas Revoluton

Being that we are now in the high holy days of the Texas Revolution, the Texas Quote of the Day is in regards to the infamous Runaway Scrape: "We had been several days without any news from the army, and did not know but that our men had been massacred [at the Alamo]. News was carried at that time by a man or boy going from one neighborhood to another. We had heard that the Convention had passed a declaration of independence, and elected David G. Burnet president, and Sam Houston commander-in-chief of the army. On the 12th of March came the news of the fall of the Alamo. 

A courier brought a dispatch from General Houston for the people to leave. Colonel Travis and the men under his command had been slaughtered, the Texas army was retreating, and President Burnet’s cabinet had gone to Harrisburg. Then began the horrors of the “Runaway Scrape.” We left home at sunset, hauling clothes, bedding and provisions on the sleigh with one yoke of oxen. Mother and I were walking, she with an infant in her arms. Brother drove the oxen, and my two little sisters rode in the sleigh. 

We were going ten miles to where we could be transferred to Mr. Bundick’s cart. Father was helping with the cattle, but he joined us after dark and brought a horse and saddle for brother. He sent him to help Mr. Stafford with the cattle. He was to go a different road with them and ford the San Jacinto. Mother and I then rode father’s horse. We met Mrs. M — . She was driving her oxen home. We had sent her word in the morning. She begged mother to go back and help her, but father said not. He told the lady to drive the oxen home, put them in the cow pen, turn out the cows and calves, and get her children ready, and he would send assistance. We went on to Mrs. Roark’s, and met five families ready to leave. Two of Mr. Shipman’s sons arrived that night. They were mere boys, and had come to help their parents. 

They didn’t go on home; father knew that Mr. Shipman’s family had gone that morning, so he sent them back for Mrs. M — ‘s. It was ten o’clock at night when we got to Mrs. Roark’s. We shifted our things into the cart of Mr. Bundick, who was waiting for us, and tried to rest till morning. Sister and I had been weeping all day about Colonel Travis. When we started from home we got the little books he had given us and would have taken them with us, but mother said it was best to leave them. Early the next morning we were on the move, mother with her four children in the cart, and Mr. Bundick and his wife and negro woman on horseback. He had been in bad health for some time and had just got home from visiting his mother, who lived in Louisiana. He brought with him two slaves, the woman already mentioned and a man who was driving the cart; and, as Mr. Bundick had no children, we were as comfortable as could have been expected. 

We had to leave the sleigh. Sister and I had grieved all the day before about Colonel Travis, and had a big cry when our brother left us. We were afraid Mrs. M — would be left at home. We had a fresh outburst of grief when the sleigh was abandoned, but had the satisfaction of seeing Mrs. M — and her children. Mr. Cotie would not go to the army. He hauled five families in the big blue wagon with his six yoke of oxen, besides negroes, provisions, bedding, and all the plunder the others could not carry." ----- Dilue Rose Harris 

“The Reminiscences of Mrs. Dilue Harris," in The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, January 1901. Shown here: Dilue Rose Harris, courtesy the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic site.

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

The Family Album

 


The Family Album In May of 2007, I discovered the following Thought of the Day and shared it with my husband Larry Van Horn. I discovered it this afternoon; he had written in it in one of his genealogical journals. This amazing description of a family album is as relevant today as it was in 2007. I know Larry would want me to share it with all our blog readers, and genealogy groups. . I hope you enjoy it. Gayle Van Horn The Family Album Pull out that old family album and scan the faces. These people on these pages brought you to this point. Their lives are the cornerstones of your life. Their sacrifices are your mandate to continue building … invest in yourself … and in all that comes next. Just as they formed your foundation – your work lays a foundation for lives after you. Your family album is a picture of the tenacity and strength in your DNA. It is a study of perseverance. Secrets of survival that carry through your veins. To settle for less than you are capable of is to squander not just your life – but their lives – and your legacy to future generations. One generation’s position is the next generation's reposition. Picture that! (Thought of the Day by T.D. Jakes) 27 May 2007)

Friday, March 17, 2023

Honoring My Irish Heritage

 

Thank you on this special St. Patrick's Day, to my many Irish ancestors, who left their homes in Ireland to begin a new path in America. The Delay family, James, Robert, and John Mc Quiston. Col. William Gilbert - all who all fought valiantly in the American Revolution. Maurice Fitzgerald of County Wexford, as well as the families of Eakin, McMillian, O'Dear, O'Quinn, St. Legar, Funsten, Irving, Hood, de Audley, Carisle, Le Longespee, Bates, Coots and many more through the ages. Go raibh maith agat !

Need a few links to assist your Irish quest? Try the following:

Tracing Your Irish Ancestors. Fifth Edition 

The Family Tree Irish Genealogy Guide: How to Trace Your Ancestors in Ireland

Tracing Your Family History on the Internet: A Guide for Family Historians - Second Edition (Tracing Your Ancestors 

A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland, Second Edition 

Tracing Your Irish Roots by Kinealy

Monday, March 13, 2023

Identifying 'Aunt Somebody'

 


I've had this picture for several years, given to me by a dear late cousin. She called her Aunt Somebody - and like her, I still don't know who she is.

I am hoping someone will know who this lovely lady is. Does she look familiar to you? This Gibson Girl style was listed as from 1900-1910, so it narrows it down considerably. If you have a clue, please let me know. Thanks