Tag: family-history

Griffith James (bef. 1725? – 1795): Washington County, Maryland, Years (1763-1793)

July 19, 2026

Or, Subtitled: “A True Copy of the Free Male Taxibils of Sharpsburgh and Lower Antietam Hundred” In the first posting in this series tracking the history of Griffith James (abt. 1725? – 1795), I focused on the first documentation I’ve found for him in the place in which he lived near Sharpsburg, Maryland, from at … More Griffith James (bef. 1725? – 1795): Washington County, Maryland, Years (1763-1793)

Griffith James (abt. 1725? – 1795): Sharpsburg, Maryland, Beginnings

July 17, 2026

Or, Subtitled: “I have no tradition of her parents, except their nationality, they were Welch, but Hannah was born and reared in Maryland” “Don’t know much about history”: Sam Cooke’s song “Wonderful World” is scrolling through my head as I launch a new series of postings, this one about Griffith James (abt. 1725? – 1795). … More Griffith James (abt. 1725? – 1795): Sharpsburg, Maryland, Beginnings

Robert Leonard (bef. 1730 – 1780) and Honor Pritchard: Children William, Thomas, Mary Ann, and Robert

June 16, 2026

Or, Subtitled: “Robert was the oldest child, then Thos., then Samuel, then Mary” As a previous posting notes, the manuscript entitled “Biography of the Leonards” composed in 1883 by Robert Leonard’s great-grandson Thomas Dunlap Leonard[1] states the following about the children of Robert and his wife Honor Pritchard: When the war took place between England … More Robert Leonard (bef. 1730 – 1780) and Honor Pritchard: Children William, Thomas, Mary Ann, and Robert

Robert Leonard (bef. 1730 – 1780): Testimony of Thomas Dunlap Leonard’s “Biography of the Leonards” (1883)

June 5, 2026

Or, Subtitled: “He was at the Battle of Quebec. His discharge as a soldier of the English Army is yet in existence” Robert Leonard (bef. 1730 – 1780) is one of the more problematic of my ancestors to sort out. There’s actually a goodly selection of documents providing first-hand information about his life. These include … More Robert Leonard (bef. 1730 – 1780): Testimony of Thomas Dunlap Leonard’s “Biography of the Leonards” (1883)

Challenge of Tracing the Ancestry of James Brooks (bef. 1720 – 1779) of Frederick County, Virginia: A Thought-Provoking New Clue

May 24, 2026

Or, Subtitled: “The chain carriers were often kin to the person for whom the land was being surveyed” (Judy G. Russell, “A Matter of Measure,“ Legal Genealogy) I have posted previously about an elusive ancestor named James Brooks, who died prior to 2 November 1779 in Frederick County, Virginia, when his widow Mary and son … More Challenge of Tracing the Ancestry of James Brooks (bef. 1720 – 1779) of Frederick County, Virginia: A Thought-Provoking New Clue

Thomas Leonard (1752-1832) and Hannah James (1752-1842): Children Robert, Thomas, John, Hezekiah, Samuel, Griffith, Colin, and Hannah

May 16, 2026

Or, Subtitled: “Saw Lincoln County when it was a cane brake infested with bear, wolves, deer and many other wild animals” In three previous postings, I discussed the life of Thomas Leonard (1752-1832), son of Robert Leonard and Honor Pritchard. I began with a look at the documents that chronicle his early years in Maryland, … More Thomas Leonard (1752-1832) and Hannah James (1752-1842): Children Robert, Thomas, John, Hezekiah, Samuel, Griffith, Colin, and Hannah

Thomas Leonard (1752-1832), Son of Robert Leonard and Honor Pritchard: Lincoln County, Tennessee, Years (1808-1832)

May 2, 2026

Or, Subtitled: “My will and desire is that my wife Hannah, Leonard, Shall remain quietly in peaceable poſseſsion, of the room, commonly called hers, during her natural life” This posting continues (and concludes) my documentation of the life of Thomas Leonard (1752-1832), son of Robert Leonard and Honor Pritchard. This series began with an account … More Thomas Leonard (1752-1832), Son of Robert Leonard and Honor Pritchard: Lincoln County, Tennessee, Years (1808-1832)

Thomas Leonard (1752-1832), Son of Robert Leonard and Honor Pritchard: South Carolina Years (1786-1808)

April 24, 2026

Or, Subtitled: “The family came in a cart whose wheels were sections of a big tree sawn out thicker in the center than on the edge” This posting continues a thread discussing records that document the life of Thomas Leonard (1752-1832), son of Robert Leonard and Honor Pritchard. The previous posting in the thread documents … More Thomas Leonard (1752-1832), Son of Robert Leonard and Honor Pritchard: South Carolina Years (1786-1808)

Nancy Lindsey (abt. 1801 – aft. 1880), Daughter of Mark Lindsey and Mary Jane Dinsmore: Additional Information

April 8, 2026

Or, Subtitled: “Given under our hands and seals this 7th May 1818″ I’m posting this piece to update a posting I made quite some time in the past. The posting I’ve just linked focuses on a daughter of Mark Lindsey (1774-1848) and Mary Jane Dinsmore (1779-1853) of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, Wayne County, Kentucky, and … More Nancy Lindsey (abt. 1801 – aft. 1880), Daughter of Mark Lindsey and Mary Jane Dinsmore: Additional Information

Matilda Caroline and Minerva D. Leonard and Husbands Cordy Claiborne Clifton and Samuel Johnston: Interesting Civil War Records of a Family Dispute

April 6, 2026

Or, Subtitled: “He has recently been hated as an enemy by Mrs. Clifton and Thomas L. Clifton the other Security” As the previous posting shows, Thomas Leonard and Sarah Lauderdale’s daughter Matilda Caroline married Cordy Claiborne Clifton on 12 July 1831 in Limestone County, Alabama, and then moved with him to DeSoto County, Mississippi, where … More Matilda Caroline and Minerva D. Leonard and Husbands Cordy Claiborne Clifton and Samuel Johnston: Interesting Civil War Records of a Family Dispute