Family Stories and Surprising Ways New Documentation Can Confirm Them: The Story of Robert Allen Sumrall and Margaret and Catherine Ryan

Or, Subtitled: “May her soul rest in peis.” This posting tells a story. It tells a story about a story, one told to me in my formative years. It also tells a story about how sudden genealogical surprises can either confirm or disprove our long-cherished family traditions. So that we do well to keep ourselves … More Family Stories and Surprising Ways New Documentation Can Confirm Them: The Story of Robert Allen Sumrall and Margaret and Catherine Ryan

Notes on Identifying Old Family Photos as a Genealogical Project: A “Gathering” of Batchelor Family Photos (2)

Or, Subtitled: “This practical nurse, ‘Angie Robinson,’ in P.B. is fine — Eura her 157th baby” Yesterday, I posted about my current family history obsession: I’ve been going through collections of old photos kept by family members no longer living, photos that have ended up with me, and I’m trying to identify as many of the people … More Notes on Identifying Old Family Photos as a Genealogical Project: A “Gathering” of Batchelor Family Photos (2)

Children of Dennis Lindsey (1794-1836) and Jane Brooks: Martha Ann Lindsey Williams (1829-1914)

The Female School at old Richmond was under the control of Miss Martha Lindsey when I went there to school to Martin. Miss Martha was a remarkable woman in many respects. She was firm and determined, yet gentle and loving to her pupils. Strong of purpose, strong in the hearts of her pupils and strong … More Children of Dennis Lindsey (1794-1836) and Jane Brooks: Martha Ann Lindsey Williams (1829-1914)

Will the Real Strawhorn Monk Please Stand Up? Documenting the Life of Strachan Monk (1787 – 1850/1860), Son of Nottingham Monk and Rachel Strachan

In the three-part series of postings I did recently about Daniel Cherry, his sister Talitha, and Talitha’s husband Strachan/Strahon/Strawhorn Monk of Martin County, North Carolina, and Tennessee, I noted that P.M. Harbert’s “Early History of Hardin County, Tennessee” has the following to say about Strachan (“Strawhorn”) Monk:

Prob. Died Young, Or How Pat Ryan Lost His Eye (As a Union Soldier) (8)

I’m floundering a bit as I try to draw to a close this series of postings about Pat and Delilah Rinehart Ryan and their pension applications for Pat’s Civil War service and injuries. The problem is that the deeper I reach into the treasure trove of information this file contains, the more connections I’m spotting … More Prob. Died Young, Or How Pat Ryan Lost His Eye (As a Union Soldier) (8)

Prob. Died Young, Or How Pat Ryan Lost His Eye (As a Union Soldier) (6)

As I ended my last posting about the Civil War pension claims filed by Patrick Ryan and his widow Delilah Rinehart Ryan in Grant County, Arkansas, I mentioned that one of the threads tying together the network of families represented in these combined pension files is that men from several of these families were Union … More Prob. Died Young, Or How Pat Ryan Lost His Eye (As a Union Soldier) (6)