Week 5: #52 Ancestors – In The Kitchen By Eilene Lyon Aunt Betty (Lyon) Dremann took the time to write her memoirs before she passed. I wish everyone would do that! However, she only wrote to the point where her sons were of the age to begin forming their own memories, as if her own... Continue Reading →
A Father For Cyrus
Week #15: 52 Ancestors – Brick Wall Week #24: 52 Ancestors – Father’s Day By Eilene Lyon Since I’m not doing all 52 Ancestors prompts this year, what the heck, why not combine a couple? Sometimes breaking down a brick wall is just a matter of finding a piece that doesn’t fit properly. Remove it... Continue Reading →
San Juan Sagas
Found Photo Project #2 By Eilene Lyon Photo Find I enjoy finding 19th century photographs in the local antique store that have some identifying marks. This photograph of 6-year-old Henry Lloyd Wilson caught my eye, despite the defacing scratches. It has so much information: his age, the date the photo was taken and where, and... Continue Reading →
Funny Money
Week 22: #52 Ancestors – Military By Eilene Lyon While labeling family photos recently, The Putterer came across some small bills in odd denominations: 5 cents, 10 cents, 25 cents. They are called Military Payment Certificates (MPC) and they served as currency while he lived on base in Vietnam from 1970 to 1971. I’d never... Continue Reading →
Where’s George?
Week 21: #52 Ancestors – At the Cemetery By Eilene Lyon Many of my farming ancestors led stable, quiet lives that can be hard to document. But some relatives had a flamboyant existence. One of these was my 2nd great-granduncle, George Albert Cutting, brother of my ancestor Arthur N. Cutting. George’s travels spanned the continent,... Continue Reading →
The Dynasty
Week 14: #52 Ancestors – Great By Eilene Lyon “The record of the Rockefellers in America is that of a vital, dynamic, active race, possessed of resourcefulness, shrewdness in business affairs, and executive ability. In some lines, too, they have been known for their imagination, love of beauty, and literary talents.” – Media Research Bureau... Continue Reading →
The Overseer
Week 2: #52 Ancestors – Family Legend By Eilene Lyon My grandmother, Clare (Davis) Smith, left this typewritten note regarding her paternal ancestors. I want to learn more about the first one, but I’m going to address them all, beginning at the bottom. (Typos have been corrected.)“The Davis family moved from Missouri to Texas Ridge,... Continue Reading →
Three Generations
Week 3: #52 Ancestors – Namesake By Eilene Lyon This is the story of a granddaughter named in memory of the grandmother she never met. And of the woman between them who outlived them both. We’ll begin with Mary Frances Stephens, the young woman in the feature image above. She was the eighth of nine... Continue Reading →
A Hepler Connection
Week 10: #52 Ancestors – Name’s the Same By Eilene Lyon The older I get, the less enamored I am with celebrity culture. The names I know mostly date to the last century; about today’s stars I'm clueless. But, I'm still amused when I discover famous cousins. For example, Bette Midler is supposedly a 10th... Continue Reading →