Week 13: #52 Ancestors – In the Paper By Eilene Lyon You know I don't shy away from even the most salacious aspects of my ancestors' lives. Let's face it, not all people in the past were admirable characters - and some of them left descendants. Someday, I swear, I'm going to find a Nobel... Continue Reading →
The Striker
By Eilene Lyon We live in a forested area with many birds - and in a house with lots of windows. Once we started using UV decals, the number of birds striking our home dropped, but did not stop altogether. Every year, some continue to perish this way, which really saddens me, but I really... Continue Reading →
Fecundity
Week 11: #52 Ancestors – Large Family By Eilene Lyon Large families used to be the norm, particularly in our country's agrarian years. Studies on U. S. fertility rates show that the average births per woman in 1800 was over 7.0.1 Given that some women had no children and others had a low number due... Continue Reading →
The Odd Brothers
Week 10: #52 Ancestors – Bachelor Uncle(s) By Eilene Lyon The grown children of Robert Ransom and Emma Jenkins, my 2nd great-grandparents, really stump me at times. My great-grandmother, Clara Ransom Davis, was the youngest of the lot. She had one surviving sister and four brothers: James, William, Arthur, and Fred. The sister married in... Continue Reading →
A Baker’s Dozen
Week 12: #52 Ancestors – 12 By Eilene Lyon The year 1961 was tragic for my grandmother, Reatha (Gusso) Halse. She lost her husband, her mother, and her father-in-law. Then I, her first granddaughter, screamed in under the wire on December 31. How’s that for timing? A little grace note at the end of a... Continue Reading →
A Postal Crime
Week 9: #52 Ancestors – At the Courthouse By Eilene Lyon Benjamin Franklin was the first postmaster general, appointed by the Second Continental Congress in 1775. Delivering mail has been a vital function of this quasi-governmental agency ever since. Thanks to the Postal Service, Americans could communicate inexpensively over long distances, facilitating population mobility before the age... Continue Reading →
The Tavern
Week 8: #52 Ancestors – Family Photo By Eilene Lyon Rather than a standard group portrait, I will share a trio of images recently added to Ancestry.com by my 4th cousin, Twinkycat. She and I met in Wisconsin in 2012. As we got acquainted over drinks, she showed me a hardbound, professionally printed copy of... Continue Reading →
Norman and Delores
Week 7: #52 Ancestors – Love By Eilene Lyon A long marriage doesn’t necessarily an indicate a deep love and respect, but it’s a good start. I chose this couple, my great-uncle and great-aunt, Norman and Delores Gusso, because not only did they have a long marriage, but they also have a large, close-knit family... Continue Reading →
The Stepmother
Week 6: #52 Ancestors – Surprise By Eilene Lyon The Surprise My grandfather, Laurence M. Smith, wrote many stories about his life. I’ve already shared some on this blog. But there’s a big gap between the death of his beloved mother, Mary Lila Reams, and the beginning of his engineering career. All he said was,... Continue Reading →