Week 35: #52 Ancestors – Back to School By Eilene Lyon The ancestor that I most closely associate with schools is Clara Pearl Ransom. Education was the driving force in her life – her own and that of others. Her early life was marked by tragedy, but when she moved to Moscow, Idaho, it was... Continue Reading →
The Ag Schedule Mysteries
Week 34: #52 Ancestors – Non-Population By Eilene Lyon The agricultural schedules for the 1850 U. S. Federal Census are of particular interest in researching my eastern Indiana families and their gold rush stories. They’ve also left me with a couple of mysteries. Perhaps you’ll have some insights that might help me solve them. For... Continue Reading →
16 Tons of Healthcare
By Eilene Lyon “You load sixteen tons, what do you get?/Another day older and deeper in debt/Saint Peter don’t you call me, ‘cause I can’t go/I owe my soul to the company store.” – Sixteen Tons by Merle Travis I marvel at the fact that so many Americans believe that healthcare should be a for-profit... Continue Reading →
Famous Family
Week 33: #52 Ancestors - Family Legend By Eilene Lyon There’s a spark in all of us that yearns to be remembered after we’re gone. Those with children are assured of being remembered for a generation or three, perhaps. After that, some sort of legacy or notoriety is probably required. For those of us without... Continue Reading →
The Drought Diaries: Too Little Water/Too Much Water
By Eilene Lyon Too Little Water August 12, 2018 The Animas River is at an all-time historic low (and they are still drawing irrigation water – sorry, New Mexico!). As of Friday, it was running at 131 c.f.s. The average for this time is about 600 c.f.s. I don't normally stand in the "river" As... Continue Reading →
“The Picturesque West”
By Eilene Lyon I stopped into the Friends of the Library book shop earlier this week. Check out this book I was so delighted to find – for the grand price of $4.00! As many of you are aware, I am working on a non-fiction book set during the California gold rush. This stout hardcover... Continue Reading →
Murder in New Netherland
Week 31: #52 Ancestors – Oldest By Eilene Lyon I consider myself a family historian. Genealogy is a tool I use to construct my family stories. For this reason, my family tree does not wander back to the hinterlands of history. Most of the people I research date from the 18th century forward. In fact,... Continue Reading →
Kauai Refuge
By Eilene Lyon A Bountiful Gift Around 2010, I picked up the book Waking Up In Eden by Lucinda Fleeson and learned for the first time about the Allerton Gardens on the island of Kauai. I never really expected to see the place myself, but a great deal showed up on Travelzoo and away we... Continue Reading →
Even When It’s Over, It Ain’t Over
By Eilene Lyon The problem with starting a feud is – how do you ever end it? We’ve all heard of the long-running Hatfield-McCoy dispute. While theirs might be notable for its longevity, feuds are hardly uncommon. Not all are deadly serious, but every one is toxic. Here are two historic feuds I’ve come across... Continue Reading →