Letting Love Go

Week 7: #52Ancestors – Valentine By Eilene Lyon I think it’s probably rare for anyone to have just one romantic interest in their lifetime. Many of us can probably relate a story about someone we’ve loved deeply, but the relationship did not work out for one reason or another. We rarely get a chance to... Continue Reading →

February 14, 2018 7

Putting History in its Place – A Rant

By Eilene Lyon The premise of this blog is learning from the past, so why would I rant about history? Because I see occasions when history is not put in its proper place as a way to improve the present and future. When we target our outrage toward past abuses, events that can’t be changed... Continue Reading →

February 12, 2018 2

Less Than Proud

The Davis Family of North Carolina By Eilene Lyon Sometimes we need to acknowledge the deeds of our forefathers that we are less than proud of - in this case, slave-holding. My grandmother was born Clare Ransom Davis. Her father was Sterling Price Davis. His father was Melville Cox Davis, son of Hamilton Cunningham Davis... Continue Reading →

February 10, 2018 13

What’s in a Name: William Savery Bedford (1804 – 1888)

Week 6: #52Ancestors - Favorite Name By Eilene Lyon The namesake of my 3rd great-granduncle was a Quaker minister in Philadelphia, William Savery, who died in 1804, the same year William Savery Bedford was born. I only recently learned that William’s middle initial stood for “Savery” while examining Philadelphia Quaker records. Though William’s parents, Thomas... Continue Reading →

February 8, 2018 12

Would These Parks Exist Without the Antiquities Act?

By Eilene Lyon You may have surmised by now that I love the desert. Whether I’m counting cacti or tagging tortoises - or just taking a walk through the wilderness - the sunlight, landforms, and wildlife captivate me. Some of the most stunning American desert landscapes are now protected as National Parks and National Monuments.... Continue Reading →

February 7, 2018 1

Gold Rush Entertainment

By Eilene Lyon A popular form of entertainment in the California gold rush was the bear and bull fight. We’ve come a long way from wanting to watch such carnage for sport – or have we? As recently as 2013, a bill was introduced in Congress to punish people for attending animal fights. In this... Continue Reading →

February 6, 2018 0

Desperately Seeking…Descendants

As genealogists generally do, I have put together a family tree detailing my ancestors. As a historian, though, I am diligently looking for descendants, hoping they may have pieces of a puzzle: a story, a photograph, an artifact. Perhaps YOU are one of the people I am looking for. If your ancestors lived in east-central... Continue Reading →

February 4, 2018 13

Taking Stock

By Eilene Lyon At first, the goal was just to set up a blog and see what happened with it. Starting on January 1st, I delved in with some design work and my first, brief post. Well, that was interesting. I spent a bit more time drafting my second post, which was longer and involved... Continue Reading →

February 3, 2018 3

A Case of Mistaken Identity

Week 5: #52Ancestors - Census By Eilene Lyon Because I am trying to find as many living descendants as possible for Henry Zane Jenkins and his wife, Abigail Bedford, I have been following many family lines down to the present. One of these lines is the Rackleffs of Oregon. Last year, while working on this... Continue Reading →

February 2, 2018 2

Myricopia