Let’s pause the Pickering saga for a moment to introduce some other key persons in Cordelia Pickering Gaume’s family tree. Understanding these relationships, which go beyond just marriage, is vital. They all shared the major event of the Great Puritan Migration and the Winthrop Fleet in the 1630s, which connects them significantly. On top of that, some of them were participants in a pivotal case … Continue reading PART X – CHAPTER 2
I’ve been procrastinating since April, but now finally getting back to working on my book, Gathering More Leaves. I’m up to the tenth and final part of the book, which will probably be about seven chapters. Originally, I was hoping to be completed by my 70th birthday next month, but that’s not likely to happen (although I am committed to working on this every day). … Continue reading PART X – CHAPTER 1
The capture of Fort Ticonderoga in May 1775 marked one of the earliest and most significant victories for the American colonists in the Revolutionary War. This strategic fort, located on the shores of Lake Champlain, held immense military importance, controlling vital waterways between Canada and the colonies. Strategic Importance of Fort Ticonderoga Fort Ticonderoga’s location made it a key point for controlling trade and military … Continue reading The Significance of Fort Ticonderoga in the Revolutionary War
This coming Saturday, April 19th, marks the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Given the current circumstances of tyranny, this anniversary holds even greater significance. I have revised my previous list of ancestors who served during the American Revolutionary War. It now contains ten individuals: six ancestors of my father’s great-grandmother, Cordelia Pickering, and four of my maternal grandfather, James M. Dobbs, … Continue reading Ten Patriots
I’ve discovered two more ancestors who answered the alarm two hundred and fifty years ago on April 19, 1775. This makes four patriots on my father’s side of the family who took to the field during the Battles of Lexington and Concord. I will provide more details on how I found them later, but as a matter of introduction, I present them here: Samuel Stearns … Continue reading More Patriots Discovered
Introduction On this Memorial Day, we gather not only to honor the fallen but also to resurrect the forgotten. Allow me to present seven of my ancestors who served in the military during the American Revolution. These are not the names etched in marble nor the grand heroes celebrated in epic ballads. Nope, these are just some of the ordinary men who overnight went from … Continue reading Remembering Patriots: Seven Ancestors Who Fought in the American Revolution
I have discovered more information about my O’Malley family in Minnesota. I found the source for the marriage record of my great, great-grandparents, I learned that Martin O’Malley died because of an accident, and I found a first hand account of the Dakota war from a resident of Mower County. In an earlier post, I mentioned that I had documented the marriage of Martin O’Malley … Continue reading More O’Malley
One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. However, when it comes to slot machines and genealogy, repeating the same actions can sometimes lead to surprising and rewarding outcomes. That’s why, every year around St. Patrick’s Day, I visit Ancestry.com to continue searching for my Irish ancestors. On my father’s side, the O’Malley family settled in … Continue reading Typical (Irish) Immigrants!
Being the extreme introvert that I am, I am not a joiner of societies, associations, or clubs, yet considering that I am a descendent of “one or more passengers of the Winthrop fleet, or of others who settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony on or before 31 December 1640,” I thought I might apply to join an organization called The Winthrop Society. Being the extreme … Continue reading The Winthrop Society
As the old saying goes, there is nothing new under the sun. We like to think of voter fraud and accusations of stolen elections as modern grievances, but in truth, America has a long and sometimes bizarre history with such claims. Back in the late 1860s, as the dust of the Civil War was still settling, Democrats in the former Confederate states found themselves largely … Continue reading Politics as Usual
Gathering Leaves 