On this 160th anniversary of the first Juneteenth Celebration, which occurred on Galveston Island, Texas, in 1865, I would like to address the following to the descendants of people my ancestors enslaved in the colonies and the states of Massachusetts, Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia, and express my deepest and most heartfelt apologies for their actions. I acknowledge the immense suffering, injustice, and lasting impact … Continue reading Juneteenth, 2025
The Civil War era saw a significant but overlooked resistance against conscription, particularly among fathers determined to protect their sons from battle. This struggle, deeply rooted in love and familial bonds, played out in areas like Holmes County, Ohio, where groups protested the draft, leading to armed conflicts and legal consequences. Continue reading Resistance Runs in the Family
Here is a video series I created discussing using my brother’s DNA to help us find more ancestors, aiming to uncover the rich tapestry of our family history. Throughout the episodes, I delve into the process of analyzing genetic information and how it can shed light on connections that were previously hidden to us. Additionally, I excitedly share the remarkable story of how I discovered … Continue reading Finding Eldad Parts 1 & 2
Katherine Talbot married Nicholas de Eyton, Sheriff of Shropshire (Nicholas Eaton).[1] John Talbot, the father of Katherine Talbot, was the 1st Earl of Shrewsbury during the reign of Henry VI and the Hundred Years War. He was born in 1384 and died in 1453. Although Katherine Talbot does appear as the daughter of the 1st Earl of Shrewsbury in Treswell’s The Visitation of Shropshire (1623) and in The Visitations of Essex … Continue reading PART X-CHAPTER SIX
Sir Peter (III) de Eyton, a 12th great grandfather of Elizabeth Eaton, was born before 1246. He married Margery in 1246. He died after 1292. The first mention of his name, otherwise than as an infant, is early in 1272, when Hugh Burnell had a Writ against him for disseizing the said Hugh of common-pasture in Eyton, and John de Apple had a Writ against him … Continue reading PART X-CHAPTER FIVE
I suspected that a wealth of information regarding the Pickering’s and collateral families of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts lay hidden within out-of-print 19th-century books. Furthermore, I believed other genealogists were, and had been, investigating these same family lines, placing them years—even decades—ahead of me. These realizations prompted me to adopt new and radical research technique. I began by gathering information from personal trees on Ancestry.com’s OneWorld section. While recognizing … Continue reading PART X – CHAPTER FOUR
The book, “Pickering Genealogy,” provides detailed information on ten generations of Pickerings, but my direct lineage extends only to the third generation covered in the book. After that, my branch left Salem. Benjamin’s son, Edward Pickering (6x great-grandfather) was born in November 1701 in Salem and died in Mendon, Massachusetts. In 1724, he married Hannah Bancroft in Lynn, Massachusetts, and shortly after that, he relocated … Continue reading PART X – CHAPTER 3
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
Gathering Leaves 