History

The Significance of Fort Ticonderoga in the Revolutionary War

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

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Family

Remembering Patriots: Seven Ancestors Who Fought in the American Revolution

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

Unknown's avatarD. M. DeBacker1 Comment
DeBacker

More O’Malley

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

Unknown's avatarD. M. DeBacker2 Comments
Bannon

Typical (Irish) Immigrants!

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!

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Dobbs

Back When We Were Friends

This is a photograph of my mother’s grandmother, Helen Spiegel Dobbs, and a friend putting on a show of international unity at a resort in New Mexico sometime between 1913 and 1916. In this picture, Helen (right) represents the USA, and her friend, Claudia Meador Sanger (left), wearing a sombrero, portrays Mexico as they toast the friendship between those two countries. The photograph was taken … Continue reading Back When We Were Friends

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DeBacker

The Importance of the Portsmouth Compact

A month ago, I wrote an article titled “Massachusetts Ancestors with Wikipedia Articles.” Yet it’s only now, through further study, that I am realizing the significance of what three of those ancestors did when they put their names on a document in the spring of 1638. These men are ancestors on my father’s side of the family, and their names were Philip Sherman, John Coggeshall, … Continue reading The Importance of the Portsmouth Compact

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