In a previous post, I wrote of how I discovered that my mother’s grandfather lied on a passport application that he filled out towards the end of WWI. As a former Consular officer and recently retired from the US State Department, he had to have known that what he had done was illegal. James Monroe Dobbs, Sr. was born July 4, 1859, yet on more … Continue reading International Man of Mystery-Pt. 5
A few days ago, I renewed my Ancestry.com subscription despite my annual vow to resist. This year’s offer—40% off a six-month subscription—was too tempting. This package included access to U.S. and international records as well as newspaper and military archives. As I signed up, I told myself I’d regret it if I didn’t find value within the first few days. Navigating Ancestry’s Value Over Time … Continue reading Found: The Obituary of Col. D. J. Dobbs
Contents in the Post More on Jotham Pickering This is a follow-up to the recent post, “Remembering Patriots: Seven Ancestors Who Fought in the American Revolution.” I found more information regarding Jotham Pickering, my father’s great-great-great-grandfather, who served in the military during the American Revolution. A book titled, “US, Massachusetts, Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War, 1775-1801,” and published in the 19th century summarizes … Continue reading More on Jotham Pickering
Ancestry.com was offering a 40% off sale on its subscription packages over Memorial Day weekend. After debating which of the three six-month options to purchase, from the moderately priced USA Records-only package to the complete package, including access to Fold3.com (the military records database) and Newspaper Archives, I ultimately decided on the whole package. I knew I would regret not having access to everything. On … Continue reading The Fate of Col. David J Dobbs (May 1865)
After 40+ years of research on my Irish ancestors, I have learned that some were Native Irish, some were Anglo-Irish, some were Ulster Scots, and some may even be Vikings (or Norsemen). Some of them were Roman Catholic, some were Church of Ireland, some were Presbyterians, and some, in the distant past, were Celtic pagans. Some were Loyalists, some were Rebels, some were Scotch Covenanters, … Continue reading More Irish Than The Irish
I found something that I think is interesting – an ancestor who was martyred during the Marian Persecution in the 1550s. My mother’s mother’s mother’s mother’s mother was named Sophia Anne Rogers. A member of the Protestant Ascendancy, she lived in Northern Ireland in the 19th C. Her grandfather was Rev. George Rogers (1695-1769). George Rogers was born on December 27, 1695, in Lisburn, Antrim, … Continue reading Martyr for a Cause
I was preparing to record an episode of my podcast on YouTube when I decided to check on the exhibits I wanted to show in the three episodes I call the Knox Chronicles. One of the exhibits that I wanted to present was about my DNA. So, I went to Ancestry.com to review my DNA Ethnicity Estimate. But when I saw the report, I immediately … Continue reading Ethnicity Inheritance Estimate
I was curious to find information about my father’s Pickering ancestors who moved from Salem to Mendon, Massachusetts in the 1730s. I scoured Google Books and came across a book titled “The Annals of the Town of Mendon 1659-1880.” Three generations of my Pickering ancestors lived in Mendon for nearly a century. I was uncertain about the exact timing of Edward and Hannah Pickering’s departure … Continue reading More Pickering Papers
Following up on my earlier post, I was curious to see what other ancestral families of mine were in Salem, Massachusetts or thereabouts at the time of the Salem Witch Trials. There were others who then lived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, but other than the Flint family, no else was in Salem. Nevertheless, I discovered one of my father’s ancestors who played a role … Continue reading John Coggeshall
Here is a look at my Puritan ancestors who lived in Salem, Massachusetts, during the time of the Witch Trials in the 1690s. This is also the story of a family that owned and occupied the same house for ten successive generations. Introduction Years ago, when I embarked on my journey to research my family history, I encountered a branch about which I had very … Continue reading The Pickering Papers
Gathering Leaves 