A number of unusual circumstances came together this past weekend and the result was an impromptu family reunion at the San Jose home of The World’s Smartest Sister. All of my parents’ children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren showed up!
I suppose I may have taken some liberties with this month’s Carnival theme of “What if . . . ” I don’t know exactly what happened when my great-great- grandmother and the son of a former slave owner who lived next door absconded to Texas from Georgia in 1884. But what if it happened like [...]
Last week, Ancestry.com updated and repackaged its U.S. Directories and U.S. Public information databases. These are now all a part of Ancestry’s “1940 Census Substitute.” Part of the upgrade was acquisition of what Ancestry VP for Content Gary Gibb called ” a huge collection of city directories.” I was excited about this from the outset. [...]
Continue reading about I Love Ancestry’s Expanded, Updated City Directories
I started this with a note on Facebook and it was suggested that it would make a good meme for bloggers. The idea is to publicize your surnames and locales to see if anyone elseknows something about them. For me on Facebook, I got several research-helpful replies. So how much better to take it to [...]
After returning home to Upson County, Georgia, after 17 years in Texas, George Preston (“Pres”) Birdsong applied for, and was denied, a pension for his four years of service in the Confederate Army. His brother, Albert Hamill Birdsong, who had gone to Texas with Pres in 1884, returned to Upson County in 1903. Albert had [...]
Continue reading about Georgia Confederate Pensions: Follow-up
George Preston Birdsong (1841-1905), known as “Pres” to family and friends, is my presumptive great-great-grandfather. He was the scion of a prominent Upson County, Georgia, family. Pres’s father, George Lawrence Forsyth Birdsong (“Larry”), was a sportsman and land owner. Larry also served for a time as Upson County Sheriff. When the Civil War began, Pres [...]
Continue reading about Georgia Confederate Pensions on Ancestry Put to Use
Another Tale of Regret Yesterday was the second anniversary of the death of Lee Chester Manson, my grand-uncle, who lived in Midland, Texas. He was the son of Silas Leroy Manson (1897-1974) and Estelle Thomas (1906-1980). He was the grandson of Otis Manson (1874-1950) and Bettie Sanford (1872-1955). Two years ago, the Midland Reporter-Telegram ran [...]
Continue reading about In Memoriam: Lee Chester Manson, 1928-2007
JESSIE BEATRICE BOWIE 1909-1973 Jessie Beatrice Bowie was my paternal grandmother. She was born in San Antonio, Texas, on January 11, 1909. She was the daughter of Elias Bowie, Sr.(1874-1970) and Hattie Bryant (1888-1944). Hattie had been born on the Texas Gulf Coast. After a brief marriage at age 15 and another relationship, she headed [...]
I first voted in the 1972 elections; as far as I know, my parents have voted in every election since 1954. But, of course, not all of my ancestors had the right to vote. The Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1870, provides: Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to [...]
My parents celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary this weekend. Here’s a recent photo of them, but for a glimpse at their wedding in Houston, Texas, in 1953, see the Carnival post on weddings here. [Updated 7/18/08, 10:15 PDT to add photo. Blogger was having an upload problem earlier. Previous post deleted]
