Book Of The Week: History of Buchanan County, Iowa, and Its People

History of Buchanan County, Iowa, and Its People, Vol 2

Harry Church Chappell, Katharyn Joella Allen Chappell

S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1914 - Buchanan County (Iowa)

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Photo Friday :: Another Mystery Baby, Maybe

This series was birthed from the large old photo album I rediscovered in the back of my closet. Many of the photos are from my grandmother's side of the family. There are also unknown photos that came with the album. Story goes my dad, an avid garage saler, picked up a celluloid covered Victorian era photo album on one of his scavenges. It already contained photos of an (as yet) unidentified family. My parents put our own vintage family photos in the album alongside the mystery family's.  As children we marveled at the old fashioned clothing and settings, often wondering who these people were and what their lives were like. Of course, we thought that ALL the people in the photos were our relations! It wasn't until my mom passed the album on to me after my dad died that I learned of the mystery family residing alongside our own!

I plan to share these photos over time, sometimes they will be my family, and identifiable, others will be of the mystery family. Thanks to the world wide web, they may find their way home yet!

Enjoy!

Unmarked photo trimmed from original card

Possibly Agnes Irons, Chicago, IL

Otherwise, a mystery

back blank

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Field Notes: Write It Out - Two Challenges To Try For 2017

Have you been wanting to get more serious about your family history writing? Have you been looking for that push, that motivation to get you going? The new year brings two fun things to put on your calendar, to help you grow as a family history writer.

#52Stories Project

A FamilySearch project, "Define Your Dash: Start Writing Your Personal History with the #52Stories Project" is full of prompts and social media support.

Quoting from their blog: Don’t expect to sit down and pour out the events of your entire life in one epic writing session. Just like a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, a personal history begins with a single story, followed by another story, and another one. And that’s where FamilySearch’s #52Stories Project comes in. You don’t have to look far for a great series of memory triggers. The #52Stories Project has divided the year into 12 themes, from “Goals & Achievements” to “Education & School” to “Holidays & Traditions,” providing 12 different questions for each theme. That’s a total of 144 questions, giving you plenty of options to choose from as you build your library of #52Stories. The questions are available for download, and you’ll also see a different question highlighted each week on Instagram (@FamilySearch) and the FamilySearch Facebook Page.

Read the full blog post here.



The Family History Writing Challenge

The brainchild of Lynn Palermo (The Armchair Genealogist, Family History Writing Studio), this challenge has been around for a while. It takes place each February and asks you to commit to 28 minutes a day for 28 days. Once you join (for free) you will have access to a private Facebook group, daily prompts and plenty of resources.

Quoting from the website: "Do you have a desire to turn your ancestor’s dry documents into exciting stories?  Have you procrastinated for far too long? Do you want to start but not sure how?  The challenge is designed to help you develop long-term writing habits, provide inspiration and offer some educational pointers in your journey to write your family history stories. It’s time to set the excuses aside and make 2017 the year you meet your family history writing goals head on."

You can read about it here.

So, new year - the possibilities are once again endless! If writing has always been a goal of yours why not take advantage of these two fantastic opportunities?

Write on!


©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Video Of The Week: David Rencher - How do I deal with destroyed records in Ireland?

We watch a lot of videos in the Cave. Webinars, instructional videos, continuing education videos, you name it! If it helps with our genealogical pursuit we are all over it!

Each week we thought we'd share one we've enjoyed.

Hope you enjoy it too!







©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Frasers of Fife: Generation Four | Margaret Fraser and John Shaw

1880 John Fraser Family Tree

27. Margaret Fraser (Isabella Gibb - 7, Margaret - 2, Duncan - 1) was born November 27th 1827


married May 17th 1860



John Shaw born 1815 - Farmer



children born to this union (all born Kinglassie):


i. Isabella Shaw b. May 27th 1861

ii. Mary Smith Shaw b. July 1863

iii. Agnes Fraser Shaw b. October 1864

iv. Margaret Fraser Shaw b. January 1866

v. William Fraser Shaw b. October 1868

note: Generation Four was (mostly) still living when the Original Tree was created.

~ all information provided here has been taken directly from the John Fraser family tree compiled in 1880 and as such is the only source for these writings - the objective being to record his work for further study and documentation ~ 

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net

©1880 John Fraser - Scotland

All Rights Reserved

Finding Faulkner: The Progeny | Margaret Faulkner {Gen 2}

It started, as good quests always do, with a family tale.


(This one is a work in progress. I must confess, I have done very little research on Margaret.  Anyone with additional information, please contact me so we can collaborate.)

Margaret Faulkner (Samuel, William) most likely youngest daughter of Samuel Faulkner and his wife Elinor. Her parentage can not be definitively proved at this point, but all evidence points to her being a daughter of this couple. Margaret was born around 1782 in Wallkill, then Ulster Co, New York.

Margaret married Gabriel H Horton on December 9th 1802 at Grahams Church in Crawford, Orange Co, New York.

Margaret Faulkner's children include:

• Harrison Faulkner Horton b. 1804 d. 1883
• Female 1 Horton b. 1806
• Female 2 Horton b. 1809
• Male 1 Horton b .1812
• Male 2 Horton b. 1815
• Female 3 Horton b. 1818
• Male 3 Horton b. 1822

Margaret Faulkner Horton died June 11th 1855. She is buried in the Bloomingburgh Rural Cemetery on the boundary of Orange and Sullivan counties, New York. Margaret is buried with her husband Gabriel, two possible daughters (not proved yet), and her parents Samuel and Elinor.

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Notes From My Grandmother | Thomas Lineage and Genealogy, Part 2

Somehow, much of my grandmother's hand written and (badly) typed notes and research wound up in my possession. Traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles and back to Chicago again. It sat, in the dark of my mother's closet, until my dad passed and my mom decided to begin her great purge. Knowing I had picked up the torch, the next generation to pursue the Greatest Hobby on Earth, the papers came to live with me. Unsure for many years on just what to do with them, I have decided to bring them out and share them with you - transcribed, of course - no one can read my grandmother's handwriting! But in her own words; mistakes, rambling sentences, and all. I think she will be pleased her work and her writing are once again out in the light.

We pick up the story with Jesse Thomas Jr., tenth child and fourth son of Jesse Thomas Sr and Rebecah Hampton. Grandma did not have this information. She also did not have Jesse Jr's birth or death. Grandma knew that Jesse married Joanne B Stanley and that the couple lived in Perry Twp and Columbus Co, OH. She knew of one child, Zadoc Willis Thomas, her husband's father.

Jesse Thomas Jr was born July 28, 1828 in Morgan OH. He married Joanna Bell Stanley May 1, 1851 at Upper Springfield MH, Columbiana, OH. 

Jesse and Joanna farmed the land in Ohio until about 1870 when they removed to Oskaloosa, Iowa and for a time ran a hotel. This was the same time and the same place that Penn College was founded. The couple had four children, two sons and two daughters, all born in Ohio. By 1890 Jesse and Joanna had moved to Fort Dodge, IA, where they remained until death. Both Jesse and Joanna are buried in the Oakland Cemetery in Webster Co, IA.

GENEALOGY

Jesse Thomas Jr b. 7/28/1828
                              d. 9/19/1907
                              m. 5/1/1851 to Joanna Bell Stanley
                                                   daughter of Benjamin Stanley and Elizabeth Cobbs
                                                   b. 7/27/1827
                                                   d. 6/3/1904


children:

Benjamin Franklin  b. 5/26/1852 d. 1924
ZADOC WILLIS b. 5/18/1856 d. 6/16/1914 m. 10/1/1885 to Laura Alice Busby
                                                                                         b. 9/26/1861 d. 1952
Elma Luella b. 11/8/1860 d. 1/20/1913
Mary Eldora b. 12/12/1863

to be continued .......

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

©1980 Elizabeth Twining Potwin Thomas - private collection

Sneak Peek - Summer Plans

Travelling Faulkner - An Epic Journey - Summer 2017

The journey to Finding Faulkner was a long, emotional and ultimately joyous one. All the people I 'met' along they way, the serendipitous happenings, the bumbling-stumbling-brick wall encounters. The eventual light at the end of a very dark tunnel. I'm now compelled to take another journey, to travel to the places the Faulkner's lived, loved, worked and died. I don't have all the details yet. Or even how I am going to make it happen. But it is a boiling in my blood that I can't quell. An urgency, almost, to tread upon familial land. My ancestors are calling to show me more. Show me the land they loved. Maybe find more pieces of the not yet complete puzzle.

I wish to not only visit home sites and burial sites, but local archives, courthouses, historical and genealogical societies. See if I can't just dig up a few more facts, color in the picture a bit more.

For now it is just a dream.  A burning desire. Wanderlust. But I am planning, scheming and hoping I can make it happen.

I wonder, has anyone felt this way? To stand where your people stood? To immerse yourself in a life long past?  Have you done it? Taken that trip? Thrown logic and caution to the wind and just followed your heart?

I'd love to hear from you if you've traveled your ancestral path.

I'm not much of a traveler. I prefer the safety and security of hearth and home, but I feel I will deeply regret not following through on this - a finishing to a story.

So stay tuned. One never knows what the new year will bring - but I am hopefully optimistic that I can make this journey a reality.

Wishing us all an exciting and wonder filled New Year!

~Anne

Book Of The Week: The History of Henry County, Iowa

The History of Henry County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, &c., a Biographical Directory of Citizens, War Record of Its Volunteers in the Late Rebellion, General and Local Statistics ... History of the Northwest, History of Iowa ...

Western historical Company, 1879 - Henry County (Iowa) - 667 pages

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Photo Friday :: Woman Reading

This series was birthed from the large old photo album I rediscovered in the back of my closet. Many of the photos are from my grandmother's side of the family. There are also unknown photos that came with the album. Story goes my dad, an avid garage saler, picked up a celluloid covered Victorian era photo album on one of his scavenges. It already contained photos of an (as yet) unidentified family. My parents put our own vintage family photos in the album alongside the mystery family's.  As children we marveled at the old fashioned clothing and settings, often wondering who these people were and what their lives were like. Of course, we thought that ALL the people in the photos were our relations! It wasn't until my mom passed the album on to me after my dad died that I learned of the mystery family residing alongside our own!

I plan to share these photos over time, sometimes they will be my family, and identifiable, others will be of the mystery family. Thanks to the world wide web, they may find their way home yet!

Enjoy!

From the Mystery Collection

Taken at N. B. Graves in Cairo, IL

back blank

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Video Of The Week: David Rencher - How do I find my initial link to Ireland?

We watch a lot of videos in the Cave. Webinars, instructional videos, continuing education videos, you name it! If it helps with our genealogical pursuit we are all over it!

Each week we thought we'd share one we've enjoyed.

Hope you enjoy it too!







©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Frasers of Fife: Generation Three | William Fraser and Ann Nisbet

1880 John Fraser Family Tree

26. William Fraser (James -6, Duncan -1) born 1816 - Mechanic


married Edinburgh 1843


Ann Nisbet birth unrecorded



children of this union:



i. Mary Fraser

ii. Catherine Fraser

iii. James Fraser



William died in 1859 in Australia
Ann death unrecorded

~ all information provided here has been taken directly from the John Fraser family tree compiled in 1880 and as such is the only source for these writings - the objective being to record his work for further study and documentation ~ 

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net
©1880 John Fraser - Scotland

All Rights Reserved

Finding Faulkner: The Progeny | James Faulkner {Gen 2}

It started, as good quests always do, with a family tale.

James Faulkner (Samuel, William) was born to Samuel Faulkner and his wife Elinor on July 2nd 1779 in Wallkill, Ulster Co, New York.

James married Martha McBride about 1808, most likely in Wallkill, then Orange Co, New York.

James Faulkner's children include:

• Nelson Faulkner b. 1809 d. UNK
• Caroline Faulkner b. 1812 d. 10/23/1884 - never married
• Mary Jane Faulkner b. 1/11/1814 d. 4/21/1902
• Female 1 Faulkner b. 1816 d. BEF 1830
• Frances Ann Faulkner b. 1818 d. 1845
• Nancy Martha Faulkner b. 6/1820 d. 1902 - no issue
• Anson Faulkner b. 1823 d. 9/21/1899 - never married
• Antoniette Faulkner b. 2/15/1825 d. 4/8/1903 - never married 
• Harrison Faulkner b. 1825 d. 9/3/1905
• Henrietta Faulkner b. 1831 d. 9/19/1900
• Iantha Faulkner b. 1839 d. 10/15/1894 - never married

James Faulkner was a Colonel in the War of 1812. Occupations included farming, land surveying, politics and hospitality. He removed to Grass Lake Michigan in the fall of 1834, being an early pioneer of the territory.

Col. James Faulkner died 19 Apr 1869. He is buried in the Grass Lake East cemetery, Grass Lake MI,  with his brother, wife and daughter.

You can read more about James here and here.

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Notes From My Grandmother | Thomas Lineage and Genealogy, Part 1

Somehow, much of my grandmother's hand written and (badly) typed notes and research wound up in my possession. Traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles and back to Chicago again. It sat, in the dark of my mother's closet, until my dad passed and my mom decided to begin her great purge. Knowing I had picked up the torch, the next generation to pursue the Greatest Hobby on Earth, the papers came to live with me. Unsure for many years on just what to do with them, I have decided to bring them out and share them with you - transcribed, of course - no one can read my grandmother's handwriting! But in her own words; mistakes, rambling sentences, and all. I think she will be pleased her work and her writing are once again out in the light.

As THOMAS was my grandmother's married name she did much less research. However, since it was her children's surname she did do a fair amount. When I inherited her box of work I found all that she had uncovered. I have been able to leaf out the branches somewhat, but am still butting my head against the same brick wall that stymied her. Using the work-around of tracing the women, and being afforded the luxury of internet access, I have been able to take the branch farther, and to more exciting places, than she was able to accomplish pre 1980.

The earliest Thomas in America, according to my grandmother, was Samuel. I do not know where she got this information or where this Samuel was said to reside. She also had notes about a Thomas Thomas. According to her notes he both signed the Magna Carta AND was a Quaker in Buck's county PA.

Must have had a time machine too.

Other notes hint that the Thomas's came from Wales.

We really start our Thomas story with Jesse. Jesse can be proved down the line. And as much as I wanted to keep this series strictly about my grandmother's research, I will be bending that rule for the Thomas study. Grandma had a big brick wall with the Thomases that she was unable to bust in her lifetime. Or, perhaps, she eventually focused her research on her lineage - she was very busy joining lineage societies!

At any rate, she knew Jesse Thomas and his wife Rebecca were her husband's great grandparents. She knew that they were Quakers. She knew that they lived in Wesley Township and Washington County, Ohio. She knew they had a son named Jesse.

That's all she knew.

So, let's begin this story with what I know. Thanks to modern-day technology and the increasing availability of archived images, records, books, etc, this story can travel a little farther back in time.

Jesse Thomas is still a brick wall, however.

From the online Quaker meeting records it is learned that Jesse Thomas was born in June 1786 at Chester, PA. Neither an actual birth record, or the names of Jesse's parents have been found to date.

Through some excellent sleuthing by my cousin, we learned that Jesse married Rebecah Hampton, of the Bucks County Hamptons, September 7, 1808 at the Fallowfield MH in Chester PA. Again, we have not found a marriage record ... yet. A trip to Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore or Haverford will most likely be in our future.

DNA further confirms that we are on the right track.



GENEALOGY

Jesse Thomas Sr. b. 6/1786 in Chester, PA
                              d. 2/1842 in Athens, OH
                              m. 9/7/1808 to Rebecah Hampton,
                                                daughter of Jonathan Hampton and Elizabeth Phillips
                                                     b. 5/12/1790 in Bucks Co, PA
                                                     d. 12/20/1850 in Washington Co, OH


children:

Elizabeth b. 1810
Sarah b. 1811
Mary Ann b. 1813
Joseph b. 1814
Deborah b. 1817 d. q862
Philena b. 1819
Joanna b. 1822
Jonathan b. 1824 d. 1825
Eli b. 1826 d. UNK m. Adeline McConnell
JESSE b. 1828 d. 1907 m. 5/1/1851 to Joanna Bell Stanley
David b. 1831 d. 1832

Thanks to the excellent book: Hampton history; an account of the Pennsylvania Hamptons in America in the line of John Hampton, Jr., of Wrightstown; with an appendix treating of some other branches by John Hampton Doan, I was able to take the female side of this union back five more generations!


As I always say "genealogy, the greatest hobby on earth"!

to be continued ........

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

©1980 Elizabeth Twining Potwin Thomas - private collection

Book Of The Week: A History of Rehoboth, Massachusetts

A History of Rehoboth, Massachusetts: Its History for 275 Years, 1643-1918, in which is Incorporated the Vital Parts of the Original History of the Town

George H. Tilton, 1918 - Rehoboth (Mass.) - 417 pages

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Photo Friday :: Baby Big Hands

This series was birthed from the large old photo album I rediscovered in the back of my closet. Many of the photos are from my grandmother's side of the family. There are also unknown photos that came with the album. Story goes my dad, an avid garage saler, picked up a celluloid covered Victorian era photo album on one of his scavenges. It already contained photos of an (as yet) unidentified family. My parents put our own vintage family photos in the album alongside the mystery family's.  As children we marveled at the old fashioned clothing and settings, often wondering who these people were and what their lives were like. Of course, we thought that ALL the people in the photos were our relations! It wasn't until my mom passed the album on to me after my dad died that I learned of the mystery family residing alongside our own!

I plan to share these photos over time, sometimes they will be my family, and identifiable, others will be of the mystery family. Thanks to the world wide web, they may find their way home yet!

Enjoy!

This baby appears to have very large hands

Another child from the Mystery Collection

Photo taken at Gamble in Champaign, IL

back blank

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Video Of The Week: Getting Started, Step 3 - Finding Challenging Information

We watch a lot of videos in the Cave. Webinars, instructional videos, continuing education videos, you name it! If it helps with our genealogical pursuit we are all over it!

Each week we thought we'd share one we've enjoyed.

Hope you enjoy it too!







©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Frasers of Fife: Generation Three | James Fraser and Jane Tod

1880 John Fraser Family Tree

25. James Fraser (James -6, Duncan -1) born May 10th 1815


married February 22nd 1841


Jane Tod born August 25th 1820




children born to this union:



i. James Fraser b. February 8th 1845

ii. Mary Fraser b. January 17th 1850 m. Wm. Brunton January 1st 1880 - Wm. d. January 31st 1881

iii. Jessie Fraser b. August 20th 1854





James died 1874
Jane died about August 25th 1800

~ all information provided here has been taken directly from the John Fraser family tree compiled in 1880 and as such is the only source for these writings - the objective being to record his work for further study and documentation ~ 

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net
©1880 John Fraser - Scotland

All Rights Reserved

Finding Faulkner: The Progeny | Mary Faulkner {Gen 2}

It started, as good quests always do, with a family tale.



(This one is a work in progress. I must confess, I have done very little research on Mary. Anyone with additional information, please contact me so we can collaborate.)

Mary Faulkner (Samuel, William) was born (most likely) to Samuel Faulkner and his wife Elinor, some records say 1773 others say 1778, in Wallkill, Ulster Co, New York. Her parentage cannot be definitively stated - but the time and place of her existence lend a very strong argument for placing her in the Samuel Faulkner household.

Mary married William Crawford on January 25th 1798 at Graham's Church in Pine Bush.

Mary Faulkner's children include:

• James H Crawford b. 1801
• Letty Crawford b. 1803
• William Crawford Jr b. 1810

~This information comes partially from the Bull Family Blue Book and partially from FamilySearch. No further information is available, by this researcher, at this time.~

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Notes From My Grandmother | Potwin Lineage and Genealogy, Beulah's Letters

Somehow, much of my grandmother's hand written and (badly) typed notes and research wound up in my possession. Traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles and back to Chicago again. It sat, in the dark of my mother's closet, until my dad passed and my mom decided to begin her great purge. Knowing I had picked up the torch, the next generation to pursue the Greatest Hobby on Earth, the papers came to live with me. Unsure for many years on just what to do with them, I have decided to bring them out and share them with you - transcribed, of course - no one can read my grandmother's handwriting! But in her own words; mistakes, rambling sentences, and all. I think she will be pleased her work and her writing are once again out in the light!

Sunday

Dear Friend,

You're lucky - to be living in such a fair climate but Bob worked on the paper in Santa Monica before he went to LA Times. After 23 years at the Times he is now asst supervisor under Burton ? the chief supervisor. He came up to Portland 2 years ago at Thg. time to be with me there - 3 sons that day together. 

But you seem far away - I always thot I'd like to live down there but is too rich for my blood - have a home here and better stay in it. Even Seattle has horribly high rents.  But when Edna Potwin came out to be with her daughter for the winter - I was tempted to take a train ride - I flew to Frisco once but I wouldn't go into LA airport - 

Are you renting an apt? Do you drive? Maybe you could get over to La Canada to see Edna - Stephen's wife and she is a dear - She & I are the only ones doing any research on Potwins - they are popping up all over.

Don - my youngest son - bachelor - was in Pendleton - was told a Francis Potwin lived there - and at our town bookstore I was told that a woman from Ellensburg (next town north) I had asked for the book Elinor - said she was a Potwin - the woman who runs the bookstore knew me so told this woman to phone, but she never did and haven't her name - So it goes - 

My oldest daughter Ruth now lives in Belmont, is in her late 40's and since her husband's death doesn't like to use her car - 

Our winter has been rather surprising - so cold and 2 snow storms - I wish now I had gotten away but I sprained my ankle months ago and then bursitis set in - I am just now getting back to normal - 

Let me hear how you like your new home - I'm sure you will - it looks like spring but weather is so unpredictable - 

Sincerely,

Beulah E. Potwin

~fini~

editors note: this is the final letter from Beulah, however she will go on to live another 13 years, dying just shy of her 98th birthday, possibly in her own home .... her FindAGrave memorial is here.

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

©1968 Beulah E Potwin - Private Collection

Book Of The Week: The History of Massachusetts

The History of Massachusetts: 1628 to 1750

Thomas Hutchinson

1795

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Photo Friday :: Curly Top

This series was birthed from the large old photo album I rediscovered in the back of my closet. Many of the photos are from my grandmother's side of the family. There are also unknown photos that came with the album. Story goes my dad, an avid garage saler, picked up a celluloid covered Victorian era photo album on one of his scavenges. It already contained photos of an (as yet) unidentified family. My parents put our own vintage family photos in the album alongside the mystery family's.  As children we marveled at the old fashioned clothing and settings, often wondering who these people were and what their lives were like. Of course, we thought that ALL the people in the photos were our relations! It wasn't until my mom passed the album on to me after my dad died that I learned of the mystery family residing alongside our own!

I plan to share these photos over time, sometimes they will be my family, and identifiable, others will be of the mystery family. Thanks to the world wide web, they may find their way home yet!

Enjoy!

Cute baby from the Mystery Collection

Photo taken at Holland in Champaign, IL

back blank

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Video Of The Week: Getting Started, Step 1 - Finding Easy Information

We watch a lot of videos in the Cave. Webinars, instructional videos, continuing education videos, you name it! If it helps with our genealogical pursuit we are all over it!

Each week we thought we'd share one we've enjoyed.

Hope you enjoy it too!









©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Frasers of Fife: Generation Three | John Fraser and Agnes Stenhouse

1880 John Fraser Family Tree

24. John Fraser (James -6, Duncan -1) born 1805 - blacksmith


married at Kirkcaldy 1829


Agnes Stenhouse birth not recorded


Emigrated to Australia 1852



child of this union:


63. i. Jessie Fraser b. 1840 m. G. F. Ware



John died December 28th 1869 in Australia
Agnes died March 1841

~ all information provided here has been taken directly from the John Fraser family tree compiled in 1880 and as such is the only source for these writings - the objective being to record his work for further study and documentation ~ 

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net
©1880 John Fraser - Scotland

All Rights Reserved

Finding Faulkner: The Progeny | Robert Faulkner {Gen 2}

It started, as good quests always do, with a family tale.

Robert Faulkner (Samuel, William) was born to Samuel Faulkner and his wife Elinor about 1776, in Wallkill, Ulster Co, New York.

Robert married Sally Ann (last name NOT proved yet) about 1807.

Robert Faulkner's children include:

• Male 1 Faulkner b. 1808 d. UNK
• Female 1 Faulkner b. 1809 d. BEF 1820
• Samuel Faulkner b. 1811 d. 18 Oct. 1864 - Civil War - Shenandoah, VA
• George Washington Faulkner b. Dec. 1814 d. 2 Oct. 1897
• Harrison Horton Faulkner b. 3 Aug. 1815 d. 7 Aug. 1891
• Male 2 Faulkner b. 1818 d. UNK
• Robert Nelson Faulkner b. 20 Jan. 1822 d. 4 Jul. 1872
• Female 2 Faulkner b. 1825 d. BEF 1840
• Esther Ann Faulkner b. 4 Feb. 1828 d. 4 Feb. 1890
• Eliza Marie Faulkner b. 1 Jul. 1831 d. 1919

Robert Faulkner removed first to Ontario Co, NY in 1820, (which became Wayne Co, NY in 1823), then to Kosciusko, Indiana in 1850.

Robert Faulkner died sometime prior to 1868. He last appears on the 1860 census residing with his daughter and her family in Kosciusko, IN. He was listed as 84 years old.

*note: This line was very prolific! All of Robert's known children went on to have large families of their own.*

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Notes From My Grandmother | Potwin Lineage and Genealogy, Beulah's Letters

Somehow, much of my grandmother's hand written and (badly) typed notes and research wound up in my possession. Traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles and back to Chicago again. It sat, in the dark of my mother's closet, until my dad passed and my mom decided to begin her great purge. Knowing I had picked up the torch, the next generation to pursue the Greatest Hobby on Earth, the papers came to live with me. Unsure for many years on just what to do with them, I have decided to bring them out and share them with you - transcribed, of course - no one can read my grandmother's handwriting! But in her own words; mistakes, rambling sentences, and all. I think she will be pleased her work and her writing are once again out in the light.

Yakima Aug 31 - '67

continued .....

P.S.

I have read Thomas Costain's books, that he accomplished researching medieval history, and there is a tale -

Inez my youngest daughter, in her history reading in school, used to remark to her father that his ancestors were real rascals, stole the castles and lands they had, and Dad would just laugh - But, in medieval times the church controlled even kings, and had holdings also, and if a king was pleased with his fighter barons they were given castles - even wives - and lands - taken away from someone else of course.

Now in Costain's books, there are four - researched and published now, real history and true as to the historical facts - So I knew from relatives of my husband who researched too, but all in this America - but Poitevine, Aquitaine was told to be the ancestor's domain and so Costain says, too. Then Amy Kelly also researched and with the help of Costain she wrote Elinor of Aquitaine - who is the Poitevine ancestor -

Her father was quite religious - almost a monk himself - so history reads - the grandfather was a poet and troubadour - had traveled to Spain, etc, but was a rascal. How they accumulated so much land, etc. was probably, as history in 1066 reports, they were given it or stole it-

Elinor was almost 15 or 16 - a beauty, her father had died, her grandfather wanted to get in the good graces of the King, so to Louis (the Fat) King of France he offered Elinor, so Louis, wanting all that land, agreed to marry Elinor to his son Louis VI and he did. She became Queen about 1100 brought all her boisterous retinue with her and in due time Louis (almost a monk himself) divorced her - and let her keep all her lands, etc - Then Henry wed her. Wm. of Normandy had two sons, Henry I - and Henry I became King of England - died, and Henry II was to become King. Henry had lived in Normandy - a lovely place - sunny - warm - so was France. They didn't care for England - the English were rough - it was a cold island - Then Henry met Elinor, married her and Henry became Henry II, King of England -

So the books - 

The Conquering Family

Elinor Of Aquitaine

The Three Edwards

The Magnificent Century

All take Elinor thru the history of England. She had 8 children by Henry, 4 became Kings of England - They as men were brilliant fighters but bad Kings and the English never liked Elinor - but I think you can obtain all these books through a pocketbook dealer - I just have the pocket editions - Random House publishes them but the book stores have a hard time getting them - 

My sister-in-law - in Conn - who hates to read history says she has enough to think about without delving into 1066 -

But my family are interested and Elinor started the Plantagenet line - I hope you will like to find these books too -

I don't care to pay a big price for a hardcover - the paperbacks are just the same reading - 

Let me hear from you - 

BEP

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

©1967 Beulah E Potwin - Private Collection

Book Of The Week: History of Delaware

History of Delaware : 1609-1888: Local history

L. J. Richards, 1888 - Delaware

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Photo Friday :: Mystery Pair From Champaign, IL

This series was birthed from the large old photo album I rediscovered in the back of my closet. Many of the photos are from my grandmother's side of the family. There are also unknown photos that came with the album. Story goes my dad, an avid garage saler, picked up a celluloid covered Victorian era photo album on one of his scavenges. It already contained photos of an (as yet) unidentified family. My parents put our own vintage family photos in the album alongside the mystery family's.  As children we marveled at the old fashioned clothing and settings, often wondering who these people were and what their lives were like. Of course, we thought that ALL the people in the photos were our relations! It wasn't until my mom passed the album on to me after my dad died that I learned of the mystery family residing alongside our own!

I plan to share these photos over time, sometimes they will be my family, and identifiable, others will be of the mystery family. Thanks to the world wide web, they may find their way home yet!

Enjoy!

These children are from the Mystery Collection. 

Photo taken at Gamble in Champaign, IL

back blank

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Video Of The Week: David Rencher - Where does my family name come from?

We watch a lot of videos in the Cave. Webinars, instructional videos, continuing education videos, you name it! If it helps with our genealogical pursuit we are all over it!

Each week we thought we'd share one we've enjoyed.

Hope you enjoy it too!








©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

Frasers of Fife: Generation Three | Alexander Fraser and Ann Young

1880 John Fraser Family Tree

23. Alexander Fraser (Alexander - 5, Duncan -1) born April 20th - year not recorded - engineer


married 1840


Ann Young birth not recorded


children born to this union:


      i. Jeanie Fraser b. October 31st 1841 d. July 15th 1849

61. ii. Janet Fraser b. February 27th 1844 married A. Short

62. iii. Ann Fraser b. November 29th 1848 married Mr. Carnegie

      iv. Margaret Fraser b. March 8th 1851 d. October 22nd 1861

      v. Elizabeth Fraser b. February 1st 1853 d. February 3rd 1855



Alexander was killed in 1855
Ann died in 1854



Editors note: I was struck by the fact that the mother, Ann, died in 1854, the father, Alexander, was killed in 1855. The youngest daughter died in 1855 as well. My question is who raised the remaining children? Even though these are just names on paper now, they were once living people, seems quite the tragedy struck this young family.

~ all information provided here has been taken directly from the John Fraser family tree compiled in 1880 and as such is the only source for these writings - the objective being to record his work for further study and documentation ~ 

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net
©1880 John Fraser - Scotland
All Rights Reserved

Brick Wall Ancestor | #4 Jane "Jennie" M Whitford Nichols Faulkner

We all have them! Those stubborn ancestors that refuse to come out of hiding. No matter how much coaxing we do! Well, I think it's time to bring them out of the shadows - put their redacted story out there - another piece of the puzzle could be lurking just around the (cyber) corner, in someone's basement, or closet, or sitting in a box on a book shelf ...... You never, ever know where that loose chink will manifest, the one that allows you to push out one brick, then the next. Food for thought. So without further ado....

Brick Wall Ancestor | #4 Jane "Jennie" M Whitford Nichols Faulkner

Jennie hid her secret from me for quite a while. Maybe she hid it from everyone? Maybe she has more that I don't know about yet!

Jennie M Whitford is my 2nd great grandmother. She married my 2nd great grandfather Harrison "Harry" Faulkner and had 3 sons with him. The middle son is my great grandfather Dr. L A Faulkner.

But Jennie is quite the mystery woman! Here's what I know.....

Jennie (Whitford) married Harrison Faulkner in Grass Lake MI on May 1st, 1856. She was 21 and Harry was 27, according to the (very difficult to read) marriage book. Witnesses were Henry B Halbert and Mrs Mary Jane ---- (?) I found Henry - he was married to an Elizabeth not a Mary, so not husband and wife - perhaps friends of the couple.

Harry had lived in Grass Lake since 1834, I don't have any idea where Jennie came from!

By 1859 the couple was living in Faribault, MN. Their first son, Arthur, was born there in February of that year.

The 1860 census shows the young family - here's a screenshot of the record - the census was broken up onto two pages. Says Jennie was born in Ohio. Good to know. But who are James Nichols and Sarah Woodford?

Like you, my first thought was Woodford/Whitford - Sarah could be Jennie's sister! Viewing Sarah's entry, it states that she was born in Michigan - which could explain how Jennie ended up in Grass Lake. But who the heck was James Nichols? (Also born in Michigan?) A step brother? A nephew?

Looking at the 1870 census Jennie is listed as being born in Michigan (!) and neither Sarah nor James are in the household anymore. The other two sons, Lloyd and Louis are there, having been born in the decade between 1860 and 1870.

A quick search for a Sarah Woodford/Whitford brought no promising results - oh sure, there was a good rabbit hole or two, but in the end nothing conclusive. Putting a pin in Sarah, I briefly moved on to James with similar results. 

So, relegating the two to the back burner for the time being, I moved ahead with Jennie. (Work with what you know first!) 

The 1880 census brought a surprise! Jennie and Harry had gotten a divorce! And, Jennie was back to being born in Ohio. An additional promising clue, her father was born in Vermont, her mother in New York. FNU Whitford born Vermont c 1800 might bring a few hints ...... another pin to revisit later. 

Moving forward was relatively simple. Jennie lived for a time in Chicago (Chicago City Directories 1884-1885) with her son while he attended medical school, then after his graduation in 1884, returned to St Paul MN where she remained until her death in 1888.

The Dalby Database lists a notation for her obituary: "FAULKNER - JENNIE M. MRS - FARIBAULT REPUBLICAN - 29/FEB/1888 - DIED, IN ST. PAUL, FEB. 29TH, AGED 53 YEARS. THE REMAINS WILL BE BROUGHT TO FARIBAULT THURSDAY MORNING FOR BURIAL"  I have not been able to find where she is buried and strongly suspect cremation, ashes unknown.

OK. So Jennie Whitford appeared in Michigan in 1856 and died in Minnesota in 1888. Where was she before 1856? Ohio? How did she get to Michigan? Who were her parents? Where was she actually born?

Curious, one year she was listed as Jane, not Jennie. The 1886 St Paul MN directory listed her at 70 Douglas with her sons Lloyd and Louis (no, not a widow - polite way of treating divorced women in the 19th century) A new clue!

On FamilySearch I punched in "Jane Whitford" + Michigan and look what I found!

Our girl Jennie had married Daniel Nichols in 1849. She was 16 and he was 23! Nichols! NICHOLS! Whoa, okay this might lead somewhere. E M Whitford and Elizabeth Whitford were witnesses - parents of Jennie, perhaps? Or siblings? Certainly relatives of some sort. They were from Niles, Berrien Co, MI which is about 130 miles southwest of Grass Lake. Time for more digging!

The 1850 census showed nothing for an E M Whitford (wildcard search) born in Vermont. Dropping the E and M also returned nothing. Likewise for Elizabeth (1850! Women are searchable!)

Argh!

But Jane and Daniel ARE on the census - living with a girl named Mary Woodford age 19. Sister? Seems very likely. Just the three of them, which would make sense if the 10 year old James Nichols living in Jennie's household in 1860 was her son by her first marriage! Jennie would have been very close to giving birth, perhaps Mary was there to help with the preparations.

That's the 'secret'. Jennie had been married previously. At the age of 16! And the other 'secret'? TWICE divorced. Oh, wait, you don't know that yet.......

While I did not find an actual divorce record for Jane and Daniel, I did find Daniel getting married on the 7th of November 1856 (same year as Jennie and Harry's marriage) in Branch, MI. He married Minerva Shook and went on to have six children with her. His family is easily traceable.

As for James Nichols, he bounced around, working as a farm hand here and there until he married Addie Blackburn in 1882; settling in Rice Co, MN, not far from his mother. He remained in farming and raised three children with his wife. Jennie's grandchildren unfortunately were all born after her death.

Results from more digging, that I'm not going into here (if you're really interested contact me ~ mostly checking family trees, doing sideways research and comparing DNA results .... oh, and a lot of rabbit holes!) I discovered who I suspect are more siblings of Jennie's - three sisters and four brothers. There is speculation (family trees - some with DNA confirmation) as to the parents, but nothing that I have been able to confirm with documentation. But you have DNA you say. Yup. And we are all certainly related in some way, but the folks who match with the DNA all have used Online Family Trees as their source to prove parentage - not actual documents. What does the Magic 8 Ball say?  Probably "signs point to yes", but I'm not relying on the old 8 Ball to prove my genealogy.

I'm going to label this Brick Wall as soft, perhaps a crumbling Brick Wall?

And the most sweetly ironic part? The writing of this brought me to my very own front door in a 'seven degrees of separation' kind of way. It was from a random post that caught my eye just today on a DNA match, citing a sketch for a prominent Elgin, IL doctor. Possibly Jane "Jennie"'s brother. Possibly. And where do I live? Why, Elgin, of course!  Most of the tree is sourced with other Public Trees, but I'm feeling kinda excited about the discovery - coincidence? Not sure I believe in such a thing. More like ancestors pointing the way ......

This search is not over!

Here is the genealogy as I have come to know it thus far:

Jane "Jennie" M Whitford b. say 1835 Ohio
                                               d. 29 Feb 1888 Minnesota
                                                m. (1) Daniel Nichols (2) Harrison Faulkner

 children (all marriages):

• James H Nichols b. Aug 1850 d. UNK m. Addie Blackburn (3 issue)
• Arthur Edward Faulkner b. Feb 1859 d. 21 Aug 1823 m. Ellen Lumley (no issue)
• Lloyd Anson Faulkner b. 30 Sep 1862 d. 18 Dec 1933 m. Anna O'Connell (5 issue)
• Louis Nelson Faulkner b. say 1864 d. 31 Aug 1920 (never married)  

siblings: (presumed, not proved)

• Henry K Whitford MD b. 9 Feb 1829 Medina, Ohio d. 15 Feb 1912 Kane, Illinois
• Mary Whitford b. say 1831 Ohio d. UNK (possible twin)
• James H Whitford b. 27 Jan 1831 Ohio d. 29 Apr 1895 Minnesota (possible twin)
• Leonard C Whitford b. 7 Nov 1837 Michigan d. 26 May 1909 Washington
• Jerome B Whitford b. say 1839 Michigan d. UNK
• Sarah Whitford b. 14 Dec 1843 Michigan d. 12 Apr 1910 Washington
• Rhoda L Whitford b. 7 Nov 1846 Michigan d. 9 Nov 1909 Minnesota
• Daniel H Whitford MD b. say 1852 Illinois d. UNK

Of interesting note: Dr Henry K Whitford was a professor at Bennett College of Medicine in Chicago at the very same time Jennie's son Lloyd was attending school there. Did Lloyd go to Bennett because his uncle was a professor there? Curious.

Suspected parents of the the Whitford clan are David M Whitford and Elizabeth Lease. IF these are the correct parents they are last found in LaSalle County, Illinois in 1850. Elizabeth is in a Poor House and David is working his brother-in-law's farm. According to this sketch the family had fallen on very hard times. The trail goes cold after 1850. Well, before that too. I can't prove that this all fits together. It's the most logical explanation I have come up with to date.

I am reminded of the notation on Jane's marriage to Daniel, however, witnesses were E M Whitford and Elizabeth Whitford. Could E M be a woman? Her sister Mary perhaps?

Always more questions than answers!


If any of this rings true to you please contact me and let's figure it out!

Finding Faulkner: The Progeny | Joseph Faulkner M.D. {Gen 2}

It started, as good quests always do, with a family tale.

Joseph Faulkner (James, William) was born to James Faulkner and Catherine Bull Faulkner in 1770/80 in New Windsor, then Ulster Co, New York. The information comes from the Bull Book and is not definite on the date.

Joseph married Priscilla Faulkner (William, William) his first cousin most likely in New York.

To this union ten (maybe) children were born:

• William Faulkner b. 1810 d. November 5th 1876 - never married

• Cassandra Faulkner b. 1812 d. Somerset PA

• Clarissa Faulkner b. 1812 d. 1903

• Thomas Faulkner b. 1809 m. Susan Van Vorhees 1828 - Colonel Civil War

• Mary A. Faulkner b. November 5th 1811 m. Hiram Walsh d. July 29th 1891 Illinois

The next five children are also attributed to this union, but the birth dates given in the Bull Book seem unlikely to be the same mother. More research is needed.

• James Bull Faulkner b. 28 June 1824 m. Susan Murdock

• Catherine Faulkner b. 1826 m. J. Wells

• Martha Faulkner b. 1827 m. Franklyn Coleman d. March 3rd 1859

• Phinney Faulkner b. 1829 d. April 18th 1857 in Tennessee of Yellow Fever - Reverend - never married

• John Faulkner b. 1835 - never married

Joseph Faulkner died before 1850 in Dundaff, Pennsylvania

Priscilla Faulkner Faulkner died September 10th 1868 in Dundaff, Pennsylvania

note: this is recorded as written in the Bull/Wells Genealogy Book. This branch of the Faulkner line has not been researched or verified by me. I include it merely to document all descendants. 

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved