Maryland, Antietam, and a Possible Ancestor's Fate
I've been to Maryland several times — some trips purely for pleasure and sightseeing, others for genealogy research. One of the places we visited that has stayed with me is the site of the Civil War Battle of Antietam, also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg. Many of the young men who woke up that morning were also in Maryland for the first time. But they were not there for pleasure — they were there for war, and for many, for death. At this point, I have not confirmed any ancestors who fought i
Easter Lilies, April 5, 1942
This Sunday, April 5, 2026, is Easter! In the South, children wake up and see what the Easter Bunny brought them. In their Easter basket, small chocolate eggs or perhaps a large chocolate bunny can be found with other candy such as jelly beans and marshmallow Peeps. It is the time that Christians celebrate the resurrection of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. People come to church dressed in their best clothes to hear the priest or pastor speak about eternal life, forgiveness, and spiritual r
Maryland, Antietam, and a Possible Ancestor's Fate
I've been to Maryland several times — some trips purely for pleasure and sightseeing, others for genealogy research. One of the places we visited that has stayed with me is the site of the Civil War Battle of Antietam, also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg. Many of the young men who woke up that morning were also in Maryland for the first time. But they were not there for pleasure — they were there for war, and for many, for death. At this point, I have not confirmed any ancestors who fought i
Easter Lilies, April 5, 1942
This Sunday, April 5, 2026, is Easter! In the South, children wake up and see what the Easter Bunny brought them. In their Easter basket, small chocolate eggs or perhaps a large chocolate bunny can be found with other candy such as jelly beans and marshmallow Peeps. It is the time that Christians celebrate the resurrection of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. People come to church dressed in their best clothes to hear the priest or pastor speak about eternal life, forgiveness, and spiritual r
Did the Georgia Wilkinson County Courthouse Have a Curse on it?
The bane of genealogists and historians is courthouse burnings, especially those in the South. I wanted to stop by the little town of Irwinton to follow up with some possible genealogical research at the local library and historical society. I already knew about the Wilkinson County courthouse fire in 1924, but I had not realized just how many there had been. How could this county be so unlucky! But there might be a chance that there were some remnants of my McCullar and Pace families who had se
Leaving Minonk
The Eiben Family and the Road to Texas In the 1880s and 1890s, Minonk, Illinois, sat at the junction of multiple major rail lines. The city of Minonk, located in Woodford County, also had numerous new German immigrants who had come to work in the coal mines, supply lumber to the booming city of Chicago, or farm the surrounding area and nearby lands in LaSalle County. We had decided to detour to LaSalle and Woodford Counties to research my mother-in-law's family, the Eibens. Her great-grandfa
From a Secret Bunker to the Wilderness Road: Why Context Matters
Several years ago, my husband and I were with a group of businesspeople staying at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. I really had not heard much about this place. Looking up their website, I saw that it was a resort built around the area's natural mineral springs, whose mineral-rich waters had been used for medicinal purposes by wealthy Virginians since the 1830s. The Allegheny Mountains served as the backdrop, with the large historic "white" building as the resort's
Moses Austin - Virginia's Forgotten Founding Father
When you think of Virginia, you think of George Washington and Mount Vernon, Thomas Jefferson and Monticello, James Madison and Montpelier, along with other famous Virginians. However, you usually do not think of Moses Austin as one of those other famous Virginians. But he should be considered one of them because there are not many people who helped start a new country, and one that would later become the proud and great State of Texas! Located in New River State Park and Austin Memorial Park iExplore More Content
You Can't Miss It! How Our Ancestors Found Their Way Home
Traveling down Interstate 74 heading south, you can't help but notice this big "knob" of a mountain sticking up out of the green forest of trees and shrubs. It is Pilot Mountain in North Carolina — along with the nearby town of Pilot Mountain and Andy Griffith's own hometown of Mount Airy — that inspired his fictional towns of Mayberry and Mount Pilot. Pilot Mountain is one of North Carolina's most striking natural landmarks — a lone quartzite peak jutting 2,421 feet above sea level, all that re
From Childhood Wonder to Ancient Lives — The Mounds That Stay With You
Traveling across the South, you see occasional road signs for Native American Mounds. We try to stop and visit each of them when we come across them. Mounds have been important to me since I was a child. We visited the LSU Campus many times since my father went to LSU, and my parents took us to the football games as soon as we were old enough to walk the long distance from the parking lot to the stadium. Two things on campus were always our favorites: Mike the Tiger and the mounds! At first, we
Lincoln Slept Here — And Maybe My Ancestors Did Too!
The old Talbott Tavern in Bardstown, Kentucky, established in 1779, has bragging rights as the place where our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, and his parents stayed during a land dispute before moving to Indiana. In the Nelson County Court Minutes for the 1780s and 1790s, a few taverns were specifically mentioned as located in Bardstown. The rest of the tavern licenses only noted that the person's dwelling was to be used as a tavern. That is a 20 to 30-year difference from when my ancestors se
Texas Courthouses and the Stories They Tell!
I admit it! I have traveled through Texas for many years. Whether by car, plane, or train (yes, by train, too), there are very few counties and courthouses I haven't visited. I also admit that it has taken me years to visit them. Texas has a total of 254 counties! (The next state in terms of the number of counties is Georgia, with 159.) I have been to the largest county, Brewster, and to the smallest county, Rockwall. After a while, it seems that some of these courthouses begin to look alike. Wa
Thank you, State of Iowa!
To the descendants of people who lived in Iowa in 1906, thank you for your tax dollars! Now you may be wondering why I said that. Simple, your ancestor's legislation on March 30, 1906, granted $500.00 (about $20,000 in today's money) for "Erection of Monument Over the Grave of George Perkins."[1] George Perkins is my fifth great-grandfather, who was born in South Carolina and served in the militia of both South Carolina and North Carolina![2] The monument was in memory of and to mark those men w