Maternal Lineage

My Sparks Line

As one story goes, Simon Sparks was born in a highland clan in Western Scotland. Others state that he was born in England or Ireland. ...

Aug 11, 20243 min read

The U.S. - Dakota War of 1862

In 1862, President Lincoln had more to contend with than just a Civil War. In 1845, shortly after their marriage in Illinois, Jonas and...

Jun 23, 20246 min read

Ben vs. The Bald Eagle

The bald eagle has been a symbol of the United States for as long as the country has existed. It first appeared on Massachusetts...

Mar 18, 20247 min read

A Colonial Colonel

Lewis DuBois was born in early 1744, and baptized on 9 September 1744 at the Reformed Dutch of Fishkill, New York. His father, Elias,...

Mar 11, 20243 min read

All Roads Lead to Ulster County, NY

It was no great surprise to find a lot of grandparents on the maternal side of my family tree to have initially settled in the part of...

Feb 26, 20243 min read

D-Day's Oldest Soldier

Theodore “Ted” Roosevelt Jr. was born at the family estate in Oyster Bay, New York on 13 November 1887. He was the eldest son of...

Feb 5, 20246 min read

The World War I Pursuit Pilot

Quentin Roosevelt was born in Washington, D.C on 19 November 1897. He was the youngest child of Theodore Roosevelt and Edith Kermit (née...

Jan 15, 20249 min read

The Blackmans (Blakemans)

The origins of the Blackman/Blakeman family trace to Staffordshire England, where they begin with John Blakeman, who was born around 1570....

Dec 4, 20232 min read

The Greenmans

John Greenman, Jr., was the earliest known of the family to come to America. It is believed that John came from Somersetshire, England...

Nov 27, 20234 min read

Nicholas, Lydia And The "New Orleans"

Nicholas Jacobus (or James) Roosevelt was born on 27 December 1767, in New York City. He was the son of Jacobus Roosevelt (1724–1777)...

Oct 23, 202310 min read

A Delaware Solider At Cowpens

On 9 December 1775 the Continental Congress resolved that a battalion should be raised from the lower 3 counties of Pennsylvania to serve...

Oct 9, 20236 min read

The Roosevelts, Part 4: Eleanor

For Part 3, click here Eleanor's parents were Elliott and Anna Hall Roosevelt. Elliott was the younger brother of Theodore "Teddy"...

Sep 10, 20235 min read

The Roosevelts, Part 3: FDR

And now, for probably the most well-known of the "Hyde Park" Roosevelts. (Click here for Part 2) Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born on 30...

Sep 4, 20235 min read

The Roosevelts, Part 2: TR

As I usually do when talking about famous relatives, I will pass along information that may not be common knowledge. (For Part 1, click...

Aug 28, 20237 min read

The Roosevelts, Part 1

Nicholas Roosevelt (Nicholas van Rosenvelt) was born in New Amsterdam (later New York City) and baptized on 2 October 1658 in the...

Aug 21, 20232 min read

Colonel Smith And the 71st PA At Gettysburg, Part 2

The story continues. For Part 1, click here. Colonel Richard Penn Smith, Jr. was standing with General Alexander Webb near the Copse of...

Jul 4, 202312 min read

Colonel Smith And the 71st PA At Gettysburg, Part 1

A family history story in honor of the 160th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg Richard Penn Smith, Jr. (R. Penn Smith) was born on...

Jul 3, 20238 min read

The Publisher

Joshua Ballinger Lippincott was born in Juliustown, Burlington County, New Jersey, on 18 March 1813. He was the only child of Jacob...

Jun 5, 20235 min read

An Admiral In Two Theaters

Morton "Mort" Lyndholm Deyo was born on 1 July 1887 in Poughkeepsie, New York. He was appointed to the US Naval Academy, Annapolis,...

May 15, 20238 min read

The High Altitude Pursuit Pilot

Captain Hugh M. Elmendorf, for whom Elmendorf Air Force Base was named, was never assigned to Alaska, nor is there any record of his...

Feb 20, 20235 min read