by Sharon Hall | Aug 13, 2014 | Digging History Magazine, Wild West Wednesday
Historical accounts vary as to whether today’s Wild West character came by his name via the middle name of “Xavier” or it was a family nickname, or he just adopted “X” as his name after becoming a well-known member of the Montana Vigilantes. Following the big 1863...
by Sharon Hall | Aug 11, 2014 | Mothers of Invention
If you’re in law enforcement or serve your country in the military, you have today’s “mother of invention” to thank for helping protect you when bullets are flying. Stephanie Louise Kwolek was born on July 31, 1923 in New Kensington, Pennsylvania to parents John and...
by Sharon Hall | Aug 9, 2014 | Surname Saturday
Today’s surname originated in France, derived from the French word “roche” which means rocky crag or someone who lived near a rocky crag. After the Norman invasion in the late eleventh century, the name became more prevalent throughout both England and Ireland, but...
by Sharon Hall | Aug 8, 2014 | Feisty Females
When she was scarcely one year old, her father claimed his daughter could throw a corn cob at a cat with the skill and precision of any pitcher in the big leagues. Alta Weiss was born on February 9, 1890 in Berlin, Ohio to parents George and Lucinda Weiss and at the...
by Sharon Hall | Aug 6, 2014 | Digging History Magazine, Ghost Town Wednesday
On May 26, 1863 a group of men (Barney Hughes, Thomas Cover, Henry Rodgers, Henry Edgar, William Fairweather, Bill Sweeney and others) were on their way back to Bannack, Montana, scene of a gold discovery the year before. After being diverted from their route by a...
