by Sharon Hall | Nov 8, 2014 | Surname Saturday
This surname was a bit of a challenge to research. The word “Thing” is so commonly used today, even in a slangy-sort-of way, it’s definitely hard to find a way for a search engine to yield the desired results. But there is at least one interesting theory as to the...
by Sharon Hall | Nov 7, 2014 | Far-Out Friday
Today it sounds kinda creepy, but post-mortem pictures were not uncommon, especially during the Victorian era. I’m not talking about taking pictures of the dearly departed in their casket – that is practiced even today as a way to have closure when a loved one...
by Sharon Hall | Nov 5, 2014 | Ghost Town Wednesday
Today it’s still considered a census-populated area but there’s not much left of the original town site. Mathias established successful businesses and made some shrewd land deals while a resident of Kansas, a place he migrated to after being removed from the...
by Sharon Hall | Nov 4, 2014 | Tombstone Tuesday
The subject of today’s Tombstone Tuesday article has been referred to as the “millionaire Indian”. By all accounts, like the 1980’s Smith-Barney advertisement, he “made money the old-fashion way” – he earned it. His story is widely available, but this article...
by Sharon Hall | Nov 3, 2014 | Military History Monday
November is the month we celebrate Veterans Day and it’s also National Native American Heritage Month. In honor of those designations and Military History Monday, today’s article will honor the Native American code talkers of World War I. The first thing to be noted...
by Sharon Hall | Nov 1, 2014 | Surname Saturday
Danforth The Danforth surname is a locational or habitational name, possibly meaning “ford in the valley” or someone dwelling in a hidden ford or settlement. It may refer to locations in England such as: Darnford in Suffolk, Great Durnford in Wiltshire or Derford...
by Sharon Hall | Oct 31, 2014 | Feudin' & Fightin' Friday
While doing some family research last week, I came across something called a “frog war”. What’s a frog war? I’ve done some “frog” stories, one called “The Battle of the Frogs” and one about an old horned toad named Rip, but this one isn’t about an amphibious...
by Sharon Hall | Oct 29, 2014 | Digging History Magazine, Ghost Town Wednesday
I’ve been reading a series of books about Swedish immigrants who came to America and settled in central Kansas beginning in the late-1860’s. According to the Kansas Historical Society, eastern immigration companies sent agents to Europe to encourage...
by Sharon Hall | Oct 28, 2014 | Tombstone Tuesday
I was trolling through Vermont cemeteries looking for a subject for today’s article when I came across four graves in the Alburgh Tongue Cemetery in Grand Isle County, all children of “B.S. (or Benajah S.) and Asenath Phelps” … hmm. The children were: ...
by Sharon Hall | Oct 27, 2014 | Military History Monday
I’ve been reading an excellent book about James Abram Garfield, the twentieth President of the United States (look for a book review soon). I didn’t really know that much about him, except that he was assassinated not long after he was inaugurated in 1881. Not a lot...
