#52ancestors Week 12 “Misfortune” The Wild West!

This weeks topic is "Misfortune" The following story was related by my 1st cousin 4x removed Joseph Fowler (1844-1927). Isaac Briscoe is my father-in-law of 1st cousin 4x removed. It is a reminder that it was not to long ago that this area of North Texas was truly the Wild West!   Massacre of Mr. …

#52ancestors Week 11 “Lucky”

This weeks topic is "Lucky" I was not sure who to write about this week so I decided to have a lottery. I have 1069 people in my tree so I picked a random number between 1 and 1069. And the winner is! Brent Foster. Brent is my second cousin. The grandson of my grandfathers …

#52ancestors Week 10 “Strong Woman”

This weeks topic is "Strong Woman" I will have to go with my mother as a VERY strong woman! She was born March 5, 1932. Today is her birthday. Her early years were spent on a rural farm in Ector, Texas during the depression. I remember her talking about having to pick cotton in the …

#52ancestors Week 9 “Where there’s a Will”

This weeks topic is "Where There's a Will" I thought I would check to see if I had any wills saved and I came across this record of a will from Francis Hutchins (1682-1774) Prove Date 07 APR, 1774. Francis Hutchins (son of Richard Hutchens and Elizabeth Cobb)370, 370, 370 was born 1682 in Lower, …

#52ancestors Week 8 “Heirloom”

This weeks topic is "Heirloom" There have been a number of articles recently about aging baby boomers and their kids not wanting the family heirlooms. Aging Parents With Lots of Stuff, and Children Who Don’t Want It Baby boomers are downsizing — and the kids won’t take the family heirlooms   I am conflicted, myself. …

#52ancestors Week 7 “Valentine”

This weeks topic is "Valentine" I've never been much of a Valentines Day person so I decided to go with the date instead of the day. Dates are what's important in genealogy right? So, on February 14 1905 Ruth Esther Kooken was born in Oklahoma. She died 26 Apr 1985 in Oklahoma City, OK. She …

#52ancestors Week 6 “Favorite Name”

This weeks topic is "Favorite Name".  The Presidents I knew I had a "George Washington" Finnell in my family so I thought that would be an interesting name to write about. It was quite common to name babies after presidents in the past, according to this article from Time. Turns out I have 3 Georges' …

#52ancestors Week 5 “Census”

This weeks topic is "Census". While trying to think of something to write this week I came across an intresting document. The census mortality schedule. Included in the 1850-1880 census was the Census Mortality Schedule 5. "Mortality schedules list people who died during the previous 12 months. Mortality schedules were taken along with population schedules …

#52ancestors Week 4 “Who would you invite to dinner?”

52 Ancestors in 52 weeks “Is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The guesswork of "who should I write about" is taken care of. This weeks topic is "Who would you invite to dinner?". This was a difficult choice. I knew it would …

#52ancestors Week 3 “Longevity”

52 Ancestors in 52 weeks “Is a series of weekly prompts to get you to think about an ancestor and share something about them. The guesswork of "who should I write about" is taken care of. This weeks topic is longevity. I always thought that my family were not long lived but it turns out …