It seems like every genealogist on Facebook posted their version of the colorful Excel chart developed by Geneaspy blogger, J Paul Hawthorne. So without further ado, here’s my 5-generation Excel chart showing the birthplaces of myself and my ancestors. As you can see, I am a New Englander. And here’s a 6-generation chart which shows a little bit of variation. Aquene! Continue reading The #mycolorfulancestry Craze
Susannah Storms was the second eldest child of Primus and Parmelia. She was born in 1788 in Fishkill, NY to an enslaved mother and free father. The family traveled to Basin Harbor, Vermont with Platt Rogers, mother Parmelia’s owner. The Storms became one of the many free, land-owning Black families in Vermont. When Susannah died unmarried on 16 September 1845, she left her 54 acre … Continue reading The Storms of Vermont, Part 2 – Susannah Storm’s Probate Record
Caesar Toney is my 5th great-grandfather. He married Margaret (Peggy) Romsor of Worcester on 7 September 1756 in Upton, MA. Peggy and Caesar had two sons Caesar Jr. and Abraham. Caesar Jr. and Abraham married two Narragansett sisters, Susannah and Mary Harry. Caesar and Peggy and their family lived on their own farm in Upton, MA – a bit unusual for people of African descent … Continue reading Caesar Toney
I heard some folks talking during a recent event about their ancestor, Joseph Pegan, and his Revolutionary War service. They sounded a little proprietary to me, as if he belonged only to their family. Which seemed strange because he is a claimed ancestor to hundreds of Nipmucs including those belonging to these families – Henries, Sprague, Nichols, White, Wilson, and mine! Dudley, Massachusetts vital records … Continue reading Not Just YOUR Ancestor – Joseph Pegan, Revolutionary War Veteran
While collecting vital records on my Storms ancestors, I came across The above is from the Massachusetts death records. The date of death was February 18, 1884. The town of Boston records included his burial site which was Mt. Hope Cemetery in Boston. There was no indication of who his parents were or where he was born in either record. I also couldn’t find any … Continue reading Suicide by Drowning in the Charles River
I have several direct and collateral ancestors that served in the Civil War. One of those relations was Christopher Vickers (sometime spelled Vicars). There are several Christopher Vickers that were born and died in the same parts of New England and around the same time periods. I’d like to tell you a little about the Christopher Vickers that was born in Thompson, CT on the … Continue reading Nipmucs in the Civil War
This is my second time participating in this yearly challenge. This year I want to write a bit on two of my favorite families – the Toneys and the Storms (I’m doing two because I couldn’t decide on one). Caesar Toney and Primus Storms are my 5th great grandfathers. Without them, I wouldn’t be me. I don’t know as much as I’d like to about … Continue reading Family History Writing Challenge
Cheryll Toney Holley 