Not only was my father part of the greatest generation, in my eyes he was a great dad. This month marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of my father Raymond S. Brown, who was a patient, kind, and loving person. He rarely raised his voice, and the few times he did, it was a clear sign to be quiet and not to aggravate him. He was a sportsman and enjoyed the outdoors. My father was many things, but most of all, he knew how to enjoy life. Continue reading
Author: tcbrown
Cemetery Citings: Brush Creek
Cemeteries are the resting place of the dead, and for a genealogist they are teeming with information. Gravestone inscriptions are a short bio about the deceased, often supplying name, birth and death information, relationships and sometimes even an epitaph. When relatives are in the same cemetery, the grave markers can reveal a family narrative. Perhaps it’s this richness that fascinates me when I walk through a graveyard reading the stories of the standing stones. Continue reading
The Will of John C. Fowler
Locating documents to verify life events is an important part of family research. Even when one is lucky enough to find a birth or death certificate, finding other supporting sources is beneficial. Records for my ancestor John C. Fowler can be found in the Monongalia County courthouse in West Virginia. These documents, especially those concerning his death, have provided significant information about John and his family. Continue reading
Census Through the Years: Mary Alice Reese
Mary Alice Reese, my 2nd great grand aunt, was born 143 years ago on June 30, 1878 in Lycoming County, PA to Josiah and Effie Reese; she was the tenth of their twelve children. Most of her life was spent in Lycoming and its surrounding counties. What I know of her comes from the information I gathered from the U.S. Census and other documents from 1880 through 1948 to help piece together a few details about her life. Continue reading
Misc. Tax Rolls–Fayette County PA
This year for tax month—extended to May 17—I have extracted some property tax records for Georges Township, Fayette County, PA. The focus is on the Conn family beginning in 1815 with George Conn, listed in February’s blog, and his sons over a 25 year period. Tax records can provide clues about residency, land ownership, death of a land owner, as well as indicate the potential age of men who become adults and were then taxed for an occupation. Continue reading
Catharine Reclaimed
When I was younger and I drove through Pleasant Unity with my mother, she would often point out a house up a long driveway where her grandmother Mary Frances, known as Fannie, grew up. The house was owned by Fannie’s grandfather Joseph Blackson. My mother mentioned Fannie spoke about growing up in Pleasant Unity as a girl although my mother couldn’t recall the details; my impression was that Fannie’s childhood was not the happiest. Fannie was illegitimate and her step-grandmother did not look favorably on her. Continue reading
Research Reboot with Roots Tech
During the long cold winter months, I nestled by my computer tending to my family tree. For the new year I renewed my membership with ancestry.com and focused mainly on my Ludwick family, adding many new relatives. Every now and then I would pick up a lingering puzzle on another line to see if I had any new insights. I reviewed ancestry hints over and over, but not much turned up. I kept wondering what I could do to improve my research and solve some of these riddles. Luckily for me, the answer came at the end of February. Continue reading
The Deeds of George Conn
Recently I have been going through papers I had set aside some time ago for “review at a later date”. These include documents I have accumulated on various genealogy trips to courthouse, libraries, as well as online research. As I read over some of these I have found a few forgotten gems that are buried in these papers. In this stack were several deeds from 1817 for George Conn in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Continue reading
Census Through the Years: William Edgar Ludwick
When I began gathering information for my family tree, I was told my great-grand Uncle Will Ludwick had lived in Nebraska and was a minister. Will, formally William Edgar, was brother to Eden and my great-grandfather Alpheus. They were orphaned before they were teenagers, and perhaps because of this, they held a strong value for family and stayed in touch throughout their lives. Although subsequent generations lost contact, some time ago I connected with the wife of Will’s grandson who added to the anecdotes told by my family, which census enumerations helped to substantiate. Continue reading
“Home” for the Holidays
“I’ll be home for Christmas” is a song that expresses the desire to be with family and friends to celebrate during the holidays when circumstances might prevent it. That may be a common sentiment this year as Covid19 continues to pose health threats and forces many to downsize plans. Instead of large parties with extended relatives, only immediate family members will get together to open presents around the tree. Fortunately, with modern day technology, video chats will be prevalent to connect with loved ones this season. Continue reading
Relatively Speaking Blog 