Noel Poirier

The Last Chapter: Frank Foote Part Three

Frank Foote, Jr. was convicted of manslaughter in the shooting death of George Clawson in December 1861 and experienced violence and death as a soldier during the Civil War from 1862 until 1865. He returned home to Cincinnati after the war to begin the last chapter of his short life, accompanied by the ghosts ofContinue reading “The Last Chapter: Frank Foote Part Three”

“On the Front Line All the Time.”: Frank Foote Part Two

Frank Foote, Jr., convicted of manslaughter in the shooting death of George Clawson in December 1861, found himself enlisted in Company I, 70th Ohio Volunteer Infantry in early 1862. He served in the regiment from 1862 until 1865, experienced a number of bloody engagements, until his discharge and return to Cincinnati. It is unclear exactlyContinue reading ““On the Front Line All the Time.”: Frank Foote Part Two”

“A Surly and Offensive Reply”: Frank Foote Part One

When studying an ancestor’s personal story, I often wonder how the events and actions they experienced impacted the course of their lives. In the case of my 3rd-great-uncle, Frank Foote, Junior, there is little doubt his death was hastened by the violence of his youth. (The Foote surname is spelled Foote and Foot in theContinue reading ““A Surly and Offensive Reply”: Frank Foote Part One”

Cleverest Young Boxer

Conducting family history and genealogy can be very rewarding for all the wonderful stories and people that you discover along the way. Family histories are also where one discovers the tragedies that one’s family has had to endure over the years. The story of Ernest “Kid” Eppenstiner, an up-and-coming boxer of the 1910s, is oneContinue reading “Cleverest Young Boxer”

An American Dream Denied

One of the things I love the most about conducting genealogical work for clients is the ability to tell them stories about their ancestors that they have never heard before. Sometimes an ancestor is referred by living relatives in hushed terms or not discussed at all for reasons long lost. The tale of Stephano DiContinue reading “An American Dream Denied”

The Invention of America

This Fourth of July I want to revisit an article I wrote in 2001 on the significance of technological development on the gaining of American Independence. This was originally published in the Colonial Williamsburg Interpreter, Volume 22, Number 3, Fall 2001. “But the question, who commenced the Revolution? is as difficult as that of theContinue reading “The Invention of America”

The House, Part 5 – Sanborne Maps

When trying to piece together the physical history of a building there are a number of useful resources that can be used. One of the tools that can be used when looking at buildings from the late 19th century and early 20th century are Sanborne Fire Insurance Maps. These maps can provide details on theContinue reading “The House, Part 5 – Sanborne Maps”

The First Bentz Family

One of the joys of conducting research into one’s own family is the discovery of stories and people that you never even knew existed. Sometimes we don’t know about them because they may have lived during a period, or in a place, with very poor records. Occasionally we never hear of them because they areContinue reading “The First Bentz Family”

Who was Walter James Ashworth?

My family talked very little of my great-grandfather Walter James Ashworth. What little I had heard of him came from various anecdotes told me by my grandmother, mother and uncles. He seemed like a bit of an enigma and a black sheep, for reasons still untold to me, but often speculated on. For all ofContinue reading “Who was Walter James Ashworth?”

The House, Part 4 – Samuel Crossland

One of the most basic questions that the homeowner of an old home asks themselves is “Who built my house?” It is a question that, with older homes, is often difficult to answer since the records we most often rely upon do not necessarily provide the kind of detail necessary to make a firm determination.Continue reading “The House, Part 4 – Samuel Crossland”