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”
Author Archives: Noel Poirier
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”
The House – Florence Marsh, Part 2
It is not often that one discovers that a prominent citizen and contributor to the community lived in the home one now occupies. I consider myself lucky to be one of those people. Buying my home, and researching its history, has brought me closer to the community I now call home and understanding the storiesContinue reading “The House – Florence Marsh, Part 2”
The House – Florence Marsh, Part 1
One of the attractions of an older home, particularly to someone with an interest in history, is the fact that the home had a life long before its current occupant. That life includes people who, like me, are moving through time and experiencing the events and challenges presented in their lifetimes. Another of the individualsContinue reading “The House – Florence Marsh, Part 1”
The House, Part 1 – A.W. Patrick
I am one of those people who would much rather prefer an old house to a new one. The first house I ever bought was a brand-new construction and I remember trying to do everything I could, while it was built and afterwards, to give it some semblance of old house charm. Not easy toContinue reading “The House, Part 1 – A.W. Patrick”
Tuscarawas County Stories 