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”

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”