At one time or another, just about everyone in this country has been touched by a magical Disney moment. Walter Elias Disney started with a dream and turned it into a wondrous reality. Although he had some harsh setbacks, he never gave up on fulfilling these ideals, and today, his name is a household word, not only in this country but also around the world. Continue reading “And to Think, it all Started with a Mouse!”
Category: Family History
Mary Buzzard Hupp: Colonial Wife and Mother
To date, the oldest member I have discovered in my family tree would be my 4x great grandmother, Mary Buzzard. This grandmother lived for 96 years, and she died just 17 days before her 97th birthday. Continue reading “Mary Buzzard Hupp: Colonial Wife and Mother”
Le What?
À vaillant coeur rien d’impossible. -Jacques Cœur
One family name that I have often found spelled in different ways is the La Duke surname. To date, I have discovered Le Duc, La Duc, and, of course, La Duke. Even the capitalization was sometimes different too, for I have also uncovered Le duc, La duc, and La duke. And sometimes the names did not contain any spaces at all; the names were spelled Leduc, Laduc, Laduke, and La Decue. Continue reading “Le What?”
Favorite Family Photos
I love this week’s challenge of a favorite photo. Still, I will not be able to limit myself to just one. Every once in awhile, I am going to have to just add pictures and include their stories.
My Crazy Kids
This photo of my daughter, Leslie and her husband Aaron, along with all the grand babies will always be one of my favorite photos. It was taken during Pioneer Day Weekend, September 2013 in Florence, Colorado. A family friend, Phyllis Ibarra, took this old fashioned picture. This picture always makes me smile, for I love all the different scenes going on within this one shot and how Phyllis captured each one. Continue reading “Favorite Family Photos”
Marie Anne Lagou: A New Life in New France
About 1652, my ninth grandmother, Marie Anne Lagou was born to Pierre Lagou and Marie Boiscochin in the parish of Saint-Etienne in Le Mans, Maine. At the age of 18, after her father’s death, she left her home and sailed to New France under the sponsorship of King Louis XIV of France. Later, she would become known as a filles du roi, or a King’s Daughter. She left France to marry and settle in the wilderness in the New World that France longed to develop. My grandmother arrived in Quebec in 1670 with a dowry of 200 livres. Continue reading “Marie Anne Lagou: A New Life in New France”
General James Cudworth: A Man of Conviction
We honor him as a lover of religious freedom, a brave and able commander, and a true patriot.
General James Cudworth was a humble man of conviction, a man who longed for peace, and a man who longed for tolerance among all people. Because of his beliefs, his kindness towards others, and his own acts of civil disobedience, he was relieved of his civic and military duties for nearly 16 years. However, on July 4, 1673, he was once again reinstated as a freeman, and his life as a public servant and military officer once again took center stage in his life. Continue reading “General James Cudworth: A Man of Conviction”
John Gallup ~ My Seafaring Grandfather
Who wouldn’t love a grandfather that chased pirates, battled ship-stealing marauders, and avenged the lives of friends and neighbors?
Who wouldn’t love a grandfather that loved the sea? Who wouldn’t love a grandfather that chased pirates, battled ship-stealing marauders, and avenged the lives of friends and neighbors? My 12x great grandfather was an adventurous man who sailed to a new land and cultivated a corner of this world and called it his own. On March 20, 1630, John Gallup left Plymouth, England on the John and Mary, and ten weeks later he arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. After he arrived, he set his sights on the lands around the Boston Harbor, and there he made his home. Continue reading “John Gallup ~ My Seafaring Grandfather”
Finding Annie Part Two
The town of Cherryvale was nestled among the gentle sloping hills of southeastern Kansas. The town was aptly named for wild cherry trees bloomed every spring and an outpouring of wildflowers graced the landscape. By 1886, the railroad boom provided an atmosphere of adventure as this town began growing. The St. Louis-San Francisco Railway along with the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railway had laid its tracks into this upcoming hamlet. Many businesses flourished and helped establish this developing area. Cherryvale had its own privately owned fire station. The town had six different brick factories; so many streets, sidewalks and buildings were built from sun-dried bricks. The city made use of the natural gas from the oil fields, for it was an inexpensive source of fuel. Electric streetcars ran the course of Main Street and provided access to the local businesses. Cherryvale had a bank, churches, and a school. This growing community boasted three newspapers, The Herald and the Cherryvale Torch, and the Cherryvale Republican. It even had its very own opera house. The population had grown to about 2400, and life flourished in Cherryvale.
Continue reading “Finding Annie Part Two”Finding Annie – Part One
The camera only captured a glimpse of her…
Since I began researching my family tree, one great grandmother has eluded me. This great grandmother, Anna Strassburg, has initiated many restless nights as I have tried exploring her life. She has haunted me as I have searched record after record and web site after website. I have always wanted to learn more about her, but for a long time, it appeared that Annie just vanished. Once she left her home in Cherryvale, Kansas and arrived in Colorado, all trails ended in Gunnison. Continue reading “Finding Annie – Part One”
The King’s Daughters
As she stood on the ship’s deck, the wind tugged at her hair, pulling it free from the combs and pins that tried to keep rebellious strands in place. She viewed the harbor and the lands before her. The beating of her heart quickened as she thought about the strange new life that waited for her. She could hardly imagine what secrets this new land presented; where would she live? What would her new life offer? Mostly, she wondered about her future husband, and her bewilderment consumed her. Continue reading “The King’s Daughters”
Tales of a Family 