School Days: Childers School

Childers School (Childers, Nowata, Oklahoma) Class of 1939 BACK (L TO R): Yvonne Fuzzell, William York, Mildred Myers, Helen Price, Willie Daniels, Natalie Coleman, Sam Randall, Lucille Dawson Spears, Fred Sloan  FRONT (L TO R): Charles Montgomery, Esther Stierwalt, Garold (Pat) Montgomery, Mr.Wm.Cook (Class Sponsor) Claude “Buster” Stierwalt, Alma Lee Parrett, Johnny Lee Harrison Class of 1948 BACK (L TO R): Fred Swalley, Pete Vaughn, Barbara Woody, Bob Scott, Supt. Bill Cook, George “Casper” Speer, Arvona “Mickey” Stookey, Bobby Fuzzell...

I took a DNA test…Now What?

DNA test next steps You took a DNA test and received your results. So what’s next? The answer to that is…it depends. Depending on why you took the test there are a variety of ideas and tools to get the most out of your DNA results. If you are thinking about taking a DNA test but don’t know which one to choose, here is a good article comparing the top 3 tests. I break down DNA testers into three basic categories: I...

Mathew Conlan: Death by Gravel?

La Grande Famine, Illustrated in London News by Smyth, 1847. May they feel the warmth of a tear! May they hear the piper’s lament, May they know we, the survivors, keep vigil. irish tenant farmers Mathew Conlan was born in 1795 in the North Connaught region of Ireland to John and Anna Conlan, poor farmers near the town of Sligo. Similar to the Husmann in Norway, Irish tenant farmers rented land from wealthy landowners, primarily English and Scottish supporters of Elizabeth...

Finding your past: Where to begin? It is as easy as 1,2,3!

This week I am adding a new research section to the blog to help those interested in learning about their own family history. Where to start? How to organize? Where to find information? Here are three tips to help you begin: 1. start at home That family bible in a dusty box in your basement, newspaper clippings stuck in the photo album from your grandma, an old photograph with names in neat script on the back…these are the little clues...

A little mischief?

Nettie Ove with Mary (Conlin) Sullivan and Agnes (Conlin) Gregoire (about 1922-23) This picture of Aunt Nettie with Mary and Nana (Agnes) was taken while the family was living in Poplar, Montana. My favorite part is the mischievous expression on Nana’s face in the corner of the frame....

Gregoire Deblois: Our First Gregoire in the New World

View of Chateau-Richer and the Île d’ Orléans, Québec (1787) by Thomas Davies french roots Gregoire Deblois was born in the small village of Champagne-Mouton, France to Francois Deblois and Marguerite Papelong. The year of his birth, 1632, brought welcome peace after decades of tension between the Huguenots (French Protestants) and Catholic King Louis XIII, which culminated in the Siege of La Rochelle, a nearby shipping port. french Dit Names As the progenitor of our Gregoire family in North America,...

Laughlin McLaren and Celia Ann Losh: A Short Valentine Story

Laughlin McLaren was born in Greenock, Scotland and immigrated to America around 1849 with his family.  It was a mysterious dream that resulted in meeting his wife, Celia Ann Losh. Laughlin and Celia’s nephew, Earl Clinton Burnside, shared the story of how they met and a bit about their lives. According to Earl, after losing a pair of horses, Kate (Celia’s sister) had a dream about where the horses would be. In her dream, she walked along Cedar Creek until she came...

George Gordon: Naming Historic Georgetown

City of Washington from Beyond the Navy Yard by George Cooke, 1833 Visitors to Washington, D.C. today appreciate historic Georgetown for its cobblestone sidewalks, great food, walkable shopping and grand homes. As part of our capital city, it would be easy to assume that Georgetown was named in honor our first President, George Washington, but that is likely not the case since he was a young boy when Georgetown was established. There are a few theories about how the city...

Eliza (Sherlock) Duffy: A Young Mothers Determination

“In Heaven a noble work was done when God gave man a Mother”. -old Irish proverb Stories of the valor of frontier men during America’s colonization are fairly common. However, the achievements of frontier women are seldom heard. As a businesswoman and mother, Eliza Duffy’s accomplishments, during a time when a woman’s identity was derived entirely through their spouse, were extraordinary. coming to America Elizabeth “Eliza” Sherlock, was born April 27, 1821, to Thomas and Hannorah (White) Sherlock of Kings...