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Elizabeth (born c 1711), Frontier Wife of John Dobkins Jr.: Warfare, Conflict...
We know very little about Elizabeth Dobkins. Most of what we know is told through the lens of her husband, John Dobkins Jr. who was born around 1708 and died sometime after 1788. We know that Elizabeth...
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Charles Speake, (c 1731 – 1794), But Which Charles? – 52 Ancestors #380
We are certain that Charles Speake (spelled a variety of ways including Speak, Speaks, and more) is the father of the Nicholas Speak (or Speaks) who was born in 1782 in Maryland, married Sarah Faires...
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The Ancestors are SPEAKing: An 18-Year Y-DNA Study That Led Us Home – 52...
In 2004, 18 years ago, I founded the Speak(e)(s) Family DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA. I descend from Nicholas Speaks through his son, Charles Speaks. Some two decades before, I had met my wonderful...
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Thomas Speake of Zachia (c1700-1755): Life and Death in Zachia Swamp – 52...
Thomas Speake of Zachia was born about 1700, the son of Bowling Speake and Mary Benson. He was named after his grandfather, Thomas the Immigrant. To understand Thomas’s life, we need to tell his story,...
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Mary Benson (c1675–c1758) Heiress of Crackbornes Purchase in Leonard’s Town –...
Mary Benson was born to Hugh Benson sometime after his 1671 immigration, probably between 1673 and 1678 in St. Clements’s Hundred. Her mother’s name was Catherine. St. Clement’s Hundred was defined as...
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Seats at the Table
It’s been a year. What a year. Three years actually. First, I hope you’re able to gather with family this Thanksgiving, and if not, I hope it’s by your choice. For the past two holiday seasons, many...
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Hugh Benson (c1650-1687) and Wife, Catherine; Landowners in Leonard’s Town –...
Let’s begin this journey by disproving Hugh Benson’s birth. He might have been the Hugh Benson born on September 5, 1653 to William Benson in Yorkshire. The timeframe fits, and so does the location for...
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Estes Ancestors to 1495, Plus Wives – 52 Ancestors #385
I’ve been asked several times to compile a list of all of my Estes lineage articles in one place. I’ve created a table below, and I will update with links as I write additional articles or expand the...
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Happy Whatever Kind of Holidays You Celebrate
Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing this holiday season, I wish you light, much joy and cheer. Perhaps your heart is singing because you’re with family you haven’t seen in three years now. Or,...
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Sarah Cook (1774/1775-1863), Epitome of Perseverance – 52 Ancestors #386
Sarah Cook was the wife of James Lee Claxton, or Clarkson. That name changed like a chameleon and trust me, those changes caused Sarah massive headaches too. Much of what we know about Sarah comes from...
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Moments Frozen in Time in Our Collective Memory: The Challenger Explosion –...
On January 28th, 1986, a bright, sunny Florida morning, the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch, killing all 7 crew members aboard. Later, we learned that their deaths probably...
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Joel Cook (c1745 – after 1805); Sold Out and Disappeared into Thin Air – 52...
Joel Cook was the father of Sarah Cook who was born about 1775. She married James Lee Clarkson in 1799 in Russell County, VA. That was the easy part, or comparatively easy. Joel, it turns out, is quite...
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Michael McDowell (1747-1840): Children & Land Dispute Revealed in Chancery...
My wonderful cousin, Tom, found something that doesn’t relate to his family, but certainly relates to mine. Thank goodness he remembered that Michael McDowell is my ancestor. Tom found this because...
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Margaret Herrell Bolton’s Deposition – 52 Ancestors #390
Recently, we discovered that one of Michael McDowell’s daughters was unknown, and he had three sons attributed to him that weren’t his children. A chancery suit file from Hancock County, TN included a...
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DNAExplain Blog to be Preserved for Future Generations in the Library of...
Yes, indeed, this is definitely a red-letter event!!! Not only is having my blog archived in the Library of Congress an incredible honor, but it solves a long-standing problem. Let’s start at the...
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Who is Peter Johnson’s Ancestor – Peter Jochimsson (Yocum) or Mathias Jönsson...
Peter Johnson (c1720-1790) is making me crazy. To refresh your memory, Peter’s early life, including his parents, are shrouded in mystery. I wrote about him here and here. My ancestor is Dorcas Johnson...
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The Secrets Hidden in Mother’s Lifetime Social Security Earnings Report – 52...
Back in September 2022, I ordered a Social Security lifetime earnings record for my mother by filing form SSA-7050, available here. In addition to wages, it also lists employers which would tell me...
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Honorius Lord (1768-1834): Catholic Church Records Illuminate Migration Along...
Honoré Lord’s parents were among the Acadian people horrifically displaced from their homes in Acadia, now Nova Scotia, in 1755 amid fire, flame and destruction. That event, known as “Le Grand...
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Acadian 1695 Loyalty Oath Signatures – 52 Ancestors #395
I discovered my Acadian family line nearly 20 years ago with the revelation of one single word – Blairfindie. Sometimes all you really need is one word. The right word, followed by a LOT of digging....
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Marie LaFaille or Mary LaFay (1767-1836): The Battle for Mary’s Soul – 52...
The difference in the name of Marie Lafaille and Mary Lafay, the same person, is emblematic of her life – a clash of cultures. Tug of war. Catholic versus Protestant – and no – this isn’t Northern...
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