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52 Ancestors: Thomas Marion Elonzo Manning - When Family Stories Don't Match the Records

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(AI generated image) One of the most frustrating aspects of genealogy research is when family oral history directly contradicts the documentary evidence. This week's ancestor, my husband's 2x great-grandfather Thomas Marion Elonzo Manning, presents exactly this kind of puzzle—one that has me questioning everything I thought I knew about his character and his relationship with his daughter. The Man Behind the Records Thomas was born on November 7, 1874, in Montgomery County, Arkansas, to Ira W. Manning and Tamsey Manervia Sessions. His childhood was marked by loss—his father died around 1888 when Thomas was just 14, leaving him to help support his mother and younger siblings. After his mother remarried, Thomas gained several half-siblings through the Shopshire family. At age 25, Thomas married 17-year-old Mattie Smith on March 24, 1900, in what was then Indian Territory (later Oklahoma). They built their life as farmers, moving around McIntosh County as Thomas sought better ...
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52 Ancestors: Jesse Chisholm (1805–1868) — The Ultimate FAN Club

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  Friends, Associates, and Neighbors Across Two Worlds When genealogists talk about building a "FAN Club" — researching the Friends, Associates, and Neighbors who surrounded our ancestors — few historical figures demonstrate this concept better than my husband's 4th great-grandfather, Jesse Chisholm. This remarkable man didn't just have a FAN club; he was the ultimate connector, building bridges between cultures and communities across the 19th-century frontier. A Bridge Between Worlds Born around 1805 in the Hiwassee region of Tennessee, Jesse Chisholm embodied the multicultural frontier from birth. His father, Ignatius Chisholm, was a Scottish immigrant trader, while his mother was Cherokee (identified in family records as Martha Rogers, also known as "Unknown Tassel").¹ In Cherokee society's matrilineal culture, Jesse was considered fully Cherokee, yet his Scottish heritage opened doors in white settlements. This dual identity would define his en...
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Newsletter: Gardening, Dogs & Cars

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  Growing, Restoring, and Writing Hello again, dear readers! It's time to step away from my writing desk and share another update with you all. Life has been busy, as always, but in the best possible way. Let me give you a peek into what’s been going on lately. The Garden’s Growing Strong The garden is coming along beautifully, and I’ve had a little help along the way. My husband helped me build the last box I needed in the greenhouse and install the greenhouse door. Now my tomato plants are safe from the deer who think they’re entitled to a bite (oh yes, those sneaky thieves!). My daughter and her friend pitched in and carried a shelf out to the greenhouse, where I’ve got flower seeds sprouting to add a pop of color to the yard this year. Every evening, after finishing up work, I head out to hand water and pull pesky weeds while listening to a good audiobook. It's my little moment of serenity in the middle of the chaos. Shop Time with My Favorite Mechanic When I’m not in the g...
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52 Ancestors: Charles Graham - Reflections on a Complex Legacy

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  Charles Graham’s life spanned decades that reshaped the American nation. Born in 1792 in Randolph County, North Carolina, and dying in 1875 on his farm in Texas, his 83-year life spanned the early Republic, westward expansion, and the Civil War. While his story reveals the typical pioneer experience of many 19th-century Americans, it also confronts us with the uncomfortable realities of that era. Early Life and Military Service Charles was born on January 29, 1792, to John R. Graham and Sarah Bunten in Randolph County, North Carolina. Like many young men of his generation, Charles answered the call to serve his country during the War of 1812. Records show he enlisted on January 28, 1814, in Tennessee, serving as a private in Williams' Mounted Regiment of East Tennessee Volunteers. His service was brief but significant—he was discharged on May 10, 1814, just as the war was winding down. A Pioneer's Journey West Charles's adult life was marked by the restless movement ...
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52 Ancestors: "Artistic" - Laura Alice Barnett Conner

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Laura is the second from the Left.  This week's theme is "artistic," and I'll be honest—it made me laugh at first. Neither my family nor my husband's family tree is decorated with painters, musicians, or poets. We come from long lines of farmers and the occasional preacher, people who worked with their hands in fields rather than studios. But as I dug deeper into the story of my husband's 2x great-grandmother, Laura Alice Barnett Conner (1876-1968), I realized there's a different kind of artistry worth celebrating—the art of survival, resilience, and creating something beautiful from the rawest materials life can offer. A Canvas of Constant Movement Laura Alice was born on February 14, 1876, in Floyd County, Kentucky, to Samuel J. Barnett and Bethany Slusher. But like many women of her era, her life became a masterpiece painted across multiple states and decades of change. At just 14 years old, Laura married William Monroe Conner on August 30, 1890, i...
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52 Ancestors: Wedding Bells - When Love Nearly Missed Its Chance

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  Sometimes the most charming stories in our family history come from the unexpected hurdles our ancestors faced on their way to "I do." This week's theme of "wedding bells" brings me to a delightful tale of bureaucratic obstacles, young love, and a sympathetic clerk who saved the day for my great-great-grandparents. A Saturday Surprise On Saturday, May 7, 1893, David Isaiah Rollett had everything planned perfectly. He would visit the recorder's office in St. Joseph, Missouri, obtain his marriage license, and wed his beloved Rosa W. Clark the following day. What could go wrong? Everything, as it turned out. When David appeared at the recorder's office that Saturday afternoon, eager to make his upcoming nuptials official, he was met with disappointing news: the license was refused. Rosa was underage, and her father's consent was required. The catch? Her father was in St. George and couldn't possibly arrive before the office closed for the week...
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52 Ancestors: The Vanishing Act: John Dodridge Ward

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  52 Ancestors: John Dodridge Ward (1862-1935) Some ancestors leave behind neat paper trails—birth certificates, marriage records, death notices, all lined up in chronological order. Others seem to vanish into thin air, leaving genealogists scratching their heads and wondering what happened. My husband's 2x great-grandfather, John Dodridge Ward, falls squarely into the latter category. But his disappearing act wasn't magic—it was deliberate deception that would take DNA testing to finally unravel. The Early Years: A Normal Start John D. Ward was born on October 8, 1862, in Tennessee, the son of James B. Ward and Mary Jane Rankins. He grew up in McNairy County, Tennessee, surrounded by a large family of siblings. The 1880 census shows him as a 16-year-old farm hand, single and living with his parents—nothing particularly unusual for a young man of that era. In 1883, at age 21, John married Melinda H. Reed in Hempstead, Arkansas. The couple would go on to have three children...
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