The Ancestral Pen

  The Bridge Between Two Worlds: William Vaughn Cook's Journey from Missouri Pioneer to Chickasaw Citizen In the dusty archives of the National Archives and the faded pages of century-old census records, there lives a story that speaks to the heart of America's frontier experience—a tale of love, adaptation, and the courage to cross cultural boundaries. It's the story of William Vaughn Cook, a man who became a bridge between two worlds. A Mystery That Began in Kentucky Picture this: somewhere in the rolling hills of Kentucky, a family named Cook made a decision that would echo through generations. Ananian (or Ananias, as records sometimes spelled it) and Mary Cook packed their belongings and joined the great westward migration that defined 19th-century America. Like thousands of other families, they sought opportunity in the expanding frontier, carrying with them little more than hope and determination. But here's where their story becomes a genealogist's riddle...

  When I think about how far back I can trace my family tree with confidence, Edward Beeson stands as my earliest researched ancestor. While WikiTree may show lines stretching further into the past, Edward represents the furthest point where I've personally validated the research and feel confident in the documentation. He's my 7th great-grandfather, and his story spans two continents and three marriages during the tumultuous early years of colonial America. From Leicestershire to the New World Edward Beeson was born on February 24, 1659, in Thrussington, Leicestershire, England, to Thomas Beeson and Ann (Pecke) Beeson. He was christened the following year, on February 24, 1660, in the same parish where his family had deep roots. This was during the reign of Charles II, a time of religious upheaval in England when nonconformists like the Quakers faced persecution for their beliefs. Edward's early adult life was marked by both tragedy and new beginnings. Around 1681, at ...

  Stuck in the Middle (With You) Writing is romantic. Editing is war. And this week, the battle's been rough. I’m deep in the editing phase of book two in the Woolsey series, and I’ll be honest, this part is my least favorite. The first draft felt like a victory—getting William’s journey from beginning to end, pulling together all the historical threads, and weaving in the real genealogy behind it. That part  felt  like a win. But now I’m knee-deep in what I call the  scene surgery stage . It’s where I go line by line, digging out all the places where I was telling instead of showing. My first drafts are heavy on chronology—what happened and when—because I want to make sure the family story is honored as accurately as possible. But in this round, I have to turn dry facts into moments that  feel  alive. That means cutting. Rewriting. Doubting myself. Putting a scene back the way it was. Then rewriting it again. It’s a spiral of second-guessing that coul...