Way back in the 1990s I had a website entitled Roads Home to Florida. It introduced the lines that I then had identified, along with stories and photos. When I look back on that it seems like another century. Oh, wait, it was! But I was middle-aged then and in good health and into the … Continue reading Roads Home to Florida
Family History
A Dive Into the Deep End of History
A few month ago, before my life altering event, I was contacted by the staff of the genealogy show, Finding Your Roots, about the supposed contraband mentioned in the after-action report from the Raid on Marianna, FL. I had to disappoint them that while the report mentions hundreds of people freed, there is no documentation … Continue reading A Dive Into the Deep End of History
What Can the 1870 Census Tell Us About Reconstruction in the Panhandle?
For many of us who are into history and genealogy, we are always wanting to know what a particular ancestor experienced during certain major events from the past. You might want to know what battles an ancestor was in during the War for Southern Independence (aka Civil War, War Between the States) or what an … Continue reading What Can the 1870 Census Tell Us About Reconstruction in the Panhandle?
Shall We Gather at the River is Published and Available for Purchase
For all those who have heard me say I was busy writing it but it never seemed to be finished, well, it is finished and published. It is available from Lulu.com in hard cover. The book is published on premium, coated paper so the newspaper clippings and photos are as clear as I can make … Continue reading Shall We Gather at the River is Published and Available for Purchase
Protecting Our Precious Heirloom Items in Disasters and for Future Generations, Part 2
The items we are going to discuss in this blog can cover the gamut of things we can inherit from our parents and grandparents. They can be small or large, cloth or ceramic, valuable in terms of money or just to you for the memory. It doesn’t matter. If it is important to you then … Continue reading Protecting Our Precious Heirloom Items in Disasters and for Future Generations, Part 2
Protecting Our Precious Documents and Photographs in Disasters, Part 1
Whether you read this blog because you are a Florida Panhandle history buff or a family genealogist who understands the importance of putting your ancestors into the context of the history they experienced, my guess is you have some documents, photographs or maybe material items that you have collected or you inherited from someone in … Continue reading Protecting Our Precious Documents and Photographs in Disasters, Part 1
Three of the Older Cemeteries along the western side of the Upper Yellow River
We’ve come to the third and final installment in this series on burial rituals and cemeteries in the Florida Panhandle. The first two, if you missed them are here and here. In this post, I would like to present three small cemeteries that I am as intimately connected to as a person can be with … Continue reading Three of the Older Cemeteries along the western side of the Upper Yellow River
Burial Practices in Early Northwest Florida
This may seem like a morbid subject but as family historians it is very helpful to understand how our ancestors handled the death of someone in the family. I can’t tell you the numbers of times I’ve heard someone lament not being able to find a death certificate or even the burial location of one … Continue reading Burial Practices in Early Northwest Florida
Celebrating Our History During a Pandemic: Taking a Step (or Two) Towards More Resilience While Having Fun!
I’ve seen a lot about the isolation and depression that seems to have gripped a lot of people during this past year. The pandemic has caused us to have to take stock in how we manage our lives day to day, how we interact with people, and how we entertain ourselves. All of that while … Continue reading Celebrating Our History During a Pandemic: Taking a Step (or Two) Towards More Resilience While Having Fun!
Updates and Links to My Posts on the 1st Florida Union Cavalry Volunteers
As I indicated in my post at the first of November, I’m taking some time from writing new material to give myself time to adjust to no longer having my Mom with me. But I am taking the time to do some updating of some of my prior posts and thought I would start by … Continue reading Updates and Links to My Posts on the 1st Florida Union Cavalry Volunteers
Northwest Florida History & Genealogy 