Author: Deb

Genealogical Research in Central Pennsylvania for 50+ years. BSN from Thomas Jefferson University, Certificate in Family History- Genealogy, accent on British research from Brigham Young University, Certificate in Genealogy Consultant/Volunteer and member National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Association of Professional Genealogists, Mid-Atlantic Association of Professional Genealogists, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Genealogical Society of PA, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, National Genealogical Society, Lycoming County Historical Society, Pennsylvania Heritage Society, Mennonite Life (formerly Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society), LancasterHistory.org, The Historical Society of Dauphin County , The Perry Historians, Guild of One-Name_Studies- Duart, Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War 1861-1865. United States Daughters of 1812; The Welcome Society, Cumberland County Historical Society.
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Christmas Card Announces the passing of Lynn Alan White,

I love to receive those Christmas letters.  Why do people send Christmas cards if they are just going to sign their name.  I always look at the letter as catching up at least once a year with those distant cousins, friends and past colleagues.  If you take the time to address that card, at least give me one or two lines on how you and your family were this past year.

Unfortunately, Christmas letters sometimes bring sad news, such as this year my cousin, Lynn White passed away at 61 years old.  Too young to leave this world.  Lynn and I were usually assigned to sit be each other in school, when going alphabetically.  That is when I really got to know him.  Then we both went to Wilkes-Barre, PA to college, Lynn to Wilkes and me to King’s and Mercy.  As the years went by, so did our keeping in touch, so I was particularly sad to get the news of his passing on the 4th of July in Lance’s letter.

I’ve heard from many of our classmates and Lynn’s passing has hit our class fairly hard.  I guess it is just our facing our own mortality and the end of making new memories with him.  Lynn rest in peace.  You are missed, but not forgotten.

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Abraham Hershey Connected and another two White’s to go

As I continue with other prospective member applications to NSDAR, I also find new ancestors for me.  My latest is the connection to Abraham Hershey.  Now I can say I’m a Hershey with a Hershey connection.  My original application, so many years ago, was with Abraham Long.  His son married Catherine Hershey, whose father fought in the revolutionary war.  A quick connection and another ancestor bar for my pins.

Recently, my cousins from Seattle WA were in for a visit.  We had a great conversation about all of our ancestors, when Mark posed the question  “did any of the White’s fight in the war”?  I thought I knew the answer, but then questioned whether I every checked.  Sure enough, Thomas White, born in Rye Twp., Perry County, PA had been proven by a DAR member.  So to the computer to search for all those direct connections.  Actually, I can do two applications for Thomas because down the line first cousins married.  William White’s daughter married Thomas White’s son, generation 6 – grandchildren of the Patriot Thomas.   A couple of more proofs and off to DAR go these supplementals.

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Duart One-Name-Study adds DNA

My Duart One-Name-Study will begin to add a DNA component.  In the next couple of weeks I will work on the website where you can log on and obtain the DNA kit for reduced price, from FamilyTreeDNA.  http://www.familytreedna.com/  My goal is to prove Scottish descent.

I have traced John Duart b. 1784 in N. Ireland, but have not been very successful in getting back beyond his parents, who I am pretty sure are Thomas and Margaret (Ferguson) Duart.  Although the One-Name-Study is not necessarily to research specific family lines, I had hoped to find further information about mine.

I have also had difficulty with the ONS website and putting a spread sheet on line.  If anyone is tech savvy and thinks they know how to do this, I would be open to your assistance.

 

 

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Beatrice Mary White McCord

Well, another report of sad news.  Aunt Bea McCord passed away at the age of 91 years on September 29th, 2013.  She was the last of 3 children of Walter and Effie (Bell) White.  The family will have a memorial service October 19th in Troy, PA and she will be buried in the White family plot in Glenwood Cemetery, Troy.

Many students will remember her as a physical education or science teacher in the Troy Area School District.  She was a lifelong member of the Troy Presbyterian Church and many other organizations in the area.

I can hardly believe that I have known Aunt Bea for so many years.  She read books to me and introduced me to “Horton Hatches an Egg” and Beatrix Potter books.  As a kid I probably thought she wrote those as I thought Grandma White (E.B. White – Effie Bell White) wrote “Charlotte’s Web”.  It wasn’t until I was in my 20’s that I realized E.B. White was a man.

Growing up in Snedekerville with the McCord cousin’s was a very special time that created a bond between our families that very few people of this age are able to have.  We are now spread across the country, but times like these we are back together and can reminisce about our days in Sned.

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John Sanford Brown’s Family Reunion

Shirley Brown hosted another John Sanford Brown family reunion at her lovely cabin on Armenia Mountain, Bradford County, Pennsylvania again this year.  The showing was a little slim, but everyone seemed to be enjoying the gathering.  The weather was perfect to share a meal, collect newts and visit the windmill farm on the mountain.

I collected the latest family additions and got to meet some of my newer cousins.  Funny how some of these connects were there all along, but I never made them.  As I’m growing older, I seem to become wiser about my relatives.  The Brown’s didn’t move far from Bradford and Sullivan Counties, so many of my high school classmates were distant cousins.  It’s only through the reunions that I put two and two together.

While at the New England Historic Genealogical Society conference, I was able to get some of my family lines back very far and now know where John got his Sanford name.  I hope to have this all put together by next year so the Brown’s will know their glorious heritage.

I hope the Brown’s continue to get together and thank Shirley for making this happen.

See you next year.

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Brown Reunion 2013

Cousin Shirley Brown has once again called for the Brown’s to gather at her lovely cabin in the woods.  She has graciously provided her home and eats for many years.  This year it is August 18th, lunch at 1:00.  Bring a dish to pass, drink and lawn chair.  Kids have plenty to do in the woods, but if you don’t think they are going to be entertained enough, bring games for them to keep occupied.

Also, bring your family updates to be recorded in the Brown History.  I wasn’t able to attend last year, so it will be anything you have from Aug. 2011 to the present.

I will have the latest book available for those who are related to the Shoemaker’s, Packard’s, Morse’s, Beardsley’s, etc.  It is $35.00 hardback.

See you there.

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Hershey’s Come One, Come All

The annual Frank and Lydia (Buckwalter) Hershey family reunion will be held Sunday, August 25, 2013 at 1:00 pm at the Paradise Community Park, Paradise, PA. Pavilion #2.  Bring a large dish to pass, table service, lawn chairs, drink and old pictures.  Please let your immediate family know about the reunion.  If I have an up to date email, they should be receiving a notice soon.  Playground, athletic fields are available, bring your own equipment.

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Revolutionary War Patriot Homes

I’ve blogged about this before, but just have to say — I keep getting more patriot homes in PA every week.  I try to record all the homes by county and do further research to be sure that the home is one that was built and/or lived in by a patriot.

I will be speaking to the Regents’ Club of Central Pennsylvania soon about the homes in this region and to promote the Harrisburg Chapter book “Revolutionary War Patriot Historic Houses in Dauphin County Pennsylvania”.  It is such a beautiful book and well worth the price, especially if you are interested in local history.  The ladies did a wonderful job of identifying and documenting 60 homes in their book.

I started collecting homes from other counties while I was the NSDAR State Chairman for Historic Preservation.  I have located, with the help of daughters around Pennsylvania, 41 additional homes.  If you find any that you would like to preserve with the NSDAR, feel free to email me at my website with information about where the home is located and who is the patriot associated with the home, I will do the rest of the work.  A photo of the property would be appreciated.

Happy Hunting

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Winding Down My Term and Moving On

Well, the three years as South Central District Director for the Pennsylvania State Society, DAR is winding down.  I’ve had a busy 3 years, but very rewarding.  I have visited each of the DAR Chapters in the South Central and joined in on many other celebrations.  It is so much fun and you get to meet the most interesting people.

I will now be concentrating more on Lineage Society applications.  I’m taking on the Sons of the American Colonists.  I guess I should try doing my papers for Daughters of the American Colonists.  It is one more way to document my ancestors and their struggles to start in a new world.  I also will be working on those few elusive ancestors who moved from the New England states to Pennsylvania.  Joel Packard where are your parents?

I’ve submitted another ancestor for Daughters of the Union Veterans of  Civil War.  Great grandfather, Joseph S. Shoemaker, certainly lead an interesting life.  He and great grandfather John Wesley Duart fought in the same 7th PA Cavalry.  As I’m learning more about both of them, I hope to write an article to let others know just how brave they were to go to war.

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Duarts One and All

I am looking for Duarts who are male descendants from John Duart b. 1784, d. 1829, Ontario Canada, to take a DNA test.  This would help in determining the family line and whether we are actually part of the MacLean’s of Duart.  If you would contact me through this website, I will give you further information.  If you have already done a DNA test and would be willing to share the results, it would be greatly appreciated.

I am trying to add another dimension to the Duart One-Name-Study with DNA test results and on-line database.