documenting my very southern genealogy from the plantation to the frontier
My DNA profile is mostly predictable. I am 99 percent European. But there were two little surprises in the mix. According to 23andMe, I have .06 percent South Asian (India, Pakistan, etc.) DNA, and .04 percent West African DNA. My parents recently tested as well, offering a great opportunity to sort out what came from … Continue reading The Other One Percent
Thinking about all the women who came before us on international women's day.
Establishing my 3rd great-grandmothers parentage, while learning about eldercare arrangements in times past.
Advice for descendants of slave holders on locating records at Family Search.
I've just added the wills of my 5th great-grandparents, William W. Walker (abt. 1780-abt. 1840) and his wife Nancy Townsend Walker (1785-abt. 1850) to my tree. William and Nancy were both born in Virginia, probably in or near Frederick county. This is at the northern tip of the state around Winchester, right on the Great … Continue reading Wills of William and Nancy Townsend Walker of Benton County, Tennessee
Five wives, nine lives, and an understated obituary.
The story of the only Bembry to wear Union blue.
For Valentine's Day, four photos of couples from my family tree.
It is very common for white genealogists not to know about, or not to know the full extent of, slave holding in their own families. Until a few years ago, I was one of them! One reason is that genealogy websites do not put this kind of information front and center. In fact, it is … Continue reading Hiding in Plain Sight: Slave Records on Ancestry.com
While this blog covers my maternal line, I've also kept a similar blog for my paternal line, Bembry Roots. I just merged that blog into this one so now everything is in one place. Phew! I also took the opportunity to streamline and update the design. I'm still working out the last kinks, but hopefully, … Continue reading Consolidating My Family History Blogs
A Long Way to Tennessee 