The year 2022 started out with the promise of the end of the COVID-19 global pandemic but quickly showed us the doorstep of World War III with the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24th. As it comes to a close, I look back at all the events that took place this year. Some predictable, others not, like my diagnosis with stage-IV prostate cancer in July, and the shocking, though not too surprising tragic death of my son, Mitchell, in the Kansas City area only 2 weeks after my diagnosis.
Continue readingTag Archives: family
The First “First Lady”
One of the largest repositories of genealogical data in the world belongs to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly referred to as the Mormons. During my ongoing research into my family tree, I’ve used the LDS genealogy website, familysearch.org, extensively and often receive notifications of new findings as they arise.
Continue readingTies to the Mayflower
Though it’s estimated that about 35 million Americans are related to the passengers of the Mayflower to some degree, it’s a little rarer to have a direct line to one, and no easy task to be able to prove it.
Continue readingThinking of Mom, Especially Today
Reflecting back on those times when my response of “Aw Mom!” to what was then considered nagging, would often be replied with, “Someday you’re going to miss your Mother!”
Continue readingCarolina On My Mind
I have very fond memories of North Carolina, having spent six of the first
eleven years of my life in Durham, all but two school years prior to Junior High there, and after ten years of being an only child, was blessed with a little sister while there.
Grampa Smith’s Civil War Documents
![Application for discharged soldiers' county bounty - Affidavit of Samuel B. Smith, for Samuel B. Smith [FRONT]](https://mlydewzthwfa.i.optimole.com/w:auto/h:auto/q:mauto/ig:avif/f:best/https://stephendowell.com/blogosphericaljournalization/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/12/Front.jpg)
Application for discharged soldiers’ county bounty – Affidavit of Samuel B. Smith, for Samuel B. Smith [FRONT]
I ventured upon these images from the Ball State University Digital Media Repository of Delaware County Civil War Resources, these photocopied documents issued to Samuel B. Smith – my Great, Great, Grandfather.
Continue readingEat, Drink, & Be Married!
The Wedding Crashers
Dad and I at Matt and Jessica’s Wedding in Salina, KS – May 2011
On May 28, 2011, Matt Scott and Jessica Jo Coleman were married in Salina, Kansas. Dad and I drove from Muncie, Indiana (we made it in about 12 hours), to attend and meet family members from that side of the family. I never realized how large that branch was! It was a very enjoyable time!
Continue readingChickamauga
There is a creek that flows north through upstate Georgia into the Tennessee River named Chickamauga. The name is derived from an Indian word for “bloody creek”, earned from the numerous inter-tribal conflicts in the area, between namely Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws and Cherokees.
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