Kin and Konnections: A Family History Blog

Mom was on the familysearch.org site last night and found George Champion's parents: George Champion and Eleanor Ellis. We know it's his parents because it lists the same birthplace [Bristol, England] and birth date [24 February 1840]. No other information was found. Originally published on the MyFamily.com website on 2 July 2000. Edited for clarity. Comments are in brackets.

I spent a few hours this afternoon at the Los Angeles Public Library and found the following book: "The History of McLean County, Illinois," published by William Le Baron, Jr., & Company in Chicago in 1879. It contains a history of Normal Township which I will summarize later. In the business directory under Normal it lists Hiram Baker as a dealer in real estate. George Champion is listed as a dealer in hardware and tinware. On page 831 the biographical sketch of HIRAM BAKER states: "HIRAM BAKER, real estate, Normal; was born near Troy, N. Y., Sept. 27, 1818; son of B. and Lucy (Ives) Baker, who were of English descent. During his early life, he obtained a good business education, laying the foundation for future usefulness. He came to Illinois in 1837, locating in Fulton Co.; then, in 1841, removed to Peoria Co. where he was engaged in real estate some twenty-seven years; in fact, Mr. Baker has been a successful dealer in real estate thus far through life. He has im...

Yesterday while I was goofing off on the Internet (at home, not at work!) I found an article entitled, "McNokairds: The Early Sinclairs of Argyll," by Karen J. Matheson. Check it out at [website link has expired]. It quotes part of "The Jolly Beggar," by Robert Burns: "When thus the caird address'd her: My bonnie lass, I work in brass, A tinkler is my station: I've travell'd round all Christian ground In this my occupation; I've taen the gold, an been enrolled In many a noble squadron; But vain they search'd when off I march'd To go an clout the cauldron." Originally published on the MyFamily.com website on 30 May 2000. Edited for clarity. Comments are in brackets.

Many years ago, my family and friends gathered together in a private online community called, "Our Family Site." It was hosted by MyFamily.com, Inc.  We shared family news; wished happy birthdays and anniversaries; and celebrated babies being born, graduations, and weddings. This community lasted for about a decade, until everyone started migrating to other social media sites.  Before shutting it down, I backed up what I could, including several pieces I wrote about discovering our family history. I will be posting some of my family history stories from Our Family Site. They were written from 2000 through 2004. I hope that you will enjoy them and maybe you will discover something new. ~Michele Paplanus

Researching my family tree is an all consuming hobby.  Unfortunately, there are not enough hours in the day to devote to genealogy when there is also work, family and friends, obligations, and all the good and bad that goes with living life.  I first embarked on this journey 20 years ago, when my mother and I bought a PC and connected to the Internet for the first time.  Anyone remember dial up?  I used to come home from my long commute, start dialing up to CompuServe, have dinner, and wait to connect to the Internet.  It usually took 30 minutes.  Fast forward to now, when I lose patience if I get disconnected for a few seconds...

Mystery Mail from World War I Soldier The above postcard or carte postale is the oldest item in my grandmother's postcard collection.  A W. W. Allen sent the card via soldier mail from Paris, France, to Mrs. Frank Bryant of Los Angeles, California.  The front depicts an early 20th century street scene at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.  The message says, "Paris 4/13 [April 13th] - I'm having a short vacation and a wonderful time.  W. Allen."  Mrs. Bryant (nee Mary Ellen Ingersoll, 1862-1936), originally from Bloomington, Illinois, relocated to Los Angeles with her family in the early 1910s.  She was my grandmother's grandmother.  Mr. Allen is not a known relative.  So who could he be?  Perhaps he was a neighbor or a family friend.  There could be another connection.  There is a later postcard postmarked November 25, 1930, from Alice Allen of South Bend, Indiana, to Mrs. Bryant which starts wit...

Recently, I saw a segment about Ingersoll wristwatches circa World War I on the PBS television program Antiques Roadshow . It triggered a flashback to my mother telling me that we’re related to the Ingersoll watch family. At the time, images of Bavarian forefathers living deep in the forest and building cuckoo clocks swirled in my head. Before family lore starts spinning out of control, let’s explore the real story. I can trace at least two family lines, the Bryants of Reading, Massachusetts and the Ingersolls of Long Island, New York to early colonial America, through my great-grandfather, Jerome Calvin Bryant. Jerome and his mother, Mary Ellen Ingersoll, are listed on page 494 of A Genealogy of the Ingersoll Family in America 1629-1925 , by Lillian Drake Avery (click here to view a digital version of the book at FamilySearch). Mary Ellen (Henry Jackson 6 , Henry 5 , Ezra 4 , Josiah 3 , John 2 ,John 1 ) was the seventh generation from the immigrant ancestor born in England, Joh...