It all started with a Prince

Institution is a word of many definitions.  The first one that comes to mind is a public or private place for the care or confinement of inmates, especially mental patients or other persons with physical or mental disabilities.  Very few families from the last Century have been exempt from dealings with local institutions. Whether a physically challenged person or an elderly family member that really wasn't ill but dealing with issues such as dementia. Much different than today. My great grandfather Michael Sheridan was sent to the Traverse City State Hospital in 1924. The TCSH was built in 1881. The first superintendent was James Munson. He was a forward-thinking individual and used 'beauty and work' theories. Not drugs and restraints. There was a working farm, wood shops, greenhouses and other activities for the patients to be fully engaged in.  In 1924, the usual and normal way was to 'commit' a person who could no longer be given the care needed. You didn't...

  DNA does not lie. That is what they say. So, as I was questioning the Conner origins, doing a DNA test would be able to help clear up any controversy. Right? My husband Dan was a tall, red-headed young man when we met in High School. I soon learned he was the son of another tall, red-headed man. And his dad's brother also had red hair when younger and even went by the name of 'Red'. With a name like Conner - I was excited to meet, date and eventually marry an Irishman. And his mom was a Daly! Back in the early1970's there was no such thing as computers, cell phones and DNA testing.  So, I began researching his family the old-fashioned way...by mail, utilizing the local Family Search library, and subscribing to genealogy magazines. My favorite thing to do was take a 'road trip' and my husband was wonderful about driving me about. His grandfather George Conner was born in Michigan. Great-grandfather William Conner had been born in Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada. And ...

Usually, research starts with now and works its way back. But I am going to start at the end of one of my lines (so far).  It starts with John Dillingham, born ca1490 in Upper Dean, Bedfordshire, England. John married Joan Olyff from Over Dean, Bedfordshire, England. They were the parents of 10 children. I descend from their youngest son William Dillingham, born ca1540. And the next 12 generations down to me have a lot of stories that they can tell. But I want to concentrate today on my 11th great-grandfather's brother. His name was Walter Dillingham, and he was born ca1526 in Upper Dean, Bedfordshire, England and was married to Alice Roulte.  They were the parents of six children.   Their first-born son was Francis Dillingham who was born 15 Aug 1568 in Upper Dean, England and died 24 Feb 1625 in Wilden, England.  Francis was an English Protestant scholar and cleric. He was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, becoming a Fellow there in 1594. He was one of ...

Way back - back before computers were commonplace, I received a letter from my husband's Aunt Virginia (Smith) Frantz. She was the family genealogist for his Smith/Daly family back then. I had the basics, but she had the 'meat' of the family. In the letter, she stated that she had discovered that her 2x great grandfather had been William S Smith - who descended from his father William Stubens Smith. This 3x great grandfather had been married to Catherine Johnson, and he was the son of Col William Stephens Smith and Abigail (Adams) Smith, also called "Nabby".  Abigail was the daughter of President John Adams and his wife Abigail (Smith).  Very exciting news! Of course, the internet was not what it is today, access to far-reaching library shelves was only after a road trip, and often even then, books were not accurate. So, the news languished in my mountains of notes, papers, and even in my software program for a number of years.  Until one day that I decided to try...