While researching my great, great grandfather, Reuben Houston Ward (aka Rev. R. H. Ward), I came across this short, sweet newspaper article today: LINDEN, Sept. 22.-(Special.)- James W. Lewis, Circuit Court Clerk, and Miss Dickson were married by Rev. R. H. Ward at his residence on March Creek Sunday afternoon. The couple came to his residence in a buggy, and stopping under the cool shade of a beech tree they called for the minister. He went out and while seated in the buggy they were united in the bonds of humanity. The newly married couple started at once for Linden. Lewis-Dickson Marriage,...
My 6x great grandparents, Cornelius and Phebe (Ward) Vincent, both fought for freedom during the Revolutionary War. Over 100 years ago, a newspaper journalist visited the cemetery where they had been buried more than 100 years earlier. He wrote a wonderful description of the cemetery, and happened to include the inscription of my ancestor’s headstone! Image of tombstone of Cornelius and Phebe Vincent taken by Jeff Harvey and posted 21 Nov 2012 This headstone is now more than 200 years old and is mostly unreadable. I appreciate Jeff Harvey, a volunteer at Find A Grave, for posting this photo and...
As part of Women’s History Month, Lisa Alzo has created 31 blogging prompts which you can find on her blog, The Accidental Genealogist. If you’re participating in the Fearless Females blogging challenge this month, let me know & I’ll hop over & read your posts! March 1st prompt: Do you have a favorite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key fact you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check. Sallie (~ age 58) is in the middle...
For the past few months, I’ve tried to figure out how to set a “primary photo” for an individual. It was easy on the “old” Ancestry! I finally called Ancestry and they quickly sent me an email with a link that explained the steps I needed to take. I don’t think it is intuitive (or I would have figured it out!), so I’m sharing the steps. STEP 1: Go to the profile page for the person on your tree and click “Gallery” to see all the images. STEP 2: Click on the image you want to use as the primary...
After writing about my Grandmother, Evelyn (Dickson) Kaechle, this past weekend, I decided to share some of her old family photos. The photos were probably all taken in Perry County, Tennessee where my grandmother grew up. This is a photo of Sallie (Dickson) Ward, my grandmother’s grandmother. My grandmother was raised by Sallie since her own mother, Nora (Ward) Dickson, died when she was only 8 months old. Sallie lived to be 99 years old and lived her entire life in Perry County, Tennessee. This photo was labeled “Sallie & Mary.” Sallie is Sallie (Dickson) Ward who is also pictured...
My grandmother, Evelyn (Dickson) Kaechle, was born 100 years ago today. Though she died in 2004 at the age of 88, I’m paying tribute to her by sharing part of her life’s story in words and photos. Evelyn was the fifth child born to James Bedford & Nora (Ward) Dickson. Both the Ward and Dickson families had lived in Perry County, Tennessee for generations. But, for some reason, Evelyn was born about 100 miles away in Newbern, Dyer County, Tennessee on October 10th, 1915. Sadly, when Evelyn was only 8 1/2 months old, her mother died. I remember Grandma telling...
Earlier this year, I wrote about my grandmother’s grandfather, Reuben H. Ward. According to my grandmother’s story, he was a Methodist circuit rider who had been murdered while going down the river. His body was then thrown overboard. I uncovered more details of the story through newspaper articles. Index from Ancestry’s Insolvent Estates, Perry County, Tennessee Ward, R. H., page 62; Notice there is one more Ward and 2 more Whitwells who are also likely my relatives. I haven’t looked at these yet. This week, while looking at Ancestry’s new “probate and wills” databases, I discovered more information about Reuben...
Lisa Alzo has used the month of March for her “Fearless Females” blogging prompts for the past 6 years. She has posted her daily prompts and has also included free access to her “Tips and Tricks for Tracing Female Ancestors” Webinar for the month. March 2nd prompt: Post a photo of one of your female ancestors. Who is in the photo? When was it taken? Why did you select this photo? Lillian (Ward) Evans, my grandmother Evelyn (Dickson) Kaechle sitting, my great, great grandmother Sallie (Ward) Dickson, age 92 sitting, my mom, her oldest brother Sherman, and baby Ronnie (photo...
Lisa Alzo has used the month of March for her “Fearless Females” blogging prompts for the past 6 years. She has posted her daily prompts and has also included free access to her “Tips and Tricks for Tracing Female Ancestors” Webinar for the month. March 1st prompt: Do you have a favorite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check. Sisters Mary, Julia & Sallie Dickson in Perry...
My grandmother told the story of her grandfather, Reuben H Ward, a Methodist minister who was murdered. She said he was on the Tennessee River going to preach and someone murdered him and then threw his body overboard. Several years ago, I came across a newspaper article that another researcher had found about this tragic event. It not only affirmed my grandmother’s story, but it also added some crucial information: Reuben’s body was found weeks later many miles down river a man named Charlie Ledbetter was charged with his murder the “evidence was not sufficient to convict” Ledbetter Tonight, I...
