paternal history
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Lottie Packard: Twice Widowed, Mother of Ten, and a Birth Certificate That Raised More Questions Than it Answered
When I first came across Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Packard (1870-1952), she wasn’t my ancestor. She wasn’t even related to me by blood or marriage. In fact, I almost skipped past her entirely. Then I started reading the records. One document lead to another until the outline of an extraordinary life slowly emerged – a young wife,… Continue reading
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In Grandma’s Own Words: The Memories of Elizabeth (Maynard) Manley (1907-1998)
As a child growing up in the 1960s and 1970s I have fond memories of visiting my paternal grandparents in Tecumseh, Michigan. A couple of Sundays a month, my dad would load my mom and the children (my brothers, Jeff, Stephen, and I) into the car and make the 45-minute drive north from Toledo, Ohio… Continue reading
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You Can’t Outrun the Manley Nose
As part of my ancestry investigations I often browse eBay for vintage family-specific treasures using keywords such as surnames and locations. Sometimes I have the incredible luck of discovering a photo for a distant ancestor such as this one for Melinda “Minnie” Manly (1833-1916) who, according to Ancestry.com, is my “1X cousin, 5 generations removed”.… Continue reading
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From Sussex, England to the Penal Colonies of Australia: John Edwards Maynard (1786-1829)
Maynard Family History Part II I researched my paternal Maynard line for years before, with the assistance of another new-found distant cousin, Robert H. Waters of Sussex, England, we finally broke down the brick wall for John Edwards Maynard, my 4X great grandfather (Robert’s 3X great grand uncle). The incredible story that we unearthed about… Continue reading
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Almost First: The Manley Who Helped Settle Easton, Massachusetts
Throughout the years I have successfully traced my direct Manley lineage to the early colonies, with the first Manley arriving sometime in the early 1600s. My 8X great grandfather, William Manley, Sr. (1643-1717) is credited as the second settler of Easton, Massachusetts, Clement Briggs was named as the first. Although I can account for him… Continue reading
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From Plymouth Colony to Me: The Walker Family Line
Melissa is important in my tree for many reasons, not the least of which would be that the Walker family lineage stretches back several centuries to ‘Old Plymouth Colony’ and my descendancy from Melissa connects me with early 1600’s colonial roots in America. I have not yet determined the generational relationship between myself and Widow… Continue reading
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Tracing the Maynards: From Michigan to Sussex, England
Maynard Family History Part I My winding journey into the history of my Maynard ancestors begins with Elizabeth (Maynard) Manley (1907-1998), my paternal grandmother. Note that the original intent (and title) of this blog entry was “The Maynard’s of Sussex, England”. However, as I began to piece together the historical details from my ancestry tree I realized this… Continue reading
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A Buggy, A Train, and a Fatal Morning In Tecumseh: Franklin Alonzo ‘Frank’ Manley (1848-1891)
As I explored my family history and pieced together the details of each generation of grandparents, I found that the life of my 2X paternal great grandfather, Franklin Alonzo Manley, was a compelling story. My research on Frank was important as he was the conduit that connected the New York Manley’s with the Michigan Manley’s of my lineage.… Continue reading
Tiny Acorns & Mighty Oaks 