michigan 7th cavalry

September 2, 2026

Nineteen Years Old and Far From Home: The Short Life of James N. Jordan

In the fall of 1862, eighteen-year old James N. Jordan of Tecumseh, Michigan, enlisted in Company B of the 7th Michigan Cavalry. His older brother, William Cairns Jordan, was already serving with Company I of the 18th Michigan Infantry. Two sons from the same Tecumseh family had gone off to war. James would never come… Continue reading

paternal history

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“The creation of a thousand forests is one acorn.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

Welcome! My name is Lisa, and I’m a family historian, storyteller, and unapologetic history nerd with a deep love for discovering the ordinary people, places, and stories that came before us.

What began as curiosity about my own ancestors has grown into a passion for researching, preserving, and sharing the stories, photographs, documents, and places that connect generations across time. Along the way, I’ve discovered that some of the best stories aren’t necessarily found on my family tree. Sometimes they’re hiding in an old newspaper, a forgotten recipe, a historic place – or some random bit of history I simply can’t resist sharing.

I believe every ancestor – whether they left behind a diary or only a name on a census record – deserves to be remembered. My hope is that this site not only preserves my family’s history for future generations, but also celebrates the fascinating, surprising, and sometimes wonderfully everyday stories of the past.

Because history is everywhere. You just have to be curious enough to look.

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michigan 7th cavalry

Nineteen Years Old and Far From Home: The Short Life of James N. Jordan