Ten men tied to DeKalb County, Tennessee, left to fight for the Union, most of them in the United States Colored Troops. All ten had been born enslaved. What became of them, and of the wives, children, and communities they left behind, survives today in an unlikely place: the federal pension files the government kept on each of them, sometimes for sixty years after the war ended. Continue reading My first Book is published!
However, the community came together: one volunteer took it upon themselves to clear a good portion of the overgrown area; then a local company donated dirt to help fill the sunken graves, and 2 others showed up with excavators to move that dirt where it was most needed. Many other volunteers showed up to help fix and clean the stones, apply sweat equity where needed, while others researched the first 100 names of those buried without stones, with the first stone placed in June of this year. Funds were donated to help cover the cost of the next stone, which is hoped to be placed by the new year. Continue reading Alexandria – Old School Tennessee
How a whiskey-soaked afternoon in 1898 put a father and his two sons on trial for murder — twice — … Continue reading “Hell Popped”: A Sunday Killing at Mine Lick and the Long Road to the Tennessee Supreme Court
Researching our family histories can take many resources, and not all researchers have the resources to order essential records. So … Continue reading Matlock and Zilpha Roberts Genealogy Military Pension File Grant Program.
When visiting the Carthage library, I ran across detailed transcriptions of the diaries of two Wauford brothers that Daphene Willoughby completed; it turns out she’s related to me at least by marriage. The first are the diaries of Reverend Charles Wauford from 1909 to 1924. Continue reading DeKalb Tales – The Waufords
One shot entered the lower portion of Harve’s heart; another grazed Harve’s abdomen between the naval and pelvis bone. The gunshot through the heart would cause the instantaneous death of Harve. Continue reading William Henry Bess – the Harve Robinson murder
“My children are not to dispose of the land herein bequeathed, only in the following way. They may sell one to another and reinvest in other lands and in no way, Roads, passages are to be allowed over the entire farm, where they will do the least damage for the benefit of my wife and children. Continue reading DeKalb Tales – The Early Drivers
Matlock Roberts and his family were one of those brave pioneer families, leaving Cumberland County, Kentucky about 1829 and finding themselves in Lincoln, Jackson, Smith and Wilson County over the decades. During that time their family is seen growing crops of tobacco and corn and deeding them to others. Continue reading DeKalb Trails, Episode #1 – Meet Matlock Roberts and Families
I heard the calling of lost photo’s that wanted to go home, whispering down the dirt road, saying find me.. find me…
Take a step back with me to 1905 as we learn about who they were, and why the family still has an area named after them in Lewis County, Wsshington. Continue reading The photo album of Flora Waunch
Last Thursday, while Howard Wheeler, a boy about 14 years old, who lives south of town was handling a 38 Winchester rifle it was accidentally discharged, the ball passing through the left ear and grazing the scalp. – Hamilton Grit(Hamilton Kansas) 23 Jun 1905 page 8 Continue reading On finding home…
