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An Exploration of my Family's Genealogy, Ancestors and Their Journey Through History
Chasing Family Ghosts
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Aug 25, 20241 min read
The Art of Jacob B. Schoener
Following up on last week's post , here are some examples of Jacob's artwork. The following three works are from my personal collection....
Aug 18, 20244 min read
The Portrait & Miniature Painter
Jacob Boyer Schoener was born in Reading, PA in 1805, the eldest child of William and Catherine ( née Boyer) Schoener. By the age of...
Jul 22, 20245 min read
The Combat Engineer, Part 3
For Part 2, click here . Elmer Shaner reported to the Group Commander at Karlsruhe Airfield on 2 April 1952 and assumed command of the...
Jul 14, 20247 min read
The Combat Engineer, Part 2
For Part 1, click here. After arriving in Hampton Roads, Elmer remained there until 1 September 1945 when he received 30 days...
Jul 7, 20248 min read
The Combat Engineer, Part 1
Elmer Ellsworth Shaner was born on 3 March 1921 in Turtle Creek, PA. He was the only child of George L. and Ruby (née Ayers) Shaner. By...
Jun 30, 20245 min read
A Blue In Gray
John Monroe Blue was born March 25, 1834, four miles north of Romney, Virginia, now West Virginia, along the banks of the South Branch of...
Jun 16, 20243 min read
Reading's Piano Maker
John B. Schoener was born in Reading, PA in 1807. He was the second child and second son of William B. and Catherine (née Boyer)...
Jun 9, 20244 min read
William B. Schoener, Jr. - Part 2
William's story continues. For Part One, click here. Besides mulberry trees, William also had a vineyard a peach orchard that contained...
Jun 3, 20243 min read
William B. Schoener, Jr. - Part 1
Welcome to my 250th post! William B. Schoener, Jr. was born on 29 February 1812 in Reading, PA. He was the fourth child and third son of...
May 20, 20244 min read
Cigar Anyone?
When people think about states that grow tobacco, Pennsylvania is probably not one that comes to mind. The tobacco history in...
May 5, 20243 min read
The Sheriff of Luzerne County
John Stephen Oberrender was born on 4 September 1829 in Ebersdorf in Saxe-Coburg, Germany. He was the oldest child of Johann Nicholaus...
Apr 22, 20245 min read
The Life & Times of Daniel Shaner, Jr, Part 2
Daniel's story continues after moving to Washington Territory. Click here for Part 1 In early 1886, Daniel moved his family west from...
Apr 14, 20247 min read
The Life & Times of Daniel Shaner, Jr, Part 1
Daniel Shaner, Jr. was born in Eastbrook, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania on 18 May 1845. He was the eldest son of Daniel Shaner, Sr. and...
Apr 7, 20245 min read
"Little Short of Madness"
DeWitt Clinton and the Erie Canal In the early years of the United States, transportation of goods between the coastal ports and the...
Mar 25, 20248 min read
Trapped in the Sierra Nevadas
The story of how an intended shortcut led to unspeakable tragedy. Solomon Blue, Sr. married Telitha Ann Morris in Montgomery County, Ohio...
Mar 18, 20247 min read
Ben vs. The Bald Eagle
The bald eagle has been a symbol of the United States for as long as the country has existed. It first appeared on Massachusetts...
Mar 11, 20243 min read
A Colonial Colonel
Lewis DuBois was born in early 1744, and baptized on 9 September 1744 at the Reformed Dutch of Fishkill, New York. His father, Elias,...
Mar 4, 20246 min read
The Pioneer Cartographer
Simeon De Witt was born in Wawarsing, Ulster County, New York on 25 December 1756. He was one of 14 children born to Dr. Andries and...
Feb 26, 20243 min read
All Roads Lead to Ulster County, NY
It was no great surprise to find a lot of grandparents on the maternal side of my family tree to have initially settled in the part of...
Feb 19, 20245 min read
The De Witts
This farm is one of the oldest in the Esopus Valley and tradition tells that it was transferred prior to 1700 by Tjerck Claessen DeWitt...
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