Dr. Caleb Ormsby and the SS Central America – New Page

I’ve added a new page telling the story of my cousin, Dr. Caleb Noble Ormsby, the California Gold Rush, and the SS Central America. Please click on this link to read the entire story.

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Deborah Sampson – Revolutionary War Soldier and American Folk Hero

Deborah Sampson was the first known American woman to impersonate a man in order to join the army and take part in combat. She was born in Plympton, MA on December 17, 1760, the oldest of three daughters and three sons to Jonathan and Deborah Bradford Sampson. Deborah is my 3rd cousin, 7 times removed. [...]

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Past Days | May 21, 2009

I’m thinking about how our daily lives compare to those of our ancestors, hundreds of years ago. At night, they would quietly walk around their home, so as not to disturb those who were sleeping, while holding a candle or lamp to illuminate their way. Last night, I stayed up later than the rest of [...]

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My Ancestors’ Occupations

One aspect of genealogy I find most interesting is discovering the occupations of my ancestors. Here are some of the more interesting ways they supported their families. sawyer – a sawmill owner, operator or worker druggist butcher smith – a metal worker ship carpenter dressmaker gold prospector ferryman – the owner or operator of a [...]

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Silas Newcomb – Greenwich Tea Burning: 1774

In the autumn of 1774, a year after the tea party in Boston, a British ship, the “Greyhound”, that was denied entry into Philadelphia, tried to sell its cargo in Greenwich, Cumberland Co., NJ. She was loaded with a cargo of tea sent out by the East India Tea Company, and was undoubtedly under the [...]

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