You could say that there were several moments that lead to my fascination with genealogy. The most notable one, came 2 years before I ever picked up a piece of research, before I ever really had an understanding of what learning about my family’s history would mean for me. My Dad’s first cousin had reached…
Category: Stories
Historian Heartbreak
I found a plat book from Antwerp Township, Michigan in 1930. It was one of those moments when the world just seems still and your heart races and you just know that it’s all going to come together…. Only, It didn’t. My Great-Grandparent’s names weren’t listed anywhere on the map, and as many hours, yes…
Something Old & Something New
My love of genealogy has slowly been increasing over the past couple years. It has been an incredible experience. I have discovered some pretty amazing things about my family and their story; I’ve been able to connect with distant family members and share photos and stories. There are items that I’ve had in my possession…
Martin Hevezi- Place of birth
My Great-Grandfather, Martin Hevezi came to the United States from Hungary on April 16, 1906. Although I can’t find any passenger records for him, I was able to pull the date off his naturalization card. According to the record, his port of arrival was New York. – We have a good idea of what he…
George and Margaret Steele- From Pennsylvania to Indiana
My husband I did what no one in either of our families had done in over 5 generations- We moved away from Indiana. Both our family’s roots grow deep in the Hoosier state, and the romantic in me can’t help to think about how the stars aligned just right for us to meet where we…
Gary, Indiana. A Quick Look.
Gary, Indiana has a full and exciting history that started with the American Dream and unfortunately ended in sadness. In the beginning, Gary was a booming town. Founded in 1906, by the U.S Steel Corporation; Gary was the home to their new plant “Gary Works”. The location was prime, with easy access to transport iron…
Martin and Margaret Hevezi-The Beginning
My Great-Grandparents both immigrated to the United States from Hungary. According to immigration records, Martin Hevezi arrived in the U.S. in 1906 at the age of 28. He first settled in The Miner’s Village in Cornwall, Pennsylvania, about 80 miles west of Philadelphia. He worked as an iron mill laborer. At the time, many immigrants…
The Heavins- Our Scottish Roots and how Indiana became HOME.
The beginning of my family history journey started with this. The Migration of The Heavin Familes. – written by my Great-Grandmother Elizabeth Matthews Gillespie. I had received a copy of what Elizabeth wrote from my cousin Debbie along with some other information that she kept about her family and it sparked a big interest for me to learn…
Charles Gillespie v. The People
On December 20, 1900, the Illinois supreme court upheld the ruling of the Vermilion County Court in the case of Gillespie v. Gibbons. Charles Gillespie (my 3rd great-grandfather) was a contractor in Danville, Illinois and employed Reuben Gibbons, a carpenter. While he was employed, Gibbons joined a legal labor union, Local Union No.269. As soon…
The Branstetters.
My 3rd great grandparents on my maternal grandmother’s side were Elcanah Branstetter and Marena Montgomery. They were married on December 3, 1874 in St. James, Missouri, where they were both born and raised. Together, they had 10 children, Norah, Edna, Dorsey “Doss” , Zaddie (my 2nd great-grandmother), James, Thomas, Mary, Morris, Myrtle, and William. Elcanah…
My Story & Theirs 