Photo: detail of the Apple Press Monument (a relic of the 1894 Mid-Winter Fair), Music Concourse, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California. Credit: Joe Mabel; Wikimedia Commons.

My Great-Uncle Albert: No Wonder I Like Apples

By Thomas Jay Kemp on October 23, 2017

An article about Thomas Jay Kemp’s great-uncle Albert Sawyer – who, it turns out, was busy making cider in the late 19th century... (Read More)

Photo: Maple Avenue Methodist Church, Stamford, Connecticut. Source: Thomas Jay Kemp.

I Knew My Ancestor Was Religious, but… the Pastor Had the Police Eject Him from Church?

By Thomas Jay Kemp on October 10, 2017

An article about Thomas Jay Kemp’s ancestor William, a “Shouting Methodist” who was kicked out of the church for being too loud... (Read More)

Photo: a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich on toasted bread. Credit: Steven Groves; Wikimedia Commons.

What Did You See during Your Lunch Today?

By Thomas Jay Kemp on September 20, 2017

In this humorous article, Thomas Jay Kemp writes about a recent lunch with his wife, using various ancestors’ surnames to enliven his account... (Read More)

Kindness of Strangers in Returning Old Family Photo

By Thomas Jay Kemp on September 18, 2017

An article about a kind stranger across the country who sent Thomas Jay Kemp an old photo of cousins in his family tree that she found in a flea market... (Read More)

Photo: embroidery made by Esther Stoddard, c. 1750. Source: Historic Northampton Museum & Education Center, Northampton, Massachusetts.

She Was 78 when She Died, and Left a Lasting Keepsake

By Thomas Jay Kemp on July 28, 2017

An article about a family heirloom: a piece of embroidery that Esther Stoddard made c. 1750, when she was about 12 years old... (Read More)

Painting: "Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor," by William Halsall, 1882. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Mayflower Pilgrim Elizabeth (Tilley) Howland: Orphan, Survivor, Foremother

By Thomas Jay Kemp on June 9, 2017

An article about Mayflower pilgrim Elizabeth Tilley, who came over on the Mayflower in 1620 along with her parents John and Joan (Hurst) Tilley... (Read More)

Where Did You Go to Elementary School?

By Thomas Jay Kemp on March 22, 2017

An article about Katherine T. Murphy and the school named after her in Stamford, Connecticut... (Read More)

Genealogy Discovery: Matchless Love in Old Tennessee

By Thomas Jay Kemp on March 15, 2017

An article about all three Love siblings being married by their father, the Rev. William Love, on the same day: 10 April 1842... (Read More)

Photo: Common Burying Ground and Island Cemetery in Newport, Rhode Island. Credit: Matt H. Wade.; Wikimedia Commons.

Her Obituary Tells Her Story: Margaret Hollman

By Thomas Jay Kemp on March 10, 2017

An article about the life of Margaret Hollman, based on details in her obituary... (Read More)

Category: Genealogy Stories