Prologue I look through a foggy window, peering to see the man on the other side. His last name was Fay. His wife knew him as Edgar Fay. None of the people who knew Edgar directly are alive today. Walter Dempsey Fay was the third child of Edgar and his wife Mellie. When Walter grew…
The Amazing Mabel Hackney Tompkins: Wild West Sensation and Oklahoma Connection
A sixteen-year-old boy in Franklin, Nebraska left home in 1893. He left with “an older companion,” leaving his parents and siblings upset and concerned. He was not heard from for years. His family moved to Montrose, Colorado by the turn of the century. The boy, as a grown man now known as Edgar Fay, was…
Jefferson Thomas Williams: Where There’s a Will… #52Ancestors #3
Sometimes, wills are, arguably, as valuable to history and genealogy researchers as they were for the immediate survivors of the deceased whose will is probated. Here is an example of bringing to life a gentleman and his wife through the deaths of 4 individuals and their respective wills and/or administrative testimony. At first glance, Jefferson…
Rebecca M. Williams (1797-1869)
One of the biggest obstacles to genealogical research is finding the names of the women in our ancestry. In the 1800’s, and early 1900’s women were referred to by their married surnames, or as “Mrs.” preceding the husband’s full name, even in newspapers and church records. In 1840 and before, tax records often listed only…
William Silas Walker Williams (1851-1909) Ancestor #1
There is one known photo of Silas Walker Williams. I would say that he was quite dashing, with bright eyes; dark hair; and a pleasant face. In the photo, he is seated. He looks well-dressed. How I would love to be seated beside him right now to converse about his life, his family, and his…
First blog post
Worthy, indeed, are our ancestors. Worthy of remembering, worthy of research, worthy of sharing with others.
