Much of what my Grandma Shellabarger told me about her family turned out to be myth or exaggeration. She got one thing right. One of her ancestors owned boarding houses in San Francisco. That ancestor was my Great Great Great Grandfather, Martin Kelly. Martin was born sometime around 1820 in County Roscommon, Ireland. I’m not…
That Darn Smith Family!
I’m reassessing the Smith La Grange connection. I’ve got a hypothesis…not really a theory since I can’t prove any of it. Yesterday, it dawned on me that John La Grange’s wife, Miss Unknown Smith, could not possibly Henry J. (or Henry I.) Smith’s daughter. They would be almost the same age! So, I am working…
Revisiting the Smith Lagrange Conundrum
I’ve posted a couple of times about a research problem involving John Lagrange who died before 1840. He was the son of Elias “Jellis” Lagrange and Annatie Van Patten, of Albany Co., NY. In the 1840 Census, John Lagrange is listed next to Henry Smith in Duanesburgh, Schenectady Co., NY. John’s son, John S. Lagrange…
Wordless Wednesday: Happy Halloween
Me…ca 1967
Tombstone Tuesday: Dean
As far as it goes, this tombstone at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Oakland, CA, is pretty simple. Only one person is buried here, my Great Uncle, Antao A. Souza. Antao was born 12 Feb 1890 in Kilauea, Kauai Co., HI. He was the sixth child out of thirteen born to Francesca de Mendonca and Augusto…