If you are a regular visitor to my blog, you have probably heard me mention Uncle Charlie, my Dad’s brother who died in World War II. I wrote about the events that lead to his death in The Sinking of the Liscome Bay. Since I wrote that post, some family stories and new records have…
Tag: Oakland
A Replica Of Lindbergh’s Plane: 52 Ancestors
I have so many favorite photos. This one stands out because of it’s historical significance. It shows my grandfather, Joao “Bohne” Pacheco Smith with his nephew, Theodore Souza. And, what’s that in the background? Why, it’s Lindbergh’s plane! Okay, maybe not the real plane but a handmade toy version. A Child’s Toy Airplane Theodore was…
The Smiling Bride
I have several favorite photographs. But, a wedding photo from the early 1900s, has captivated my interest ever since the day it fell into my hands Not Your Usual Dour Turn of the Century Wedding Photo You ever notice that no one seems particularly happy in old wedding photos? It seems that the gravityy of…
Relationship Notes on Photographs Can Be Deceiving
A cousin shared some of her unknown photographs with me. One was taken around 1915-1920 and was labeled “My nephew Freddy with his first pair of short pants”. We almost missed identifying little Freddy because the real relationship with the person who owned the photograph was different than the note implied. In order to solve…
Ellen Figg, Navy WAVES: Recovering One Woman’s History
It pays to randomly search the internet for your relatives. No, not to spy on them. For genealogical purposes, of course! I do this periodically and sometimes come up with a gem. I uncovered a lost part of my grandfather cousin, Ellen Figg’s, story. She was a Navy WAVE! Who Was Ellen Figg? She born…




