There are very few photographs of my great grandmother, Margaret (Jones) Jackson aka Marguerite Jackson. I believe I have five total. That is what makes this photograph so intriguing. My great grandmother is on the left, my mom is the child, then there is the unknown woman on the right. My mom is about 5…
Tag: Oakland
52 Ancestors, Week 27: My Grandma Shellabarger was a Single Parent
There are no American Revolutionaries in my tree. My people came to America after 1840. Most showed up after 1880. So, I’ll turn to an ancestor who exemplifies the independent spirit. Although I’ve written several times about my Grandma Shellabarger aka Anna (Jackson) Shellabarger on this blog, I can’t think of any ancestors who fits…
Happy Independence Day and a Gift from Ireland
I would like to wish everyone a very Happy 4th of July. This day signifies the signing of our Declaration of Independence and the revolution that lead to this great nation. I don’t have any colonial ancestors. I don’t even have a colonial “uncle of the wife of my 6th cousin twice removed”. As yet,…
52 Ancestors Week 25: Finding the Jackson House
This weeks theme for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is the Old Homestead. I’ve only seen one of my ancestral homes in person. I really wanted to locate the house my grandmother, Anna (Jackson) Shellabarger grew up in Oakland, California. I used Google Maps and the Oakland Interactive Planning database to fulfill my mission. My…
52 Ancestors Week 19: Step on the Gas
This week’s theme in the 52 Ancestors challenge is “There’s a Way”. I’d like to relay a funny story that my grandmother told me from her childhood. Anna was the third child of Harry Jackson and Marguerite “Margaret” (Jones) Jackson. She was a bit of handful as a child, getting herself and her friends into…