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Martial Deeds of Pennsylvania, by Samuel P. Bates, 1875, contains great Civil War illustrations for use in family tree charts, books, and reports. You can find the book free online at Archive.org using this link (click here). Flipping through the pages, you will see portraits, sketches, and many more borders, decorations, and illustrations like these. CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE RESOURCES FOR GENEALOGY! #civilwar #graphics #gallery #patriotic #veterans #meme #military #saber #flag #soldier #banner #freedom #artwork #illustrations #scrapbooking

"Well Known Produce Dealer Dies. Buren C. Leonard died at his home in Aurora street early Sunday morning, November 14. He was born in Sheffield, Massachusetts, February 9, 1846 and was nearly sixty-four years of age at his death. For several months he had been in ill health from a complication of diseases. Mr. Leonard had been a resident of Moravia for upwards of twenty years, during which he had been engaged chiefly in the produce business and he was well known throughout this section. Besides his widow, he leaves a son, Clarence M. Leonard and a daughter, Lura M. Leonard. The desceased is survived also by a sister, Mrs. Lura Higgins and a brother, Orson Leonard, both of Glendale, Massachusetts. The funeral services were conducted at the late home Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock. Rev. Horatio Yates officiated and he was assisted by Rev. W. H. Harris (?). Burial was made in Indian Mound." - Moravia Republican Register, Nov. 19, 1909. Buren lived in Moravia around the same time as Cora (Sherman) Leonard, widow of Lewis Leonard, and their sons James and Albert Leonard lived there. (Cora and her children were counted on the census there in 1910). Buren appears to be the son of Martin and Amanda Leonard. Whether or not he was related to Lewis Leonard's father, Charles Leonard, has yet to be determined. Additional Notes: Buren C. LEONARD of Moravia, Cayuga, New York in 1892. A likely match seems to be found in New Marlborough, Berkshire, Massachusetts in 1860 where a Buren Leonard (age 14) was living with what appears to be his parents, Martin Leonard (age 51, b. abt. 1809) and Amanda (age 49, b. abt. 1811). In 1870, Buren was working at a saw mill in Connecticut. His appears to be the only Leonard family in Moravia in 1892 where we find: Buren C. Leonard (age 46), with Harriet M. Leonard (age 41), Clarence M. Leonard (age 16), and Lulu M. Leonard (age 7). He was listed as a Lumberman in Berkshire, Tioga, New York. Buren’s family is found in Moravia again in 1900 (Sheet 8B), with the same four people. Buren and Harriet report being married 29 years. His father was born in Massachusetts and his mother was born in New York. He died in 1909 and was buried at Indian Mound Cemetery where his wife and Clarence were later buried. His obituary states that he was survived by a sister, Mrs. Lura Higgins, and a brother Orson Leonard, both of Glendale, Massachusetts. In 1910, his widow, Harriet was found in Moravia again (Sheet 8A) with both children (grown) still living with her. Buren was a Produce and Cattle. He is likely a descendant of James Leonard, the Iron Master. Comments are welcome! If you have any information on his other relations in Moravia, please let us know. #Leonard #leonard #burenleonard #burencleonard #otherleonards

As you may know, the Pennsylvania Dutch were not actually of Dutch descent. They were German-speaking settlers who immigrated from southwestern Germany in the late 17th century, and settled mostly in southeastern Pennsylvania. Various dialects of the German language were spoken by one-third of the people living in Pennsylvania and collectively their language became a dialect of it's own - Pennsylvania Deutsch, meaning Pennsylvania German. It wasn't until World War II that usage of the language deteriorated. Today only some Old Order Mennonite and Amish still use the language. Hex signs, another form of Pennsylvania Dutch folkart, derive from frakturs. These are seen on many barns in Pennsylvania to this day. The tradition of painting these symbols on barns didn't start until the mid 1800's, but the Pennsylvania Dutch decorated many other items with the same symbols long before then, each one an expression of good morals and ideals, and essentially ethnic identity. Tulips symbolize hope and faith, doves symbolize peace and contentment, a pineapple symbolizes warmth and hospitality, the unicorn symbolizes piety, and the heart symbolizes the obvious, love. These are the most commonly used symbols, but there are many more. In the hex sign shown here, a distelfink (bird) symbolizes happiness. The star surrounding the object is a sign of good will to all, and it isn't hard to figure out that "Wilkom" is the Pennsylvania Dutch word for "Welcome". Notice the fraktur style of writing? Some people claim there are mystical properties associated with hex signs, which is most likely how the word "hex", meaning "a curse" in German, came to represent these signs. The distelfink was/is believed to bring good fortune, the horse head symbol prevents disease in animals, and the mighty oak symbol brings good health and longevity, just to name a few. For more information about Frakturs, check out these books: Hexology, The History and Meanings of Hex Symbols, by Jacob Zook, 1962. (Zook is the artist of the two signs pictured at right, and possibly "Wilkom" above). Hex Signs, Pennsylvania Dutch Barn Symbols and their Meaning, by Don Yoder and Thomas Graves, 2000. Fraktur: Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Learning the Craft, by Ruthanne Hartung, 2008. The Fraktur Writings or Illuminated Manuscripts of the Pennsylvania Germans, by Donald Shelley, 1961. To The Latest Prosperity: Pennsylvania-German Family Registers in the Fraktur Tradition, by Corrine and Russell Earnest, 2004. Papers For Birth Dayes: Guide To the Fraktur Artists and Scriveners, by Corrine and Russell Earnest, 1997. Fraktur; Fork Art & Family, by Corinne and Russell Earnest, 1999. Flying Leaves and One-Sheets: Pennsylvania German Broadsides, Fraktur, and Their Printers, by Corinne and Russell Earnest, 2005. #pennsylvania #German #art #folkart #foreign #padutch #pennsylvaniadutch #hexsigns

Charles Russell Leonard is buried in Groton Rural Cemetery, Groton, New York. He is buried alongside his second wife, Luella (Schriver) Knapp Leonard. His stone is barely legible anymore. #leonard #cemetery #groton #charlesrussellleonard

Vital Records for the entire year of 1908 of people who were born, married, or died in Cortland in 1908 are printed in the Cortland Standard 2-22-1909. The entire page can be found here at FultonHistory.com. (PDF Requires Adobe Reader) If the link is expired, try this link. Don't forget, the New York Death Index or click here for places to find more New York records. #notablenews #cortland #NewYork

While researching my family tree online, I have visited just about every genealogy site there is and many of them require users to create an account in order to access or contribute information. This small book is extremely useful in keeping all those passwords at your fingertips. The pages are alphabetized so you can write the website, username and password on the page corresponding with the first letter (or number) of the website's name. Spiral bound or Paperback, available in red or black. 55 pages. 6" x 9", Order now by selecting a color and be sure to come back and tell us what you think or any improvements or ideas you may have. Your feedback is appreciated! Spiral RED only $9 (Buy here) Spiral BLACK only $9 (Buy here) Paperback RED only $6 (Buy here) Paperback BLACK only $6 (Buy here) Interior layout Also, check out these daily planners for keeping your days and tasks organized. Click here!

William Leonard, brother of George P. Leonard, of Hamilton, New York, robbed and murdered near Eureka, New Mexico. Waterville Times, Waterville, NY 8-11-1881 Note: This is not a known relative of Charles Russell Leonard. Click here to see more Leonard posts. #leonard #notablenews #hamilton #1881 #newmexico #NewYork

Newman Harvey & Gertrude E. Shirley grave at Willow Glen Cemetery in Dryden, New York. Photo courtesy of Sandy Jackson. See more on the Harvey page. #cemetery #grave #harvey #shirley #newmanharvey #gertrudeshirley

HeritageQuest has a very useful and time-saving tool for visualizing changes to the United States since the time the first settlers arrived. In 1790, for example, the following was different: 1) Maine was a part of Massachusetts. 2) Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and parts of North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota, were called "Northwest Territory". 3) Tennesee was called "Southwest Territory". 4) Georgia included the northern parts of Mississippi and Alabama. The southern parts of Mississippi and Alabama were in dispute, having been claimed by both the U.S. and Spain. 5) Virginia included Kentucky and West Virginia. 6) North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maryland and Vermont were all established, although county and township divisions would still be made for many years. 7) The entire western portion of the United States was claimed by Spain, as was Florida and parts of modern-day Mississippi and Alabama. This included all the land now known as Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, part of Minnesota, part of North Dakota, most of South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado,Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, and California. By 1800, the following changes had been made: 1) The region formerly called "Northwest Territory", was now divided. The eastern part was still using the name "Northwest Territory" and included only Ohio and the eastern part of Michigan. The western part was now called "Indiana Territory" and included Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, the eastern part of Minnesota, and the western part of Michigan. 2) The southern portions of modern day Mississippi and Alabama were now called "Mississippi Territory". 3) Kentucky was formed from the western portion of Virginia, which still included both Virginia and West Virginia. By 1810, the following changes had been made: 1) Michigan Territory, Ohio, and Indiana Territory were established. No longer was the region called the "Northwest Territory". The part of Michigan that is across Lake Michigan was part of Indiana Territory. 2) Illinois, Wisconsin, and eastern Minnesota were called "Illinois Territory". 3) Modern-day Louisiana was called "Orleans Territory". 4) The mid-western portion of the United States was called "Louisiana Territory" and encompassed modern-day Arkansas, Oklahoma, northern Texas, northeasern New Mexico, eastern Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, southwestern Minnesota, southwestern North Dakota, eastern Wyoming, and almost all of Montana and South Dakota. 5) Georgia was reduced to it's present size. All of modern-day Missippi and Alabama were called "Mississippi Territory". 6) The Spanish still held the west, including Washington, Idaho, western Montana, California, Nevada, Utah, southwestern Wyoming, Utah, western Colorado, Arizona, western New Mexico, and central and southern Texas. By 1820, the following changes had been made: 1) Modern-day Maine was established, with the northern part being claimed by both the U.S. and Britain. 2) Alabama was fromed from Mississippi. 3) Orleans Territory's name was changed to Louisiana. 4) Modern-day Arkansas and Oklahoma were now called Arkansas Territory. 5) Michigan Territory was expanded to include Wisconsin and the region north of Lake Michigan (formerly called Indiana Territory), as well as eastern Minnesota. 6) Illinois Territory was divided to contain only modern-day Illinois. 7) Arkansas Territory was formed and included modern-day Oklahoma and Arkansas. 8) Missouri Territory was formed and included modern-day Missouri, Iowa, western Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, most of Kansas, northeastern Colorado, northeastern Wyoming, and eastern Montana. 9) Washington, Oregon, Idaho, northwestern Montana, and western Wyoming were jointly occupied by the U.S. and the British. 10) The Spanish still held the western part of Colorado, southwestern Kansas, northwestern Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, southwestern Wyoming, Nevada and California. The land was referred to as "Spanish Mexico". By 1830, the following changes were made: 1) Florida was established, and was no longer under Spanish occupation. 2) Arkansas Territory was divided to include only modern-day Arkansas. 3) Missouri Territory was reduced to include only modern-day Missouri, with the exception of the northwest corner of the state. 4) Michigan Territory still encompassed all of Michigan and Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota. 5) The west was still referred to as Spanish Mexico, encompassing all of California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas, as well southwestern Wyoming, western Colorado, and northwestern Oklahoma. By 1840, the following changes were made: 1) Wisconsin Territory was broken off from Michigan Territory and included the eastern part of modern-day Minnesota. 2) Michigan Territory reached its modern-day borders and was called Michigan. 3) Iowa Territory was established and encompassed modern-day Iowa, western Minnesota, eastern North Dakota, and eastern South Dakota. 4) The Republic of Texas was formed, encompassing the central and eastern portioni of modern-day Texas. The remainder of Texas had been claimed by Texas, but the land was still controlled by Mexico. By 1850, the following changes were made: 1) The land north of Maine, which had formerly been claimed by both Britain and the U.S., was annexed to Maine. 2) Wisconsin was slightly reduced, reaching its modern-day boundaries. 3) Iowa Territory was divided and reached its modern-day boundaries. 4) Minnesota Territory was divided from Iowa Territory and included modern-day Minnesota and the eastern Dakotas. 5) California, Texas and Oklahoma reached their modern-day borders. 6) New Mexico Territory was formed, encompassing modern-day New Mexico, southern Colorado, Arizona, and southern Nevada. 7) Utah Territory was formed, encompassing Utah, western Colorado, central and northern Nevada, and southwestern Wyoming. 8) Oregon Territory was formed, encompassing modern-day Oregon, Idaho, Washington, western Montana, and western Wyoming. By 1860, the following changes were made: 1) Minnesota was divided, reaching its modern-day borders. The land to the west was called the Dakota's, "Indian Territory". 2) Modern-day Oklahoma's boundaries were established and it was also Indian Territory. 3) Kansas Territory was formed, encompassing Kansas and central and eastern Colorado. 4) Nebraska Territory was formed, encompassing modern-day Nebraska, northwestern Colorado, central and eastern Wyoming, central and eastern Montana, western North Dakota, and western South Dakota. 5) Oregon Territory was reduced, establishing its modern-day borders. 6) Washington Territory was formed from Oregon Territory and it encompassed modern-day Washington, Idaho, and northwestern Montana. By 1870, the following changes were made: 1) West Virginia was divided from Virginia. 2) Idaho was divided from Washington, reaching its modern-day boundaries. 3) Nevada and Colorado were formed from Utah Territory, reaching their present-day boundaries. 4) Arizona was formed from New Mexico, both states establishing their present-day boundaries. 5) Kansas reached its present-day boundaries, its western portion established as the state of Colorado. 6) Montana reached its present-day boundaries. 7) Modern-day North Dakota and South Dakota were unified and called "Dakota Territory". 8) Alaska was now a U.S. possession, being purchased from Russia in 1867. It became a Territory in 1912, and a state in 1959. In 1880, modern-day North Dakota, South Dakota, and Oklahoma, were still Dakota Territory and Indian Territory. By 1890, these states established their modern-day borders, with portions of Oklahoma being Indian juristictions from 1890 to 1907. Hawaii was annexed to the U.S. in 1898, became a territory in 1900, and finally, a state in 1959. The divisions of each of the states, into counties, towns, cities and villages, is another story. If you can access HeritageQuest, they provide maps illustrating the changes for each state (click here). See also "Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920", by William Thorndale and William Dollarhide, 1987. Click here to buy it on Amazon. #tips #maps #census

Maps can be an amazing tool for finding answers about your family tree. Find out how, and where to find the maps you need with this article from US Geological Survey (click here).

This photo of Percy Daniels was the only photo his daughter, Ethel, had of him. She said she didn't know who the girl on his lap was. Do you know who the young woman is? Do you have more photos of Percy? Please share! UPDATE!! TWO more photos of Percy have been found! Click here to see! For more information, see the Daniels page. #daniels #photos #PercyDaniels

At one point or another, every genealogist wishes they either lived closer to towns containing records about their ancestors and relatives, or had a friend or relative nearby who would do the footwork for them. What's the solution? Well, just like everything else today, there's an app for that. RootsBid is a platform to request assistance of people around the world and pay them to help. Take a look. Click here to see more genealogy related apps. #apps #volunteers #help #assistance #Rootsbid

Click here to see more #memes #pins #pinterest #life #accountability #gallery #quotes #inspiration

Click the play button to listen (from Archive.org) #America #memes #patriotic #veterans #pins #pinterest #flag #lyrics #folksong #song

Newspapers are a resource for finding all kinds of information. Hard to find vital records such as marriages, births, deaths, weddings, funerals, and so much more were often printed in the local paper, but you may come across other stories you never heard, too. You could find graduation notices, biographies, military honors, land grants, photographs or sketches, or you may find news about accidents, crimes, misfortunes, bankruptcies, and the list goes on. These paper trails provide valuable clues for the genealogist. Court matters such as the distribution of a will, or the transfer of property, can also prove to be very informative. The possibilities are endless. Visit the Newspapers page to find the sites you can use for searching old historic newspapers online or offline. Most are free. Take a look! #tips #newspapers #links #resources

Lucy Johnson was the 3rd great-grandmother of Mary Esther (Harvey) Reese. Lucy married Nathan Wood, soldier of the American Revolution, in 1781 in Mansfield, Tolland, Connecticut. Lucy died on the 7th of May, 1824, and was buried in Bemis Cemetery in Lisle, Broome County, New York. Photo of Lucy's stone by Dave Francis contributed at findagrave.com. Click here to see her husband's tombstone. For more on Nathan Wood and his family, see the Harvey Family. #harvey #wood #americanrevolution #cemetery #Johnson #Dudley #Abbe #Goodale #Knowlton #BemisCemetery #military

Mike Mcguinness, 3rd great-grandson of Charles Russell Leonard, shows us his unique style and creativity in these bold new pieces he recently produced. These are available as posters, prints (with matting and framing optional), greeting cards, pillows, and cell phone covers. Please take a look (click any image), like, comment, and share! To see more about the Leonard family, visit the Leonard page. #leonard #framedart

Two miles west of Route 309, at the corner of Kernville Road and Grist Mill Road, stands the historic Kern's Grist Mill and Dam on Jordan Creek. These photos were taken after it had rained, causing the water to appear muddy. Built in 1806, the mill belonged to Peter Kern, who Kernsville is named after. Now standing over 200 years, this beautiful stone structure has seen generations come and go. Kern's Mill has four floors and the building measures about 40' x 50'. A Grist Mill was a place where people would take their corn, wheat, or rye, to be ground. It would then be bagged and weighed and sold at market. The mill relied on the water from the creek to power the large grinding stones (millstones) which were used to grind the "grist". See more interesting places on the Places page. Professional prints are available for some of these scenes. Click here to see! #gristmill #pennsylvania #places #framedart #myblog

George D. Decker was born on the 23rd of November, 1932, in Middletown, Orange County, New York. He was a construction worker and avid fisherman. He married a woman by the name of Rosemary, and together they had five known children. He died from cancer at the age of 72, on the 13th of October, 2005, in Ridgewood, New Jersey. He was survived by his wife and children: George P. Decker of Warwick, Steven Decker of Bellvale, Robert Decker of Holland, Mass., Mrs. Doris Hammond of West Boyleston, Mass., and Theresa Decker of Florida, New York. He was pre-deceased by his brother, Norman. For more information and family photos, see the Decker page. If anyone has a photo of George Decker to share, please let me know. #decker #georgedecker

Check out my page containing links to the sites and online sources I have been using over the past 15+ years of researching my family's history. As you know, the expenses add up fast when doing genealogy. I have found some essential tools, many which are free. If you know where to look you can get much of the information you're looking for, such as census records, marriage records, birth announcements, obituaries, military records, and other paper trails without spending much money, if any. Take a look. Click here. Don't forget to bookmark the page or save the shortcut to your desktop!! If you find any broken links or have any suggestions, please share your thoughts and ideas here or contact me directly using the contact form on my Home page. #genealogy #sites #links #freewebsites #census #research #familyhistory #shortcuts #myblog

​The Registers of the Parish of Hampsthwaite, County York, by Francis Collins, 1902, contains marriages from 1603-1807, baptisms from 1603-1794, and burials from 1603-1794. (Click here to read it on Archive.org) Tour Hampsthwaite on Google Maps: (Alternate Link) CLICK HERE FOR MORE GENEALOGY RESOURCES #unitedkingdom #England #england #Yorkshire #foreign #hampthswaite

Yorkshire is a county of Northern England. It is the largest county in the United Kingdom. The people refer to it's regions as North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, and West Riding of Yorkshire. The emblem on the flag of Yorkshire is the White Rose of the House of York. For more information about Yorkshire, check https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorkshire. For information about the Dickinson family of Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, see the Dickinson page. Shown here is North Yorkshire. Zoom in to take a closer look. Source: Yorkshire Marriage Registers, West Riding - Doncaster, Part 1 (1557-1784) [Click here] #Yorkshire #england #England #dickinson #foreign

Many times, you can find good information about your ancestors in other peoples' family history books. For example, in "Johnson, Stedman, and Allied Families", on page 46, I found information about my ancestor, William Wadsworth, offering a wide variety of clues and information about his life and identity. My maternal great-grandmother, Mary E. (Harvey) Reese, was the 7th great-granddaughter of William Wadsworth, through her mother's ancestry. (Mary E. Harvey, the daughter of Newman Harvey and Gertrude E. Shirley, who was the daughter of John Shirley and Esther A. Ensign, who was the daughter of Royal Ensign, who was the son of Datus Ensign, who was the son of Datus Ensign, who was the son of David Ensign, who was the son of David Ensign and Sarah Wilcox, who was the daughter of John Wilcox and Sarah Wadsworth, the daughter of William Wadsworth). According to this source, William Wadsworth sailed from London on June 22, 1632, on the ship "Lion", arriving in Boston almost three months later, on September 16th. He settled first in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but in June 1636, he removed with Thomas Hooker's company to Hartford, Connecticut, where he served as a selectman, commissioner, and other positions of public service. Click here to see continue reading the book at Archive.org. #WilliamWadsworth #ThomasHooker #Hartford #Connecticut #MaryEHarvey

William Henry Dickinson graduated from Bethel Bible Institute in Newark, New Jersey, in 1923. The following photos from his years at Bethel have been preserved and shared by his grandson, James H. Dickinson. Use the arrows to scroll through the pictures: See also Rev. and Mrs. W. J. Evans. See the Dickinson page for more on the Dickinson family. #williamhenrydickinson #dickinson #bethel #Newark #NewJersey

Following are some photos of the children of Rev. William Henry Dickinson and his wife, Mary (Decker) Dickinson, and their children: See the Dickinson page for lots more on this family. #dickinson #delaphinadecker #williamhenrydickinson #decker

William Daniels, my 2nd great-grandfather, was born January 2, 1840, in Marion County, Missouri. He followed the Oregon Trail westward with his parents, Austin & Mary Daniels, in 1851. They were counted among the pioneers of Soap Creek, Benton County, Oregon. William died on May 24, 1924. His death certificate can be found here. A copy of his obituary has yet to be found. If anyone has a copy of one, please comment below or contact me. William is buried in the Masonic Memorial Park in Tumwater, Thurston County, Washington. He is listed in their online index, which states he was buried in a casket on May 27, 1924, in Row 1, Grave 4, Lot 1. "Block 17 Page 33" is also indicated. (His wife, Eliza, had been buried in Row 1, Grave 6S, Lot 1, on February 15, 1886). The photo of his grave, shown here, was contributed by Elaine & Bill Schrock on Findagrave and used by permission. (Findagrave Memorial ID 31551510). See the Daniels page for more on this family. Click here for free genealogy resources to help you learn more about the branches of your family! #WilliamDaniels #Daniels #cemetery #grave #graves

Margaret (Dickinson) Reese was the grandmother I never knew. She had reached so many milestones in her short life, and had so much potential for having a positive impact on the world, yet her life was cut short at the age of 24. She died just ten months after the birth of her first child, my mother. The desperate prayers of her family and friends failed to yield the miracle they sought. My grandfather was crushed and my mother grew up never experiencing the pure love of a mother. They picked up the pieces and carried on, but the road was never easy. Life can seem so unfair. All my life, I struggled to understand why or how it could have happened. How did she get cancer? She never smoked, never did drugs, and she was so young. Why did God let her die? I have always believed there had to be a reason. Nobody is perfect, but from what I've been told, my grandmother was a very devoted and righteous Christian woman. All her good works are not known to me, but I found a newspaper clipping from 1950, announcing that she was directing Vacation Bible School, a ministry for the local children. She was active in the church and ministry with her family all her life. After graduating high school, she left home to attend two different Bible colleges. She aimed to spread the gospel in Europe. One of her classmates went on to become a famous evangelist converting many souls to Christ. (He is shown in the yearbook page below with her). It was there, at Metropolitan Bible Institute, that she became better acquainted with her future husband, Lloyd N. Reese, who was also a student there. Everything was done in the proper order. She wouldn't even date him until her final year of college and they were married after graduation, in 1952. Their priorities were in order, with God being first in their lives. By 1953 they were pastoring a church for the Assemblies of God and my mother was born in November. It seemed like things were looking good, but very soon after, Margaret was diagnosed with melanoma cancer and she died in 1954, on September 11th, of all days. Letters Margaret wrote to her mother express her will to live. She desired to continue to serve the Lord. Nevertheless, she died. Why? Shouldn't Christians be protected? Was she being punished for something? What could she have possibly done to deserve such a harsh punishment? She had grown up in a large family, one of several children of Rev. William H. Dickinson, lifelong Christian and minister of the Assemblies of God churches in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. All her brothers and sisters were blessed with long, productive lives. A few of them are still living today, yet Margaret has been gone 62 years as of last September, 2016. Why? Was it Satan who caused her to get cancer to keep her from spreading the gospel? She did pose a serious threat to his cause. Was Satan afraid of the impact my grandparents could have made together? Was her death a test for her family - her parents, brothers, and sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins who walked in the faith? Was it a test for her father, the Rev. W. H. Dickinson? Was it a test for her husband, my grandfather? The Biblical account of Job always comes to mind, because my grandfather truly has always been the most righteous person I knew. I can picture Satan taunting God, as he does DAILY*, bragging about our shortcomings to Him. "You think Lloyd loves you, but he loves Margaret more and I'll prove it! If you allow me to take her from him, surely he won't love you anymore." (*Revelation 12:10) Of course, it didn't work, and it wasn't the last time my grandfather's faith was put to the test, but that's another story. There are so many possibilities as to why my grandmother's life wasn't spared. Maybe it was a little bit of all of these reasons. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose". - Romans 8:28 After years of contemplation, my conclusion is that God knew her heart's desire was to reveal the truth about Salvation through Christ to people and He gave her the rare opportunity to demonstrate the absolute reality of it to her loved ones, on her deathbed. Her husband and family were able to witness her reception into heaven firsthand, and I believe this is partly the reason none of them has ever wavered in their faith, having seen with their own eyes the absolute reality of life after death. Although it was heartbreaking to lose her, the experience strengthened her family's faith for years to come and the testimony still speaks to hearts today. In this way, she was most victorious. The following is the written testimony given by her father, regarding the experience. It was given to my mother years ago, so that she would know the events surrounding her mother's glorious departure from this life. It reads: "I have been asked to again repeat the most wonderful deathbed words I have ever heard; those which came forth more from the heart than from the lips of our precious Margaret. All should know that these words were the result of a deep Christian experience and a wonderful knowledge of Christ. The last person she called for was her eldest brother, Ben, whose earnest prayers had, in previous weeks, brought great comfort and inspiration of faith to her heart. It seemed like a call from God for us, Ben, Marion and me to witness a scene which was not of this world; to hear words which the Holy Spirit inspired. We trusted for a miracle of physical healing. We had seen months of miracles, such as relief from agonizing pain. In answer to prayer again and again pain would leave within a few moments and would not return for hours. These experiences would make her so happy that she would instantly begin to rejoice in the Lord and tell Him how much she loved Him and wanted to serve Him more. Even the coughing would cease in answer to prayer. We prayed that the doctors' predictions would not come to pass and should she go, it would be without physical agony. The lungs were to have collapsed many days before according to all medical information. This was plainly stated by the physician. She lived four months longer than the average and longer than any on record that we know of. True, she was very uncomfortable because of the numerous growths and inability to lay in any but one position, but through it all she was so happy in knowing that Jesus had made her acceptable through His Blood and she knew it. She never once trusted in her own righteousness. She rejoiced in His righteousness and love. As we came to her bed side she began to say, "According to the power that worketh in us." Ephesians 3:20. Then she began to speak in a beautiful heavenly language which our eyes and minds could not understand. She then said, quoting from Hebrews 11:6, "Without faith it is impossible to please God;" and she said, "And I have pleased Him." What a light shown on her face as she said that and then she burst out into a laugh, a beautiful laugh, a laugh of triumph and victory. Again she spoke in that unknown language. God knew it. She was talking to Him, I am sure. Then she exclaimed, "He is my Shepherd! He is my Shepherd! And though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for He is with me." Three hours later she woke up in Glory without coughing once more or choking in the three hour period. What did her words mean? You must turn to these references to understand more clearly. There was a Force working in her which came some years ago when she was filled with the Holy Spirit. The first part of the verse says, "He is able to do exceedingly abundant above what we can ask or think." Actually God was doing this in a way beyond what we could think. He was giving to this saint the abundant reception into heaven. Then the second quotation. By reading this, one can see that it is faith in Jesus that pleases God. She had kept this faith right up to the last and joy filled her soul as she thought of it. Then along with faith and the indwelling Christ comes a blessed assurance, "He is my Shepherd." That is the sermon she left for us, the secret of a happy life in God. These are the steps. May I live and die as victorious as this." - Rev. William H. Dickinson For to me, to live is Messiah, and to die is gain. - Philippians 1:21 (ISR) CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE ABOUT THE DICKINSON FAMILY #dickinson #margaretdickinson #williamhenrydickinson

Uriah Jacobs was born on August 27, 1754, in Crompond, Westchester County, New York. He was a soldier of the American Revolution and soon after the war ended, in 1781, he married to Elizabeth Ruff. He died on November 2, 1841, at the age of 87, in Candor, Tioga County, New York and is buried in Baptist Corners Cemetery in Spencer, Tioga County, New York. Photos of his grave are provided on Findagrave courtesy of Paul R., who authorizes public use of his photos with proper credit given. (Thank you, Paul!) From "Cemetery Inscriptions, Town of Spencer, NY" Uriah Jacobs was my paternal 5th great-grandfather. Click here to see more of my ancestors. See the Daniels page for more information about my Jacobs, Dykeman and Ruff ancestors. If you can contribute or connect your line to this branch of the Jacobs family, please collaborate on WikiTree using the links in the tree shown here: #UriahJacobs #Jacobs #Daniels #daniels #Dykeman #cemetery

This Cabinet photo was preserved and shared by the late Robert Dickinson, grandson of Harry Dickinson. There is no indication of who is pictured, but by the marking "Dewsbury", it appears to be the line of William Dickinson, brother of John Dickinson (1830-1889). Almost no written records of this branch of the family are known to have been recorded, but correspondence and photographs have shown a connection to a cousin, Annie Croft of Dewsbury, and from these and news clippings, I've pieced together the following details about the family: Annie Hill was born in 1897. She married William "Billy" Croft. Annie was the daughter of George Henry Hill, a tobacconist who operated his business from the Dewsbury Marketplace. His wife's name was Caroline. Caroline died in 1947 at the age of 82, making her born about 1864. It is presumed that Caroline was a daughter of William Dickinson, the brother of John Dickinson and son of William Dickinson of Kimberworth and Sheffield. This photo may be Caroline and Annie, her only child, who was born abt. 1897. The child appears to be about 3-4 years old here, so if the child is Annie, this would have been taken abt. 1900 or 1901. Caroline would have been abt. 36/37 years old in 1900/1901. To me, this photograph appears to be older than 1900. Furthermore, I have only found photos by this photographer, John Garratt of Dewsbury, in the 1870s and early 1880s. Cabinet cards first appeared in 1866 and while they were popular through the 1870s and 1880s, by the late-1890s they were barely in use. So, is this Annie and her mother Caroline? Or could the child in the photo, instead, be Caroline? Caroline was born abt. 1864 so that would mean if the child is her, the photo would have been taken around 1868 or 1869. Perhaps someone with experience identifying vintage photos could help establish a time period. Are there any experts on Victorian fashion reading this? Perhaps the mother's hairdo, the scarf around her neck, or her dress can help establish what year this was taken. If so, please comment below! We'd love to put names to these faces! #dickinson #dewsbury #England

This 1841 census record from Newton, Middlewich, Cheshire, England, appears to be the family of my 4th great-grandfather, Thomas Griffith - although this is unconfirmed at this point. Following is my brief knowledge and research on the Griffith family so far. Middlewich is about 22 miles south of Manchester, where we know the Griffith family had portraits taken in the mid-late 1800s. Thomas Griffith's portrait was one of them. His granddaughter, Annie Robinson (daughter of Emma Griffith and George Robinson), was born in Manchester in 1870. Emma, we know was born March 3, 1837, so she would have been four years old in 1841. This matches the age of the girl, Emma, counted on the census (below). There is one potential inconsistencies. On Emma's 1899 death certificate, her mother's name was given as Martha, but the informant may not have known or remembered her mother's name, or they could have used her middle name or nickname in one of those records. If anyone can find out more about this family to help confirm this is the same family, please let us know in the comments below or contact me. Click here to learn more about this branch of my family.