Journeying with Jacque

Anniversary – Month 7 of 12 Ancestors in 12 Months

Posted on July 2, 2026 by Jacque

Happy Semiquincentennial

A boy, an Irishman, a pacifist, a patriot who went AWOL, and a private whose family suffered great tragedy after the war…it took all kinds to have a successful rebellion that turned into a revolution.

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, it is a time to appreciate this once in a lifetime milestone and recognize the values and ideals that have shaped our country into what it is today. “This semi quincentennial celebration provides an opportunity to reflect on the remarkable journey from thirteen colonies to a modern democracy, examining how foundational principles of liberty, equality, and justice have evolved over two and a half centuries (U.S. Department of Justice).”

I have taken this opportunity to research some of my ancestors and understand their role in the formation of this country, identifying five direct ancestors who participated in the Revolutionary War: Stephen Watkins who was a private, Thomas McElroy who was a wagoner, Timothy Smith who was a teamster, Burwell Burchett who was a private, and Jacob R. Compton who was also a private.

Stephen Watkins – Shockingly, Stephen joined up as a private when he was just 13 years old. This is well documented and the information appears in his pension records. According to WikiTree, “almost immediately after enlisting, young Stephen was thrown into the thick of the war. The 4th Maryland was part of the famous ‘Maryland Line’ known for their discipline and bravery. Within his first year of service, 13-year-old Stephen survived two major, chaotic engagements as General George Washington’s forces tried to hold New York: the Battle of Long Island in August 1776 which was the first major battle of the war after the Declaration of Independence and the Battle of White Plains in October 1776.” While 16 was the official minimum age for enlistment, the army was so desperate for recruits that they often ignored the rules. Stephen was discharged in 1780.
Thomas McElroy – Thomas was eager to sign up for the Revolutionary war because he was angry with the British government and held a grudge against the English landlords. He left Ireland in 1773 and settled in Drumore, Pennsylvania along with many other Irish and Scottish immigrants because Pennsylvania offered religious freedom and affordable land which was great for farming. Thomas joined up as a wagoner because he had experience and skill in handling large teams of horses. Sadly, Thomas was refused a Revolutionary War pension regardless of his contributions to the war effort because he was a wagoner during the war which was not considered military service.
Timothy Smith – Sometimes life is complicated. Is it possible to be both a pacifist and a patriot? This was certainly a struggle that a Quaker such as Timothy Smith had during the American Revolutionary War. Timothy chose to honor his religion by becoming a teamster which was a non-combatant job that allowed him to provide supplies to military forces. In fact, “Timothy personally provided blankets to General George Washington’s freezing troops (WikiTree).”
Burwell Burchell – Burwell enlisted as a private and was in the 10th Virginia Regiment of the Continental Line and served under General George Washington. He strongly believed in this war of independence. But what do you do when you have more obligations than you can deal with? Burwell was faced with this impossible conflict when it was time to plant crops on his land. There was no one else to help so…Burwell went AWOL, returned to Virginia to plant the crops, nobly returned to his unit once the plants were in the ground, then continued to fight. Unfortunately, Burwell caught one of the diseases that were prevalent in the camps and died in 1779.
Jacob R. Compton – Jacob was just 17 when he enlisted to fight in the war. After the war, he married Orriminah Hyde and they moved west to Ohio. During this move is where tragedy struck the Comptons. According to Viola Compton (a distant relative who was born about 1860; she had a great interest in genealogy and interviewed as many older relatives as possible), “Jacob and Orriminah were a year on the road due to the hostilities of Indians on their trip from New Jersey to Ohio. In October 1794, they were stricken with smallpox and four of their children were snatched from them. During this trying time all in the community who suffered from this dread disease were called to give half of their families. His given name was Jacob but owing to confusion of names among the Compton relatives, he inserted the letter R in his name and was afterwards known as Jacob R. Compton. They settled in Hamilton County, Ohio in 1795. This then was their permanent home where they bore four more children, lived, died and were buried. He was a farmer.”

On this July 4th, it is important to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, think about the history of this country, and spend time with friends and relatives. It is a time to remember the great sacrifices of the many people who made it all possible.

Happy Semiquincentennial!

Posted in Genealogy, Watkins | Tagged Burwell Burchett, Jacob R. Compton, Stephen Watkins, Thomas McElroy, Timothy Smith | Leave a comment

Unexpected – Month 6 of 12 Ancestors in 12 Months

Posted on June 1, 2026 by Jacque

You Just Never Know

One day in the early 1960s, my dad got off work and decided to stop by the Rusty Lantern for a drink before he headed home. Now this was before I-10 was actually a thing, so the people traveling from the Los Angeles area heading to Palm Springs had to drive through Beaumont where we lived. Often they would stop for gas or a bite to eat. In fact, “the Rusty Lantern was essentially the ‘it’ spot for celebrities traveling through the San Gorgonio Pass. Because Beaumont was a primary stop on the route between Los Angeles and the desert (Palm Springs), it became a natural sanctuary for Hollywood figures who wanted a high-quality meal without the fanfare of the city.” It had a mid-century vibe that people appreciated and celebrities were treated like everyone else.

This particular day just happened to be the same day that John Wayne (aka Marion Robert Morrison) decided to stop in Beaumont for a drink during his trek to Palm Springs. My dad and John happened to sit next to each other at the bar and got to talking. My dad said John Wayne was super nice and he really enjoyed the conversation.

Unbeknownst to either my dad or John Wayne, they happened to be distant relatives; in fact, they were 9th cousins once removed.

The information about John Wayne being a distant relative came from FamilySearch which is a free genealogy program supported by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It provides lots of resources for genealogy research and it’s all free. The downside is that it consists of one shared family tree instead of individual trees like Ancestry.com. While this can be great for finding resources, it also means that since everyone collaborates on one tree, there are tons of errors. People can add anyone they want even if there is no documentation and they can also change what other people have added.

A fun feature of FamilySearch is that there is the famous relatives section under activities. There are different categories of famous people and it shows who your common ancestor is and the people that connect each of you to that common ancestor. The problem of course is that this is all based on the one world tree so some of the information is true while a lot of it is wrong. The key is to conduct your own research based on what FamilySearch surmises and what you can document.

So…FamilySearch shows that John Wayne is connected by way of our common ancestors Stephen Goodyear and Mary Gibbard who are my 10th great grandparents. I had recently conducted research on this line and had written about Mary Gibbard and the Ghost Ship on my blog: An Address with a Story – Month 3 of 12 Ancestors in 12 Months | Journeying with Jacque. My line goes through their daughter Rebecca and John Wayne’s line goes through their daughter Hannah.

Now Family Search also shows me to be a 7th cousin 6 times removed to Marie Antoinette going back to the 1500s with common ancestors of Herzoq Wilhelm Von Julich – Kleve-Berg and Erzher Zogin Maria Osterreich through my Cunnard line (Margaret Cunnard was married to Nicholas Osborne). The problem is that I have a potential father for Margaret but no documentation. Then there is the surname issue. On FamilySearch there is Cunnard, Conrad, Conard, and Kunders all jumbled up. Margaret is my 5th great grandmother and I haven’t been able to go any farther back than that. Seriously, I highly doubt that I am in any way related to Marie Antonette.

This can be a fun thing to check out but you still have to do your research.

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A Place that Matters – Month 5 of 12 Ancestors in 12 Months

Posted on May 3, 2026 by Jacque

Kansas Connections

After the Civil War, Kansas was “a place of dreamers and dreams, a life built by women and men who harvested hope with every turn of the plow.”

Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor p. 87

Looking for that opportunity and a chance to build dreams, my great granduncle, William Watkins, was my first ancestor to settle in Kansas in 1870.

William’s parents, Samuel Watkins and Susanna Osborne, were both born in Pennsylvania. Around 1840, Pennsylvania had become crowded with immigrants from Germany, Scotland, and Ireland. It became very expensive to thrive in Pennsylvania.

So…they began to look for somewhere to live where they could raise their family and fulfill their dreams. They discovered that Western Virginia (which became West Virginia in 1863) provided this possibility to own their own land due to the government issuing land grants. Samuel and Susanna took advantage of this wonderful prospect to establish themselves. They settled on Virginia land and had nine children.

William, Samuel and Susanna’s oldest son, was born in 1843. William was in the Union army during the Civil War. After the war, things had changed and those living in West Virginia were struggling. The land had basically been depleted, and in general the economy was floundering. In contrast, Kansas was deemed a “farmer’s paradise.” The railroad in Kansas opened up all kinds of opportunities. William took advantage of the Homestead Act of 1862 and in 1870 claimed his 160 acres near Potwin, Butler County, Kansas.

William’s father, Samuel, died in 1874. That same year, William’s brother, Richard, also a Civil War veteran, moved to Kansas. Richard was a carpenter so did not take advantage of the Homestead Act. William and Richard’s mother, Susanna, decided to join her older sons in Kansas around 1881 with the younger children. My great grandfather, John Calvin Watkins, was 12 when the family settled in Kansas.

We will soon have a love story play out in Kansas between John Calvin Watkins and Florence “Lavina” Clark. Before that can happen the Clarks have to make their way to Kansas.

William Franklin Clark and Rebecca Parsons (my 2nd great grandparents) were married in Lee Virginia in 1873. Their first two daughters, Flora and Florence “Lavina”, were born in Virginia. The lure of the west propelled the family to head west and settle in Kansas. Their son, Howard, was born in Kansas in 1879. Later, four more children were added to the clan.

William Franklin Clark’s mother, Lavina Burchett Clark, joined William, Rebecca, and their children in Kansas sometime between 1880 and 1885. Lavina had been married to Washington Clark who had been in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He was taken prisoner of war and died in captivity in Camp Douglas in 1864. Lavina lived the rest of her life in Kansas.

These two families were joined together when John Calvin Watkins and Florence “Lavina” Clark married on June 22, 1895, in Greenwood, Kansas. Seven of their nine children were born in Kansas, one in Arkansas, and one in Oklahoma.

My grandfather, Donald, was born in 1905 in Potwin, Kansas. By 1925, the family was living in Wichita which was about 37 miles from Potwin. The family didn’t stay long in Wichita; by 1926 they had moved to Hoffman, Oklahoma where Donald began working in the oil fields. Hoffman provided a new opportunity. This was a boom area for the oil industry. On the other hand, Kansas was entering a “farming depression.” After World War I, wheat prices dropped dramatically and many farmers fell into debt.

Shortly after arriving in Hoffman, my grandfather, Donald, met and married my grandmother, Fannie Vandyke. They married on April 23,1926 and a year later on April 21, 1927, they had their first son, Donald Claud. My father, Billy Dean, was born on April 1, 1930.

Now Fannie Vandyke also had a connection, albeit more distant, to Kansas. Her father, Marshall Vandyke, was a disabled Civil War veteran. He was wounded June 23, 1864, at the Battle of Kennesaw Mt., Georgia; his right eye was shot out. After the war, he was considered a “soldier homesteader” and received land in Rice, Kansas. He and his first wife, Eliza, settled in Kansas with their four children. At some point, Marshall left Kansas (although Eliza and their children stayed in Kansas). Marshall moved to Arkansas and married my great grandmother, Elvira Estep, on May 31, 1896. He received 80 acres in 1921 from the government to homestead. Unfortunately, Marshall died in 1922.

My immediate family moved to Coffeyville, Kansas in 1967. The town immediately felt like home, and we spent many happy years there. It is about 135 miles from Coffeyville to Potwin where the Watkins’s Kansas legacy began.

As an interesting happenstance, I just saw that a new family just bought Isham’s Hardware store, a staple of Coffeyville. This is just the third family to own this store since it was established in 1870, the same year Great Granduncle William Watkins established himself in Kansas, ensuring that members of the Watkins family have been Kansans for 156 years.

Posted in Genealogy, Watkins | Tagged Donald Watkins, John Calvin Watkins, William Watkins | Comments Off

Neighbors and Community – Month 4 of 12 Ancestors in 12 Months

Posted on April 4, 2026 by Jacque

Hanging with the Family

Looking for support in a new land, many German immigrants became part of the German chain migration where people who arrive send letters to family and friends and encourage them to follow them. As German settlers in the 1800s arrived in New York, their desire to forge a life for themselves where hard work was rewarded and they could worship as they pleased led many to La Crosse, Wisconsin where jobs were plentiful and a community welcomed them. At this time, Wisconsin had a higher percentage of German-born residents than any other state. My German ancestors were part of this wave to seek a better life.

After a challenging voyage, my ancestors settled into a productive life in La Crosse. My great great grandparents, Heinrich Schmidt (Henry Smith) and Maria Christina Schaefer arrived in 1869 with their infant daughter, Gertrude (my great grandmother). They arrived in New York from Hamburg, Germany on May 22, 1869, on the ship Borussia. Shortly afterward, Maria Christina’s mother, Maria Weber along with her other children, Johan and Katrina arrived on the ship Silesia. According to the 1870 census, the two households were living together in La Crosse. Heinrich was a grocer and supported the household as they added to the family. Henrich and Maria Christina had 17 children, though not all survived into adulthood.

My great grandfather John Peter Antony (after arriving, he changed the spelling of his name to Anthony) journeyed with his mother and brothers in 1880.

He married my grandmother Gertrude in 1886, and they had ten children (not all survived into adulthood).

His brother Peter married Barbara Sieger and they had one son. His other brother Nicholas married Katherine Weber and they had six children.

The Anthony and Schmidt families were not just relatives, but also neighbors in the community of La Crosse, Wisconsin after both families immigrated from Germany.

By the 1900 census my great grandparents, John and Gertrude Anthony, were living at 131 Wood Street with five of their children (my grandmother wasn’t born until 1905). Just down the street at 128 Wood Street lived John’s brother Nicholas and his wife Kate. John’s mother Otillia (Tillie) lived with them. 127 Wood Street was the home of Gertrude’s sister Catherine (Kate) and her husband Peter Merfeld and their four children.

Wood Street was near the railroads and John Anthony, Peter Merfeld, and Nicholas Anthony all worked for the railroad. (Nicholas was a blacksmith but in 1900 La Crosse that meant working for the railroad.) Wood Street was very convenient for them and since it was heavily populated by railroad workers, provided a deep connection for the neighbors.

In 1900, Gertrude’s parents lived about five blocks away on Avon Street with several of Gertrude’s siblings. Some of her other siblings lived on Bulin (Berlin) Street or Livingston Street. Both of these streets were just a couple of blocks from Wood Street.

The connections with Wood Street continued even after John and Gertrude moved with their immediate family to California. Their oldest son, Henry, came down with tuberculosis. His doctor suggested that he move somewhere with a warm, dry, climate. He moved to Redlands, California and quickly improved. John and Gertrude then packed up the rest of the family (my grandmother was an infant) and moved there to support Henry. Henry did well for a short time but then succumbed to the disease. Henry’s obituary in the La Crosse Tribune stated, “Word was received by friends on the North side yesterday that Henry Anthony, formerly clerk at the M. and C. Newburg clothing store on the South side had passed away at 1:30 a.m. Thursday in California.” The obituary continues to share that Henry had lived on Wood Street.

La Crosse, Wisconsin and the north side was an important part of my German ancestors and their assimilation into American society. Family and neighbors provided support and a special cultural and social identity.

After my direct ancestors moved to California and settled in the San Bernardino area, they continued building on this foundation and developed a strong family unit.

Gertrude Schmidt Anthony with some of her grandchildren

Posted in Anthony, Genealogy | Tagged Gertrude Schmidt, Heinrich Schmidt, John Peter Anthony, Maria Christina Schaefer, Otillia Endres | Comments Off

An Address with a Story – Month 3 of 12 Ancestors in 12 Months

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Jacque

A Lost Soul on the Phantom Ship

(Mary Gibbard, my 10th Great Grandmother)

I miss England. It’s been almost ten years since I’ve seen my family and experienced the vibrancy of London. London is a busy, chaotic city of about 400,000 people. Oh what a contrast to New Haven with about 800 settlers.

With such a small population, life is definitely lived in a fishbowl. Since my husband, Stephen, is the Deputy Governor of the Colony of New Haven, I live my life as an example to the other women. It’s not always easy. My Puritan faith sustains me. I manage the household and garden while raising my children. Everything I say and do is analyzed publicly. I willingly fulfill my duty, but it would be nice to have a break and visit the family that I haven’t seen in so many years.

As it so happened, Stephen and others in our community combined our resources to build what we called the ‘Great Shippe’ to increase our trading opportunities. New Haven has really been struggling, and Stephen and the others believe that with our own ship we can encourage trade and become more successful.

I am fortunate that Stephen supports my desire to visit England and my family. In return, I will be Stephen’s representative in this endeavor. I am happy to do this and am ready for this journey to begin, although I will miss my husband and children.

January 1646

Unfortunately, the sailing has been delayed due to inauspicious circumstances. It is now January 1646 which is the height of winter. The cargo has been loaded, and it is time to leave. After the cargo was loaded, Captain George Lamberton had an eerie premonition. He shared his thoughts with some of the colonists, “This ship will be our grave (Describe).”

The weather on the day of departure is absolutely brutal. We are totally iced in; the harbor is frozen solid. The only way that we can possibly get to open water is for every able-bodied man and boy to chop and saw through the ice. It was a tremendous undertaking to get us through those three miles.

I have tried to prepare myself to live aboard the Good Shippe for the four to eight weeks necessary to reach England. I thought I knew what my temporary home would be like, but the conditions were unfathomable. There was no heat and the damp and freezing conditions were paralyzing. The 70 passengers had to share the ‘tween deck with each other as well as a few goats and chickens. The violent North Atlantic winds we encountered were terrifying.

The Silence

After the Great Shippe broke the ice, there was complete silence. There was no sighting of the ship anywhere. The New Haven colonists eagerly awaited news from the ships arriving from England. Tragically, there was absolutely no news of any kind. The colony sank into despair as time went on. The Great Shippe never reached England. However, that is not the end of the story.

June 1648

The Phantom Ship

A tremendous thunderstorm exploded in the skies of New Haven Harbor. The storm finally eased about an hour before sunset. Many members of the community gathered at the harbor and collectively experienced an unsettling mirage. They saw the Great Shippe. Witnesses were able to see details of the ship. As the observers continued to stare in disbelief, “The ship didn’t just fade; it underwent a rapid wreck in the sky. The main topmast fell, then the masts broke and finally, the hull capsized and dissolved into a smoky mist (Mather).”

The Explanation

Many people at the time felt this apparition was “God sending them a visual answer to their prayers to show them exactly how their loved ones died.”

Today, some people allude to “collective hallucination” as a possible explanation as the colonists dealt with the continued trauma of not knowing what happened.

The most popular reason though is that it was a Fata Morgana which is a scientific interpretation for “a rare, complex mirage that occurs after a severe thunderstorm that deals with temperature inversion and unstable air temperatures (Describe).”

Regardless of how it happened, the fact that so many people saw the vision of the Phantom Ship provided the colonists with closure.

After the Phantom Ship

George Lamberton was the captain of the Great Shippe. He was married to Margaret Lewin. Captain Lamberton was lost to sea aboard the Great Shippe now known as the Phantom Ship.

My 10th great grandfather, Stephen Goodyear, Deputy Governor of New Haven, Connecticut, was married to Mary Gibbard. Mary was lost to sea aboard the Great Shippe now known as the Phantom Ship.

After the shared mirage of the Phantom Shippe appeared, Stephen Goodyear married Margaret Lewin Lamberton.

The account of the Great Shippe was immortalized by the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his poem, The Phantom Ship.

The Phantom Ship

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

In Mather’s Magnalia Christi,

Of the old colonial time,

May be found in prose the legend

That is here set down in rhyme.

A ship sailed from New Haven,

And the keen and frosty airs,

That filled her sails at parting,

Were heavy with good men’s prayers.

“O Lord! if it be thy pleasure”–

Thus prayed the old divine–

“To bury our friends in the ocean,

Take them, for they are thine!”

But Master Lamberton muttered,

And under his breath said he,

“This ship is so crank and walty

I fear our grave she will be!”

And the ships that came from England,

When the winter months were gone,

Brought no tidings of this vessel

Nor of Master Lamberton.

This put the people to praying

That the Lord would let them hear

What in his greater wisdom

He had done with friends so dear.

And at last their prayers were answered:–

It was in the month of June,

An hour before the sunset

Of a windy afternoon,

When, steadily steering landward,

A ship was seen below,

And they knew it was Lamberton, Master,

Who sailed so long ago.

On she came, with a cloud of canvas,

Right against the wind that blew,

Until the eye could distinguish

The faces of the crew.

Then fell her straining topmasts,

Hanging tangled in the shrouds,

And her sails were loosened and lifted,

And blown away like clouds.

And the masts, with all their rigging,

Fell slowly, one by one,

And the hulk dilated and vanished,

As a sea-mist in the sun!

And the people who saw this marvel

Each said unto his friend,

That this was the mould of their vessel,

And thus her tragic end.

And the pastor of the village

Gave thanks to God in prayer,

That, to quiet their troubled spirits,

He had sent this Ship of Air.

Sources

“1644 The Phantom Ship.” Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut, 2011, www.colonialwarsct.org/1644_phantom_ship.htm. Accessed 28 Jan. 2023.

“Describe the Phantom Ship of 1646” prompt. Gemini, Jan 27 version, Google, 27 Jan. 2026, gemini.google.com.

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. “The Phantom Ship.” PoetryVerse, www.poetryverse.com/henry-wadsworth-longfellow-poems/phantom-ship. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.

Mather, Cotton. Magnalia Christi Americana. Silas Andrus and Son,1853j. Google Books, https://book.google.com/books?id=0_8UAAAYAAJ.

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A Turning Point – Month 2 of 12 Ancestors in 12 Months

Posted on February 3, 2026 by Jacque

AI, my Genealogy Research Assistant

So was my 3rd great grandfather really Washington Clark who was a confederate soldier in the Civil War and died as a prisoner of War? (I was pretty confident of this discovery and wrote about it in my blog of June 12, 2021 Bridge – Week 23 of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks | Journeying with Jacque.) Or was my 3rd great grandfather really George Washington Clark or perhaps William Washington Clark as my 2nd cousin once removed suggested? She said that my grandaunt Winifred had told her brother that it was George Washington Clark but that my cousin’s research indicated that it may actually have been William Washington Clark.

Lavina Burchett is my 3rd great grandmother. There is no doubt there; her life has been well documented, and we know she was born in Virginia and died in Kansas at almost 72. The question becomes, who did she actually marry? Through hints on Ancestry.com, I found Lavina’s obituary that states that she was a widow but had married Washington Clark on January 28, 1847 and that they had five children, one who was William Franklin Clark, my 2nd great grandfather.

I also have Robert T. Clark and Rebecca Harris as Washington’s parents, but I didn’t include any supporting documentation. In my blog, I focused on Washington Clark’s wartime activities and the fact that he was a confederate soldier and was sent to Camp Douglas as a prisoner of war after he was captured. He died at Camp Douglas in Illinois.

Find a Grave provides a good record of his Civil War time, but states that his parents were James Handley and Cinderella Clark. While I think having an ancestor named Cinderella would be really cool, alas, my research showed that it wasn’t logical. I also discovered a William Clark who was the father of a George Washington Clark who was born in South Carolina, but the dates and location don’t seem to work.

So…I decided to try AI to see if I could get some answers. AI is really good at analyzing patterns, providing insights and suggesting relevant information, connecting clues, and generating hints. It’s also pretty good at handwriting recognition and facial recognition from pictures. Furthermore, it creates stories or narratives from all of this information. One of the pluses is that it uses natural language so you can ask a question just like you normally would.

Ancestry.com has actually used AI for about 10 years. This is how they provide hints (the discovery of Lavina’s obituary was generated from hints on Ancestry that I accessed in 2021). Now one of the negative things that AI is known for is making up answers if it doesn’t know an answer, so it really is buyer beware. While many of the hints are right on target some have absolutely nothing to do with your branch of the family. Remember, it’s just analyzing databases and historical records, etc. AI is constantly improving as it learns and as it is exposed to more information. For example, Ancestry.com has added about 65 billion records since Ancestry started in 1997 and actually continues to add about five million new records per day.

FamilySearch.com has recently added a new AI component – a full text search. This is interesting because it searches unindexed records (which were already there but very difficult and time consuming to search) and it uses handwriting recognition.

I actually started my new Washington Clark search using FamilySearch Full Text. I found a record of a deed between Washington Clark and Lavina and Samuel A. Burchett, Lavina’s brother, on May 2, 1853 in Lee, Virginia. Then I found a record of Virginia births. The first line on p. 55 was that William F. Clark (my 2nd great grandfather) was born to Washington and Lavina on January 16, 1855 in Lee, Virginia. I also found a marriage license between William F. Clark and Rebecca F. Parsons (my 2nd great grandparents). It states his parents as Lavina and Washington Clark and Rebecca’s parents as Lucinda and J. M. Parsons. The marriage took place on January 1, 1873 in Lee, Virginia.

Next, it was time to try my new AI research assistant at Gemini.Google.com. (There are several AI platforms with ChatGPT being the most recognized; I chose Gemini because I already had Google open, it’s free, and I didn’t need a password.)

The first thing you have to do is write a prompt. I wrote, “I am researching Washington Clark. Was the Washington Clark who was born in 1828 and died in 1864 and who married Lavina Burchett, a confederate soldier in the American Civil War?” Gemini wrote, “Based on genealogical records and historical databases Washington Clark was indeed a soldier in the Confederated Army during the American Civil War.” It then went on to give me detailed information under the categories: Biographical Details, Military Service, and Family Connection.

Under family connection, Gemini stated that Washington’s parents were Robert Clark and Rebecca Harris. My next prompt then was, “Washington Clark (1828-1864) may have been the son of Robert Clark and Rebecca Harris. What resources are available that show this information?” It then gave me information under the following categories: FamilySearch and Ancestry Databases, Lee County Virginia Vital Records, Civil War Military Records, Regional Genealogical Publications, and Cemetery and Memorial Records. Besides some specific information, it also just pointed me to resources.

Another interesting component of Gemini is that it will suggest other avenues to pursue if you want. For example, after providing data on Robert Clark and Rebecca Harris, Gemini asked me, “Would you like me to check for details on Washington Clark’s siblings to further confirm the Robert and Rebecca connection?” It went on to check Washington’s siblings and discovered records (such as death records, census accounts, and household records) from various siblings where the parents are listed. It also identified family names such as Samuel, Robert, and Rebecca in different families and accounted for geographic clusters in the 1850 and 1860 censuses where various family members lived. I would never have thought of including naming patterns and sibling investigation in my research so this is something I am now aware of.

After my research with help from Gemini, my AI Research Assistant, I feel confident that I have the right ancestors, Washington Clark and Lavina Burchett, as my 3rd great grandparents.

So…how did George Washington Clark enter the family historical story? My cousin’s brother visited my aunt Winifred when he was in elementary school to get help with a school project. She may have told him something like, “My grandfather was Washington Clark, like George Washington” and he just heard George Washington. She certainly would have known who her great grandfather was. My dad was a bit in awe of her and told us she had a photographic memory (whether that was true or she was just messing with a little boy, I don’t know), but I’m sure that there is a logical explanation.

I will definitely continue to utilize AI in my ancestry research. I really see the potential benefits. However, it is essential to see it as another tool in the genealogist’s arsenal. It will be interesting to see how schools implement this into the curriculum while encouraging students to use this tool to advance their skills while at the same time acknowledging the pitfalls. AI can’t take the place of critical thinking and creativity that we encourage in our students. While this technology has amazing possibilities, it requires the human touch to be effective. I certainly won’t rely on this exclusively because while I work on family genealogy to further our family connection and tell the stories, I also want to exercise my brain.

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A Record that Adds Color – Month 1 in 12 Ancestors in 12 Months

Posted on January 11, 2026 by Jacque

From Martyrs to Modern Times

Gary’s Pennsylvania Huber ancestors were descended from the Swiss Hubers who were religiously persecuted Anabaptists. These European ancestors were steadfast in their beliefs, and many became martyrs.

The Anabaptist movement in the 1500s was anathema to the Catholics and Protestants because their beliefs challenged the accepted role of melding church and state; Anabaptists believed in the separation of church and state. One of their main views was a rejection of infant baptism. They also refused to swear oaths, wouldn’t serve in the military, and overall adhered to a life of pacifism. Religious persecution was a real thing.

Some of the Hubers who experienced martyrdom due to their Anabaptist beliefs were:

1527 – Hans Huber was imprisoned in Lahr, then expelled from the city.
1538 – Ulrich Huber was executed for standing up for his beliefs.
1542 – Hans Huber was burned at the stake for refusing to return to the Catholic church.
1635 – Sharach Huber was tortured in Moravia.
1645 – Wolfgang Huber was killed with a sword.
1645 – Hans Huber was thrown into prison and kept in chains for the rest of his life. His wife was exiled.

Understandably, many Anabaptists fled to an area in Germany called Palatinate (thereby becoming known as Swiss Palatinates) to escape the cruel treatment they or their brethren received. Unfortunately, life did not improve, and for many, actually got worse. William Penn traveled to this area three times and earned the people’s trust. He preached religious freedom. “The Palatinates were longing for some spot on earth where they could go and live in peace, freed from their cruel oppressors.” Thus began the migration to Pennsylvania.

This information came from two books of compiled records regarding various branches of the Huber family.

Compiled records are basically a published account of a family’s history. Many Hubers immigrated to Pennsylvania. The first book was The Huber-Hoover Family History compiled by Harry M. Hoover (Hoover is the Americanized version of Huber) and published by the Mennonite Publishing House in 1928. The second book was compiled by Gloria C. Hartzell and published in 1983.

This one is titled Genealogical History of John Francis Huber from Bucks County, PA and his Descendants with Related Families 1751-1983. John Francis Huber arrived in Pennsylvania in 1751 on the ship Patience; this is Gary’s branch of the Huber family. His mother was born Georgene Elizabeth Huber. Georgene’s aunt, Elta Huber Bonner, was the family representative for Gary’s Huber branch. She provided information to be included in this compilation.

This was a huge undertaking. I call it “The Big Red Book” and it took Gloria 13 years and lots of help to create this 498 page family history. Gloria really dedicated her life to this project for many years. She and her husband traveled all over to gather information. She visited courthouses, historical societies, libraries, cemeteries, and even went to Salt Lake City to visit the Family Search Library which is the gold standard in genealogical research. In addition, Gloria provided family questionnaires and conducted telephone and personal interviews. She included research from the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution}. In addition to all the facts for individuals and family groups, Gloria provided pictures of wills, deeds, census records, family Bible information, religious records, tombstones, and photographs of ancestors.

Truthfully, compiled records are only as good as the researcher. Did they provide primary source material or focus on family lore? Once you have the information you can further evaluate it. The advantage of course, is having so many facts in one place. It’s also a great way to “add color” to facts when the researcher provides more than names and dates.

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Reflections – Month 12 of 12 Ancestors in 12 Months

Posted on December 30, 2025 by Jacque

Preserving the Memories

“Julian Carax said that we exist as long as someone remembers us,” Nuria Monfort in Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

Genealogy is all about remembering and bringing our ancestors to life by telling their stories.

This year my genealogy mentor passed away. I met Dave when we started the Ardiente Genealogy Club. I was an absolute newbie and had no clue how to really get started learning about my ancestors. I had some basic information from my parents and had started doing some research using the free version of Ancestry.com. At the club, members got me forms and charts that I could use to record my findings. Dave (who had over 30 years of experience) was the one who convinced me that I could find the stories. He shared some of the family stories that he had discovered and explained how I would find some of my own stories as I delved into the research. Dave was a member of the Mayflower Society and proved his connection before the Internet was a thing. Back in those days, that required writing letters, making phone calls, and spending time and money on travel to find the original documents. I am thankful to Dave for his experience, encouragement, and confidence that I too would find the stories.

Amy Johnson Crow developed a program called “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” that further encourages us ancestor hunters to find those special and/or unique stories that bring our ancestors to life and gives us a chance to remember them. I joined this group in 2021 and created my blog where I could add my stories that I hope to share with family. The first year, I wrote 52 entries and really jump-started my research (since this was also during COVID, I had time to focus on my new passion). In 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, I chose the 12 Ancestors in 12 Months version which fits my lifestyle a little better. I plan to continue in 2026 (so yes, it’s time to focus on research again as I add to my tree).

Ancestry.com provides a few statistics for my yearly accomplishments. I have five trees: in my family tree I have 665 people; in Gary’s family tree, I have 363 people; in the John Cathcart Coble research tree, I have 20 people; in the the Blue Fugate research tree I have 27 people; and in the Fugate/Smith tree I have 50 people. This year I added 229 people to my tree and received 6,707 new hints to help further my research. A new statistic is that clues from my tree helped 21 other people further their research.

In November, the theme for 12 Ancestors was Family Recipe. I wrote about Grandma Coble’s sugar cookies. This was fun because Gary made this special recipe and it certainly brought back many memories. However, the research involved in figuring out the whole story was a bit complicated with the Barbara Cobles and the Elizabeth Hoffers and the connection between the Cobles and the Meckleys. The research literally gave me a headache. But I now have a much greater appreciation for these cookies. In June, we have plans for a family reunion in Billings, Montana and we intend to share the wonderful family tradition of making this very old family recipe with Grandma Coble’s 2nd great grandchildren.

Gary and I have a nice balance of being active and on-the-go and enjoying our time at home.

This year, some of us in our community started an Ardiente Book Club. It’s a wonderful group of people and I’ve read books I never would have read otherwise so it’s been totally successful. Reading continues to be one of my passions. According to Goodreads, I read 52 books this year. When the weather is nice, you will definitely find me outside with my Kindle.

We’ve reworked our hobby space at home. Not only do we take advantage of our wonderful outdoor space for reading, cooking, and enjoying our fire pit, but we turned our second bedroom into a hobby space – Gary set up his drum set, his gaming systems, and we added two wine fridges.

Traveling is still a big part of our retirement. We have seen some amazing things and have had many wonderful experiences. We were fortunate enough this year to go on two cruises – Greece (absolutely amazing) and the Caribbean on a new ship. We also made three family trips and spent two weeks in Carlsbad, California and one week in Sedona, Arizona. I turned 70 this year (really hard to believe) and we did a birthday celebration staycation at the Paris Casino culminating in dinner with friends.

One of the reasons that we chose to retire in Las Vegas was the entertainment opportunities. We have now seen 72 shows, concerts, and theater productions since we moved here. We already have some reservations for next year.

This time of year, we often focus on New Year’s Resolutions. We’re optimistic and feeling positive. As we move into 2026, in addition to focusing on health and continuing our normal pursuits, my new goal is to learn more about AI and how it can be utilized in ancestry research. I also plan to continue to explore more stories of those who came before me.

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Family Recipe – Month 11 of 12 Ancestors in 12 Months

Posted on November 11, 2025 by Jacque

Grandma Coble’s Sugar Cookies aka Aunt Barbara’s Sugar Cookies

“Here, you’ve got to try one of Grandma Coble’s sugar cookies. They’re really special.” This was my introduction to the Coble clan. Gary and I got married June 26, 1989, and went to the Coble Family Reunion in July. The sugar cookies were different from any I had tasted before and were very memorable.

Everyone in the family speaks very highly of these cookies and they evoke tons of memories. What makes these cookies a bit different from most sugar cookies are the ingredients of lard and sour milk. Lard in sugar cookies results in a softer texture and rich flavor. Lest you be concerned about lard being very unhealthy, it is actually considered to be a bit healthier than shortening or butter; of course, none of these are considered to be health foods. As long as the sugar cookies remain a special treat, you should be just fine. As for sour milk, it is simply the addition of vinegar to the milk. It is used as a “leavening agent and flavor enhancer.” It also produces a fluffier baked good.

A form of sugar cookies can be found in many cultures, but the sugar cookies that we love today actually originated in Pennsylvania in the 1700s. This explains why lard was the choice rather than shortening since shortening wasn’t even a thing until the early 1900s; Crisco was created in 1911.

Since our focus this month is on a Family Recipe, Gary made Grandma Coble’s sugar cookies and they were outstanding.

While the cookies are attributed to Anna Mae Coble, she gave credit to Aunt Barbara. Barbara Ann Coble was born in 1858 to John H. Coble and Elizabeth Gingrich. She lived her whole life in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Barbara Ann Coble was the aunt of John Ira Coble, Sr. who was the husband of Anna Mae. Now it is very likely that Barbara Ann got the recipe from her Aunt Barbara Coble who was born in 1825. This Aunt Barbara is the aunt of both John Ira Coble and Anna Mae Meckley Coble because Barbara married Isaac Meckley who was the great granduncle of Anna Mae. There is another Barbara who is the grandmother of Barbara (1825). She is Barbara Long who was born in 1768 and married John Hoffer.

The Coble and Meckley sides connect through Matthias Hoffer (1718) and Anna Marie Wohlweider (1727) who were married in 1745. Matthias and Anna Marie had three sons. Their son John Hoffer married Barbara Long and they had a daughter, Elizabeth who married Christian Coble. Barbara was their daughter.

Another son of Matthias and Anna Marie was named Matthias. He married Veronica Holderman, and they had a daughter they also named Elizabeth. This Elizabeth married Melchoir Meckley and they had a son Isaac Meckley who married Barbara Coble as well as a son, Samuel who married Mary Ann Brestle. Anna Mae Meckley Coble was descended from Samuel and Mary Ann.

The first Matthias Hoffer was born in 1718 in Basle, Switzerland and emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1743. His wife Anna Marie was born in Pennsylvania. So…Mathias and Anna Marie are Gary’s 6^th great grandparents on his dad’s maternal side and his 5^th great grandparents on his dad’s paternal side.

Now, back to sugar cookies, it is entirely possible that Gary’s ancestors were at the forefront of the modern-day sugar cookies as they were living in Pennsylvania in the 1700s and the legendary Coble family sugar cookies go back at least as far as Aunt Barbara.

This is my niece’s first time to help make sugar cookies and also her first time to eat them. Start them young with building special family memories.

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Music – Month 10 of 12 Ancestors in 12 Months

Posted on October 20, 2025 by Jacque

Turning on the Memories with Music

“As a girl, of course, she liked Chuck Berry and Little Richard. And Elvis Presley, the King himself…But the music Erik used to blast from the boom box in his bedroom? That was noise, pure and simple (Tova from Remarkably Bright Creatures p. 266).” Truthfully, there is nothing like the music from your youth, invoking the emotions and recollections of times past. We generally are convinced that our generation has the “best” songs. The time period between our pre-teens to our early 20s is when we are forming our identity, and the music we listen to during this impressionable time connects with us in a special way as we develop into the adults we will become.

I had the fun opportunity to attend two performances this year that brought back those special feelings and helped me connect my past with music.

It all started in 1966 when I was 11. That summer, my family moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma from Beaumont, California. For Christmas that year, I got my first ever record player. To make this Christmas even more special, my grandparents gave me a brick red box filled with records that had belonged to my uncles (my dad’s younger stepbrothers) in the 1950s and early 1960s. This became the music I listened to in my formative years.

Billy Dean, Kenneth Gerald, Donald, Donald Claud, George Edward, Alta Mae

This is the only picture I have of my father’s immediate family with his dad, Donald, his older brother, Donald Claud, his stepmother Alta Mae, and his stepbrothers, Kenneth Gerald and George Edward. My dad (Billy Dean Watkins) was born in 1930 and was 15 years old when Kenneth Gerald “Jerry” was born on May 24, 1945. George Edward “Eddie” was born on September 13, 1946. My dad left home and joined the Air Force in 1948, moving to California when he got out of the Air Force. Unfortunately, my uncle Jerry was in a horrible car accident and died on May 1, 1964.

Eddie went on to college at Oklahoma State University, married Ann Durand, and served in the army during the Vietnam War. He and Ann went on to own a sports and screenprinting store and had two sons. His sons now own the store and Eddie enjoys his many grandchildren.

My nostalgic journey in 2025 began with the Everly Brothers Experience. Jerry and Eddie must have had every record that the Everly Brothers ever recorded. I loved their music and listened to those songs over and over. Gary and I went to Myron’s at the Smith Center on May 16 (as part of our birthday celebrations) and saw the Everly Brothers Experience with the Zmed Brothers. The music brought back all those special memories of hours of listening to the Everly Brothers. Not only are the Zmed brothers great performers, they truly have the authentic sound. In addition to their performance, they shared the stories of the Everly Brothers.

My next nostalgic evening was the 56^th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s first Las Vegas performance in 1969. The Westgate (in 1969 it was known as the International Hotel) decided to re-create this performance as part of Elvis Presley’s 90^th birthday celebration. They charged 1969 prices, and we were thrilled to get tickets. The Elvis tribute artist, Travis Powell, did a wonderful job and we felt like we were experiencing the actual performance. Okay, some of the audience members took this to the extreme and many women ran up to the stage, swooned, and waited for a kiss the cheek. I turned to my friend and asked if these women thought he was the real Elvis.

Las Vegas had dubbed this to be “The Year of Elvis” and we had another opportunity to enjoy a connection with Elvis. In June we went to the steakhouse at Westgate for restaurant week and since we were locals, our waiter asked if we wanted to see the dining room where Elvis ate before his performances. Of course we jumped at the chance and got a couple of pictures.

Continue to enjoy the music that speaks to your soul, understand those that like music that seems totally unpleasant, and continue to find new music that you appreciate.

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