Monday, April 28, 2025

Institutions--Rainbow Girls

     Amy Johnson Crow has a 52 Ancestors Week blog challenge which I have decided to give a try for the second year. 

     The prompt for week # 18 is Institutions.

     I checked Webster's and found that an institution is defined as a society or organization founded for a religious, educational, social or similar purpose.  I have been a member of several institutions of my years and decided to blog about my high school years in Rainbow Girls.

     My family moved to a new house in 1961 ending over a decade in my childhood home.  And, that meant, introvert Linda, leaving my lifelong school and neighborhood friends and beginning high school in new surroundings.  Talk about anxious.

     Slowly through church and school clubs I began to fit in.  The major turning point was when my high school BFF moved into the neighborhood.  She had been in the school system since Kindergarten and my circle of friends enlarged greatly.  

     I had never heard of Rainbow Girls; however, I found that several of my new closer friends were members.  My Dad had been a Mason for years so there was no parent blocking my request to join.  

     Their mission statement:  "The International Order of the Rainbow Girls prepares girls for responsible and purposeful adulthood through character and leadership development, encouraging unselfish service and higher ideals in life, and promoting teamwork and effective interpersonal communications."  


     Mom and I drove to the North Side area of Pittsburgh to shop for the required long white dress.  Carlisle's was the place to go in Pittsburgh.  In fact, my wedding dress was purchased there seven years later in 1969.

     Looking back at the various pieces of printed memorabilia Mom saved of my Rainbow days, I was surprised at just how many of my friends were members.


     I attended meetings and activities until I graduated from high school in 1965.  I was active; however, did not add many bars to my pin for three years of service--underachiever.  😇


     The small yellow square pin was earned when I held the office as yellow representing nature in the bow.  There was a short memorized speech that I had to present at an installation meeting.   I do remember my Mom was extremely disappointed that she was not allowed to attend the meeting to hear me "perform" as she was not a member of a Masonic organization.  Readers may remember my Mom was quite the actress in local productions.   My Dad did attend.

     My Rainbow Girls activity ended when I left home for college; however, I did receive a Majority Certificate in 1968.  It is a card that I was retired in good standing and could be used if I ever desired to attend a meeting of the Order of Eastern Star.


     I did not continue on with Eastern Star.  I enjoyed my years as a Rainbow Girl; however, for me it was an extension of social activities with my high school friend group.


I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.
© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser


Sunday, April 20, 2025

DNA--Unraveling the VanGilder Mystery


     Amy Johnson Crow has a 52 Ancestors Week blog challenge which I have decided to give a try for the second year. 

     The prompt for week # 17 is DNA.

     The only branch of my family tree, that I am aware of, that has had DNA discovery is my paternal VanGilder branch.  Last year for 52 Ancestors Week, under the meme Origins, I blogged about my VanGilder line and the DNA findings.  It's All Dutch To Me, outlined the findings to date.  

  I note that at the end of the blog from last year I said to stay tuned for further findings.  I do not believe there have been any additional findings.  My paternal great great great great grandfather, Jacob VanGilder, did indeed descend from Awansous, to Mohican-Wappinger Native American, Tawanaut/Toanunck who changed his name to Jan Van Gelder and his descendent John VanGilder I.  

Additional VanGilder DNA Information:

 

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.
© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser


Sunday, April 13, 2025

Oldest Story--Squatter Mott


     Amy Johnson Crow has a 52 Ancestors Week blog challenge which I have decided to give a try for the second year. 

     The prompt for week # 16 is Oldest Story.

     This is one of the oldest stories in my husband's family tree.  Ezekiel Mott, Jr. is my husband's paternal  Great Great Great Great Grandfather.  He was the son of Ezekiel Mott and Jane McAlevy.  Ezekiel, Jr. was born in 1769 in Dutchess County, New York.

     I will admit that years ago I did research my husband's Mott family primarily working backwards from his paternal Great Great Grandfather, Orison Smith.  Orison was the son of Abner Smith and Sarah Mott, daughter of Ezekiel Mott, Jr.

     The history of the Mott Family, early Ohio pioneers, has been an interesting, although somewhat challenging research.  The usual issues with numerous same first names and missing documents.   

1789 Connecticut Western Reserve Map
with Trumbull, Portage and Medina Counties highlighted

     Following his service in the American Revolutionary War, Ezekiel Mott, Sr. made his way west with his family.  His son, Ezekiel Mott, Jr. probably accompanied his father.  Records are sketchy at best.  

     Ezekiel Mott, Jr. married Mary (Polly) and his first child, Ezekiel, was born in Pennsylvania in 1797.  His second child, a daughter, Sarah, was born in Trumbull County, Ohio in 1798.  Trumbull County is underlined in the map above, far right hand side.    

Deerfield Township 1874
Note Mottown and number of Mott Families
still owning land


     The Ohio Mott story begins in Deerfield Township, Portage County, Ohio in 1807 or earlier, on land located then in the Connecticut Western Reserve.  Acres of land in this area was being sold by the Connecticut Land Company to pioneers from the New England area who wanted to venture west.  "Initial settlement of the area was sporadic and slow, however by the 1820's, the region began to prosper.  The first settlers and towns they established reflected the culture of Connecticut and New England." (The Western Reserve Historical Society).

 


     There are records that lists Ezekiel, Jr. in Deerfield Township in 1807 and 1809.  Both Ezekiel, senior and junior are enumerated on the 1810 Ohio Tax List.  Portage County is the middle county underlined on the map above.      


      

     While living in Portage County, Ezekiel and his brother, Elijah, served as privates during the War of 1812 in the 1st Company 2nd Battalion 2nd Regiment 4th Brigade under the leadership of Lieutenant Ira Morse.  The Company was charged with marching to Cleveland to defend the city against the British.  The 1st Company served for ten days and each private was paid a prorated amount of 5.090 per month for their service.  

Ezekiel and Mary Mott's known children

  1. Ezekiel Mott born about 1797 in Pennsylvania
  2. Sarah Mott born about 1798 in Trumbull County, Ohio
  3. John Mott born about 1804 in Portage County, Ohio
  4. Hiram Mott born about 1806 in Portage County, Ohio
  5. James Mott born about 1813 in Portage County, Ohio
  6. Samuel Mott born 1813-1810 in Portage County, Ohio
  7. Elijah Mott born 1810-1915 in Ohio
  8. Fidelia Mott born about 1817 in Medina County, Ohio
  9. Melinda Mott born about 1819 in Medina County, Ohio

Pioneer History of Medina County, Ohio
By N.B. Northrup
1861
page 68
 
History of Medina County
by the Medina County Historical Society
Granger Township section
page 40

      Several Medina County, Ohio history accounts reveal that Ezekiel Mott, Jr. had removed to land in Granger Township in 1816, squatting on land that was owned by George Codding and was known as Squatter Mott.  Medina County, Ohio is the far left hand side white underlined county above.

Granger Township, Medina County, Ohio
Section 2 and 22 outlined

     From the accounts I have found, Ezekiel built his cabin on land in section 2 of Granger Township.  

     The future township’s earliest inhabitants had been Native American Mound Builders, before the area was taken over by the Connecticut Western Reserve. The land was purchased by Oliver Phelps, but was inhabited only by squatters and hunter/trappers. In February 1818, four families came from the East to settle, traveling by sleds pulled by oxen.  By 1820, 40 families -- 260 “souls” -- lived in what would become the township.  


     As additional Western Reserve pioneers arrived in Granger Township, paying for land, Ezekiel Mott moved to section 22 in Granger Township. On January 9, 1819, he purchased sixty acres of land in section 22, Granger Township, Medina County, Ohio for 300.00 (type of money is unknown) from Burt and Betsy Codding.  

Ezekiel Mott Jr. deposition for
Ezekiel Mott, Sr. Revolutionary War Pension

     On November 3, 1819, Ezekiel made a disposition regarding his father's Revolutionary War service to assist with his being granted a pension.  

     Granger Township was organized in 1820 and was named for Gideon Granger, a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives and Fourth United States Postmaster General.  It is in this year that I was able to find Township records.  

1820 Ohio Census
Granger Township, Medina County

Ezekiel Mott
3 males under age 10
2 males between 10 & 16
1 male between 16 & 26
1 male age 45 or over
2 females under age 10
1 female between 16 & 26
1 female age 45 or over

 
1821 Tax Record
Ezekiel Mott
Granger Township, Medina County, Ohio

   
1828 Tax Record
Ezekiel Mott
Granger Township, Medina County, Ohio

     There are tax records in Granger Township, Medina County, Ohio for Ezekiel Mott from 1820 through 1828.  It lists his 60 acres in section 22 and his paid taxes for each year.  I have posted the tax record for 1821 and 1828 because they are the ones that were the easiest to read.  The land was valued at $200 and he had horses and cows.  


     There is a deed record for Ezekiel Mott's property in Lot 22, 60 acres Granger Township, Medina County, Ohio dated April 6, 1827.  Ezekiel's wife, Mary, is also given.  


Will of Ezekiel Mott, Jr.

     At some point in time between 1827 and 1828, Ezekiel and Mary (Polly) Mott removed to Streetsboro Township, Portage County, Ohio.  His will is dated September 18, 1828.  That is the date of death given to him by most researchers.  He would have been fifty-nine years old calculated from the approximate date of his birth.  His burial place is unknown.  If he had a burial marker, it is long gone.  

1830 Ohio Census
Streetsboro Township, Medina County

     Mary Mott is enumerated in the 1830 Ohio Census, Streetsboro Township Portage County, Ohio.   The record is eligible. 

1 male between age 15 7 20
1 male between 20 & 30
1 female between 10 & 15
1 female between 15 & 20
1 female between 60 & 70

     Very little is known about Mary.  Trees in Ancestry list her as Mary Rebecca Polley, born 1776 in New Jersey, death March 13, 1851 in Portage County, Ohio.  I have not seen any records to verify this.  

The Usual Genealogists Nightmare

     I am taking a moment here to express that although the reader might think that following the life of someone named Ezekiel Mott in the early 1800's would be child's play....it is not.  This particular Mott clan named and renamed sons and grandsons Ezekiel.  Every one of progenitor Ezekiel Mott family named a son Ezekiel Mott.  Another favorite name was Elijah Mott.  There are many.  

 

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.
© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser


Sunday, April 6, 2025

Big Mistake--Cannon Brothers, Which One?


     Amy Johnson Crow has a 52 Ancestors Week blog challenge which I have decided to give a try for the second year. 

    The prompt for week # 15 is Big Mistake.

     One of my biggest mistakes was deciding which Cannon brother in Columbiana County, Ohio in the early 1800's was my maternal great great great grandfather.  Of the four, John, Thomas, Lindsey and Matthew, I decided on John.  

Garrett with John Cannon, Jr.

Ken with John A. Cannon
Clarkson Presbyterian Church Cemetery
Clarkson, Middleton Township
Columbiana County, Ohio
     
     Oddly, I was going through my hard copy Cannon files to digitize them and there was all my research on the wrong Cannon.  I laughed at the pictures of John Cannon's tombstone which we visited on a memorable family Christmas Eve drive to Columbiana County in 1993 and, it appears, we were there a second time when there was no snow.  

 

     My Fife line descends from first cousins who married.  John Fife the son of William Fife, Sr. and Elizabeth Fife the daughter of John Fife, Sr.  William and John Fife were brothers.  One of John and Elizabeth's daughters was Elizabeth Fife who married Lindsey Cannon.  

     Researching the Fife Family requires a great deal of patience as in each generation the same names repeat ad nauseum.  


      I tied myself to John Cannon as my ancestor until another researcher sent me the above information taken from a turn of the twentieth century Fife Family reunion document.  Holy Toledo!  I've linked myself to the wrong Cannon.  I think this happened as I was a newbie to genealogy and saw both John and Lindsey had daughter's named Nancy Cannon.  Nancy married to William Morland Orr is my maternal great great grandmother.  I had originally chosen the wrong Cannon brother as her father and my ancestor.   

Lindsey's tombstone in Elkrun Township
Carlisle Cemetery
Fall 1993

Christmas Eve visit 1993
Up righted with crowbar in photo

     I had seen the broken tombstone of Lindsey Cannon on a trip to the Carlisle Cemetery with my mother.  We drove there because my maternal great great great grandfather Joseph Orr and his son, William Morland Orr, my maternal great great grandfather are buried there.  Seeing a Cannon tombstone was a bonus.  Although at that time, I considered him my great great great-granduncle.

     When the family was on the Christmas Eve sojourn to Columbiana County, Ohio in 1993 we again visited the Carlisle Cemetery.  We had a crowbar with us to set Lindsey's tombstone into an upright position. Below are some of my notes from the journal of that trip.

"There are seven graves in the Orr row--all relatives.  In the front row of the Carlisle Cemetery is Lindsey Cannon's (John Cannon's brother) grave.  His tombstone had broken off and fallen forward into the ground.  Ken, Jeff and Ted were able to pry the tombstone out of the snow, ice and dirt with the crowbar and prop it up on the base at the grave sight."

     Now, looking into Flipside, I notice I have covered two of the four Cannon brothers.  With all the research I did on John A. Cannon, perhaps I should get busy and blog about my maternal great great great-granduncle.

     And, a blog on the Christmas Eve in Columbiana County.

     

 

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.
© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser


Sunday, March 30, 2025

Language--Words that are Homophones

Drawing of the clocks atop Woodburn Hall
West Virginia University
1902 WVU Annual

     Amy Johnson Crow has a 52 Ancestors Week blog challenge which I have decided to give a try for the second year. 

    The prompt for week # 14 is Language.

     Recently, while writing another blog for 52 Ancestors about my VanGilder family, I went down a VanGilder rabbit hole on Ancestry and found a new cute little piece of information about my paternal great grandfather, George Ethelbert VanGilder.  I should mention it was attached by someone to the wrong VanGilder which translates to whatever you find on Ancestry--research, research, research it yourself.

     Which ever dictionary you use you will find the word homophone described as two or more words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings.  For instance--to, two, too or flower and flour.  Franky, it was a new word to me and I had to Google search it regarding the homophone I found in this blog's focus.

     I have not neglected my paternal great grandfather here on Flipside.  I never knew him, nor did his daughter, my paternal grandmother, ever mention him--that I can remember.  She probably had only vague memories of him as he died when she was six.  Anything she knew was probably passed along to her by her older sisters and Mother.  

     George Ethelbert VanGilder was an educated man.  He grew up in either the country school system or perhaps, since the VanGilder's lived close to Morgantown, he may have had his primary education in the town school which was attached to West Virginia University.  He was a teacher in the country school system and I have found a few records of him attending the preparatory school at West Virginia University.  He did not have a degree.  

Journal of the Senate
page 348

West Virginia University publication
page 71
1902

     George had other forms of employment as the years passed.  He was a house painter with his brother, census enumerator, elected official and a night watchman at WVU.  He lists himself as a watchman in the 1900 census and I have found two documents listing his salary as the night watchman in 1901 and 1902.

     This gives a back story to the latest "find".

     The "new find" is in the 1902 West Virginia University annual.  It is a cute little piece written by the University clock atop Woodburn Hall and tells of the comings and goings on campus beneath his high perch.  The piece is entitled, The Old Prep Clock.  One of his sighting involves my great grandfather.  


The clock narrating:

     "But as I was going to tell you, the most fun is to watch the folks of nights down on the campus 'spooning.'  I'd tell you all about it if I hadn't promised Mr. Vangilder not to.  Mr. Vangilder is the night watchman, you know, and was afraid the Committee on Student Affairs would find out and take some action in the matter, and so he put up a notice 'No Spooning Aloud on the Campus.'  And since that they haven't spooned aloud.  They never once think of me seeing them,--because I keep my hands over my face, I suppose.  Wait a minute till I call down to 'Doctor" Hill and the others that its time to dismiss their classes."

     And there's the homophone--aloud vs allowed.  Either one could fit in the sign; however, I think my great grandfather was being flippant in his use of aloud.  He knew the students were not going to stop their spooning on campus, so "no spooning allowed" would be ineffective.  Instead he chose to be flip and said spoon away, but keep it quiet. 😇

 

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.
© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser


Sunday, March 23, 2025

Home Sweet Home

 

I believe this beautiful Home Sweet Home
was hand stitched by one of my husbands
maternal ancestors

     Amy Johnson Crow has a 52 Ancestors Week blog challenge which I have decided to give a try for the second year. 

     The prompt for week # 13 is Home Sweet Home.

     Goodness gracious!  What to blog about here?  I have "over" blogged about my wonderful childhood home in Perrysville, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and my decade plus living there from 1950 to 1961.  When I think of home sweet home, my memories wander there.  

     I do have two other places that I have alluded to on Flipside, Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia and Hartlepool, Durham County, England.  

     Morgantown represents my paternal grandmother's families, and my ancestors who lived there for over a century.  I have spent much time walking cemeteries, researching at West Virginia University and visiting homes and historical sights.  Almost heaven, West Virginia. 😊

     Hartlepool, or the section that was called West Hartlepool, was where my paternal grandfather was born and lived until age eight when the family immigrated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1906.  My brothers and I had the opportunity to visit in 2003 and meet numerous family still residing in town.  

    I can't decide so.....I'll do both. 😁

Morgantown, West Virginia
     I have been looking back at my picture files and the nearest I can come to the number of visits to Morgantown is ten.  Twice was a full weeks stay at a time share and others were a couple of days in hotels/motels.  The trips from 1993 to 2010 was during a time when I was heavily researching my Morgantown ancestors.  It's been a while since I have wandered there.

     My pioneer ancestors settled in the area as early as 1786 and my paternal great grandmother and family relocated to Pennsylvania in 1911.  I have pushed past that time with some Morgantown family members; however, my primary focus is during those one hundred twenty five years.

 List of the Morgantown surnames

  1. John and Bathsheba FERGUSON--Bathsheba Ferguson 
  2. William FRUM and Anna Smith
  3. Sampson Smith FRUM and Elizabeth  Ann VanGilder
  4. Philip William HARNER and Sarah Fearer (Fear)
  5. Robert HILL and Rebecca Caldwell
  6. Joseph Davidson Hill and Sarah Houston
  7. Purnell HOUSTON and Mary Carey
  8. William LANHAM and Catherine Ferguson
  9. Thomas McELROY and Elizabeth 
  10. Asby POOL and Vilender Lanham
  11. William Lanham Pool and Ann Frum
  12. Sampson Frum Pool and Sarah Louise Harner
  13. Jacob VANGILDER and Anna Margaret Gibler
  14. Jacob VanGilder, Jr. and Sarah McElroy
  15. John Oliphant VanGilder and Mary Louise Hill
  16. George Ethelbert VanGilder and Jessica Pool
     This was a good exercise.  I see I'm missing a few ancestors in Morgantown that need a blog.  For some the link is on my old website.

1994 VanGilder Reunion
Face Forward Pictured
Richard Rootes & George VanGilder Hughes 
Garrett Bevin Hiser



     My first trips to Morgantown involved attending VanGilder reunions in the Winfield District, Marion County, Fairmont, West Virginia.  I believe I was the only attendee from Jacob VanGilder, Jr's descent.  On several reunions my Dad, Aunt Faith, brothers and son, Garrett, came along.  

1995 Morgantown, West Virginia

     During these trips we also located cemeteries and the area where the old VanGilder farm once was located.  There is a street corner there--VanGilder and George Streets.  Appropriately I captured my Dad, George VanGilder Hughes, named for his maternal grandfather, pictured there.  

     We always enjoyed shopping on High Street.  I google mapped the street and it appears that many of our hunts are no longer there.  Often I would imagine my paternal grandmother, as a young girl, wandering up and down High Street with her sisters.  

     I dragged any family members in attendance from one cemetery to another, wandering up and down the rows looking for family names and then taking the photographs.  They were all good sports!  

The Old Harner Homestead
my photograph

     
The most memorable trip was in 2007.  My brother Ken and I took a couple of these trips to Morgantown together.  We decided to stay at the Hotel Morgan in town.  We did our usual meals in town and driving around looking for ancestral places.  This time I had an address for the Harner House in the community of Sabraton.  Imagine our surprise when we saw a For Sale sign outside.  That led to us actually getting inside.  The home was built in 1850 by my maternal great great great grandfather Philip William Harner.  I had shivers thinking about my family actually living in the house and walking up the stairs to the bedroom area where they all climbed daily.  It's no surprise that I have a blog on The Old Harner Homestead.   

 

When we came down the hill and I first caught a glimpse
of The Old Frum Cemetery
I felt like Dorothy seeing Oz for the first time.

     Another fantastic find was The Old Frum Cemetery.  The cousin and very engaged family researcher I was then in contact with was Dr. Robert Poole Wilkins.  He was not aware of the location.  In 1995, through the Internet and very early genealogical websites, somehow I hooked up with a Morgantown researcher and she connected me with a distant cousin who knew where the cemetery was located.  I was in a car with my kids and my Mom and on the way to Morgantown.  After the VanGilder Reunion in August, 1995, we made a return trip to fix tombstones.  

      Morgantown is rich in my family history and on the sixth floor of the Wise library The West Virginia and Regional History Center is located on the West Virginia University campus.      



And now for a trip across the pond.😉

The Hughes Kids on The Headland
Hartlepool, England
2003


     Around 2000 a woman from the UK emailed me.  She had seen I had family from Hartlepool, England and offered to help me with research there.   She is also a genealogist and lives a short drive from Hartlepool. 

     It was a very generous offer.  We have now shared a friendship for over twenty-five years.  I was able to visit her in person twice, in 2003 and in 2005.  During the 2003 visit we spent time together in Hartlepool.  In 2006 it was in Scotland.  

     Through her I was able to connect with Hughes relations in Hartlepool and we spent many happy hours sharing stories, photographs, tea and biscuits.

List of the Hartlepool surnames
  1. George Henry Hughes and Mary Ann Storey
  2. John George Hughes and Elizabeth Ferdinande Olesen
  3. Samuel Hughes and Ann Hill
  4. William Hughes and Mary Bourne
  5. Frederick Heinrich Adolph Weiss and Ferdinande Lehman
  6. Christian Invart Olesen and Ferdinanda Weiss
  7. John Storey and Ann Robinson
  8. Robinson, Pounder and Roundtree
     I do want to mention that there are numerous links on Flipside to some of these ancestors.  To see if there are additional pieces on an individual person, an alphabetical listing is available on my blog.     

     Over the years I have been able to trace my Olesen line back through a generous researcher in Denmark.  My UK friend also was able to trace the Robinson line back some additional generations.  The Danish Olesen blogs are in the alphabetical list.  The Robinson, Pounder and Roundtree surnames are MIA on Flipside.  Note to self:  Get busy on that, Linda. 😇

     The first hurtle when arriving in the UK was my brother, Ken, adjusting to driving on the "wrong side" of the road. 😅  And, he did a masterful job of it.  

At the Sandwell Gate Town Wall
Hartlepool, England



     Of our week in the UK, we spent three days in Hartlepool and it was filled with Hughes Family time and special time with my new friend.

      It was an exhilarating feeling just being in Hartlepool where my grandfather, George Henry Hughes, was born and lived until the family immigrated when he was eight years old.  Certainly much of the town had changed over the century.  West Hartlepool, where the Hughes and Olesen families lived was amalgamated into Hartlepool in 1967.  The section of West Hartlepool where my paternal great great grandparents lived, Longhill, has been totally destroyed.   

Myself with my Hughes Cousins
Hartlepool, England
2003

My brothers with our Hughes cousins
Hartlepool, England
2003

Cousins John and Mary Marsh
Their daughter and grandson

     We were treated like royalty during our stay by both our cousins and my UK friend.  Dinner out, a trip to a caravan with fish and chips, numerous teas and being chauffeured around.

Sumptuous Teas

Sunday service at St. Aidan's Church

Myself at the Hartlepool Monkey

On the Moors

     Just a sampling of our wonderful three days.  One of the perks was trading old photographs and stories with our UK cousins.  And, Mary Marsh sharing several of her old Hughes recipes for the cakes she made for our tea at the Marsh home.  

     The scope of this trip for, anyone working on their family genealogy, is that they would look back on it with a heart full of love and appreciation to all those folks that came together to organize the three days.  

THANK YOU. 💗  


 

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.    PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.
© 2025, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser