The Sawmill Accident That Claimed My Great-Great-Grandfather’s Right Arm — And How I Found Out About It
Wednesday, July 22, 1903: “[Mr. Morrison’s] elbow was badly mangled and fears are entertained that he may lose his arm.”
My 4th-Great-Grandfather in 1850: “Insane”
In 1850, my 4th-great-grandfather, Collins Lovejoy Sr., was 66, a blacksmith, married, father of five, and a grandfather. And he was labeled “insane” in the census.
Taller than MJ & Kobe: Finding Out My Great-Great-Grandfather Was a 6’7″ Policeman in 1910
My great-great-grandfather was taller than Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and Kobe Bryant, and the Portland Press newspaper even named him “The tallest man in Portland, Maine” in 1894!
Uncovering Family Treasures When Least Expecting It
“Hey! Kind of a random question, but have you ever stumbled across a family heirloom — maybe a family bible, pictures, journals, ledgers — completely by accident or when you weren’t expecting to?”
Films in the Attic: Bringing My Dad’s Childhood Back to Life
Sometimes, there are pictures and records stored away in your grandma’s attic that nobody remembers. Other times, there are 46 reels of forgotten 8mm home movies.
Stumbling Across A Long-Lost Family Heirloom on eBay
I never thought I would find a family heirloom for sale on eBay.
Could You Buy Christmas Gifts for 57 Grandchildren?
Hannah Lovejoy’s Unusual Claim to Fame When She Died in 1804 at age 101.
Marrying the Next-Door Neighbor 130 Years Ago
My great-great-grandfather, John B.M. Lovejoy, married Cora Tucker in 1882. They had a son in 1884, but two years later, Cora died at age 22, leaving John widowed with an infant son.
What Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb And My Great-Great-Grandfather Had In Common
World War I touched every American life, from my great-great-grandfather to larger-than-life sports legends like Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb. I’m humbled to be descended from a man who — though he didn’t serve — stepped up to the plate when he was called.