• Anderson,  Family Genealogy Research

    1875 Sworn Letter to State of Texas by Oliver Hazzard Anderson

    O.H. Anderson Letter to State Background The Anderson Family is a pretty cool branch of our family tree.  John Anderson was born in Scotland and emigrated to the American colonies.  He and his sons fought on the side of the rebellious colonist.  John Anderson and his son (Scarlet, I believe) were killed during this conflict.  His son Bailey Anderson appears to be an adventurous hero in the making.  He fought in three or four colonies during the American Revolution.  He was a spy.  He moved to the area that is now Kentucky and served in the state legislature there.  He moved into what is now Indiana and was one of…

  • Family Genealogy Research,  Frazier,  Wood

    Jane Mason Wood and Monroe Frazier Family Information

    Background and/or Disclaimer I don’t have a lot of information on family lines other than the Fergusons.  I have poked around and tried to see what I can find, but a great deal of my success depends on what their descendants have shared and whether or not they remained in the Hill County area. If you have more information on the Frazier line, please, please please share it with me so that I can add to this line and make any corrections!  It is so important that we begin to collect and publish this information.  I wish I had done more while my grandmother was alive!  But…I can’t go back…

  • Family Genealogy Research,  Wood

    11 Sept 1862 John Wood Letter to Sister Jeanette Wood

    Background John writes home to his sister, Jeanette Wood.  He mentions sister Isabella (Bell) in the letter.  He is in Arkansas when he writes this letter.  He has mentioned this before, but he tells that he is sending money home.  I always wonder if this is because the financial situation was dire at home or only if he didn’t really have use for the money while he was off fighting. The Letter Jeanette Wood September the 11, 1862 Camp Camdan I now take opportunity of writing to you a few lines to let you know I am well at present.  All of the Boys are well.  My horse is fat. …

  • Family Genealogy Research,  Wood

    20 May 1863 Letter Describing the Battle of Cape Giradeau, MO John Wood to His Mother

    Background I have tried to not change the spelling John used when he wrote.  I find it charming, but there are times when his spelling makes it difficult to understand what he is trying to say.  There are several examples below. Mossourey is Missouri. Cape Jeradouk is, I believe, Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  There was a battle fought here just prior to this letter being written.  I think it is of this battle that John writes home to his mother about. John writes that “we come down langelle”.  I don’t know what langelle is or if I even have the word correctly transcribed.  Another mystery for another day… I would like…

  • Uncategorized

    John Wood to Mother Isabella Wood 12 April 1863

    Background I am pretty certain that the major general mentioned in the letter is Lucius M. Walker.  I am basing this mostly on the fact that John Wood mentions both Marmaduke and Walker in the letter and he wrote the letter either  on his way to the Arkansas/Missouri area or from the area where these two men (Marmaduke and Walker) were also known to be. John S. Marmaduke  and Walker get into an altercation…really a difference of opinion over a battle strategy and they end up dueling.  Walker is wounded and dies.   The Letter April the 12, 1863 White Rock Hill Co Texas   Dear Mother, I have taken…

  • 1846 Homestead Renovation

    A Bathroom for the Barn Addition

    Keep It Old…Make It Old I wanted to make sure that the old house still looked and felt old once the renovations were completed and that is why I doggedly stuck to my mantra of “keep it original”.  It didn’t matter if we had to scoop it up with a spoon and Spackle it into place, if the original could be patched and kept (within reason, of course) that is what we did.  And I think we did a great job.  I have caught some flack from an old house dude who said that all he could see was replacement windows and siding. Well…yeah. The original windows were already gone…

  • 1846 Homestead Renovation

    Cleaning Up After a Hoarder: Before and After Photos

    The Magic Blue Dumpster Without a doubt, a big blue dumpster may be the best magic trick ever.  It was delivered in our front yard and we immediately started filling it.  The picture above shows one day’s worth of work.  And then more magic happened.  They took this one away and left yet another empty one that was soon filled to the brim as well.  Please do not think that we went crazy and threw everything away.  We didn’t.  Jerry and I donned respirators and gloves and went through every box, every drawer, every everything before the dumpster was even on the premises.  You can see some of the treasures…

  • 1846 Homestead Renovation,  The Art of Beautiful Living

    I Suffer from an Abundance of Opportunity

    I am Blessed I am truly blessed.  This project has been an amazing journey.  I have had so many opportunities to learn new skills and to learn some pretty interesting things about myself as well.  Jerry will tell you that I can generate more ideas that anyone he knows (not always a good thing, in his experience).  My brain just likes to keep working…all the time.  It is great.  I have wonderful conversations with myself.  Sometimes, I will laugh out loud because of something I “thought” and found to be funny. But there is a dark side…I can see the way things could be with such clarity that I often…

  • Family Genealogy Research,  Ferguson

    Crazy Jane’s Obituary and the End of R.A. Ferguson’s C5 Brand

    Background Robert Andrew Ferguson, R.A., Uncle Bob, the C5 Horse and Cattle Man…Grandpa Ferguson.  Whatever name you think he went by, he was a big deal in the part of Hill County.  He made his fortune in the gold fields of California and invested his gold in horses.  R.A. was supposed to have had more horses under brand than any man in the world and his obituary indicated that he kept them long past the time when he could work them.  He just loved his horses and spent a good deal of his fortune in his later years for the privilege to have them.  R.A. donated the land for what…

  • Family Genealogy Research,  Wood

    Hugh Wood Letter to His Mother, Isabella Wood 12 July 1857

    Background Hugh Wood, son of James and Isabella, was born in Scotland in 1834.  He is maybe one of the more tragic figures in our family.  His letters are filled with a longing for home and he tends to be pretty hard on himself…talking about his failures and trials.  I am still working on what happened to him and will let you all know when I have the answer. The Letter Paducah, Ky 12 July 1857 My Dear Mother, I take this opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know where and how I am after the failure of our expedition to Nicaragua.  I felt ashamed to…