Family stories
What we know about our ancestors, and how we know it.
Wilt line · 1910 – 1994
The Latin teacher from Brownsville
Mary Kathryn grew up in Brownsville, a river town in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Harry Stehman Wilt and Mary Ellen Brown. She had two older brothers, Raymond and Harold, and a younger sister, Gladys.
Edwards line · 1904 – 1976
A Lancashire boy bound for New York
John William Edwards Sr. was born in England in February 1904, the son of William Wilbraham Edwards of Barton upon Irwell, Lancashire, and Anne Bruce of Tamworth, Staffordshire.
Edwards line · 1944 – 1995
Jack, the twin who lived
John William Edwards Jr., known as Jack, was born in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, on 20 November 1944. His twin brother, David Bruce, died the same day.
Railey line · 1907 – 1968
A home builder from Como, North Carolina
Granville Brett Railey was born on 20 April 1907 at Como, a small community in Hertford County, North Carolina, the third of five children of Edward Jester Railey and Elizabeth Maud Brett. The 1910 and 1920…
Avent line · 1882 – 1942
The banker from Micanopy
George Jacob Avent was born on 8 August 1882 in Micanopy, a village in Alachua County, Florida, the son of William Marion Avent and Catharine 'Kate' Winecoff. His mother died in 1891, when he was eight, and his…
Railey line · 1876 – 1957
Eddie and Lizzie of Como
Edward Jester Railey, known as Eddie, was born at Como, Hertford County, North Carolina, on 7 March 1876, the fourth of seven children of John Wesley Railey and Martha Ann Brett. Elizabeth Maud Brett, known as…
Railey line · 1812 – 1888
The man who married as Robertson
Edwin Jefferson Railey is the earliest Railey we can document on this line. He was born about 1812 to 1814 in Southampton County, Virginia, and could not read or write. On 9 October 1843 he put his mark to a…
Wilt line · 1872 – 1949
Harry Wilt and Mary Ellen Brown of Fayette County
Harry Stehman Wilt was born in Lambertsville, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, in 1872, the fourth of five children of Samuel Wilt and Mary Ellen Ackerman. Mary Ellen Brown was born on 25 June 1885 at Adah, in…
Wilt line · 1831 – 1898
Samuel Wilt of Stonycreek
Samuel Wilt was born on 21 March 1831 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, the son of Adam Wilt and Catherine Grove. Adam died in 1846 without a will, and the 1850 census finds Samuel, 19, in Stonycreek Township in…
Edwards line · 1875 – 1924
From Eccles to the Pennsylvania coalfields
William Wilbraham Edwards was born on 23 February 1875 at Barton upon Irwell, Lancashire, and baptised on 7 March at All Saints Catholic church. The Latin register names his parents as Isaac Edwards and Elizabeth,…
Edwards line · 1834 – 1891
A weaver's son and a Catholic bride
Isaac Edwards was baptised on 14 December 1834 at St Mary's, Eccles, the son of John and Anne Edwards, with his father's trade given as weaver. John Edwards and Ann Kay had a large family, a dozen children in our…
Bruce line · 1846 – 1893
A Perthshire shoemaker in Tamworth
John Bruce was born in September 1846 in Perthshire, Scotland, and baptised on 2 October. His parents, John Bruce and Elizabeth Robertson, had married at Caputh on 15 November 1841, and the 1851 census finds the…
Mundle line · 1854 – 1939
Robert Mundle of the American Express
Robert Mundle was born on 30 January 1854 at Prescott, Ontario, the son of Edward and Mary Findlay Mundle. His Florida obituary describes his parents as 'of Scotland'. Mary Ann Findlay was born in Canada, and we…
Gayner line ·
The blacksmiths of Thornbury
The Gayners are our deepest English line. The earliest we can name is William Gayner, a blacksmith of Thornbury, Gloucestershire, who made his will in 1630 and died that spring. We know his wife as Margaret.
Peirce and Baily line · 1680 – 1757
Betty Peirce and the Quakers of Chester County
Betty Peirce was born on 18 November 1680 at Winscombe, Somerset, the daughter of George Peirce and Ann Gayner. Her father is said to have brought the family to Pennsylvania around 1684, and by 1715 he was living…
Brett line · 1784 – 1828
Etheldred Brett and the missing records
Etheldred Brett, whom most records spell Britt, lived in Hertford County, North Carolina, and left very little behind. He was born about 1784, married Elizabeth 'Betsey' Goodman about 1804, and died in 1828. No…
Reese line · 1780 – 1847
John D. Reese and his eight children
John David Reese lived in Shade Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, on a farm of about 105 acres beside land of Henry Kuntz, Mathias Reel and Christian Stoltman. He died shortly before 21 January 1847 without…
Québec line · b. 1805
Alexandre Emon, miller of La Malbaie
On 28 October 1828, in the church of Saint-Étienne at La Malbaie, in the Charlevoix region of Québec, the priest recorded the marriage of 'Alexandre Emon, meunier', a miller of full age, 'son of the late Joseph…
Québec line ·
A Québec navigator, a king's letters, and a man from Genoa
Charles Amiot was baptised at Québec on 20 October 1651, the son of Mathieu Amyot dit Villeneuve and Marie Miville. On 22 November 1677 he married Rosalie Duquet at Notre-Dame de Québec. The register names her as…