Celebrations: As 2016 Comes to a Close

[Life's ups-and-downs -- Puck's improvement on Cole's "Voyage of Life" / J. Keppler. N.Y. : Published by Keppler & Schwarzmann, 1883 July Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.]*

Here's a look backward at Ancestry Island at some of my favorites for the year.

I think Christine's discovery that out ancestor John Warren Avery (1835-1900) was a target of KKK attacks in Winston County, Alabama, in the 1870's easily ranks as the biggest surprise all year.

Christine is also responsible for finding a letter written by my great grandmother Nannie Freeman Warren (1857-1934) describing her family's move to Johnson County, Texas, in 1870.

I'm rather proud of my successful search for my paternal great uncle (Henry) Hill Freeman Warren (1896-1956) a graduate of Vanderbilt University's medical school. (Honestly, I never expected to find him in Connecticut!)

A multi-week (and still not completed) review of the Macon County, Alabama, probate records of my third great grandmother Timney P. Watts Warren Phillips (1805-1863) has been fruitful, bringing to light (among other things) the medical care she received during her last illness and the names of three more of her stepchildren and even a daughter, Martha Norman Phillips Adams (1833-1916), that we didn't know about previously.

An important outcome of researching the will and probate records of my fourth great uncle Jeremiah Warren (1772-1832)** was learning the fate of several of the enslaved persons named in 10th Item of his will through a comment posted by a descendant of the woman named Mary. And I will be posting more about Jeremiah's probate in the coming year.

Finally, and just for fun, I'm including a link to one of my most memorable experiences abroad: French Pirate Bikers. Enjoy!

*LOC's commentary on this image is priceless: Illustration shows two men on bicycles, one just starting out on life's journey, being towed by Father Time, the second one is nearing the end of life's journey and about to get caught by a scythe and thrown from the bicycle into a grave. Milestones and signs mark the journey: in youth there is "Health", between 20 and 30 there is "Happiness", at 40 there is "Pleasure", at 50 "Hope", at 60 there is "Neglect", between 60 and 70 there is "Regrets" and "Sickness", at 80 there is "Fear", and at 90 is an open grave with an owl perched on the mile-marker. At the top center is a "Half Way House" and at bottom center, in a floral arrangement, is an hourglass on top of a clock.
** Timney's brother-in-law


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