Genealogy by Telephone

Almost a month and a half ago, I received an email from my sister-in-law telling me that a man named Mark Wilkins had called and left a message on their answering machine wanting to talk about family history. Being the procrastinator that I am, I finally decided to call Mr. Wilkins today and find out what branch of the family tree he was from.

Turns out that he is related to my daughter's ancestry, through the Chivlare and Followay lines down in Warrick Co., IN. Interestingly, my Senior Pastor at Sunnycrest Baptist in Marion is named Scott Wilkins, and is from the Owensboro, KY area where Mark Wilkins has family, so it may be a small world after all.

We spent over a half hour on the phone sharing information, and he promised to send me some papers that he had collected. Seems that a lady has been working on the Followay line - which may include some Cherokee blood - and has promised to send Mark a book on the family tree. She had somehow run across my name and information through one of my internet posts, and that is how he contacted me.

Hopefully, after Thanksgiving, he will have this book and more information on the Followay line, and in the meantime he is suppossed to send me what he has on the Chivlare line. As I told him, even though it is not my direct line, I'm interested in preserving this history for my daughter.

Today in my database : Elizabeth Scott (b. November 18, 1623)

Today's featured relative in my database is my maternal 10th-great grandmother, Elizabeth Scott.

Elizabeth was born November 18, 1623 and was of Rowley, Essex Co., MA, the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Strutt) Scott. Elizabeth married 1645 in Rowely, Essex Co., MA to John Spofford, son of John Spofford. John was born between 1611-1612 and was of Selby, Yorkshire, England and died November 6, 1678 in Rowley, Essex Co., MA. Elizabeth died February 10, 1690/91 in Bedford, Essex Co., MA.

I descend from John and Elizabeth (Scott) Spofford through their son, Samuel, as follows :
Elizabeth Scott and John Spofford
Samuel Spofford Sarah Burpbee
Thomas Spofford and Bethiah Hazeltine
Elizabeth Spofford and Bennett Field
Bethiah Field and Seth Pierce
Gordon Pierce and Thirsa Smalley
Francis S. Pierce and Rebecca Page
Edmund G. Pierce and Catherine Groenendyke
William Francis Pierce and Clara Pennisten
Edna Muriel Pierce and Virgil Lee Wright (my great-grandparents)

Today in my database : Christena Graber (b. November 17, 1603)

Today's featured relative in my database is my paternal 9th-great grandmother, Christena Graber.

Christena was born November 17, 1603 in Sumiswald, Switzerland, the daughter of Vinzenz and Barbara (Berger) Graber. Christena married Ulrich Grundbacher, probably in Sumiswald. Ulrich was born February 25, 1598/99, probably in Sumiswald.

I descend from Ulrich and Christena (Graber) Grundbacher through their son, Michael, as follows :
Christena Graber and Ulrich Grundbacher
Michael Grundbacher Anna Brand
Barbara Grundbacher and Ulrich Schürch
Ulrich Scherch and Anna Swarr
David Shirk and Barbara Erb
David Shirk and Eve ________
David Sherrick and Susan Jacobs
Mary Jane Sherrick and George Washington Haley
Eli Weldon Haley and Cora Belle Metzner (my great-grandparents)