Ancestral Findings

Florida is a land of many wonders, and a whole host of weird things you won't find anywhere else in the nation. With a long history of European exploration going back to the 1500s, there has been plenty of time for Florida to acquire its own unique brand of folklore. Here are some of its highlights… Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/american-folklore-florida/   Click Here to listen...

Sarah Childress Polk was the wife of James K. Polk, our 11th U.S. president. She was a prized catch on the political marriage market from the beginning and made her own, unique mark on the office of First Lady that is still remembered today. Here is her intriguing tale… Postcard Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/americas-first-ladies-11-sarah-childress-polk/   Click Here to listen to the w...

The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution in the Bill of Rights is the one that protects private citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures of their private property by the government. It doesn't prohibit it altogether, but it does lay out some very specific and strict criteria for it to occur. This was to give citizens safety from the arbitrary searches and seizures that British troops often...

The third amendment in the Bill of Rights assures that private homeowners or occupants cannot be ordered to house and feed soldiers without their consent in times of peace, and without some kind of compensation in times of war. The British forced a lot of people to unwillingly house their soldiers without compensation during the Revolution. These people had to feed and house them at their own expe...

Delaware is not only one of the original thirteen colonies, it is the first official state in the union. It has thousands of years of human history behind it, both Native American and European. Therefore, it has plenty of its own, unique folklore. Here are some of the highlights of Delaware's fascinating folklore. Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/american-folklore-delaware/   Clic...

Julia Gardiner Tyler, second wife and First Lady of 10th U.S. President John Tyler, was known as a spirited and independent woman. Thirty years the president's junior, she caused scandals and made history in quite a few unique ways. Here is her incredible and fascinating story… * Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr., Grandson of the 10th President, died at 95 on September 26, 2020. 😥 Podcast Show Notes: https...

The 2nd Amendment is a simple one, coming in at just one sentence. Yet, it is the one that people in the United States argue the most about today regarding its meaning. This is a description of that amendment, what it says, what it does not say, and what the Founding Fathers probably intended, as well as what we have no way of knowing what their intentions were. Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestr...

What is the Bill of Rights? It is the first ten amendments to the Constitution. There were promises made to include a Bill of Rights to the Constitution in exchange for state ratifying committees approving the new Constitution as the law of the land. These amendments were added in December 1791. This series explores each of the amendments of the Bill of Rights. Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestra...

Connecticut has a long history of folklore, going back thousands of years with Native Americans, and more than four hundred years with Europeans. Some creepy things have happened there, some of which were turned into movies. Here are some of the highlights of Connecticut folklore… Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/american-folklore-connecticut/   Click Here to listen to the weekly...

Though she was only First Lady for a month, and never actually went to D.C. during her husband's brief presidency, Anna Symmes, a wife of ninth U.S. President William Henry Harrison, was an intriguing woman in her own right. A wife and grandmother of U.S. presidents, with a unique upbringing, here is her fascinating story. Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/americas-first-ladies-ann...

Before trains and automobiles, it was riverboats that connected America. You can learn more about the rich American tradition of steamships here. Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/how-riverboats-and-steamers-shaped-american-history/   Click Here to listen to the weekly podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast   Weekly Giveaways: https://ancestralfindings.com/drawing   Genealo...

Like several other early presidents, Martin Van Buren was a widower. His beautiful, accomplished daughter-in-law, Angelica, stepped in to fill that role. A daughter of a wealthy southern family, she helped Van Buren strengthen his base there, while still appeasing his northern abolitionist constituents. Here is her interesting story. Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/americas-first...

Colorado has plenty of its own unique folklore, going all the way back thousands of years into the early times of habitation by the first Native Americans. These are some of the more intriguing tales of folklore from Colorado. Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/american-folklore-colorado/   Click Here to listen to the weekly podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast   Weekly Gi...

Andrew Jackson, our seventh president, is unique in presidential history in that he had more than one First Lady. He had three, in fact. Here are the stories of Rachel Donelson Jackson, Emily Donelson, and Sarah Yorke Jackson... all of the First Ladies who served in Jackson's White House… Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/americas-first-ladies-rachel-donelson-jackson-emily-donelson...

Summer camps are a slice of Americana that comes with more than 100 years of rich history. Learn more about how camps originated here… Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/a-great-american-tradition-the-summer-camps-of-our-youth/   Click Here to listen to the weekly podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast   Weekly Giveaways: https://ancestralfindings.com/drawing   Genealogy eBo...

California has a rich history of human civilization going back thousands of years, and some of its folklore originates almost back to the first people to live in the area. There are also European pioneers, gold rush prospectors, Hollywood movie stars and moguls, and more to add to the legends of the 31st state. Here are some of the highlights of the folklore of California… Podcast Show Notes: http...

Are genealogy New Year's resolutions on your radar? If not, they should be, and here is why. They can help you keep your genealogy on track when it is so easy to get lost in it. While your resolutions are up to you, here are some popular ones to give you some ideas about it. Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/new-years-resolutions-for-genealogy/   Click Here to listen to the weekly...

Do you have a theme in mind for your genealogy research this year? What is a theme for genealogy research, anyway? Here is what you need to know about themes for genealogy research, and why they are important to set each new year. This is also how goals are different, and the role they play in your genealogy theme. Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/what-is-your-2020-genealogy-visio...

Louisa Johnson Adams was the wife of John Quincy Adams, the 6th president of the United States. Born in England, she was the only First Lady to be born on foreign soil until Melania Trump. With her membership in a prominent New England and American political family that included two presidents and two First Ladies, Louisa's tale is an interesting one of love, honor, sacrifice, and duty… Podcast Sh...

The 1900 US federal census is one of the most beloved and richly detailed of any of the US census records. It provides a treasure trove of valuable information that you can use to fill in some important blanks on your family tree. Here is what you need to know about this census. Podcast Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/the-1900-us-federal-census-a-closer-look   Listen to the weekly podcas...

Arizona was the last continental state to be admitted to the union, though its history of human habitation goes back thousands of years. From Native Americans to Spanish priests, from the Old West to modern times, it has unique folklore all its own. Here are some highlights of the folklore of Arizona. Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/american-folklore-arizona/   Listen to the weekly podca...

The 1790 US federal census was the first one taken by the United States. It was a brand new country at the time, and this census, though brief and simple, shows what the population of the nation looked like right after its formation. It is a unique and valuable genealogical research resource. Here are the highlights of it… Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/a-closer-look-at-the-1790-us-fede...

Elizabeth Kortright Monroe was our nation's fifth First Lady. Not as much is known about her as previous First Ladies, but she was a more private person. She still has an interesting story that is well worth knowing. Here it is…. Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/americas-first-ladies-elizabeth-kortright-monroe/   Click Here to listen to the weekly podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/po...

The 1800 US federal census was the second of its kind taken in the brand new United States. John Adams was US President at the time and was only our second one. The Louisiana Purchase hadn't even been made yet, and the West had not been explored. Here is what the 1800 US federal census can tell you about your ancestors… Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/a-closer-look-at-the-1800-us-federal...

Arkansas has been the home of humans for thousands of years, beginning with Native Americans, then changing hands between the Spanish and French, before becoming part of the USA with the Louisiana Purchase. It has a treasure trove of its own, intriguing folklore that has accumulated in the area over the centuries. Here are some of the highlights of it… Show Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/the...