Visiting with Ancestors

John S. Dunston was born in October 1825 in Ohio and died on 22 March 1904. He married Lydia Catherine Blair on 11 July 1856 in Iowa County, Wisconsin. He also married Eleanore "Lenore" "Nora" M. Parish in 1880. John was the youngest son of Thomas Dunston, whom I wrote about last week.  John moved to Highland Township, in Wisconsin and worked as a mier. He was married to Eleanor Parish. Most of his neighbors in the census with him were also miners or famers.  Lydia disappear from records along with their daughter, Mary. The Wisconsin timeline of that area indicates they might have died from an outbreak of cholera.  He married Eleanore Parish with three children under his care.  She was around ten years younger and became a mother instantly.  They went on to have children together. His oldest son, joined the Wisconsin Infantry as a drummer boy (I will highlight his life next week).  At a fairly young age, John had to give up farming and rely on his sons, as ...

 On a quiet afternoon during our trip to Georgia, we decided to explore some of the local tourist attractions. Our first destination was the Sacred Heart Cultural Center.  We also needed a place to shelter from the rain that was just ahead of a soon-to-arrive hurricane.  We saw the beautiful church from the street and knew we wanted to check it out. My husband and I shared a passion for architecture, and I have a constant interest in history.  This perfectly aligned with our interests.  The interior of the church left us in awe. The craftsmanship and stained glass were simply breathtaking. As we explored, we had the opportunity to meet some of the dedicated volunteers who work at Sacred Heart.  They took our picture to publicly thank us for visiting on their Facebook page. We happily agreed. If you are ever in Augusta, Georgia, I highly recommend a visit to Sacred Heart Cultural Center. 

Today's soldier profile is William "Burr" Curl William was born around 1840 in Hardin County, Ohio, and died on 8 July 1911 in West Salem, Edwards County, Illinois.  He married my husband's ancestor, Mary Serina "Givene" Dunston, in 1860.  According to this Union Compiled Service Record, William served in the 57th Ohio Infantry in Company K . His regiment fought in Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and other southern states.  William earned the rank of Corporal.  Throughout his service, the regiment William served in lost numerous officers and enlisted men. Despite these losses, he managed to survive and returned home to his family.   Census records indicate that he worked as a day laborer and a farmer.    William lived to be about 71 years old (8 July 1911) and was laid to rest in Otterbein Cemetery in Berryville, Illinois.  **Above photo is by Meredith Petrick @ Unsplash

Thomas Dunston was born near Richmond, Virginia (date unknown) and died before 9 February 1841 in Logan County, Ohio. He married Elizabeth "Zany" Susannah Carbon.  Thomas served in the 21st Regiment of the Virginia Militia during the War of 1812. By 1818, he was living in Logan County, Ohio.  Most of the information about his family is found in his will/probate, dated 9 February 1841.  After Thomas’s death, his wife, Zana, lived with their daughter, Temperance Pickrell. Zana passed away sometime between 1850 and 1860. They had eleven children. John Dunston, their youngest son, is the next family leader in my husband’s lineage.  A few of Thomas and Zana's children went by "Dunson" rather than "Dunston" Come back next week to find more about their son, John.  Their complete profile along with the profiles of their children can be found in my book titled "Fields of Our Fathers: A Family History of the Dunston Family. 

I stumbled upon another lost photo at a Colorado antique store. I’ve decided to call it "The Case of the Cute Kid Trio" The photo’s back, dated 29 October 1953, is marked by the photo processor. In handwritten text on the back, it reads, “Merilia, Hunt, and Richard Lawhon. Lima, Peru.” I conducted a preliminary search on Ancestry, but unfortunately, I didn’t find any results. Given the passage of time, the kids are likely grandparents now. It would be wonderful to return this photo to their grandchildren or even to them directly. If you have any information about a family that resided in Lima, Peru in 1953 or the surname “Lawhon,” please leave a comment below. I’d be grateful if you could share my post on social media. 

Source Thomas Dunston was born on 10 August 1833 in Logan County, Ohio, and died on 16 December 1912 in St. Mary's, Auglaize County, Ohio.  According to his Union Compiled Service Records at the National Archives, Thomas  served in the 13th Independent Battery of the Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery. He enlisted on 25 December 1861, and participated in the Battle of Shiloh during his service.    Thomas was transferred to the 14th Independent Battery, Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery on 26 April 1862. He also participated in the Battles of Jonesborough, Nashville, and Kennesaw Mountain.   He was discharged from service on 26 Jannuary 1865.  Thomas' records don't indicate any injuries to his person, but his pension indicates he received money likely for aging or illness, and his wife received a widow's pension.  In the 1890 Federal Veterans’ Schedules, it is recorded that he served his country for three years and one month, maintaining the rank of Private t...

"Sterling returned from the post office with the mail in his hands. When he opened the door, the house was too quiet. He may have found her in the wheelchair, her head dropped to her chest, her Bible resting open on her lap.   She did not turn to see her son enter the room. She did not hear him say, “Mother, I am back. You have a letter from…” She did not look up with a smile at the news. She remained still." That's an excerpt above is from my latest Dead-tectives Newsletter.  In this issue, I explore what happened to the woman in the wheelchair If you are curious about:     How this ordinary trip to the post office turned into a sad discovery     The clues hidden in a quiet, everyday moment     What Sterling did next when his world suddenly shifts ...then you don't want to miss this edition of: The Dead-tective.  To receive my newsletter, contact me at carriemerth@gmail.com. Use the subject line "subscribe".  Thank you for reading and f...

Photo belongs to Lisbeth (Dunston) Allen.  Anna Edith Sinclair was born on 17 May 1876 in Adair County, Iowa, and died on 7 June 1949 in Humboldt County, California. She married William LeRoy Dunston on 21 February 1901.  She is the last family leader profiled from my book, “Landscape of Valor: The Sinclair Legacy.” Anna and William settled in Grey Eagle, Todd County, Minnesota. They had eight sons, but sadly, one of them died shortly after his birth. One of those sons was my husband’s grandfather, Teddy Dunston. Anna and William, both music and reading enthusiasts, shared their passion with their sons, who in turn passed it on to their own children. My husband, their great-grandson, is an avid reader and enjoys listening to music whenever he gets the chance.  The Great Depression ended their farming and dairy business, so they moved to California to start over. Anna suffered a stroke, and William passed away. Their sons cared for their mother until LeRoy's passing...

Here is another lost photo that I found at a Colorado antique store.  I hoping to reunite it with its long-lost family.  There are no distinctive landmarks or features that could indicate the location of the photo.     A couple of similar ages, along with their son, who appears to be around three years old.  This photo has only one marking on it—the date. There are no names or locations on the back.  If you recognize these individuals, please leave a comment below. I would be delighted to reunite them with their respective photo.

John Patterson Sinclair, born on March 17, 1830, in Cloverdale, Indiana, passed away on December 31, 1904, in Adair County, Iowa. He married Rebecca Hardin on September 15, 1864, in Greencastle, Indiana. Rebecca, a strong and independent woman, managed their store while her husband was on a trip.  One day, two Native Americans entered her store, threatened her and her infant, and demanded sugar and tobacco. Despite the danger, Rebecca remained calm and helped them obtain the supplies they needed, ensuring their safety. Rebecca, a fair and petite woman, raised nine children. John served in the Indiana Infantry and worked as a farmer. Thirty years after their marriage, they relocated to Iowa and continued farming there. Their children pursued diverse careers, such as medicine, agriculture, and essential labor.  To delve deeper into the adventurous lives of John and Rebecca Sinclair and their children, I recommend purchasing my book, “Landscape of Valor: The Sinclair Legacy,” ava...

I want to wish you a Happy Independence Day.  It is an memorable day.  Many of my ancestors served in the military. My husband’s family did the same.  Yesterday my husband and I got emotional when we saw a large United States flag hanging from a bulldozer by the side of the road.   We spent last night watching the John Adam’s HBO miniseries. In highly recommend it.  My family has plans to spend the day together celebrating. We are so thankful for the freedoms we stil have. Our son voted in his first primary election this week. 🇺🇸 God bless America!  Happy 4th of July… Happy Independence Day… Happy 250th birthday USA! 

My family had the privilege of spending a couple of days in Savannah. While we did spend some time at the beach on Tybee Island, we also spent a couple of afternoons exploring the city, savoring the local cuisine, and taking in the sights and sounds.  I’m a history buff, and Savannah has a few monuments dedicated to the men who served in multiple wars.  Savannah’s historic districts offer a delightful experience for exploring, shopping, and dining.  My favorite place to dine was Poe’s Tavern, a tribute to the renowned author Edgar Allan Poe.  We thoroughly enjoyed River Street, so much so that we visited it twice during our trip. The evening visit was filled with music, leisurely crowds, and the sight of boats floating by. One of the larger ships blew its horn, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. 😊 It was an absolutely fantastic trip. We had delicious food, spent quality time with our son, explored rich history, and had a lot of fun.