Dear Santa Letters from My Great-Grandmother Circa 1896

One of the sweetest moments in my family tree exploration was the discovery of a very simple item – a letter to Santa published in the Pittsburgh Press on 18 December 1896. The author was a 6-year-old girl named Jennie Rice. She lived at 70 Poplar Alley in the Lower Hill District. Jennie was either […]

My Family Story: The Mysterious Life of Sarah Ann Campbell (1871-1907)

I’ve blogged about three of my 2x great grandmothers, all on my paternal side of the family.  Most people have eight 2x great grandmothers, four on the paternal side and four on the maternal. The final paternal 2x great grandma is perhaps the most mysterious of my recent ancestors – her name, I now know, […]