Most of the dead folks I write about are my direct-line ancestors. Some are collateral relatives with interesting stories.

A peek at the stories inside . . .

Eleanor of Aquitaine She was a 12th Century lady who first wore the crown of the Queen of France, and then wore the crown of the Queen of England.

Frank Reed, a.k.a. Tom Doyle Frank Reed was a poor, illiterate immigrant from Quebec. During the Civil War he was a soldier in the U.S. Army; he missed getting on a boat and trapped himself in a lie for the rest of his life. He lived out his life hiding under a false name and died in a state institution for the insane, with folks believing he was someone other than who he was. Read his story and learn how his secret was finally uncovered eighty years after he died.

John Payne, Jr., & his Mrs., Virletta O'Neal He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and had sons fighting for the Union during the Civil War. In August 1863 he was on the courthouse steps in Danville, Illinois, with a "butternut pin" pinned to his lapel. It incited a riot, and he was shot. His brother, the sheriff, came to the scene to find John mortally wounded. Virletta was a bride at 16. She was dead at 27. When she died, her baby was buried with her, and she left six children with the oldest only ten. Three of the little boys she left behind grew up to fight with the Union Army in the Civil War.

Abel Payne & his "Roll Call of Heaven" Abel Wade Payne survived Andersonville. As an older man, he wrote a poem about the passing of the Civil War Veterans. Read his poem, and learn the basics of the man behind the words.

George Hooker George Hooker came to the U.S.A. when he was three. He was in the Union Army during the Civil War. On the day Abraham Lincoln died, George lost his hearing as a result of firing cannons in a salute to the dead president.

Andrew Hufford When George Hooker needed a job after his stint in the Civil War, Andrew Hufford hired the returning veteran. Hufford was Brethren, and his church opposed all wars. However, Andrew's own father had been both a Brethren and a veteran of the War of 1812.

Master Sgt. Miles Griffith Beard Miles Beard was a man who lived with regrets, a man who made some wrong choices and spent decades paying the price for those wrong choices. He also was a man who served honorably for five years during World War II, a man whose proudest time was as a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army. He was my father, and he is now one of "Alice's interesting dead folks."

Sarah Catharine Cripe, Mrs. Andrew Hufford Sarah had her 13th child at 43. At 48, she had her 14th child. Eight months later, her husband died in an accident. Suddenly, she not only was 48 with a little baby, she was a widow in rural Indiana. Nonetheless, she didn't turn to drinking or drugging. She kept on keeping on. She did what had to be done, and on Sundays she went to the Middlefork Brethren Church to pray with her family.

Travelers on the Oregon Trail
In 1851 a train of covered wagons drawn by oxen left Vermilion County, Illinois, headed for Willamette Valley in Oregon. Read about the journey.

Beard Cemetery
There's a pretty little spot secluded in the woods behind a corn field in Carroll County, Indiana. Buried there is a second-cousin to the only American First Lady who was ever legally declared insane. Check this page to see a list of the other nice folks buried along with that second-cousin and to read the story of how I began my genealogical research.

Genealogy shorthand highlights

My DAR-established Patriots:
George Buchanan, #A-016392: Paid supply tax, 1779, in Pennsylvania; 4th Pennsylvania Regiment.
(George > Martha > Nancy McLAUGHLIN > Mary WISE > Evaline HUKILL)
John Bull, # A-016788: Signed the Association of the Committee of Safety and Observation, Hamptonburgh, Orange County, New York, 1775.
(John > Elizabeth > Hannah EARLE > John PAYNE Jr.)
John Earle, #A-035451: Signed association test, Cornwall Precinct, Orange Co., New York.
(John > Peter > Hannah > John PAYNE Jr.)
Peter Earle, # A-035462: Signed association test; Cornwall Precinct, Orange County, New York, 1775.
(Peter > Hannah > John PAYNE Jr.)
Christian Hufford (Hoffart), # A-056231: Furnished supplies, Frederick Co., Maryland.
(Christian > Casper > Abraham > Andrew > Elizabeth)
NOTE: Christian is my entry line for the DAR. If this is your line, you need only to prove back to our shared ancestor. Proof for my line has been accepted by DAR genealogists (April 2011). Email me telling me your connection, and I will send you a PDF copy of my verifed application, which you can use to apply for DAR membership.
Nathaniel Nesbitt, # A-082383: Took oath of support and fidelity, Washington Co., Maryland.
(Nathaniel > Catherina > John CRIPE Sr. > David > Sarah Catherine)
John "Jackie" O'Neal, #A-084079: Served from Jefferson Co., Virginia, with Capt. Charles Polk, Col. Cox, Col. John Floyd, and Gen. George Rogers Clark.
(John > William > Virletta > William PAYNE)
David Todd, # A-114274: Served from Pennsylvania, in the Lancaster County militia. Served with Capt. James McCreight, Capt. Daniel Bradley, and Col. John Rogers.
(David > Hannah > Elizabeth SMITH > Hannah JACK > Rachel SMITH > Jesse BEARD)

Patriot, not yet established with DAR:
Allen Lane; born 2-Sep-1758, Middletown, Middlesex Co., Connecticut. Served from Connecticut with Captain Shepherd's company. For further information, CHECK THIS.
(Allen > Allen II > Cilinda)

My Mayflower ancestors:
William Bradford (thru son William b. 1624)
Edward Doty (thru son John Doty, Sr., d. 1701)
George Soule (thru daughter Mary b. 1644)
Richard Warren (thru daughter Anna b. abt 1612)
More information HERE

My Plantagenet connection:
Hannah Browne, born 13-Apr-1651, Middletown, Middlesex Co., Connecticut; buried 18-Jul-1711, Middletown, Middlesex Co., Connecticut. Daughter of Nathaniel BROWNE and Eleanor WATTS.
(Hannah > John LANE > John > Allen > Allen II > Cilinda)

Alice's ahnentafel

Ancestral Tombstones
gravestone photos
virtual ancestral cemetery

Hufford genealogy

Reader's guide to
Hufford Family History

Questions & Answers:
Genealogy tips

Old guestbook
Old howdies,
from family.

full database, off site:
@ geneanet
@ worldconnect

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