Before the publication of Charles Banks’ History of Martha’s Vineyard in 1911 one of the two leading suggestions for the father of immigrant Henry Luce was Thomas Luce, of Charlestown. The other leading suggestion was Harke Luse. These two men were attractive candidates because their surname matches and they lived in the same general area…
Category: Genealogy
Solomon Place Bible
(1st Page) The Property ofSolomon PlaceFebruary 10, 1817 Price to Subscribers $12.00 The Holy BibleBrattlesborough: printed for John Holbrook.1816Collins correct stereotype copy. Bible in possession of Mrs. Herbert Whelden ofGreenwich, Washington Co., N.Y. Births Stephen Place March 21st A. D. 1736Martha Place August 21st A. D. 1747Hannah Place January 7th…
Jason Luce Black Sheep
by Roger Robin Ekins As if having their two young sons, ages 8 and 6, drown was not enough heartache for Stephen and Mary Luce, their son Jason got involved with some very rough characters, including the notorious Bill Hickman, and was involved in the deaths of several people, the last of which resulted in…
Reconstructing the Ancestry of Outlaw Mike Roark: A Preliminary Genealogical Investigation
by Justin Durand Recent genealogical research into frontier-era figures led me to examine the life and lineage of Michael “Mike” Roark, a relatively obscure outlaw associated with the 1878 Kinsley Train Robbery. While Roark has been noted in historical accounts of 19th-century crime, little has been done to trace his personal history or genealogical roots….
Untangling the Story of Lawrence (Alloway) Howery
I’ve been meaning to write this post for a while. I often get messages from other genealogists who are confused by the case of Lawrence (Alloway) Howery. And to be fair, the confusion is understandable—his life story involves adoption, name changes, and multiple family households. With some luck, this post can serve as a one-stop…