Tuesday, January 14, 2025
ESSAY - EDWARD LYNCH MY ANCESTOR? I THINK NOT.
Here's ONE reason I don't get my news from social media...Thomas Lynch, Jr.
Signer Of The Declaration
Of Independence.
"John Thomas Edward Lynch, Jr, Capt signer of Declaration of Independence, Delegate to Continental Congress 1776 Capt in First South Carolina Regiment"
And, they have gone on to show him married to a lady named Margaret Allison and, with her, the father of several children.
Problem is, that Lynch, specifically, Thomas Lynch, Jr., who was the ONLY Lynch to sign the Declaration of Independence, died childless. He AND his wife, Elizabeth Shubrick, NOT Ms. Allison, were lost at sea... a couple of years BEFORE their supposed progeny could have been conceived... much less born.
Now, the historical data is there for ANYBODY to read. The logic and math is simple enough for ANYBODY to figure out... yet...
Many people are not only proudly proclaiming this patently incorrect data as proof of their esteemed ancestry, BUT, since they are on Ancestry.com, PAYING for the privilege, AND, in the meantime, failing to find out who their ancestors REALLY are.
My ancestor is named Edward Lynch (I think), and I don't know a whole lot about him yet, except that HE seems to have been married to Margaret Allison. But, something I DO know is that while he did NOT sign the Declaration of Independence, he, and his family DID help build America, and I'm good with that.
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Labels: ancestry, donovan baldwin, edward lynch, genealogy, signer of the declaration of independence
Monday, January 29, 2018
Family Footnote
By: Donovan Baldwin
As I have mentioned from time to time in other places, I do genealogy.
While researching my family tree I came across an interesting footnote.
Now, this is not about me. The man is not even in my bloodline.
After the death of my father's mother, her husband, my grandfather, married a woman named Merrell. Turns out HER father, as a sheriff, stood down a lynch mob, and the incident was recorded in a story by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), which was published after his death.
I claim no glory, by blood or relation, but, it feels special to be that close to history.
Not just to have a near-relative in the writings of Mark Twain, but, in the brave act of a man who upheld his duty.
Gave me chills. Way to go, great grandfather-in-law, however many times removed.
That may be the basis for a story or a poem someday.
You deserve it. I know Mark Twain did it better, but, I'm closer.
While researching my family tree I came across an interesting footnote.
Now, this is not about me. The man is not even in my bloodline.
After the death of my father's mother, her husband, my grandfather, married a woman named Merrell. Turns out HER father, as a sheriff, stood down a lynch mob, and the incident was recorded in a story by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), which was published after his death.
I claim no glory, by blood or relation, but, it feels special to be that close to history.
Not just to have a near-relative in the writings of Mark Twain, but, in the brave act of a man who upheld his duty.
Gave me chills. Way to go, great grandfather-in-law, however many times removed.
That may be the basis for a story or a poem someday.
You deserve it. I know Mark Twain did it better, but, I'm closer.
Labels: donovan baldwin, family, genealogy, Mark Twain
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
We All Have Stories
By Donovan Baldwin
Read a quote from Henry David Thoreau this morning: "I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well."
I often (at least twice a day) write about myself.
Even when referencing other people and events, I am, at the least, presenting MY thoughts, just as I am now.
Most of us will never be famous, although, in today's world, we will leave a much more defined "trail" than most of our ancestors.
I do genealogy, and, before the mid-1800's, at least here in the U.S., it's hard to find out much about people unless they did something extraordinary, or, were lucky enough to get their existence recorded.
We all have stories.
In talking to people over the last 72 years, and reading their descriptions of their lives, I have found most people to be very interesting. Even so, I was a bit surprised to find how many people were interested in, or amused by, events in what I considered my mundane existence.
I write, they read...and some seem to like.
Each of you has a story.
Why not write it up?
Even if your children and grandchildren are the only ones who read it, at some point it will be valuable, interesting, informative, and, perhaps, even instructional to them.
I repeat, we all have stories, and most of us are as important as the most famous, but, are not going to have our stories told, so, let's tell our stories ourselves.
I often (at least twice a day) write about myself.
Even when referencing other people and events, I am, at the least, presenting MY thoughts, just as I am now.
Most of us will never be famous, although, in today's world, we will leave a much more defined "trail" than most of our ancestors.
I do genealogy, and, before the mid-1800's, at least here in the U.S., it's hard to find out much about people unless they did something extraordinary, or, were lucky enough to get their existence recorded.
We all have stories.
In talking to people over the last 72 years, and reading their descriptions of their lives, I have found most people to be very interesting. Even so, I was a bit surprised to find how many people were interested in, or amused by, events in what I considered my mundane existence.
I write, they read...and some seem to like.
Each of you has a story.
Why not write it up?
Even if your children and grandchildren are the only ones who read it, at some point it will be valuable, interesting, informative, and, perhaps, even instructional to them.
I repeat, we all have stories, and most of us are as important as the most famous, but, are not going to have our stories told, so, let's tell our stories ourselves.
Labels: donovan baldwin, genealogy, Henry David Thoreau, write, write your story
