Tag Archives: Family papers

How to keep a surname going?

September 1, 2015American History, Family Stories, Genealogical WritingCritical Analysis, Family papers, Family stories, International genealogical research, Research tipsChristopher C. Child

Reading Scott Steward’s post about surnames being changed to keep another family name going reminded me of two examples we encountered when we wrote The Descendants of Judge John Lowell of Newburyport, Massachusetts together.

The first example is relatively straightforward. This involved the descendants of the poet James Russell Lowell (1819–1891). James had three daughters and one son, but only his daughter Mabel survived childhood. She married Edward Burnett and had three sons – James Russell Lowell Burnett (b. 1873), Joseph Burnett (b. 1874), and Francis Lowell Burnett (b. 1878). In 1890, Mabel’s eldest son James had his name changed to James Burnett Lowell to continue his maternal grandfather’s surname. Continue reading How to keep a surname going? →

“Her whole heart’s devotion”

August 28, 2015American History, Family StoriesA Genealogist's Diary, Family papers, Family stories, Object LessonsScott C. Steward

Another one of the treasures in my grandfather’s box of family papers is the surprisingly well-preserved booklet produced following my great-great-grandmother’s funeral, at Grace Church in New York, on 1 August 1867. The booklet’s sturdy midnight blue cover stock offers no hint of the contents, an admiring Address at the Funeral of Mrs. John Steward given by the Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Tyng, the long-time rector of St. George’s Church on Stuyvesant Square.[1] Continue reading “Her whole heart’s devotion” →

A serious young couple

August 21, 2015American History, Collections, Family StoriesA Genealogist's Diary, Family papers, Family stories, Object Lessons, PhotographsScott C. Steward

Among the prizes in my grandfather’s box of family papers is a small double daguerreotype case containing images of my great-great-grandparents, Gilbert Livingston Beeckman (1824–1874) and Margaret Atherton Foster (1832–1904). While I have seen several images of Mrs. Beeckman, including a Fagnani pastel of her as a young bride, I have no other representation of G. L. (or G. Livingston) Beeckman, for whom my grandfather Gilbert Livingston Steward was named. Continue reading A serious young couple →

A letter from home

August 20, 2015American History, Collections, Family StoriesA Genealogist's Diary, African American Research, Critical Analysis, Family papers, Family stories, Object Lessons, PhotographsScott C. Steward

One of the envelopes in my box of family papers turns out to contain material on my great-grandfather Campbell Steward (1852–1936) as a boy, as well as a letter written to his married daughter in Europe shortly before his death. Another item caught my eye: a vivid yellow envelope addressed to “Mr. Campbell Steward” in New York City, with a letter inside mailed from Goshen, New York, and dated 12 January 1871. Continue reading A letter from home →

Family papers

August 19, 2015American History, Collections, Family Stories, Research MethodsA Genealogist's Diary, Brick Walls, Critical Analysis, Family papers, Object Lessons, Research tipsScott C. Steward

My grandfather died almost 25 years ago, and sometime before that he gave me a box of “family papers.” The box itself is rather striking: a metal strong box, easily portable, with my great-great-grandfather John Steward’s name stenciled on top in fading paint. Inside the box are not just family papers, but intriguing (and, of course, unidentified) daguerreotypes and examples of other early photographic processes, along with materials treating the family of my great-grandmother, Margaret Atherton (Beeckman) Steward (1861–1951). Continue reading Family papers →

An answer – and more questions

February 13, 2014Family Stories, NewsA Genealogist's Diary, Critical Analysis, Family papers, Family stories, Object Lessons, PhotographsScott C. Steward

Edward Hughes Glidden in front of the Homewood Apartments, face obscured — Courtesy of the Hughes Company Glass Negatives Collection, the Photography Collections, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

As a follow-up to my first post at Vita Brevis, back in early January, I am happy to report that a likely photograph of my great-grandfather Edward Hughes Glidden (1873-1924) has surfaced – but, initially (and tantalizingly), an accident to the glass plate meant that his face was obscured.

The caption for the photograph reads ”1920. Man in Overcoat walking by Homewood Apartments. Man could be Lt. Glidden, architect and resident of Homewood apts.” on North Charles Street in Baltimore. According to the collection’s online catalogue, the captioner provided the identification for the photograph’s subject, and I wonder if the original notation was for E. H. Glidden, the name he most often used professionally. Continue reading An answer – and more questions →