Edward Bishop Jr and Sarah Wildes Bishop - my 7th Great-grandparents and Convicted Witches

Here's a fascinating story about my 7th Great-grandparents, Edward and Sarah Bishop.  Living and working in Salem, Massachusetts - they were tried and convicted of Witchcraft in the infamous Salem Witch Trials.......amazing!

My dad - Thomas Eugene Lewis - 1933-2017

My kind father, Thomas Eugene Lewis, passed away on 1 December 2017 in Pleasant View, Utah.  I wanted to include here the Obituary that appeared in the Ogden Standard-Examiner on Sunday, 3 December 2017 for the benefit of my kids and grandkids.  He was a kind and gracious man, and will be missed by us all.  I love you dad, and look forward to that glorious day when we'll all meet again.
I also found a few photos when I got home that I wanted to include here - these were photocopies of old photos with Grandma Uvada Lewis handwriting on them.  Not sure where the originals are......

The top one is my favorite!  Next is my mom pinning dad's 2nd LT bars on him at his commissioning at Utah State.  Next is dad in full band uniform with the clarinet we saw at the viewing!  Finally, the old jalopy dad won at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon "Jalopeny" in 1952.

An Original American Romance

The story of my 9th Great-Grandparents - a famous American Romance and the 3rd recorded marriage in the new American Colonies.  John Alden and Priscilla Mullins (with Captain Miles Standish thrown in to make it interesting).

Samuel Henderson - Part 2 - A Gospel Life

Part 2 of the life of my 4th Great-Grandfather, Samuel Henderson Sr.  He remarries, joins up with the Saints in Nauvoo and makes his way west.  A great tale of sacrifice and love of the Lord, and an example for me personally.

Samuel Henderson - Part 1 - Life in Missouri

Part 1 of 2 about my 4th Great-grandfather, Samuel Henderson.  Raising a family on the frontier of Missouri in the early 1800's brought some unique challenges for the Henderson's.  This is just a bit about the influences that surrounded them near the banks of the Mississippi at that time.

Stephen Chadwick Perry

A quick tale, but not a direct ancestor of mine.  This is my kid's Great-Great-Great Grandfather, and my wife's Great-Great Grandfather - Stephen Chadwick Perry.  He was involved in the destruction of the printing press of the "Nauvoo Expositor" in 1844 and implicated along with Joseph Smith, John Taylor, WW Phelps, Porter Rockwell and several others.  A neat tie to an important piece of Nauvoo and early church history......

Michael Bacon and the Dedham Church Covenant

Here's an interesting story about my 9th-Great-Grandfather, Michael Bacon.  He was one of the signers of the Dedham Church Covenant after arriving in Massachusetts from Ireland in the early 1600's.  Had not heard of the Dedham Covenant until doing the research on him - and I'm glad I did.

My Fourth Great-Grandparents - Alexander and Margaret Shomaker

Just a quick story about my fourth great-grandparents - Alexander and Margaret Shomaker.  They endured the "desperado mormons" and went from being persecutors to protectors to being persecuted themselves!  They were one of the first to settle Plain City, Weber County, Utah and are buried in the Plain City Cemetery.  

A deserter of the War of 1812, and a grave desecration.....My 4th Great-Grandparents

James Byington and Susanna Nichols are my 4th-great grandparents.  James deserted from the Canadian Army because he refused to fight the Americans in the War of 1812.  Susanna's grave was destroyed in the 1960's......just some random family history for your information.  Enjoy!

A Tale as Old as Time - James the 1st and Lady Joan Beaufort - King and Queen of Scotland

A tale of pirates, prison and love - dealing with my 16th-Great-Grandparents - James the 1st, King of Scotland, and Lady Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scots.  Thanks to their 18th-Great-Grandaughter, Olivia, for supplying the artist rendition of the "walk in the garden" as contained in The Kingis Quair

My Great-Great Aunt Elizabeth meets the Prophet Joseph

Just a short story about my Great-Great Aunt, Elizabeth Tidwell, who met the Prophet Joseph when she was 7 or 8 years old.  She gave this talk at a birthday celebration for the Prophet on 23 December 1907 at the Tabernacle in Manti, Utah.

Richard Warren - Mayflower voyager and Mayflower Compact Signatory

A quick clip about my 9th-great-grandparents, Richard and Elizabeth Warren.  Richard was an original Mayflower passenger and signatory on the Mayflower Compact.  He was granted the title of "Mr." - which meant more then than it does now.....

The one where I talk about my DNA test results........

For Christmas, my wife gave me a DNA test-kit to take a scientific look at my ancestry.  I am trying to relearn a lot of my college genetics coursework to make sense of it all.  Bottom-line: I'm pretty much a product of European ancestors........
If any of my relatives would be interested in looking closer at the three reports that were generated, let me know -

Great-great-great Grandmother Mary Byington Southworth - with joy, wend your way westward!

My maternal Great-great-great grandmother, Mary Byington Southworth.  Just a short snippet from her crossing as a pioneer and coming into Salt Lake.  I found it interesting they were told by an Apostle of the Lord to "laugh, dance and make merry to be able to make it to the valley"......good advise for us too.  Men are that they might have joy - and with joy, wend your way.  And in the end, get rebaptized to wash away the sins of our long and tedious journey.  Now, we just take the sacrament each week.

James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray

A little story about my paternal 11th Great-Grandfather, James Stewart, who became the 1st Earl of Moray........brother of Mary, Queen of Scots.  He holds an unique distinction you may find of interest........

Melinda Bradford Durfey Hatch - my 4th Great-Grandmother

A quick story about one of my maternal 4th-Great-Grandmothers.......I find it amazing that it took 6 years from the time she left Nauvoo until she arrived in the Salt Lake Valley!  She was truly a "frontier woman", and even endured being run-over by a wagon!  A very remarkable woman.