Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Super news!! McGeachy family wins N.C. Genealogical Society awards!

I'm so excited!  I just have to share this great news with you.  My husband and I both won N.C. Genealogical Society awards!  The awards were announced today on their website, http://www.ncgenealogy.org/

The award for excellence in publishing for a book of family history relevant to North Carolina and published within eighteen months preceding the award - Wiley Thomas Snyder, Nora Bessie McNeil: Their Stories, compiled by Barbara McGeachy.

This is the book about my grandparents - the cover is their wedding photo, above (April 16, 1919).

My husband, Jack, has been transcribing court records for the Wilmington (New Hanover County) courts.  Here is his award:

The award for excellence in publishing for a book, or set of books, of abstracts or transcriptions of original North Carolina primary source material and published within eighteen months preceding the award - New Hanover County, North Carolina Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 3 vols: 1814-1825, transcribed and indexed by John A. McGeachy

NCGS will present its 2014 Awards for outstanding contributions to the North Carolina genealogical community at its Fall Workshop and Annual Meeting on 15 November 2014.

Wow!!

Friday, October 17, 2014

Grandma's Photo Album Page 64 - Mountains and Beach in N.C.


(Top left)  I believe this is my uncle Ralph Lewis Snyder (1932-1996) with a girlfriend.  This photo was taken on his parents' farm.

(Top right) Carolina Beach, N.C., in the 1950s.  The house name was the Jane Carroll.  It's across the street from the ocean-front houses.  I don't know who the ladies are.

(Bottom left) Father and sons, pretending to play golf in Wilkes county, N.C.  Left to right:  James Neil Snyder (1922-1993), Wiley Thomas Snyder (1892-1988), and Ralph.

(Bottom right) What an athletic group! Standing in the front yard of my grandparents' farm in Millers Creek, probably in the 1950s:

Left to right:  Red (living), Bette (living), Carrie Snyder (1926-2001), girl in back - possibly Clara, girl in front with head scarf is Martha (living), girl on bike - don't know, and Mozelle (living)

Sunday, October 5, 2014

The murder of my 7th great-grandmother Elizabeth Day (abt 1667-1699)

I just have to share this fantastic blog post with you.  It's at
http://dna-explained.com/2014/10/05/elizabeth-day-c-1667-1699-murdered-52-ancestors-40/

Roberta Estes, a distant cousin, writes a blog about DNA. Elizabeth Day was also her 7th great-grandmother.  The title of her blog post is: "Elizabeth Day (c 1667 – 1699), Murdered, 52 Ancestors #40"

Thomas and Elizabeth Day were my 7th great-grandparents.  Here's the lineage from my grandmother back to them:
  • Nora Bessie McNeil
  • George Thomas McNeil and Clara Eva Hettie Ellen Jarvis
  • John G. "Blind John" McNeil and Mary "Polly" Nichols
  • George McNeil and Susannah Vannoy
  • James McNiel and Mary “Polly” Shepherd
  • Robert Shepherd and Sarah Rash
  • George Shepherd and Elizabeth Mary Angelique Day(e)
  • Thomas Day (abt 1651-1706) and Elizabeth (murdered 1699), maiden name unknown



Elizabeth Day was beaten to death on February 9, 1699, in Essex County, Virginia.  Her husband, Thomas Day, had injuries to his face, but claimed to not know how Elizabeth died.  Thomas was tried but acquitted of her murder.  Another man was tried and found guilty.  See Roberta's blog post for more details.

Grandma's Photo Album Page 63 - Snyders and McNeils in Wilkes County, N.C.


(Top left) Ralph Lewis Snyder (1932-1996) and Mozelle (living).

(Top center) My grandfather, Wiley Thomas Snyder (1892-1988).

(Top right) Carried Snyder (1926-2001) and Ralph.

(Bottom, left) Grandmother's brother, Edward McNeil (1916-1962)

I don't recognize the other 3 photos.