James Richard Thompson (1873-1927) was born in Virginia City, Montana, the second son of William Thompson (1832-1900) and Annie Marie Boyce (1846-1894). Relatives described him as an avid reader who lived in a house filled to the brim with books. The three boys – including William Boyce (1869-1930) and Joseph Edward (1875-1950) – were wonderfully […]
Separating fact from folklore
Growing up I never knew whether to believe the stories grown-ups told about my near and distant relatives. The stories seemed too fantastic to be true. This website is dedicated to separating fact from fiction. But the truth, I've found, can be equally hard to believe.
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John Kruttschnitt Played a Practical Joke at His Sister’s Wedding Reception
Newspapers in New Orleans and other cities carried breathless accounts Rebecca Kruttschnitt (1889-1975) wedding in 1911 to English suitor Henry C. Woodhouse. The reports focused on the resplendent venue, the glamorous dresses worn by the bride and her maids, and the bountiful flowers that adorned the scene. They missed the most interesting event. “The wedding […]

Roadblock Ahead: Tracing the Boyce Line Back to West Virginia
This amateur genealogist has spent many frustrating years trying to trace his Boyce line back to Hardy County, West Virginia, and its beginnings in North America. This dogged pursuit took me to the home of the genealogical society in Logan County, Kentucky, where my third great-grandfather, J.R. Boyce, was born. When I showed the eminently […]

Charting My Jewish Roots Along a Misleading Path
I got woefully lost tracing my family’s Jewish roots and fell into a familiar trap. Like many family history researchers on the Internet, I wanted to believe that I was related to the great Moses Levy, a New York merchant who commissioned portraits for most family members. My fifth grandmother was a Levy, Eva Levy. […]
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Starting with me, this website goes back in every direction, exploring every curve along the way, then doubling back in different directions. I wish my parents were around to see what I've discovered.
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“If you go to New Orleans to investigate the roots of Judah P. Benjamin, you may wind up disappointed.”
»» Read Judah P. Benjamin's Homes Largely Forgotten In New Orleans
“Hatevil Nutter was by no means alone in his hatred of Quakers.”