Like many others, I struggle daily to understand what is before me. Do I go with piety or chaos? How does one choose? Just so you know, I am playing Wordle here. We obviously have not met if you thought you were getting something deep and existential from me. "Piety" and "chaos" are my openers … Continue reading Piety and Chaos
Author: Michael
1950 Census: I Think They Missed a Brownstone
On April 1st, 2022, the National Archives released the 1950 Census. A law passed in 1978 requires 72 years before the census is released to the public. The official count date for the 1950 Census was 1 April 1950. Because of the need to return and gather information from people that the census taker missed … Continue reading 1950 Census: I Think They Missed a Brownstone
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May 6th is “Andrew Turner Day!”
Who? Nineteen years ago, Kernersville, North Carolina, proclaimed May 6th, 2003, "Andrew Turner Day." The town is nestled in Forsyth County between Winston-Salem and Greensboro. It is a quiet, unassuming place just north of I-40. It is the boyhood home of Andrew Turner. Andrew Turner is a 1995 graduate of Forsyth Country Day School, a … Continue reading May 6th is “Andrew Turner Day!”
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WWII Airships – Naval Air Station Weeksville
Undated photo of an L-Class and two K-Class Blimps in Hanger 1 at NAS Weeksville (U. S. Navy Photo) A friend came across a handful of black and white photos in an old dresser while antiquing in Northeast North Carolina. The images were a collection of Navy lighter-than-air themes from the 1940s. She passed them … Continue reading WWII Airships – Naval Air Station Weeksville
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Just Because Something Is Written In Stone
While I was taking the introductory course (online) in genealogy from Boston University, it was pointed out that you can't always take things at face value when you are searching for information about your ancestors. There are a few reasons for this. People don't always remember facts and stories correctly; some information passed down may … Continue reading Just Because Something Is Written In Stone
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The old Brownstone is for rent…
The "Siblings & Dad" thread on my phone pinged a few weeks ago on a Sunday morning. Bob, my brother, forwarded a link about the brownstone on 4th Street in the Park Slope neighborhood in Brooklyn that was home to my family in the 60s and early 70s. It is for rent. Wouldn't it be … Continue reading The old Brownstone is for rent…
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Small World…
The universe has a way of reminding us that we live on a small planet. I work in a government office in Southeastern Virginia. I am part of an eight-man team; six are government civilians, two are active-duty military officers. Of the eight, three have childhood roots in Brooklyn or Nassau County on Long Island. … Continue reading Small World…
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Three Generations of Brooklyn Stoops
“Look at everything always as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time: Thus is your time on earth filled with glory.”Betty Smith. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn A stoop is a staircase ending in a platform leading to a house or apartment building entrance. In Brooklyn, a stoop is so … Continue reading Three Generations of Brooklyn Stoops
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Up On The Roof
While listening to Spotify a few months ago, a James Taylor cover of “Up On The Roof,” by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, began playing. To me, the song is quintessentially about New York. As luck would have it, I was putting together flash drives of old family photos for my siblings at that moment … Continue reading Up On The Roof
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Memorial Day Remembrance: Sidney Kelly and Sons in the Great War
Note: Sidney John Kelly, Sr. was my great grandfather. My mother is the daughter of Sidney Kelly, Sr.'s youngest son, Bernard L. Kelly. What follows was brought together from source documents I have acquired from the National Archives, The Naval History and Heritage Command, and the library system of the National Defense University, specifically the … Continue reading Memorial Day Remembrance: Sidney Kelly and Sons in the Great War
Michael's Monologue 