Researching our ancestors in the newspapers of their time gives us insight into their community, family, and work ethic. My second great-grandfather, William Beddoes, played a pivotal role in establishing Salem, Utah, in the late 1800s and early 1900s. His obituary provides a starting point for further research on his life accomplishments and also highlights the need for verifying details. William Beddoes Life Summary William and Mariah Beddoes William was born on 17 June 1838...
Many family historians aim to travel to the home country of an ancestor and stand on the land they once inhabited. Another way to connect to our ancestors is to visit places they also visited. If lucky, we can find ship manifests detailing an emigrant’s journey across the ocean, but how did they reach their final destination? That may take good sleuthing in a variety of records. I recently visited upstate New York, where my...
When we read the stories of our ancestors, certain memorable instances can stay with us. One such instance from my own family history centers on my 2nd great-grandmother, Mariah (Brockhouse) Beddoes. I’ve always wondered at the story of how Mariah’s parents were so upset at her emigrating from their England home to the Utah Territory that they hid her little girl, Selina, in hopes that it would prevent the journey. I pictured myself as Selina...
