William Remintmgton is son of , Mary Jane Johnson Remington. She is a daughter to Phoebe Johnson and half-sister to our ancestor Eli Johnson. My little brother likes Louie LaMour (sp) novels. I have never read one but it appears that Eli's half sister and her husband just kept moving to the new frontier. None of the following is my original work and came from the publication mentioned below. If I can determine how to do it legally, there is a picture of William Remingt

I apologize for the delay in publishing this post. Before a new season of commitments begins, I wanted to share a few additional items with readers. My employer has been extraordinarily supportive throughout our family's recent health struggles. During the first year in which two family members were bedridden and required around-the-clock care, I was permitted to reduce my hours to thirty per week. The following year, that was further reduced to twenty hours per week. Over th

As noted in the previous post, "A Little DNA Goes a Long Way," the Y-chromosome passes from father to son with remarkable consistency. The working theory was that, since Reuben Johnson's father could not be located in the historical record, it might be possible to identify DNA relatives who possessed better documentation. Our lineage back to Eli Johnson is reasonably well established through recorded documents, the Margaret Rhyne genealogy, and the recollections of living anc

They entered the handsomely furnished law office and were greeted warmly by Mr. Woodfin and his associates. The clerk offered coffee while they waited, and once it had been served, he placed the first claim document on the small round table. While Mr. Woodfin attended to another client, William took up the document and began to read aloud. The claim was titled: Phoebe Johnson and William West and Wife Nancy vs. Martin A. Gash, Administrator, and Sallie Jordan. He proceeded to

Phoebe had been restless throughout the night, but dawn had finally arrived, and the welcome scent of coffee drifted through the lodge. As soon as Nancy and William had risen, dressed, and readied themselves, the three of them would make their way to Mr. Woodfin's office—just a short distance away—and set the proceedings in motion. Their meeting with Mr. John N. Woodfin, Esq., proved encouraging. He was prepared to file her claim on a contingency fee basis, which suited Phoeb

Phoebe was restless that night, much as she had been four nights earlier, at the outset of the journey. Her mind raced with anticipation for the business that awaited her in Hendersonville the following morning, leaving her with little sleep and a great many thoughts. Reflecting on the journey thus far, Phoebe felt a deep sense of gratitude. The passage to Murphy had taken less than two days, aided by remarkably favorable weather. A quiet excitement stirred within her—not onl

So sorry this post took so long to publish. I am also aware that I did not continue the story here, and I have not yet completed a full proofread. One advantage of writing this blog before turning it into a book is that it can be revised easily. As I identify grammatical errors or uncover new research, I can update the text promptly. Until today, the platform has been very easy to use. The delay is largely due to a realization I had over the past several days: unlike a fictio

The Long Way Home: The Adventure Begins! September 1843 She sat on the back porch of her daughter’s home in McMinn County, Tennessee, savoring the crisp morning air. Now a frail woman, she was often described as feisty, hardheaded, and stubborn. She preferred to think of herself as strong-willed, candid, and determined. As she wrapped her hands around a steaming cup of coffee—freshly poured from the pot atop the wood stove—her thoughts returned to the journey ahead. The coffe

This is a prelude to the most compelling story in our family history. It is intended to provide orientation so that the story that follows will be easier to understand and place in context. Somehow—except for one remaining uncle on my father’s side—I have become part of the oldest living generation. It happened far too quickly. My father was the third youngest of fourteen children born to Luther and Martha Johnson between 1905 and 1935. As mentioned previously, only one of hi

For some time now, I’ve considered writing a book about our family genealogy and the area where many of us began life’s journey. As many of you know, I lost most of my research in a house fire in 2004. Still, as in so many parts of my life, my sister inspired me to regroup and continue. This blog—one I hope to turn into a book someday—is dedicated to my late sister, Dana Robbins. She was my encouragement and inspiration for a lifetime of opportunities. She and her husband, Ro