Attached is the first book of a planned three book series.
The first being only 40 pages was intended. As these books are of historical nature and written through the stories of people, validated through historical documents, it breaks the mold of conventional history.
I don’t present this as an authoritative position. Fact speaks for itself, stories are supported by facts. I really believe we cannot understand history without stories of those who lived it. Their lens, not ours defining what history means but as they lived it.
This journey stated 27 years ago with the passing of my Dad. He started his genealogy, using technology. I worked in technology, loved history as Dad… Worlds collied a common and uncommon to Dad joined to aid his search. Sadly he passed in September or 1997.
Mom kept what Dad started for two years. I understood she needed this, she understood I wanted to carry what he started on.
When Mom was ready to hand this information to me, the journey began.
Dad’s genealogy is really quick to be traced, including many rich stories that remain. Mom’s a natural parallel was joined to include Moms. As my journey started I received a copy of Glimpses of Deerbrook, written by Martha Lucas in 1954. Upon reading this brief hand written historical account I encountered four words…
” and an Irish family “, in the same paragraph I see Frank Bentley mentioned by name. Bentley, my Mom’s surname. As anyone finding a surname in a ghost town with sketchy history available, I did not find the excitement they would. Those for words and a surname mentioned using full name becomes a mission.
Not to prove Martha Lucas wrong, not to correct omission of names; but a mission to restore their names. Those four words was my direct line ancestry through my Mom. Frank Bentley is younger brother to my Great Grandfather, William Bentley who was included with those four words.
I also want to be clear, I don’t feel harm from those words. I felt a loss for my ancestors not being mentioned by name. The mission has been always to expand history by their facts and names.
Martha Lucas was writing her recollection of Deerbrook using words accepted while trying to meet professional history standards. I respect that in anyones work.
So now I share with you ” and an Irish family “:
- William H Bentley (Great Grandfather)
- Anna Lynn Bentley (Great Grandmother)
- Ellen McWilliams Lynn (Great Great Grandmother)
- John Lynn (Great Great Grandfather, unknown today if he was present or not)
Frank Bentley is already mentioned..
John and Ellen Lynn, both born in Ireland during the Great Famine. Traveled to the U. S. for a better life in the winter of 1869… Imagine winter on the Atlantic, Ireland with destination the U. S. Ellen was pregnant during that journey having given birth to my Great Grandmother in March of 1870, Hudson, New Jersey.
Clearly they had both faith they would find what they wanted, a better life and urgency to leave Ireland deciding to travel the Atlantic in 1869 during winter while being pregnant.
All of that, summed into four words.
My journey was expanded to the history of Langlade County after encountering an autobiographical work where a Bohemian tells how Francis Deleglise refused to sell land to him for not being the nationality Deleglise wanted in the area of the land.
Having live in Antigo I’ve always known the history written was way too much Norman Rockwell. Today I understand why after 27 years of asking questions, revealing stories bringing me to write three books through their stories validated by facts.
This needs readers to first see my lens. It is the whole basis behind the next two.
I invite all who have stories I have not heard to share it, together let’s expand what I started. Tell the names and stories of those who are simple summaries of the times.
Pebbles and Ripples Through Time – A different way to view history and people.