A cousin of mine recently asked if our family was related to any U.S. Presidents. Great question – right? In this month’s Fortitude post, I share what I discovered when diving deeper into that question and how you can unearth your family connections to former presidents. The 2024 population of United States is over 337 million.1 AccordingContinue reading “Are You Related to a U.S. President?”
Author Archives: Dale Spaulding
Don’t Call That Sailor Mister
I’d like to introduce to you Florence Wilhelmina Momberger (1896-1991), my great-aunt. Florence was a World War I Navy veteran, a deputy sheriff, and a leader in the community of veterans. Here’s the remarkable story of this one tough lady. Florence was born on May 10, 1896 in Hamburg, New York just south of Buffalo inContinue reading “Don’t Call That Sailor Mister”
Navy Jargon – You Got The Gouge!
Military life brings with it a distinctive set of phrases that new recruits must quickly learn. In addition to the countless number of acronyms (alphabet soup), there’s a unique jargon that comes with each branch of the service. After serving 22 years in the U.S. Navy, it took me several years to “talk like aContinue reading “Navy Jargon – You Got The Gouge!”
Harvard Naval Radio School in WW1
When I examine Harvard University through political lens today, I don’t perceive an ardent support of the United States military. Writing for History News Network, Richard F. Miller discusses reasons why in his article titled, Why Don’t Harvard Graduates Join the Military Anymore.1 This, however, wasn’t always the case at Harvard. During World War I, HarvardContinue reading “Harvard Naval Radio School in WW1”
Exponential Multiplication in Genealogy
This month’s Fortitude post is all about ancestral mathematics. Now you’re excited, aren’t you? Let’s take a look backward and forward in time at the sheer volume of our ancestors and descendants in terms of exponential growth. Exponential growth is a mathematical process that increases quantity over time – but at an ever-increasing rate. Exponential growthContinue reading “Exponential Multiplication in Genealogy”
A 400 Year Legacy of Faith
Last month (May 2024) marked the two-year anniversary of the publishing of my book, Fortitude: Preserving 400 Years of an American Family’s Faith, Patriotism, Grit and Determination. In the course researching and writing the book, I noted several ancestral attributes consistent throughout the centuries. As I reflected on the stories I’ve discovered, several words describing the characterContinue reading “A 400 Year Legacy of Faith”
Repatriation: The Bodies of War
May is an introspective month on the calendar each year in the United States as it concludes with Memorial Day. As I reflect on Memorial Day this year, my thoughts take me back to World War I. This month’s post wasn’t easy to write, and may not be comfortable to read, but it’s a storyContinue reading “Repatriation: The Bodies of War”
The Typhus Miracle
Cold and flu season is finally behind us. Did you catch a cold, the flu, or perhaps even COVID 19 or RSV this winter? So many of us did. And when you get sick, the search is on for anything that will help relieve your symptoms and fast-track you to recovery. We are blessed withContinue reading “The Typhus Miracle”
Mr. Baseball
March is here and the seasons are changing from winter to spring. The Super Bowl is in the history books and despondent football fans have begun the agonizing seven-month wait for fall. But, take heart, baseball season is here! And, if you close your eyes, open your imagination, and take a deep breath, you justContinue reading “Mr. Baseball”
An American Blacksmith
If you could travel back in time to the early 19th century and choose an occupation in your small town, what would it be? Would you espouse to be a farmer, pastor, grocer, teacher, barber, tailor, or perhaps a cobbler? I think I would follow the path of my 2nd great-grandfather, William Sidney Spaulding, andContinue reading “An American Blacksmith”
Fortitude 