NOTE from Dale (Fortitude Blogger): I’m excited to introduce my cousin Karen Aumond, our guest blogger for this month. In this post, she chronicles her 2024 journey to Washington D.C. to hold a piece of family history that is 170 years old. It was an opportunity of a lifetime – enjoy the story! I amContinue reading “Holding History: My Visit to the Smithsonian to see Addison Spaulding’s Artificial Leg Model”
Category Archives: U.S. History
Are You Related to a U.S. President?
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?”
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”
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”
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”
Overseer of the Poor
In today’s challenging world, you’ve likely come in close contact with someone who is poor. Someone who is homeless and living on the street. Someone down on their luck who lost a job and has no savings to fall back on. Perhaps poverty is even hitting close to home with a family member of yours. PovertyContinue reading “Overseer of the Poor”
A Civil War Chaplain’s Story
This is the fourth and final post in a series on the American Civil War. In this series, I described the three combat arms used during the Civil War to accomplish military objectives (cavalry, infantry, and artillery) to include the story of a Spaulding family member who served in each of these roles. In thisContinue reading “A Civil War Chaplain’s Story”
A Civil War Artilleryman’s Story
This is the third in a series of four posts on the American Civil War. In this series, I describe the three combat arms used during the Civil War to accomplish military objectives (cavalry, infantry, and artillery). With each post, I also include the story of a Spaulding family member who served during the CivilContinue reading “A Civil War Artilleryman’s Story”
Sons of the Founding Fathers
Do you remember career day in elementary school? Do you recall how you admired the fireman telling his exhilarating stories of extinguishing ravenous fires while saving lives? Perhaps you recall your pride in sharing with friends what your parents did for a living? Let your mind now wander back to late 1700s America for aContinue reading “Sons of the Founding Fathers”
Family Aviators – Separated by 160 Years
Sometimes history surprises us. It’s even said that history repeats itself. Events of the past can become events of the present. The concept of history repeating itself is also known as historic recurrence. “History is merely a list of surprises. It can only prepare us to be surprised yet again.” -Kurt Vonnegut Jr., American Author and EssayistContinue reading “Family Aviators – Separated by 160 Years”