Category Archives: Family Lines

Happy Birthday Grandma Donna

Happy Birthday rememberance of my grandmother, Madonna “Donna” Mae Montran (1893–1976). She lived a complex and fascinating life that extended far beyond her vaudeville years. Born in Albion, Michigan, she married several times, later settled in Michigan and Minnesota, and ultimately donated her body to science. This remembrance reflects both documented facts and the enduring personal legacy she left to her family. Continue reading

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Howell’s in the Censuses – Henry, Gideon, and Peter

Howell ResearchHowell LineBy Don Taylor In my wife’s Howell line, the father of Peter M. Howell is still unknown. In “Searching for Peter M Howell’s father,” I knew that Peter’s father: In The Life and Travels of Peter Howell, Page … Continue reading

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Taylor – Surname Saturday

The Taylor surname traces an occupational origin rooted in England and extends through multiple generations of my family from 17th-century New England to 19th-century Michigan. This article examines three documented Taylor ancestors—John Taylor, Rhoda Taylor, and Fanny Taylor—highlighting their place in early colonial settlement, frontier warfare, Atlantic migration, and American industrial expansion. Continue reading

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Faces and Stories from the Shirley (Darling) Howell Collection.

This installment highlights newly identified individuals from the Shirley Darling Howell Collection, including members of the Darling, McAllister, Lane, and Huber families. Drawing on photos from several family albums, the article places each person back into historical context, reconnecting treasured images with the stories behind them. Continue reading

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Third Great Uncle Henry Howell

Henry Howell, the eldest known brother of Peter M. Howell, may hold essential clues to identifying their parents. Drawing on census records, a Virginia death certificate, and a detailed comparison of five FamilySearch tree profiles, this study evaluates which online identities likely represent the same man. While three profiles appear to converge on Henry (born c. 1807), several questions remain unresolved, including the identity of his wives, the accuracy of relationships assigned in online trees, and whether a possible sister—F. Josie Thomas—fits into the Howell family narrative. Continue reading

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