When Aimee is invited to spend Christmas with Mary Martha and Archibald in Baltimore, she decides its time to get answers to the questions she, and others, have been asking.
TAYLOR: I am researching my fathers family, or at least trying to. Anytime I see the TAYLOR surname I get curious. I don’t think Archibald would have been from the same family. My father was born in Philadelphia, and his father was born in Jamaica….thats as far as I know. Dad never knew his dad as he had passed awaybwhen my dad was 2, and then dad was orphaned in Philadelphia at the age of 9 when his mother passed.
Interesting! Archibald's line was deeply connected in Virginia, back as far as 1750 or so when his Taylor ancestor, Jesse, arrived from Dublin, Ireland. I did pretty extensive genealogical work on most of the main characters in this story, and I'd be happy to look through what I did on Archibald to see if there is any connection to your. Taylor line. My husband has a Taylor line, as well. No relation there ;) Drop me a DM if you like and I'll take a look.
Personally stopped in my tracks to learn that May Street in Worcester had such a home, and that it became a historic district. I lived at 137 May Street in the mid-1980s, so the opening in Chapter One brought me right back there through the lens of time -- the story's and my own. Then all that talk about the Parkers...in 2000, we bought what we call "The Parker House" in Orange MA. Am riveted by your story on its own, and for me there's an overlay that I don't quite know what to call.
OMG, I can't help myself. With a Parker line in my family dating way, way, back, I had to check to be sure there wasn't any connection. Well... not directly anyway. I don't think it'll spoil the story to reference Mary Martha Parker b. 8 March 1864 from FamilySearch ID: KZL5-FW4 https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KZL5-FW4
😮💨 She's not a direct ancestor. 6th cousin, 3 times removed.
Oh that would be cool! I know there were a number of Parker families in MA pre-revolution, and not all of them were related. But that would have been fun if you were!
Judging where this is going I'm not so sure about “cool.” Looking back into my own family tree and up the family tree for Mary Martha Parker, it appears not. It was a very common name coming from England.
Fascinating story. How cruel to tell her she has to bear the sin of her parents.
By the way, Christmas in Baltimore has a inconsistency. After saying she has gone to Baltimore the next paragraph implies she was in Boston, not Baltimore. Here is the quote "It's not known how long Aimee stayed in Boston with Mary Martha and Archibald, or what conversations took place."
Good question! I just double checked the original article, and it definitely says Greek. then I did some searching, and it might be a reference to the Greek War for Independence (1821-1832). Here's an article about American support for the war, tho it doesn't seem to involve direct military assistance or intervention. https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/17764. I'll do some more checking, very curious!
Wow, wow, wow!! Gripping story. Told beautifully! Looking forward to the next chapter.
TAYLOR: I am researching my fathers family, or at least trying to. Anytime I see the TAYLOR surname I get curious. I don’t think Archibald would have been from the same family. My father was born in Philadelphia, and his father was born in Jamaica….thats as far as I know. Dad never knew his dad as he had passed awaybwhen my dad was 2, and then dad was orphaned in Philadelphia at the age of 9 when his mother passed.
Interesting! Archibald's line was deeply connected in Virginia, back as far as 1750 or so when his Taylor ancestor, Jesse, arrived from Dublin, Ireland. I did pretty extensive genealogical work on most of the main characters in this story, and I'd be happy to look through what I did on Archibald to see if there is any connection to your. Taylor line. My husband has a Taylor line, as well. No relation there ;) Drop me a DM if you like and I'll take a look.
Just finding you...fascinating story!
Personally stopped in my tracks to learn that May Street in Worcester had such a home, and that it became a historic district. I lived at 137 May Street in the mid-1980s, so the opening in Chapter One brought me right back there through the lens of time -- the story's and my own. Then all that talk about the Parkers...in 2000, we bought what we call "The Parker House" in Orange MA. Am riveted by your story on its own, and for me there's an overlay that I don't quite know what to call.
OMG, I can't help myself. With a Parker line in my family dating way, way, back, I had to check to be sure there wasn't any connection. Well... not directly anyway. I don't think it'll spoil the story to reference Mary Martha Parker b. 8 March 1864 from FamilySearch ID: KZL5-FW4 https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KZL5-FW4
😮💨 She's not a direct ancestor. 6th cousin, 3 times removed.
Oh that would be cool! I know there were a number of Parker families in MA pre-revolution, and not all of them were related. But that would have been fun if you were!
Judging where this is going I'm not so sure about “cool.” Looking back into my own family tree and up the family tree for Mary Martha Parker, it appears not. It was a very common name coming from England.
For a genealogy catfight, the collaboration page of Richard Parker I 1630-1677 references six different Richard Parkers in Virginia at the time. It puts Wikipedia fights to shame: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/collaborate/LVK5-QKZ
Fascinating story. How cruel to tell her she has to bear the sin of her parents.
By the way, Christmas in Baltimore has a inconsistency. After saying she has gone to Baltimore the next paragraph implies she was in Boston, not Baltimore. Here is the quote "It's not known how long Aimee stayed in Boston with Mary Martha and Archibald, or what conversations took place."
Thanks for the catch - I've made the correction!
I just reread chapter 2. What was the Greek war? I am unfamiliar with an US conflict by that name.
Good question! I just double checked the original article, and it definitely says Greek. then I did some searching, and it might be a reference to the Greek War for Independence (1821-1832). Here's an article about American support for the war, tho it doesn't seem to involve direct military assistance or intervention. https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/17764. I'll do some more checking, very curious!
Could it be a misspelling in the original? Maybe Creek War?