Mar 15, 2012

Blue Angels

The Blue Angels are scheduled for an air show here in St. George Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18. Bill is on the security detail for both days so he'll get to see the show up close and personal. Right now the Blue Angels are "practicing" out of the new St. George Airport, and we can see and hear them going overhead here in SunRiver. Awesome!!


Mar 7, 2012

March Weather

It's been a mild winter. Looks like this may be the only snow we'll have this year. Rain when we went to bed last night was a light dusting of powdered sugar this morning. Since we can't see Pine Valley Mountain this morning, there may be more white stuff on the mountain top in a day or two.




Mar 6, 2012

My Park/Parks In-Laws

I’ve been working on my “cousin-in-law” ancestors for a couple weeks now. It’s been a fun hunt, but those ancestors know how to hide. Basically, I’m hunting for ancestors of James A. Armstrong and his wife, Mary Ann Wilson. There is quite a famous branch of Armstrongs in Pennsylvania, one of which had the military background to merit the naming of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. I haven’t been able to tie James and his wife into that line – yet – but I sure would like to learn who James and Mary Ann’s parents were.

James A. Armstrong appears to have been born about 1800 in Pennsylvania and spent most of his life in Fayette County, the last few years in the Springhill area. He died about 1852 or 1853 (supposedly in a sawmill accident) in Fayette County. Mary Ann Wilson Armstrong was born about 1812, according to the 1850 census in Maryland. Her death occurred in Upper Hillville, Clarion County, Pennsylvania according to Findagrave Memorial #13337192. This move was after the death of her husband.

The Armstrongs had six children that I know of:

Andrew “Jackson” Armstrong (1839-1926) (78th Reg. Penna. Inf., during the Civil War);

Robert A. Armstrong (1839-1907) (Civil War in Co. E, 168th Regiment of PA Volunteers);

Charles Martin Armstrong (1843-1915) (78th PA Volunteers);

Elizabeth Armstrong Cimmons (1846-1932) (tireless knitter for the Red Cross);

Esabelle Armstrong Jackson (1849-1933) (her obit claims she was a great great granddaughter of Colonel Armstrong); and

Ellen Jane Armstrong Fowzer (1851-1920) (died at the home of her daughter in Venango County).

I just need to tie James A. Armstrong and Mary Ann Wilson to their parents!
There is a possibility that John S. Wilson (1823-1900) who married Mary Ann Mossburg (1822-1889) is a brother to our Mary Ann Wilson. Sure would love to bust through this brick wall.