Starting Again: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks — 2026

My mother, age five, and her sister, age four, sitting on a table in their home
at 92-43 214th Street in Queens Village, New York, in 1937.

My blog has been quiet for most of the last year. I’ve been busy as a full-time grandmother. Swim team, soccer, homework, piano lessons—and all the moments in between—required a change in priorities. 

As we move into 2026, I’m intentionally making room for genealogy again and committing time to learning and writing about my family through 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.

This will be my third time taking part in this challenge, in which you write about an ancestor each week. In 2014, I used the challenge to document the collateral families of my second great-grandfather, John L. Hairston. A later round in 2018 followed the prompts more closely. This time, I’ll use the prompts as inspiration but expect to deviate as the research unfolds.

My focus in 2026 will be on my mother’s family. My mother and her sister—now 93 and 92—are faithful readers of this blog, making this a meaningful place to spend my research time. I will begin with my fourth great-grandfather, Benjamin Reed, and follow his parents, siblings, children, and grandchildren, allowing the story to move through the Reed, Glynn, and Harvey families and forward to my grandmother’s generation.

I’m looking forward to returning to regular writing and to spending this year reconnecting with these families and their stories.

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page, where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2026

Friday's Photo: Second-Great-Grandparents

William Moore Criswell and Mary Ann Evans Criswell

Second great-grandparents are ideal for genealogy research. Some vital records and census data usually exist for them. I have found marriage licenses, census records, a few birth records, directories, newspaper articles, and so much more! And even though they all were born between 1793 and 1850, I have photos of six of them.  

Julia Harvey Glynn and 
daughter, Carrie

Everyone has 16 second great-grandparents. Each generation back doubles the number of direct ancestors: 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents, and 16 second great-grandparents. Of my 16 second great-grandparents, I know the first and last names of eleven. 

Olive Caroline Davis

The names of three of my maternal second great-grandparents are unknown. The remaining are listed below:

Olive Caroline Davis

George Lullen Giddens and Luellen Bradshaw

Joseph Allen Glynn and Julia Harvey

My paternal second great-grandparents include the following, along with one unknown second great-grandmother:

Reddick Bryan and Elizabeth Span Regan

William Moore Criswell and Mary Ann Evans

Peter Albritton and Hollon (last name unknown)

John L. Hairston  

 

Reddick Bryan and Elizabeth Span Regan Bryan

Five of my second great-grandparents are still a mystery to me. But each blank spot on my tree is a reminder that the search is never really over. How many of your 16 can you name?

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page, where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2025

Carrie Glynn and Julia Harvey Glynn, photograph, ca. 1885; scanned image, held in the photo collection of Diana Quinn, Virginia Beach, VA, 2025. Location of the original photo is unknown. 

Mary Ann Evans, photograph, no date; scanned image, from the privately held photo collection of Diana Bryan Quinn, Virginia Beach, VA, 2025. 

Olive Caroline Davis, photograph, no date; scanned image, from the privately held photo collection of Brenda and Mike Parker, 2001.

Reddick Bryan and Elizabeth S. Regan, photograph, abt 1855; scanned image, from the privately held photo collection of Diana Bryan Quinn, Virginia Beach, VA, 2025. 

William M. Criswell, photograph, no date; scanned image, from the privately held photo collection of Lena Stone Criswell, NM, 2001.

Friday's Photo: A Genealogist's Holiday

My daughter sent this picture in response to a friend's text asking, "What are you doing?" I know that she thought it funny and I'm sure it was. She was watching us as we tried to read the letters on this cemetery stone. Genealogy is never her favorite part of a trip, but she knew there would be at least a few genealogical activities. 

This trip to Ireland was planned for our 40th wedding anniversary in 2020, which was postponed due to COVID closures. I only planned a few genealogy activities. We met a some of my husband's cousins and looked for family townlands, but most of the trip was spent admiring the beautiful country of Ireland, learning more about Ireland's history, and enjoying family time. 

This cemetery is the Killeen Cemetery, also known as the Cillin Graveyard, in New Quay, County Clare. What my husband did not know, as he was trying to read the letters by feeling them, was that this was the grave of his second great-grandfather, Patrick Murray. I wanted to know if there could be more than one name on the stone. There was not, but it is said that my husband's great-grandparents, James Murray and Cecelia Linnane are also buried in this plot. 

Genealogical Tidbits From Our Trip

Julia Murray Moylan's home has been sold. Her home on the Flaggy Shore in New Quay was also a store where she sold numerous items, including ice cream, candy, and cigarettes. Julia was the sister of my husband's grandmother, Susan Murray Quinn. 

My second-great-grandmother, Julia Halvey (also seen as Harvey), was born in Quinpool, County Clare - about a one-minute drive from Quinville House.  We could not find Quinpool but suspect it may have been on a portion of the land behind the Quinville House Gates. 

We found my husband's grandfather's name, William Quinn, on a wall at the Galway City Museum as one of 322 from Galway imprisoned in Frongoch Internment Camp following the Easter Rising in 1916. 

This is not a genealogy tidbit, but aside from visiting my husband's Murray and Quinn cousins and our friends, the Fordes, visiting Connemara was the best part of our trip. The scenery was breathtaking, and we enjoyed the gardens and small towns. 

Everyone liked Linnane's in New Quay. It wasn't our first dinner at this restaurant. I've always wondered if this Linnane family of New Quay was connected to my husband's great-grandmother, Cecelia Linnane. I will never know until I do some digging. 

This is me in front of EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. I can't say enough good things about it! If you go to Dublin, visit this museum. Note that only I went to the EPIC. Everyone else went to the Guinness Storehouse. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page, where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

.

Diana

© 2022 

Learning How to Look For My Irish Ancestor's Townland

Finding my 2nd great-grandmother's townland in Ireland was never high on my list. On her marriage record in New Hampshire, Julia Harvey was Johanna Harvey, born in Ireland and the daughter of Patrick Harvy of Limerick and Joanna Hartigan of Clare. She married Joseph Albert Glynn, my second great-grandfather of Putney, Vermont 9 June 1861, only a year after she arrived in the United States.[1] Her husband's family was very unlike hers as both his mother's and father's families can be found in the United States long before the revolutionary war. 

Carrie Glynn with Julia Harvey Glynn

Putting Julia's name and parents' names into search engines never yielded pertinent information about a townland. Family says she was born in Limerick but there are 1,982 townlands in County Limerick along with many Harvey families.[2] Looking for Hartigan didn't help as Joanna was not found. 

I always assumed Julia came to the United States by herself and had no family nearby. But that was an incorrect assumption as a few years ago, DNA proved me wrong by revealing her three sisters all in Vermont. I had three more names but still did not know where or how to find the townland in Limerick.

Before I spent any more time or money, I knew that educating myself should be my first step

Understanding Irish Research

After reading articles, perusing websites, and watching videos, I knew what church and civil vital records were available to search, where to find a variety of records, strategies to use when searching online resources, and so much more.  Below are some of the valuable resources I have used to familiarize myself with Irish research.

Looking at FamilySearch Research Wikis when beginning a research project provides you
with information about geography, records available, and more. Ireland Genealogy at the FamilySearch Research Wiki yields research strategies, tools, tutorials, and resources for each county. 

The Irish Genealogy Toolkit is a fabulous resource for all aspects of Irish research. 

Anything by John Grenham is full of good information. I read How to trace your Irish family history: a step-by-step guide and watched his YouTube videos, Tracing Irish Ancestors Using Online Resources. His three long videos revealed a large number of resources. Telling how he used the search engines at a variety of online websites helped me determine which paid sites I might try.  

Details about placenames, surnames, available records, and more can be found at Irish Ancestors, John Grenham's part subscription, part free website. Watching "Irish Ancestors: Welcome to the site" before using the website is extremely helpful.

Tips for finding the origins of Irish ancestors were found at the following links. 

A Comprehensive Guide to Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor’s Hometown

Five Steps for Finding that Hard-to-Find Irish Ancestor

Finding Your Irish Immigrant Ancestors 10 Places to Start Your Search in the U.S. 

The excellent RootsTech 2021 session, Mournful Exodus: Strategies for Finding Your Irish Ancestors' Origins is a three-part webinar providing strategies for solving Irish immigrant research problems. 

Finding Julia

Equipped with more knowledge, I found what may be Julia's home in Ireland and more about her parents. 

I subscribed to RootsIreland.ie for one month and used the flexible search engine to search the baptismal records for children whose mothers had the surname Hartigan in the counties of Limerick and then Clare. My best results were three children, Mary, Bridget, and Jud whose parents were Judith Hartigan and Patrick Halvey (not Harvey) of the townland Quinnpool in the parish of Parteen, County Clare. Parteen is on the Clare and Limerick border. The Diocese for this area was the Diocese of Limerick.[3] 

The records at RootsIreland.ie are abstracts so a look at the actual documents found in the Irish Catholic Parish Registers at NLI (National Library of Ireland) was warranted. Records showed that Patrick and Judith had daughters, Mary in 1833, Bridget in 1836, and Judith (not Jud) in 1839. One daughter, Catherine was missing, but records did not start until late in 1831, most likely after her birth.[4] 

At RootsIreland.ie, I learned that Johanna, Joanna, and Judith were name variations for the name Julia. And, Judith and Johanna were often interchangeable.[5] 

There was much more about this family at RootsIreland.ie and Irish Catholic Parish Registers. Patrick Halvey married Judith Hartigan on 27 November 1830 in Quinpool, Parteen, County Clare.[6] In 1852 Judith Halvey, Julia’s mother, was living in Quinpool in Parteen.[7] She married Hugo (or Hugh) Crowe of Quinpool in 1853.[8] Judith Crowe of Parteen died at age 78 after having bronchitis for three months. She died as an occupier in a Work House in Limerick on 19 February 1892.[9] At age 78, Judith would have been born in about 1814.

More to Learn and More to Find

I could stop with what I have, but I don't believe I have enough documentation to say this is definitely Julia's family. There were four sisters in this family. All lived in Vermont for a time and all married men who worked for the railroad. Continued learning will help me find more in both Ireland and the United States. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

.

Diana

© 2022 

Sources

    1. "New Hampshire Marriage Records, 1637-1947," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FL6Z-GGH : 22 February 2021), Albert Glynn and Johanna Harvey, 09 Jun 1861; citing Walpole, Cheshire, New Hampshire, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, Concord; FHL microfilm 1,001,262.

    2. Irish Townlands, Townlands.ie (https://www.townlands.ie/: accessed 6 March 2022).

    3. Baptismal/Birth Records for Ireland, RootsIreland.ie (http://ifhf.rootsireland.ie/quis.php?type=birth&new=1: accessed 6 March 2022).

    4. "Catholic Parish Registers at the NLI", digital images, National Library of Ireland (https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634992#page/46/mode/1up :  accessed 16 March 2022), Parteen Parish (County Clare), Diocese of Limerick, "Bapt  Sept 26 1831–Feb 14, 1877," page 46; digitized from NLI microfilm 02410 / 03. Also, "Catholic Parish Registers at the NLI", digital images, National Library of Ireland (https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634992#page/28/mode/1up :  accessed 16 March 2022), Parteen Parish (County Clare), Diocese of Limerick, "Bapt  Sept 26 1831–Feb 14, 1877," page 28; digitized from NLI microfilm 02410 / 03. Also, "Catholic Parish Registers at the NLI", digital images, National Library of Ireland (https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634992#page/12/mode/1up :  accessed 16 March 2022), Parteen Parish (County Clare), Diocese of Limerick, "Bapt  Sept 26 1831–Feb 14, 1877," page 12; digitized from NLI microfilm 02410 / 03. Also, Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16921531/catharine-m-daley : accessed 17 March 2022), memorial page for Catharine M Daley (1831–1914), Find a Grave Memorial ID 16921531, citing Holy Cross Cemetery, Saint Albans, Franklin County, Vermont, USA ; Maintained by Barb Destromp (contributor 46785064).

    5. First Names, RootsIreland.ie (http://www.rootsireland.ie/help/first-names/: accessed 6 March 2022).

    6. "Catholic Parish Registers at the NLI", digital images, National Library of Ireland (https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634991#page/30/mode/1up :  accessed 16 March 2022), Parteen Parish (County Clare), Diocese of Limerick, "Marr July 1814-Nov 9 1819 Feb 4 1821 - Jan 10 1836," page 30; digitized from Microfilm 02410 / 02.

    7. Griffith's Valuation 1852: St. Patrick's Parish, Clare County Council Libraries (https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/genealogy/griffiths_parish/st_patricks.htm: accessed 6 March 2022).

    8. "Catholic Parish Registers at the NLI", digital images, National Library of Ireland (https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634993#page/8/mode/1up :  accessed 16 March 2022), Parteen Parish (County Clare), Diocese of Limerick, "Feb 9 1847 - Jan 22 1877," page 8; digitized from Microfilm 02410 / 01.

    9. Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, "Civil Records," database with images, IrishGenealogy.ie (https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1892/06041/4720769.pdf : accessed 6 March 2022); digital image, Judith Crowe, death, 19 February 1892; citing Group Registration ID 04720769; filed 25 February 1892, in the District of Limerick in the County of Limerick, stamped no. 04720769 and 363, entry no. 174.

Photographs

    Ireland Photos, photographs, 2016; scanned image, originals and scan from the privately held photo collection of Diana Quinn, Virginia Beach, VA, 2022.

    Carrie Glynn and Julia Harvey Glynn, photograph, ca. 1885; scanned image, held photo collection of Diana Quinn, Virginia Beach, VA, 2022. Location of the original photo is unknown. 

From the Files of Marguerite Cook Clark: Virginia T “Jennie” Hinton Beckham and her son, John W. Beckham

These newspaper clippings were found in the Marguerite Cook Clark collection.[1] 

 Virginia T “Jennie” Beckham was one of 12 children of John Woodard Hinton and Angelina Jane Knighton.[2] Jennie and her husband, William B. Beckham are buried in the Wimberly Cemetery.[3] 

John Wesley Beckham, son of Jennie and William Beckham was buried in the Bistineau Cemetery in Heflin, Webster Parish, Louisiana.[4]

Note that dates of death written on the obituaries do not agree with those found on the cemetery stones. Records indicate that Jennie died on 17 October 1956 and her son died on 21 February 1968. [5]

 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2021 

---

[1]. "Mrs. Jennie Beckham Expires at Age of 82," newspaper clipping, 17 July 1956,  from unidentified newspaper, from the privately held collection of Marguerite Cook Clark (1913-1989), Waynesville, North Carolina, 2021. Obituaries were accessed and scanned at the home of Marguerite Cook Clark's daughter in Alpine, Texas on April 28, 2014, September 14, 2014, and November 9 to 11, 2016. Used with permission. Also, "John W. Beckham [obituary]," newspaper clipping, 25 February 1968, unidentified newspaper, from the privately held collection of Marguerite Cook Clark (1913-1989), Waynesville, North Carolina, 2021. Obituaries were accessed and scanned at the home of Marguerite Cook Clark's daughter in Alpine, Texas on April 28, 2014, September 14, 2014, and November 9 to 11, 2016. Used with permission.

[2]. "From the Files of Marguerite Cook Clark: John W. Hinton of Bienville Parish, Louisiana," blog entry, 28 October 2020, Moments in Time: A Genealogy Blog, blog (https://momentsintimeagenealogyblog.blogspot.com/2020/10/from-files-of-marguerite-cook-clark_28.html : accessed 29 May 2021).

[3]. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 07 January 2021), memorial page for Virginia T “Jennie” Hinton Beckham (10 May 1874–17 Oct 1956), Find a Grave Memorial no. 70393381, citing Wimberly Cemetery, Bienville, Bienville Parish, Louisiana; maintained by Derek Galbreath (contributor 47187152).

[4]. Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/92336157/john-wesley-beckham : accessed 29 May 2021), memorial page for John Wesley Beckham (30 Sep 1895–21 Feb 1968), Find a Grave Memorial ID 92336157, citing Bistineau Cemetery, Heflin, Webster Parish, Louisiana; maintained by Derek Galbreath (contributor 47187152).

[5]."United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPZH-NFZZ : 29 May 2021), John Wesley Beckham, 6 Feb 1919; citing Military Service, NARA microfilm publication 76193916 (St. Louis: National Archives and Records Administration, 1985). Also, "Louisiana Deaths, 1850-1875, 1894-1960," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLHZ-KBSL : 29 May 2021), Jennie T Beckham, 17 Oct 1956; citing Ringgold, Bienville, Louisiana, certificate number 13016, State Archives, Baton Rouge; FamilySearch digital folder 004228873.

. 

Friday's Photo: William Glynn and Family of Albany County, New York

On the back: Johnny, Margurite, Willy, and Grace 1938

William Glynn was my grandmother's first cousin. He was the son of Henry H. Glynn and Harriet Mae Snyder. Henry H. Glynn was the son of Joseph Albert Glynn and Julia Harvey (my great-great-grandparents). 

William, born on December 26, 1892, in Cohoes, NY,  was one of two siblings born to Henry Glynn and Harriet Snyder. Harriet died in 1893. It is said Henry Glynn died about the same time. The two brothers, William and Albert, were raised by Harriet Snyder's parents, William and Angeline Snyder in Albany County, New York. 

William married Ella Marguerite McBain in 1913. William was a milk dealer or owned a dairy. They had one child, Grace, who married John King. William and Marguerite remained in Albany County until their deaths. William died on April 24, 1960, and his wife died on January 23, 1977.

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2019

Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn. 

#52ancestors Post Twenty-Four: Learning about my 3rd Great-Grandfather, Joseph T. Glynn, on Father's Day

I spent the past week learning about my 3rd great-grandfather, Joseph T. Glynn. We each have 16 third great-grandfathers and Joseph T. Glynn is one of nine I am able to positively identify. 

I am a descendant of Joseph from my mother's Giddens/Glynn family, this is how he is connected to me. 

Joseph T. Glynn married Nancy Reed.

Joseph Albert Glynn married Julia Harvey.

Mary Lucy Glynn married Charles Giddens.

My Grandmother

My Mother

Me

Joseph T. Glynn is buried with his son's family (Henry Reed Glynn) in the Hillside Cemetery Monson, Hampden County, Massachusetts

Joseph T. Glynn, as seen on numerous records, was the son of a Joseph Glynn. Spelling variations for Glynn were seen as Glinn, Glenne, Glinne, and Glen.  The T may stand for Truman as there are a few instances where Truman is mentioned. Joseph T. Glynn's mother is probably Jamima Miles who married a Joseph Glenne on October 27, 1796 in Putney, Windham County, Vermont. 

Friday's Photo: Charles and Helen Driscoll Staubach are buried in Old Saint Raymond's Cemetery

In 2012, I visited Old Saint Raymond's Cemetery with my husband and his sister.  Our goal was to find the graves of Charles and Helen Staubach, maternal grandparents of my husband and his siblings. And, to find the grave of Julia Harvey Glynn, my great-great-grandmother who I wrote about last week. 

We found Charles Staubach quickly in section 15, but although they were buried in the same plot, his wife's name was not on the stone.  Helen Driscoll Staubach died in 1965. Her daughter, Doris, was living with her husband, an army officer, and five young children in France. She came home alone to arrange her mother's funeral and burial. She may not have had the time or money to arrange to have her mother's name added to the stone. 

Charles Staubach in NY. The children might be the children
of Bertha Driscoll Cacavvo, sister of Helen. The woman on
the steps might be Helen Driscoll Staubach. 

Doris Staubach Quinn, my mother-in-law, gave me the funeral documentation for her mother and father when she requested I find out more about her family. From these, I learned death dates, cemetery locations, addresses, and names of newspapers where an obituary or death notice might be found. I am adding the documents to share with family. 

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my 

Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2018

Sources

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn