FamilySearch’s Limited-Access Toggle: A New Research Tool

Include limited access content in your full-text search

I have been excited about FamilySearch Full-text Search since day one, but recently I found something new to get excited about: the “Include limited access content” toggle.

This is a big deal.

For years, I have known that some FamilySearch records are not viewable from home. I have taught others to use the FamilySearch Catalog to find land, probate, court, church, and other records that may be available only at a FamilySearch Center or FamilySearch Affiliate Library. That method still matters. The Catalog is still important. But it takes organization, patience, and a good research plan.

The new toggle does something different. It does not make restricted images viewable from home, but it can show that a name appears in limited-access material when searching Full-text. That means I may now be able to more easily identify and organize the records I need to review later at a FamilySearch Center or FamilySearch Affiliate Library.

The chart above shows my comparisons of different Full-text searches with and without using the toggle. For Luther Read/Reed and Nancy Read/Reed in Windham County, Vermont, the number of results remained unchanged. Each search produced the same number of results with the toggle turned on or off.

For John Reed/Read in Jefferson County, New York, the search changed from 545 results without the toggle to 558 results with the toggle turned on. Those thirteen additional records included military, church, and court records. The church records are now at the top of my list to check. I will be at my local FamilySearch Affiliate Library tomorrow!

For Reddick Bryan, who lived in NC, GA, and LA, the situation is different. I already knew that many of his Bienville Parish, Louisiana, land records were limited in access, and I had copies of many from earlier searches. However, this new Full-Text Search option gives me a better way to search, compare, and organize what still needs to be examined.

The toggle does not replace the Catalog, but it gives me a better way to build a research list.

FamilySearch, if you are listening, my next wish is a “limited access only” filter.

If you would like to learn more about the families I research, follow my Facebook page, where I share each post and other genealogical finds.

Diana

© 2026

FamilySearch, “Unlock New Discoveries with Full-Text Search,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/full-text/ : accessed 23 June 2026), landing page for FamilySearch Full-Text Search; page includes the “Include limited access content” option.

1000 Posts: More Than Names and Dates

This is my 1,000th blog post.

I never imagined I would write this many, and I hope I still have 1,000 more in me.

When I first began researching family almost 30 years ago, I had no idea how far it would take me. What started as curiosity became something much more—a way to learn about the people who came before us, to understand their lives, and to preserve their stories so they will not be forgotten. Along the way, I discovered that I love the search as much as the finding: the puzzle, the clues, the challenge, and the satisfaction of piecing together lives that might otherwise have been lost to time.

This blog has been part of that journey.

My love of teaching, technology, and history has all found a place here. Over the years, this blog has become more than a place to record research. It has helped me connect with cousins, meet interesting people, make friends, and share what I have learned. People sometimes call a genealogy blog a “cousin magnet,” and that has certainly been true for me. Some of the best parts of this hobby have happened away from the computer, as I have traveled to visit relatives, libraries, courthouses, conferences, and family places across the country and in Ireland. Those experiences have brought new people into my life, led to new discoveries, and given me more stories to share.

Family history is about far more than collecting names and dates.

What keeps me interested is learning about the lives of each ancestor—how they lived, what they endured, what choices they made, where they traveled, what hardships they faced, and what kind of people they were. After all these years, I have only scratched the surface. There are many ancestors I may never fully identify and many stories I may never uncover. There are also many ancestors I already know about but have not yet had time to study more fully. There is never enough time for all the stories waiting to be told.

And your ancestors were definitely not boring.

Some lived lives far more dramatic than anything I could have imagined when I began. My father was orphaned at the age of nine and joined the Navy at age 19. He was at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked, and almost 20 years later, although he was in the Navy, he served with the Marines at the DMZ on the battlefields of Vietnam. My husband’s grandfather was heavily involved in the Irish rebellion. He fought with the old IRA, his house was burned, and he left Ireland for his own safety. 

Over the years, I have uncovered stories of courage, hardship, mistakes, scandal, loss, determination, and survival. Some of those stories I have written about here. Some I will never reveal.

That, to me, is what family history really is. It is not just names on a chart. It is people and their stories. It is a way of understanding that the people behind us were real and complicated and that, in one way or another, their lives shaped ours.

So this 1,000th post is for all of you—family, friends, readers, those I know personally, those I have met through research, those still distant, and those not yet born. Maybe one of you will someday pick up where I leave off. I hope you do.

There are still many stories waiting to be found

Diana

© 2026

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #12 Charles A. Lamb, Husband of Martha J. Nash

Charles A. Lamb - Photo was taken in 1893 at a reunion of
Battery "A" First Illinois Light Artillery Volunteers

I could not ignore Charles A. Lamb when writing about Martha J. Nash Lamb earlier this month. In many of Martha’s biographies, he is mentioned only by name or, sometimes, as a cabinetmaker, but nothing more. The records suggest he was much more than that. It did not surprise me to learn that he was an older man, ambitious, already established in business, and active in his community before Martha married him.

“Cabinet Furniture,” Maumee City Express
(Maumee City, Ohio), 15 September 1838,
p. 2; digital image, Newspapers.com

Charles A. Lamb married Martha J. Nash on 8 September 1852 in Plainfield,
Massachusetts. He was twice widowed and a father of five. He appears in records as a cabinetmaker, furniture dealer, census taker, town clerk, member of the Lucas and Fulton Agricultural Society, an active member of the Whig Party, and a man active in community affairs, as shown by his service as a juror and his involvement in probate matters.

According to the 1893 memorial sketch printed in the History of Battery "A" First Illinois Light Artillery Volunteers, Charles A. Lamb was born in Salisbury, Connecticut, on 21 August 1815. As a young man, he went to Albany, New York, where he learned the cabinetmaker’s trade. He later moved west to Maumee, Ohio, where he established himself in the furniture business. The sketch describes him as a successful businessman who maintained a comfortable home and employed a number of men.

 

Charles was in Ohio as early as 1837. He married Caroline Benedict on 11 September 1837 at Sharon, Connecticut. The marriage record identifies him as “of Maumee City" at the time of the marriage. Charles and Caroline had one son, George A. Lamb. 

He next married Frances Reed on 27 July 1842 in Waterville, Lucas County, Ohio, very near his home in Maumee City. With Frances, Charles had four known children: Frederick C. Lamb, 1843-1844; Frederick Reed Lamb, 1845-1918; Anna Canfield Lamb, 1846-1930; and Fannie Lamb, 1849-1862. 

Soon after Charles and Martha's marriage in 1852, the family moved to nearby Toledo, where he opened a store but in only a few years, he was financially ruined when an uninsured cargo of furniture he had purchased was lost. By 1858, Charles, Martha, and three children were living in Chicago, where he took a sales job with a furniture company.

On 19 April 1861, Charles A. Lamb enlisted in the Union army, where he served as an artificer in Battery "A" First Illinois Light Artillery Volunteers. During those war years, Battery “A” traveled widely, serving in Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia. During his time, his 13-year-old daughter, Fanny, died on 7 February 1862 in Chicago.

Charles mustered out on 23 July 1864 and returned to sales in Chicago. In May  1866, Martha left Chicago and returned home to Massachusetts, where she taught for about a year before moving to New York City. 

In May 1870, Charles went to Omaha, Nebraska, to manage a branch establishment for Thayer & Tobey Furniture Company. His daughter, Anna, was in New York City, living with her stepmother, Martha. Frederick remained in Chicago, and George was a farmer in Connecticut.

Charles returned to Chicago early in 1872 and took a position with A. L. Hale & Bro. Later that year, he filed for a divorce from Martha. On 25 November 1874, Charles married Matilda Benedict, the younger sister of Charles' first wife, Caroline. They moved to Michigan, where he later retired. 

Charles A. Lamb died on 23 September 1893 in Albion, Calhoun County, Michigan. He is buried in Salisbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the Salisbury Cemetery along with Charles' parents, his wife's family, and his son, George. 

These records did not answer every question about Charles A. Lamb, but they do show that he was much more than the brief references in Martha’s biographies.

If you would like to learn more about the families I research, follow my Facebook page, where I share each post along with other genealogical finds.

Diana

© 2026

“1860 United States Federal Census,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/7667/4213430_00067/37130394 : accessed 14 April 2026), Martha Nash Lamb, Chicago Ward 1, Cook County, Illinois.

“1870 United States Federal Census,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/7163/4274989_00242/33327502 : accessed 14 April 2026), Martha Nash Lamb, New York Ward 18, District 3, New York City, New York; Anna Lamb living in the household.

“1870 United States Federal Census,” database with images, Ancestry  (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163/records/15848855  : accessed 15 April 2026), Fred R. Lamb, age 24, Chicago Ward 1, Cook County, Illinois; born about 1846 in Ohio; occupation “clerk in store.”

“1870 United States Federal Census,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163/records/13986734  : accessed 15 April 2026), entry for George Lamb, Sharon, Litchfield County, Connecticut, dwelling 455.

“Cabinet Furniture,” Maumee City Express (Maumee City, Ohio), 15 September 1838, p. 2; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/maumee-city-express-charles-a-lamb-cab/195601819/  : accessed 15 April 2026).

Charles B. Kimbell, History of Battery “A,” First Illinois Light Artillery Volunteers (Chicago: Cushing Printing Co., 1899), 185; digital images, FamilySearch  (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-53LV-M885?view=fullText  : accessed 9 April 2026), image 102 of 177; Photograph of Charlies A. Lamb, page 202  and biographical sketch, pages 185-187. 

Clark Waggoner, History of the City of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio (New York and Toledo: Munsell & Company, 1888), digital images, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/historyofcityoft00wagg  : accessed 4 April 2026).

Diana Bryan Quinn, “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #11 Martha J. Lamb, an Accomplished Woman,” Moments in Time, A Genealogy Blog, 2 April 2026 (https://momentsintimeagenealogyblog.blogspot.com/2026/04/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks-11-martha-j.html  : accessed 15 April 2026).

“Died. In this city, Feb. 7, Fanny A. Lamb, aged 13 years and six months; daughter of Chas. A. and Martha J. Lamb,” Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois), 8 February 1862, p. 4; digital image, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-death-of-fanny-a-lamb/194362873/  : accessed 4 April 2026), clipping, “Death of Fanny A Lamb,” posted by dewquinn.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/228887559/anna-lamb: accessed April 14, 2026), memorial page for Anna Canfield Lamb (1846–1930), Find a Grave Memorial ID 228887559, citing Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA; Maintained by Meredith (contributor 50679338).

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23784442/charles_a-lamb: accessed April 14, 2026), memorial page for Charles A Lamb (21 Aug 1815–23 Sep 1893), Find a Grave Memorial ID 23784442, citing Salisbury Cemetery, Salisbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA; Maintained by Jan Franco (contributor 46625834).

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/193908140/frederick_c-lamb : accessed April 14, 2026), memorial page for Frederick C. Lamb (1837–1 Jul 1844), Find a Grave Memorial ID 193908140, citing Riverside Cemetery, Maumee, Lucas County, Ohio, USA; Maintained by Bob (contributor 47155955).

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/184015587/george-lamb: accessed April 15, 2026), memorial page for George Lamb (1839–1930), Find a Grave Memorial ID 184015587, citing Salisbury Cemetery, Salisbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA; Maintained by James Bianco (contributor 47745493).

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23784456/matilda_a-lamb: accessed April 15, 2026), memorial page for Matilda A Lamb (26 Oct 1836–6 May 1907), Find a Grave Memorial ID 23784456, citing Salisbury Cemetery, Salisbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA; Maintained by Jan Franco (contributor 46625834).

Frances E. Willard and Mary A. Livermore, A Woman of the Century: Fourteen Hundred-seventy Biographical Sketches Accompanied by Portraits of Leading American Women in All Walks of Life, 1893, GoogleBooks  (https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Woman_of_the_Century/zXEEAAAAYAAJ?hl=en : accessed 1 September 2024), pages 444 - 445, images 455-456).

“Judge Gary yesterday divorced Charles A. and Martha J. Lamb, and Helen M. and Wilson S. Segman,” Chicago Daily Tribune (Chicago, Illinois), 12 February 1873, p. 3; digital image, GenealogyBank (https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2:1693A43C9D787BE1@GB3NEWS-17D1F22BC66F3641@2405202-17CFBA82560C1FBA@2-17CFBA82560C1FBA : accessed 14 April 2026)

Mary Collins, “The History of Martha J. Lamb: Her Origin, Rise, and Progress” (2020), in CUNY Academic Works (https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/3545  : accessed 13 July 2024).

“Massachusetts, Marriage Records, 1840–1915,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2511/41262_B139024-00025/15319546 : accessed 29 March 2026), marriage record for Martha Joanna Nash and Charles A. Lamb, 8 September 1852, Plainfield, Massachusetts. 

“Michigan, U.S., Marriage Records, 1867–1952,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/: accessed 15 April 2026), Chas A. Lamb and Matilda M. Benedict, 25 November 1874, Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, record no. 2376.

“Salisbury Cemetery,” Find a Grave (https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1794615/salisbury-cemetery

 : accessed 15 April 2026), cemetery page for Salisbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut, Find a Grave cemetery ID 1794615.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #8 Eunice Reed, Daughter of Peter and Lucy

On 25 March 1748, in Abington, Massachusetts, Peter Reed married Lucy Hugens and they began their life together in Plymouth County. A little more than a year later, the First Church in Abington recorded their first known child: “Ap -9 1749 Peter Reed owned of Covenant and had his daughter Unice Baptized,” a common church notation meaning Peter was recognized by the church and could present his child for baptism. The clerk recorded her name as “Unice” in that entry; in this post, I use the more familiar spelling “Eunice” while keeping the record wording as written. With only a brief line in The Reed Genealogy, her story is reduced even further to the quiet note that she “died previous to her father.”

Found on the third line: “Ap -9 1749 Peter Reed owned of Covenant
and had his daughter Unice Baptized”

After that, the records go mostly silent. I have not found an Abington record, a Bridgewater record, or any other record showing whether Eunice died as a child, lived into her teens, or reached adulthood. Still, she seems to have been remembered. In the next generation, both her sister Joanna and her brother Samuel named daughters Eunice—a double tribute that makes me think Peter and Lucy’s first daughter was not forgotten. 

Any later record for a “Unice/Unis/Eunice Reed” will need to be tested against this 1749 baptism and Peter and Lucy’s Abington family before I treat it as more than a possibility. Even so, with only her baptism and the note that she died before Peter, who died in 1780, we can still see this much: Eunice lived, she was part of this family, and she was remembered.

Click the family chart above for a clearer, slightly larger version. 

If you would like to learn more about the families I research, follow my Facebook page , where I share each post along with other genealogical finds.

Diana

© 2026

First Congregational Church (Abington, Massachusetts), church records, 1714–1749, entry for baptism of Unice Reed, 9 April 1749; digital image, Congregational Library & Archives, Digital Collections, “Church records, 1714-1749, First Congregational Church in Abington, Mass.,” item 40856 (https://congregationallibrary.quartexcollections.com/Documents/Detail/church-records-1714-1749-first-congregational-church-in-abington-mass./40810?item=40856 : accessed 25 February 2026).

John Ludovicus Reed, The Reed Genealogy: Descendants of William Reade of Weymouth, Massachusetts from 1635-1902 Vol. I  (no publisher named, 1901). 

“Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620–1988,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2495/records/3455181  : accessed 25 February 2026), entry for Eunice Nash, daughter of Joanna Reed Nash, record no. 3455181.

“Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620–1988,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2495/records/4206214  : accessed 25 February 2026), entry for Eunice Reed, child of Samuel Reed and Matilda Doty, record no. 4206214.

Vital records of Abington, Massachusetts, to the year 1850, vol. 2, Marriages and deaths (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1912); digital images, Internet Archive  (https://archive.org/details/vitalrecordsofab02newe  : accessed 25 February 2026), no entry found for Eunice/Unice Reed.

Vital records of Bridgewater, Massachusetts, to the year 1850, vol. 2 (Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1916); digital images, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/vitalrecordsofbr021916brid/page/420/mode/2up  : accessed 25 February 2026), no entry found for Eunice/Unice Reed.

Friday's Photo: The Rainbow Division

The “Rainbow Division” was the nickname of the 42nd Infantry Division, created in 1917 from National Guard units drawn from 26 states plus the District of Columbia. Douglas MacArthur played a key role in the division’s early organization and is credited with coining the “Rainbow Division” name, saying it stretched across the United States “like a rainbow.” He served as the division’s first chief of staff and later commanded a brigade.

The division took on the “Rainbow Division” name in 1917 while organizing at Camp Mills in Garden City on Long Island, New York (near Clinton Rd and Commercial Ave). By spring 1918, the Rainbow Division was on the front lines. It fought in several major American operations, including Champagne–Marne, Aisne–Marne, St. Mihiel, and Meuse–Argonne. The Rainbow Division spent more time in combat than any other American division in World War I and suffered casualties exceeding 50 percent. The 42nd Infantry Division still exists today as an active unit in the U.S. Army.

Charles William Giddens 1892-1972
Photograph circa 1914

My grandmother’s brother, Charles William Giddens, served as a sergeant in
Company A of the 149th Machine Gun Battalion. He arrived in France in November 1917 and returned home in April 1919. During his time overseas, he was wounded three times—one of them severely.

Uncle Charlie was very proud of his service. He made plaques to commemorate his World War I service and his Navy service in World War II. He also made plaques honoring others’ service—my family has one he made for my father, and I know there were more. My mother said Uncle Charlie made the plaques, and his wife, Louise, painted them.

Last month, my family donated two plaques made by Uncle Charlie to the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk, Virginia. The plaque pictured above was donated, along with the plaque shown in my post “Friday’s Photo: Charles William Giddens.” I think he would be proud to know these pieces of his story are being preserved for the future.

The MacArthur Memorial is a museum and research center dedicated to
General Douglas MacArthur and the men and women who served with him
in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

If you would like to learn more about the families I research, follow my Facebook page, where I share each post along with other genealogical finds.

Diana

© 2026

Diana Quinn, photograph of the Douglas MacArthur statue in front of the MacArthur Memorial, Norfolk, Virginia, 11 August 2023; digital photograph; privately held by Diana Quinn, Virginia Beach, Virginia, 2026.

Janet Richardson (New York), digital image of photograph of Charles William Giddens, ca. 1914; privately held by Janet Richardson; digital copy provided to Diana Quinn (Virginia Beach, Virginia), 2026.

MacArthur Memorial, “From the Collection: The 42nd ‘Rainbow’ Division was established in August 1917 …,” Facebook post, 11 August 2025 (https://www.facebook.com/macarthurmemorial/posts/from-the-collection-the-42nd-rainbow-division-was-established-in-august-1917-a-y/1471443374416870/ : accessed 3 February 2026).

“Pennsylvania, U.S., World War I Veterans Service and Compensation Files, 1917–1919, 1934–1948,” database with images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 4 February 2026), entry for Charles W. Giddens (Army serial no. 112716), service/compensation card, p. 9, image 41744_182029006040_0891-00767 (front), (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/60884/images/41744_182029006040_0891-00767?ssrc=pt&usePUB=true&pId=1825992 : accessed 4 February 2026); citing “World War I Veterans Service and Compensation File, 1934–1948,” RG 19, Series 19.91, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg.

Richard Bryan, digital photographs of plaques made by Charles William Giddens (including Rainbow Division plaque and related items), MacArthur Memorial, Norfolk, Virginia, 17 January 2026, Chesapeake, Virginia; privately held by Richard Bryan, 2026. 

Wikipedia contributors, “42nd Infantry Division (United States),” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, last edited 17 November 2025, (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=42nd_Infantry_Division_(United_States)&oldid=1322664933 : accessed 3 February 2026).

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #5 Esther Thomson, Mother of John

Esther Thomson was born on 28 July 1652. Her given name is usually written as Esther, though I sometimes see it recorded as Hester. Her surname also appears in several spellings—Thompson, Thomson, Tompson, and Tomson. I’ve seen her father’s name most often as Thomson, so I will refer to her as Esther Thomson in all following posts.

Esther was the daughter of John Thomson and Mary Cooke. Mary is well known as the daughter of Francis Cooke, a Mayflower passenger. There is also a surprising amount written about John. He came to Massachusetts from Wales at about age six with his mother and stepfather. He was a farmer and a carpenter who built many houses. He was described as a kind friend and served as a command lieutenant for a small garrison formed to fight Indians.

Mary and John had eleven known children. Esther was the fourth child and the second daughter. Esther married William Read/Reed. I do not have documentation for the marriage itself, but The Reed Genealogy and other genealogies give a date of about 1675. Esther is named in her father’s will, and William Read appears under a list of heirs (apparently signing for Esther). She is also named in William Read's will.  Some older genealogies identify Esther’s husband as Jonathan Reed, but the information in both wills clearly places Esther with William Read/Reed. 

Both William and Esther were said to have died between the writing of William’s will dated 26 Oct 1705 and probate in the fall of 1706. More about Esther and William can be found at my post, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #4 William Reed, Father of John.

If you would like to learn more about the families I research, follow my Facebook page , where I share each post along with other genealogical finds.

Diana

© 2026

Charles Hutchinson Thompson, A Genealogy of the Descendants of John Thomson of Plymouth, Mass.: Also Sketches of Families of Allen, Cooke and Hutchinson (Lansing: D.D. Thorp, printer, 1890), digital images, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/genealogyofdesce00thom/page/n9/mode/2up?q=carpenter

 : accessed 2 February 2026).

John Ludovicus Reed, The Reed Genealogy: Descendants of William Reade of Weymouth, Massachusetts, from 1635 to 1902. Baltimore, Maryland: n.p., 1902, pages 5-14.

Massachusetts, Suffolk County Probate Court, Probate and Family Court Department File Papers, Box 18 (Cases 2961–3150), 1 January 1636–31 December 1894; digital images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSXD-83GV-Q?view=explore : accessed 26 January 2026), image 164 of 1320; Image Group Number 102992159; citing Massachusetts Department of Archives, Boston.

Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, The Mayflower Descendant: A Quarterly Magazine of Pilgrim Genealogy and History, vol. 4 (Boston: Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1899), 67 (transcription of John Thompson’s will and estate papers); digital images, Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/mayflowerdescendv4mass/page/n67/mode/2up : accessed 2 February 2026).

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #3 John Reed born July 10, 1687

Even though John Reed wrote a will in March 1733, the Plymouth County probate court later settled his estate as intestate—meaning the judge treated him as if no valid will was in force. In the 1740 probate paperwork, Judge John Cushing issued guardianships for John’s minor children and then ordered the distribution of his estate under intestacy rules rather than under the terms of the will. This doesn’t necessarily mean the will never existed; it may not have been presented to the court, it may have been considered invalid, or it may not have covered the property that ended up being distributed.

John Reed is, without a doubt, the earliest ancestor I’ve ever written about. He was the father of Peter Reed, who is said to be the father of my fourth great-grandfather, Benjamin Reed. If that relationship holds, John becomes my sixth great-grandfather—exciting for me, because I’m seldom able to document a line this far back. And the best part? John wasn’t the beginning. The Reed line extends into earlier, identified generations, and ultimately reaches a Mayflower connection.

John was born on 10 July 1687 in Weymouth, Massachusetts, to William Reed and Esther Tompson (also seen as Thompson). Esther was a granddaughter of Francis Cooke, a Mayflower passenger. John is said to have moved to Abington, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, in 1708, and The Reed Genealogy: Descendants of William Reade of Weymouth, Massachusetts, From 1635 to 1902 places him “opposite the burying ground” in the south part of town. He married twice—first Sarah Hersey,* with whom he had a son, John, and then Mary Wheeler in 1715. John and Mary are credited with nine children: James, Joseph, Mary, Ezekiel, Peter (my direct line), Squire, Silence, Betty, and Samuel.

This marriage record shows that John Read of Abington married Mary Wheeler of Rehoboth in 1715, a timeframe that fits well with the birth years of their children. In The Reed Genealogy: Descendants of William Reade of Weymouth, Massachusetts, From 1635 to 1902 by John Ludovicus Reed, John’s second wife is identified as Mary Whitmarsh—but so far I have not found any record of a marriage to a Mary Whitmarsh, or to any Mary other than Mary Wheeler, during this period.

John’s March 1733 will provides a rare and detailed look at his family and property. After debts were paid, he left his wife, Mary, all household and movable goods, and allowed her to use the homestead and a one-quarter share of a “Fourth Division” land right as long as she remained his widow. If she remarried, her rights were reduced: she would receive only one-third of the homestead’s income and would have no further right to the Fourth Division share. John intended his son James to become the principal heir of the homestead—receiving two-thirds immediately if Mary remarried and the remaining third at her death—while his other children, named in the will (John, Joseph, Ezekiel, Peter, Squire, Samuel, and Mary), were to share the remaining three-quarters of the Fourth Division right. Two children listed in the genealogy—Betty and Silence—are not mentioned in the will. Mary was also empowered to sell a small meadow lot if necessary to help pay debts.

It is still unclear exactly when John died, but the probate trail that follows his will helps narrow the timeframe. On 2 June 1740, guardians were appointed for his minor children, suggesting that John’s death likely occurred closer to that date than to the will he signed in 1733. One of the most revealing documents reproduced in The Reed Genealogy is the court order distributing John Reed’s estate, issued by Judge John Cushing and dated 12 July 1740 at the town of Scituate, which confirms that John was deceased by then and that his estate required formal division among his heirs.

*Note: So far, I have found no record—other than The Reed Genealogy—to document a first marriage for John Reed to Sarah Hersey. John’s younger brother, Jacob Reed, is also said to have first married a woman of the same name. Based on the dates involved, the most reasonable conclusion is that these were two different women named Sarah Hersey, rather than one Sarah who married both brothers. 

If you would like to learn more about the families I research, follow my Facebook page, where I share each post along with other genealogical finds.

Diana

© 2026

Abington, Massachusetts, Town Records, 1747–1856, vol. 2: 144, “John Read of Abington and Mary Wheeler married 1 December 1715” (recorded in section “Marriages from Leicester and Rehoboth”); digital image, image 40 of 207, Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620–1988, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com  : accessed 18 January 2026); citing Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Vital and Town Records (Provo, Utah: Holbrook Research Institute [Jay and Delene Holbrook]).

Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Court (Plymouth), Probate Files, nos. 16552–16632 (Reed, Betsey R.–Reed, Joseph), will of John Reed; digital image, image 1156 of 1409, “Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States records,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RYS-4CR?view=explore  : accessed 18 September 2024); citing Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, custodian; Image Group Number 005008236.

Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Court (Plymouth), Probate Records, 1738–1742, vol. 8; digital image, image 119 of 288, “Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States records,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97D-NKZ2?view=explore

 : accessed 18 January 2026); citing Plymouth (Massachusetts) Town Clerk, custodian; Image Group Number 007050977.

Reed, John Ludovicus, The Reed Genealogy: Descendants of William Reade of Weymouth, Massachusetts, from 1635 to 1902. Baltimore, Maryland: n.p., 1902, pages 26-28.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #2 Lucy Hugens

This excerpt, written by Cyrus Nash (1780-1850) of Abington, Massachusetts, was found in The Reed Genealogy: Descendants of William Reade of Weymouth, Massachusetts from 1635-1902 by John Ludovicus Reed. 

This week’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks prompt, “a record that adds color,” is a perfect fit for Lucy Hugens, the wife of Peter Reed and the presumed mother of Benjamin Reed. I did not expect to find much about Lucy. Given the time period and what appears to have been a modest economic status, she left few records of her own. What does add color to Lucy’s story is the above narrative by Cyrus Nash. In just a few paragraphs, Nash provided details that no town or land record ever could.

Nash identified Lucy’s father only as “Mr. Hugens,” an Irish immigrant who married a much younger woman, also from Ireland. According to the account, Lucy’s mother arrived in New England as a teenager, intending to meet an aunt in Pennsylvania. When her ship instead landed in Boston, she was indentured to pay her passage and later married Mr. Hugens in Abington—an experience that Nash’s description suggests contrasted with her earlier life in Ireland.

Nash names Lucy and three siblings: John Hugens, a sister married to Hosiah Porter of Weymouth, and another sister married to a man named Lot Randall. These brief references open valuable research paths.

What can be documented about Lucy comes from a small set of records. She and Peter Reed were married on 25 March 1748 in Abington, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Later that same year, Peter and Lucy were warned to depart the town of Bridgewater. Lucy appears by name in the Abington birth records of two of her children—Sarah, born in 1757, and Samuel, born in 1760. In 1762 and again in 1763, while living in Bridgewater, Peter and Lucy were warned to remove to Abington. These records do not tell Lucy’s story outright, but together they place her firmly in time and place.

In additional remarks, Nash wrote that Peter died in 1780 and that Lucy removed to Cummington. This movement aligns with what is known about the family, as Benjamin Reed already lived in Cummington, and both of Lucy’s daughters married there in the 1780s.

When paired with marriage, birth, and town records, Nash’s narrative adds dimension to Lucy’s life and provides clues that help guide further research into a woman who otherwise appears only intermittently in the historical record.

If you would like to learn more about the families I research, follow my Facebook page , where I share each post along with other genealogical finds.

Diana

© 2026

John Ludovicus Reed, The Reed Genealogy: Descendants of William Reade of Weymouth, Massachusetts from 1635-1902 Vol. I  (no publisher named, 1901). 

Massachusetts, U.S., Marriages, 1633–1850, digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2495/images/40904_263574__0005-00142

 : accessed 10 January 2026), image 142 of 192, Abington marriages, marriage of Peter Reed and Lucy Hugens, 25 March 1748, Congregational Church, Abington, Plymouth County, Massachusetts; citing Massachusetts Vital Records, Abington, Family History Library microfilm 1,409,404.

Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620–1988, digital images, image 243, entry for the marriage of Sarah Reed and Joel Hill, 30 October 1782, Cummington, Hampshire County, Massachusetts; Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2495/records/58991557?tid=45260559&pid=412222903562&ssrc=pt  : accessed 16 May 2024).

Cummington, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States records, images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-8979-H9YZ?view=explore

 : accessed 11 January 2026), image 134 of 162, entry for the marriage of Jacob Nash and Joanna Reed, 27 November 1788, Cummington Town Clerk; Image Group Number 007009226.

Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States records, images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS41-RST6-P?view=explore

 : accessed 11 January 2026), image 396 of 407, entry for Peter and Lucy Reed warned, 1748, Plymouth County Court of General Sessions of the Peace; Image Group Number 007902905.

Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States records, images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9B2-G9G5-S?view=explore

 : accessed 11 January 2026), image 156 of 971, entry for Peter and Lucy Reed warned, 1762 and 1763, Plymouth County Court of General Sessions of the Peace, volumes 2–6; Image Group Number 007726241.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #1 Benjamin Reed

Benjamin Reed is my 4th great-grandfather and my DAR Patriot. His life followed the path of many New England men of his generation. Born in Massachusetts, he served during the American Revolution, married, raised a family, and eventually moved north to Vermont, where he became an early settler and a town officer in Woodford, Bennington County. He eventually left Woodford for Windham County, Vermont, where he first lived in Wardsboro and later in Putney. His life left traces in military records, land transactions, town books, and family memories—enough to outline his story, even when no single record tells it outright.

The timeline above tells much of his story, and far more than is known for many of my other 4th great-grandparents. The real challenge, however, was proving the generations on either side of him. No record states that Benjamin was the son of Peter and Lucy, and no document directly connects him to his daughter, Nancy, my third great-grandmother. 

Benjamin Reed’s story marks my return to 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks, and in the posts ahead, I will share not only my ancestors’ stories but also the research that has helped connect their lives across generations.

If you would like to learn more about the families I research, follow my Facebook page, where I share each post along with other genealogical finds.

Diana

© 2026

 

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27499357/benjamin-read : accessed 04 July 2022), memorial page for Benjamin Read, Find a Grave Memorial ID 27499357, citing East Putney Cemetery, East Putney, Windham County, Vermont; Maintained by Cynthia Kaley (contributor 51056978).

   

Hampshire, Deeds 1789-1795, Book 3:550, Reed to Coock, images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99Z8-29DJ?view=fullText : Mar 28, 2025), image 286 of 597; Massachusetts. County Court (Hampshire County).

John Ludovicus Reed, The Reed Genealogy: Descendants of William Reade of Weymouth, Massachusetts from 1635-1902 Vol. I  (no publisher named, 1901). 

Lewis Cass Aldrich, History of Bennington County, Vt. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. (D. Mason & co, Syracuse, NY: 1889), 475-476; digital images, HathiTrust  (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=yul.11775368_000_00&view=1up&seq=1&skin=2021 : accessed 25 June 2022).

“U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900,” database and images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/49769:1995 : accessed 25 June 2022), for Benjamin Reed, images 266 to 320; citing "Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files" (NARA microfilm publication M804, 2,670 rolls). Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

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