Many thanks to , , , , , , , , , , , and so many of you for joining me in welcoming our guest today, . You’re a remarkable audience from Canada and the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. It’s a testament to how these 250-year-old stories touch the hearts of descendants across the English-speaking diaspora.
Today’s program was the second in our Stories250 series that will take us to the 250th Fourth of July in 2026, when Americans celebrate the founding of our country based on an idea—the Declaration of Independence. It’s an important event and a great joy to celebrate with all of you.
Your generous ❤️ s, restacks, and shares have helped turn this publication into the supportive community we all want to see. Truly, thank you!
Stories250 and Kyla’s Story
I already knew Kyla was an incredible genealogist. As a librarian, DAR member, and committed storyteller, Kyla shares her joy for family history in her publication, RootSquad Roundup.1 I first heard about Kyla’s story about the Wyoming Valley when she shared this story about Elisha Richards (1735-1778):
In my view, this story reveals so many important elements of the revolution. It’s a complex tale including not only the British and continental forces, but also the rag-tag band of “left overs:” the young and old left behind when the young and strong left to fight at battles like Valley Forge, Monmouth, and Saratoga. The story also intertwines the complexity of native peoples and the alliances of tribes.
As a distinguished librarian, Kyla shared a little of her process of research on this story that started quite simply with family stories about ancestors and their heroism, then led to the Wikipedia article on the Battle of Wyoming. Kyla knew enough to head straight to the extensive list of referenced articles at the end of the post. From there, she started reaching out to local and online libraries, plus the research resources of the Luzerne County Historical Society in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Sign up as a subscriber to RootSquad Roundup and get Kyla’s upcoming posts about Elisha Richards, his wife, Sarah Cornwall (1733-1802), and their children sent directly to your inbox:
Stories on a Map & Timeline
So many delightful stories about the time around the American Revolution have already appeared here on Substack. I wanted a way to explore them together, yet in the context of time and place. That’s what this Stories250 initiative is all about. Learn more here:
Stories250: Share Your Ancestors’ Stories at the time of the American Revolution
A few weeks ago, I shared a post about a new program celebrating community stories about our ancestors 250 years ago.
I’ll keep adding to Stories250 until July 4th, 2026. So there’s no rush. If you’re interested, or have a post I might have missed, drop me a note:
An Insider Tip:
You may know that the Substack app is a terrific place to sit back and read, watch, or listen to Projectkin (or any of your publications), but did you also know that its use by your readers can vastly increase their exposure to new publications?
Over the last 90 days, over 40% of my subscribers came from the app. That’s pretty astonishing. Check your stats and join us to support this community.
Feel free to share this post with friends and family. While you’re there, invite them to join this thriving and generous genealogy community on Substack.
Insider tip: Though she launched her publication less than a year ago, you’ll find posts in Kyla’s archives going back to 2013 because she’s brought articles in from previous blogs.
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