What a delight to see , , , , , , , , , and help me in welcoming my guest today, . This was a special event because it allowed us to kick off this new 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 Jane’s Story
While listening to Jane retell her story, you might want to have her posts handy. This first one is about Samuel Gray (1752-1837), who fought for the Patriot side.
As you’ll learn from Jane’s wonderful publication, BJNL’s Genealogy, her connection to these American stories was already unlikely, as someone born in Britain. Her deep DNA research into her American father’s ancestry led her to make the connections that yielded these stories.
Her second story is even more remarkable in that it follows the trail of Richard Lang (1744-1817), whose tale takes us on a journey through the American Southeast during the Revolution. In his nine-part story, you’ll see how and why he shifts sides from Loyalist to Spaniard and ultimately to American.
Stories on a Map & Timeline
So many delightful stories have already appeared here in our growing Family History community on Substack that wanted a way to explore them together, yet in the context of time and place. That’s what led to the notion of a shared map and timeline I talked about in my post yesterday:
You can read about the plan there ☝️, but the key bit is that you are all welcome, as Projectkin members, to share your stories in this timeline and map. All you have to do is give me permission and share the link.
👉 Specifically on this form: Projectkin.org/stories250-form. And, so you don’t have to look them up, here are the two links:
I’ll keep adding to these forms at least until July 4th, 2026. So, there’s no rush. I’m also inviting guests who have new stories to publish to write on a Projectkin byline and join me each month as Jane has in a Substack live program. Next month, my guest is Kyla Bayang of RootSquad Roundup, where she’ll share more about Elisha Richards and, importantly, his wife and children as they ran in the Battle and Massacre of Wyoming Valley, PA. It’s an incredible story, I hope you can join us:
This week at Projectkin
As many of you know, I use these Sunday events to also give you a preview of what’s ahead for the week. We were so busy with today’s program, I didn’t get much time to come back to Thursday’s episode of Emma Explores. In case you missed it, Emma joined me at a special time on Friday for a quick preview of her program this week, which will focus on Wills and Probate. As serious genealogists know, this seemingly obscure set of records can reveal some fascinating stories. Join us as Emma shares intriguing stories found through her family research.
I hope you can join us. Like all Projectkin events, these are free to attend. I host these over Zoom so you can learn more about our community and get to know us. Learn more at the Projectkin.org/events calendar.
Projectkin events are free and made possible through the generous contributions of our Patrons. Thank them by exploring their publications at Projectkin.org/patrons.
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