George E Pickett CSA

Confederate General – George E Pickett [1825-1875] – Married a Native American Woman! (17.12.2024)

ostensibly to fight Native American Indians. By this time, George Pickett was already a widower – his first wife having died in childbirth when he was stationed in Texas. He was stationed at Fort Bellingham when, in 1857, he married a “royal” Native American “Haida” (teenage) woman. Such a mixed-race union was forbidden under the laws of Washington Territory – with the marriage ritual probably being Native American. Although no photographs of “Morning Mist” are known to exist – she did leave a Chinese Tea Chest to her son – James Tilton Pickett. When “Morning Mist” died – George Pickett ensured his wife was the first “indigenous” woman to be buried in a Cemetery designated for “White” Christian people only. This which would have caused a considerable public outcry at the time. The grave of “Morning Mist” has been lost to time.

St Mary's Church

WWII: Did Duddington Possess a Home Guard Platoon? (19.10.2023)

I keep a website dedicated to my paternal (‘Wyles’) family name – centred on the Northants village of Duddington – where my family lived for at least the last 500 years (and perhaps longer). Although my last direct relative left around 1906 – and that I live in South Greater London – we have visited Duddington around ten-times for research field trips since March 14th, 2009, and have amassed a large dossier of historical data! This can all be accessed at the above link. I am still researching whether Duddington possessed a Home Guard Platoon during WWII – and as of yet – this puzzle has NOT been solved!

Genealogy: ‘DARIИGOLD’ – Provenance of a First-Name! (22.9.2023)

I hope this lady lived a long and happy life free from pain – as out of her genetics I have come into being -and so have my children! Over the years I have broached the subject of her ‘first’ or ‘Christian’ name – ‘Daringold’ – with a number of academic experts who state that they have never encountered this name before and that it must be the consequence of a ‘copying’ mistake or ‘hearing’ error! This certainly happens as in the past (particularly the 17th century CE) the English languish was not yet ‘Standardised’ and illiteracy abounded! Scribes (or ‘Scriveners’) were highly skilled – but these educated individuals often spelt the same word in different ways – even when this word appeared on the same page (Shakespeare was famous for ding this in his original texts)!

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