Category Archives: Law

Lassoing Prunes: Introducing Historic Oregon Law

Posted on July 13, 2025 by debbiemieszala

I’m not sure what really happened in Oregon. I’m missing context. Although Amanda Mathews’ prune ranch was not the most fascinating aspect of her life, her orchard and that she lived in Michigan were all family tradition recalled.[1]

Posted in Family Research, Law, Oregon | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Drowning of a Family Fortune: Introducing Historic Mining Law

Posted on January 16, 2025 by debbiemieszala

My grandmother brought a steamer trunk from New York to Illinois in the 1950s. She did not stay long, but that black box, large enough to hold a small child, sat in our basement through at least the early 1970s. … Continue reading →

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Identify, Understand, and Reveal: Introducing the Historic Land Laws Collection

Posted on December 31, 2024 by debbiemieszala

Happy New Year’s Eve! If you want to ring in 2025 with a few good books, have I got a deal for you.

Posted in Land, Law, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

On the Waters of Grassy Lick Creek: Introducing Historic Kentucky Law

Posted on July 10, 2024 by debbiemieszala

James Hampton gave a gift in 1837, even though he clearly wasn’t thinking of me.

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Are We There Yet? Introducing Historic West Virginia Law

Posted on October 17, 2023 by debbiemieszala

No ancestor on my pedigree chart hailed from West Virginia. I don’t have a state-related ancestral tale to tell, but there is always a story.

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“Pikers,” “Dead Heads,” and a Second as the First: Introducing the Historic Law Collection of Hawaii

Posted on May 11, 2023 by debbiemieszala

As a second child, James Cairn McBride’s parents might not have expected him to grow into a man of firsts.[1] Under his alter-ego, J. C. “Bud” Mars, James threw Hawaii’s first flight-related tantrum.[2]  

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“He lays his trouble to a cigar,”: Introducing Historic California Law

Posted on April 1, 2023 by debbiemieszala

Captain Thomas D. McBride was first believed dead in 1883.[1] Final reports of his demise, 17 years later, were accurate.[2]

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