Lawrence T. “Larl” Boling – 1838-1910: The Wounded Soldier


The records I am reviewing today are those of my second great-grandfather, Lawrence T. “Larl” Boling/Bowling, born on May 26, 1838, in Chancellorsville, Virginia (about ten miles west of Fredericksburg). In my two previous posts, “Wild Times in "The Wilderness" of Spotsylvania - December 18, 2020, and "The Battle of Wilderness Farm - May 5-7, … Continue reading Lawrence T. “Larl” Boling – 1838-1910: The Wounded Soldier

My Genetic Genealogy 1750-1775


"When the ships have for the last time weighed their anchors in England, the real misery begins with the long voyage. For from there the ships, unless they have good wind, must often sail eight, nine, ten or twelve weeks before they reach Philadelphia...But during the voyage there is on board these ships terrible misery, … Continue reading My Genetic Genealogy 1750-1775

“Tapp-ing” Into Lives in 19th Century Spotsylvania County


Local author, Pat Sullivan, penned and published the post that follows on Saturday, September 2014.  It is a far more intimate story of Phenie Tapp's (my second great aunt) family than my post "Bi-racial Relationships of the 60’s–the 1860’s!", penned May 14, 2014. My post tells about my second great-grandmother Catharine Elizabeth "Widow Tapp" Dempsey (descendent … Continue reading “Tapp-ing” Into Lives in 19th Century Spotsylvania County

The Killing Spree . . . Our Ancestral Legacy


Attributing our traits to our ancestors Some days when I look at myself in the mirror, I can see glimpses of my ancestors. My once beautifully brilliant blue eyes; I remember seeing these same eyes in my maternal grandfather, Roy (a Ford from Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina).  Unfortunately, I also get my thick midriff from either or both--my … Continue reading The Killing Spree . . . Our Ancestral Legacy

Bi-racial Relationships of the 60’s–the 1860’s!


The Year 1868 Last week my genealogical research took me back to my second paternal great-grandfather, Lawrence T. "Larl" Boling.  I already knew that Larl married Sarah Elizabeth "Bettie" Tapp in Fredericksburg, Virginia, but when I looked more closely I found that their wedding took place just one week before Christmas 1868--that was the Christmas day when our … Continue reading Bi-racial Relationships of the 60’s–the 1860’s!

150th Anniversary–Battle of the Wilderness


My second great-grandfather, Lawrence T. "Larl" Boling married Sarah Tapp, daughter of the now famous Catharine Dempsey "Widow Tapp," (making her my 3rd great grandmother) because she had the misfortune of living on the land that became known as the "Wilderness Battlefield," in Fredericksburg, Virginia, during the Civil War. On Friday, May 2, through Sunday, May … Continue reading 150th Anniversary–Battle of the Wilderness