Those Office Cleaning Surprises: Carlisle Notes

Though I don't do it nearly often enough, I love cleaning and sorting the stacks, piles and files in my office. Yes, it's the typical writer's room with just enough (most of the time) room to get to the computer, but this "stuff" is all really important, you know? 

So, recently I've been diligently going through everything trying to get this room to match the rest of the house.  Some months ago I donated a large amount of my books...but alas they've been replaced by new ones.

I've started to ship off files of information collected over the past decades hoping that the new owners will actually get around to writing about the topic that I once thought was "the one!"  I've stopped clipping items from the daily newspaper, except for items that might be used in upcoming articles for PI Magazine.  Good starts, I think. 

A couple of days ago, somewhere in one of the heaps, I found an envelope postmarked "1979" and received from my great-aunt Frances (Carlisle) Lanigan, who has since walked on. Inside was a treasure trove of family genealogy information.  Obviously, it was sent in response to my request when I thought genealogy was my calling.  I've since realized that the family STORIES are what I love to research and to write about, but I am so happy to rediscover Auntie's notes.

My Grandmother Pearl (Carlisle) Smith, Frances' older sister, had often mentioned that "We're related to President Grant."  I had forgotten about this note from Auntie:

            "Dency Ann King's mother was a Grant before marriage---
a relative of Ulisses (sic) S. Grant---the president."

Dency Ann (King) Carlisle was my great-great grandmother, grandmother of Pearl and Frances.

I'll have to check with the family genealogists' records to see what proof there might be, but this is the kind of interesting tidbit that can lead to an interesting family story.

These interesting names and dates were included in the envelope of notes. The persons mentioned are my great-great Carlisle grandparents and their children, including my great-grandfather John Edward Carlisle.  I do not have "official genealogical verification" for these dates, though I have no reason to doubt them.

George Carlisle                                b. Nov. 20, 1831

Dency Ann (King)                            b.  Feb. 28, 1837

                                                          d. Dec. 25, 1912

Children:

Ebenezer Ashley                             b. Oct. 15, 1852

                                                         d. March 1933

Frances Antoinette                         b. Nov. 3, 1855

John Edward                                   b. Oct. 24 or 26, 1857

George Washington

      Dennis                                       b.  Nov. 19, 1860

Ellroy Ellsworth                              b.  Dec. 14, 1862

Archibald                                         b. July 2, 1865

Jeffie & Sister  (died as babies)    b.  June 23, 1867

Minnie Dency                                 b. Aug. 26, 1870

                                                         d. Jan. 11, 1940

Hector Gregor                                b. Dec. 12, 1872

                                                        d. Jan. 12, 1940

It was John Edward Carlisle (above) who married Lillias Ann Horner. Their only child, Pearl Eleanor Carlisle was my grandmother. An earlier entry on this blog sought contact from anyone having information on the late Lillias (sometimes written as Lillian)  Horner Carlisle.