Tuesday, November 17, 2009

1850's cabin

I never know where and when I will find something that is a treasure so I try to keep my out. Last night I was scanning through the "Draper Journal", one of those printed papers that comes to all our mailboxes that is usually tossed. I was getting ready to toss it when I saw something about an old pioneer home being relocated. I saw the name on the cabin, Fitzgerald. I have seen that name in my family tree but have not traced that line. I decided to last night.
As written in the Draper Journal, "The cabin was built in 1850 by Perry Fitzgerald, one of Draper’s earliest pioneer residents. Fitzgerald went into Corner Canyon to find what logs he could for the cabin, which provided shelter for him and his family until they were able to build a larger home. The cabin originally had two rooms, a fire pit and an attic and was located within Fort Draper. Fitzgerald’s wife, Agnes, had six of the couple’s 13 children while the family lived in the cabin."
I went to my trusty tree and looked up the name Fitzgerald. Perry was there with his wife Agnes. Their daughter Mary Jane was the wife of my great great grandfather, Joshua Beynon Stewart. (I am a descendant of his wife Amelia.) That makes her my great great step grandmother - but wait, are they still step if they are a "sister wife"?
I suspect there might be another line that also connects me with the Fitzgerald's but I do know this one to be accurate.
Had I not known my family tree as I do, I would not have picked up on the name of this family cabin. I now have a greater connection and appreciation for this lone home than I would have had I not had my genealogy as complete as it is.

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