In the study of history, a personal connection is often what draws us in to begin to explore a subject or a place or an era. We might be interested in World War II after hearing Grandpa's stories about the war. Or perhaps we begin to read about the Underground Railroad after discovering several stations in our hometown. The attempt to make a personal connection with the people we read about and study is a common impulse for anyone who loves history. It makes history come alive. In the 21st century, finding information has become much easier with the internet. Wikipedia has made it very simple to learn a little about a lot of subjects. I love to explore the web, which takes me to this story of one of my personal connections to history (and don't worry it relates to Staatsburgh as well!). My story does not deal with one of my ancestors, but instead with a woman who shares my name.
