Helen and Frank Dewey: Fourth-Great-Grandparents

10/01/24 • 60 min

In this episode, we dive into the complex lives of an everyday American family during and after the Civil War. Helen and Frank Dewey were a happily married couple who survive the war, have ten beautiful children, and stay together through all of life’s hardships. But when Frank passes away, Helen has to grapple with her late husband’s secretive past.

Through Helen, we learn of the hardships that women endured during times of war and poverty in 19th-century America, and we find that even the smallest lies can shape the legacies we leave behind.

Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts.

You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com.

LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS

Created, Written and Produced by Karyn Harding

Cohosted by Kim McMasters

Sound Engineering and Original Music by Benjamin Mauch

Original Art by Christina Swanson of Swansong Creative

Through Helen, we learn of the hardships that women endured during times of war and poverty in 19th-century America, and we find that even the smallest lies can shape the legacies we leave behind.

Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts.

You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com.

LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS

Created, Written and Produced by Karyn Harding

Cohosted by Kim McMasters

Sound Engineering and Original Music by Benjamin Mauch

Original Art by Christina Swanson of Swansong Creative

Previous Episode

[BITE SIZE] Pierre Chastain: Tenth-Great-Grandfather

Through the incredible journey of my tenth-great-grandfather, Pierre Chastain, we uncover the harrowing plight of the Huguenots as they fled relentless persecution in 17th-century France. Forced to navigate a hostile Europe in search of safety, their story takes us through waves of hardship until they finally find refuge in Virginia. As we dive deep into their struggle, we confront the cyclical nature of oppression and survival—revealing how history repeats itself in both heartbreaking and powerful ways.

Links and Resources mentioned in this episode.

Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts.

You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com.

LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS

Created, Written and Produced by Karyn Harding

Cohosted by Kim McMasters

Sound Engineering and Original Music by Benjamin Mauch

Original Art by Christina Swanson of Swansong Creative

Next Episode

Carrie and Cora Dewey: Second and Third-Great-Grandmothers

Carrie White led a life marked by profound tragedy, losing her brother and both parents within a year, followed closely by the death of her infant daughter. When Carrie shows signs of deteriorating mental health and involuntary movements, she disappears from her family and is later found in a Binghamton hotel where she had taken her own life. Her family only identifies her days after the incident, and her death leaves a lasting impact on the family.

Years later, Carrie’s daughter, Cora, also begins to experience deteriorating mental health and involuntary movements illustrating the complex and often painful legacies that genealogical research can unearth–both physical and emotional.

If you or a loved one are experiencing suicidal thoughts please call 988 right now or visit the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention to find resources.

Support the show! Connect with us on Instagram and TikTok and don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get podcasts.

You can also find us at our website www.lowancestry.com.

LOW ANCESTRY CREDITS

Created, Written and Produced by Karyn Harding

Cohosted by Kim McMasters

Sound Engineering and Original Music by Benjamin Mauch

Original Art by Christina Swanson of Swansong Creative