Carolina Girl Genealogy: July 2026

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

GenFriends Genealogy Chat Show: The Story of Private John Pumphrey with Guest Allison Peacock

In this episode of GenFriends, the panel Melissa Barker, Laura Hedgecock, and I welcome Allison Peacock from FHD Forensics who tells us about the remarkable story of Private John Pumphrey of the 7th Maryland Regiment, a Revolutionary War soldier whose identity was lost to history for generations.

Watch as we learn how careful research, historical records, and modern forensic science worked together to restore his name and honor his service.

Do you have Revolutionary War ancestors?
We'd love to hear from you!

Burial Site
Quaker Cemetery
Camden, South Carolina
Image Credit: Cheri Hudson Passey

Links in this episode:
Allison's Blog Post:
https://familyhistorydetectives.com/americas-oldest-john-doe-private-john-pumphrey-of-the-7th-maryland-regiment/

Battle of Camden Fundraiser
https://givebutter.com/Battle-of-Camden-Continental-9B

Reburial Ceremony in Camden
https://bit.ly/3R56hhx

Battle of Camden
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/camden

Reburial Ceremony in Camden
https://bit.ly/3R56hhx

Historical Camden
https://www.historiccamden.org/

Contact the Panelists:

Melissa Barker -A Genealogist in the Archives

http://agenealogistinthearchives.blogspot.com/

Bernice Bennett-BerniceBennett.com

http://www.BerniceAlexanderBennett.com

Jenny Hawran-Like Herding Cats Genealogy

https://like-herding-cats.com/

Laura Hedgecock-Treasure Chest of Memories

https://treasurechestofmemories.com/

Mary Kircher Roddy-MKR Genealogy

https://www.mkrgenealogy.com/

https://appliedgen.institute/

Shelley Murphey-Family Tree Girl

https://familytreegirl.com/

Thank you so much for watching!

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Helping you climb your family tree,

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

GenFriends Genealogy Chat Show-Heirloom Plants with Special Guest Blaine Bettinger

Some of our family's greatest treasures aren't found in photo albums or courthouse records. They're growing quietly in backyards, along old fence lines, and beside forgotten homesteads.

In this episode of GenFriends, Cheri and the panel, Melissa Barker, Jenny Hawran, Laura Hedgecock, Shelley Murphy, and Mary Kircher Roddy, welcome Blaine Bettinger to explore the stories behind heirloom plants and discover how flowers, shrubs, trees, herbs, and vegetables passed from one generation to the next can provide meaningful clues about the people who planted them. We'll discuss how these living heirlooms can reveal migration patterns, family traditions, cultural heritage, and connections to ancestral homes while helping preserve memories that might otherwise be lost.

Whether you've inherited a rose bush from your grandmother, found daffodils blooming where an old farmhouse once stood, or wondered about the century-old fig tree in the backyard, this conversation will inspire you to look at your family history through a different lens. Sometimes the roots of our family stories are quite literally growing beneath our feet.