What was The Peace of Pocahontas?
Ora Smith | October 13, 2023
When the English first established Jamestown, Virginia in 1607, their relationships with the Indigenous Peoples (sometimes called ‘the Powhatans’ after Chief Powhatan, Pocahontas’s father) was precarious. Powhatan and the English settlers regarded each other with suspicion. Eventually, the two groups…..
Read more
Did My English Ancestor Marry a Native American in the 1600s?
Ora Smith | January 29, 2023
Have you ever had a coincidence happen where you wondered if it were more than mere chance? Was the event a happy accident or did God have a hand in it? I’ve decided to write about a recent “coincidence” even…..
Read more
How Many Ethnicities Do You Think You Have in your DNA?
Ora Smith | September 29, 2022
I’ve been to 48 states and always find that North Carolina has the friendliest people. A recent visit was no exception when I met many members of who I think are my African-American side of the family. White Oak River…..
Read more
Visiting Your Ancestral Homeland
Ora Smith | September 29, 2022
If when you have your DNA tested for ethnicity and you find where your ancestors were from (or if you already know), does this make you want to travel there? It does me. There’s an intriguing phenomenon of feeling at…..
Read more
Interview with Nancy E. Turner of “These Is My Words” novel
Ora Smith | March 22, 2022
Nancy E. Turner wrote about her ancestors in these four books based on the Prine family of the Southern Arizona Territory 1880s-early1900s. The full title of her first novel (a Willa Cather Literary Award finalist) is These is My Words:…..
Read more
The Pulse of His Soul novel reviewed by the Historical Novel Society
Ora Smith | May 28, 2021
The Historical Novel Society (HNS) is well known amongst historical fiction writers, but perhaps you’ve never heard of them. They are a great resource if you love historical fiction and want to read reviews for what’s out there before buying……
Read more