Some family stories refuse to fade. This July 4th, Carr Twins & Co. celebrates the release of The Legendary Indian Billy Dragoo: Revised and Expanded Second Edition—a milestone publication honoring Vi Parsons’ research and the legendary life of William “Indian Billy” Dragoo.
When war divided the Carolina backcountry, Peter Meisenheimer stepped forward for the Patriot cause. From Camden’s chaos to the westward pull of Illinois, his life carried the marks of faith, family, courage, and the making of a new nation.
In the winter of 1776, William Ewing marched from home into the uncertainty of revolution. What followed was more than military service—it was the beginning of a family legacy shaped by duty, sacrifice, faith, and westward hope.
Before America was secure, men like George Lemley stood guard on its dangerous frontier. His story is one of family, courage, and ordinary duty in a time when independence had to be defended cabin by cabin.
The Dragoo family’s frontier story reveals a different side of the American Revolution: one shaped by contested land, fragile settlements, Native resistance, family loss, captivity, and renewal along the Monongahela River.
In 2013, we shared a simple anniversary quote about love, patience, and the work required to build a good relationship. Since then, it has traveled farther than we ever imagined—often misquoted or unattributed. This is the story behind the quote and why the words “to work” matter.
What if caring for family history is not looking backward at all, but a way of becoming more fully alive, now? Preserving stories, places, records, gardens, and memories is how we live with love, purpose, and belonging every day.
At its heart, the vision for Ridge Haven is a living expression of family love: a place for memories, a shelter for elders, a garden for grief and gratitude, a library for discovery, and a place where generations will come to know not only where they came from, but who they are becoming.
Re-membering is the gentle art of gathering what time has scattered, a return of love, grief, and heritage to the center of our lives, where the dead are not lost but continue within us, shaping who we are and who we are becoming.
Every family tree hides a little wonder. Among its branches and leaves, past the names and stories, there is sometimes a bit of unexpected fruit—sweet, bright, and waiting to be discovered. Now Ridge Haven offers online access to its digital harvest, inviting family members to gather treasured stories with just a click.
When winter finally loosens its frosty fingers, something delightful comes skipping in on the March breeze: Davis Day. Part holiday, part fairy tale, and wholly devoted to joy, she arrives with flowers, laughter, and the delicious suspicion that the world is about to become a little more beautiful.
Step into the hearth-lit kitchens of the 1750s–1780s. In Colonial Comfort Foods, Michael Dragoo turns authentic recipes and cooking methods into a vivid bridge to family history—helping us taste what it was like to be our ancestors, one dish at a time.