Cynthia's Family Lines

UPDATE MESSAGE: This past summer I started writing a blog called Who's Your Grammie. Each entry tells the story of a grandmother in our family tree. Look around. I hope you enjoy reading these stories as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

Hello from Upper Mt. Bethel, Northampton Co., in the great state of Pennsylvania. We are on the Delaware River in the beautiful area known as the Slate Belt of Pennsylvania. We are also part of the greater Lehigh Valley community.   I am an alumni of Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and retired from teaching students with learning differences at Warren Hills Middle School, in Washington, New Jersey.

My interest in history includes membership in the Slate Belt Historical Museum where I volunteer in the summer as an interpreter of local history for visitors.  One day a week I volunteer at the Northampton County Historical and Genealogical Society Library in Easton helping others with their research. I also enjoy serving on the board of directors for the Old Union Cemetery of Stone Church in Upper Mount Bethel, PA. 

My hobby, genealogy, has been a favorite lifetime adventure. My ancestors are rooted in American history. From Mayflower passengers to German Palatines to Welsh coalminers; they all came to America seeking a better way of life for their families. Among them were Thomas Hughes who came from Berks Co., PA and his son Jeptha pioneered into Tioga Co., PA.  The family of James Estep arrived from Wales in 1858, and settled in Tioga and Bradford Co., PA and took up the trade of coal mining. 

The McEwen family, of Scotch Irish descent, was in Northampton Co., PA before 1800. On the Smith side of the family, our ancestors were sturdy Pennsylvania Dutch, with their roots in Bucks and Northampton Counties. These families include the Good family of Lower and Upper Mt. Bethel, Northampton Co., PA and the Valentine Smith family of Bethlehem Twp., Northampton Co., PA.

I have discovered that I have several lines of descent from Bernhart Miller, immigrant ancestor from Germany in 1749, and have placed the Miller Family Register online. These pages trace the Miller's of Lower and Upper Mt. Bethel in Northampton Co., PA through 5 generations from 1750 to 1900. Descendants of Bernhart Miller, include the descendants of Paulus Brodt and John Houck, as well as John McEwen, Christopher Illick and John Good, of Lower and Upper Mt. Bethel.  Please visit my web page at  Cynthia H. Smith Web Pages.  Follow the links on these pages to find out more about these families.

I welcome your comments.  If you discover you are a "cousin" please email me at Cynthia H. Smith

This page and all contents belongs to  Cynthia H. Smith.