Elizabeth Anna Halke married John Bull II on October 30, 1620 in Brabourne, county of Kent, England. John was twenty years old, Elizabeth was a few days shy of sixteen. They were eight generations of my grandparents ago. Elizabeth was a popular name at the time. Our Elizabeth was named after her mother, and it turns […]
Looking for the history of witches in Southern Illinois in the folklore of those who feared them
I first approached researching Southern Illinois witches the way I would any subject … by getting to know the people. Where I made my mistake was trying to focus on the witches. A mistake, but because the witches were lost in the world of folklore. Who defined a witch here, as in most places, was […]
A Review: Phil Rickman’s “Crown of Lights”, from the Merrily Watkins series delivers horror and prophecy
I got started on the Merrily Watkins series back about 2006, when I had an hour’s drive each day. The first book in the series, The Wine of Angels had me hooked almost instantly. I listened to it on both legs of the daily drive and when the day was done, it had hit on […]