Woman’s DNA Journey Leads To Battle of Gettysburg–And Unlikely Love Story
Summary
Susan Alexander, a retiree from Vermont, researched her family history and uncovered stories linked to the Battle of Gettysburg, including a love story between a Union soldier and a local nurse. Her ancestor, Bill Thompson, was wounded at Gettysburg and cared for by nurse Margaret Slonaker; they later married and built a family.Key Facts
- Susan Alexander grew up near Gettysburg and developed a lifelong connection to the area.
- She began researching her family tree in the 1970s after moving to Los Angeles.
- Alexander used genealogy centers, historical societies, libraries, and online tools like MyHeritage for her research.
- Bill Thompson, an English-born soldier in the Union Army, was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg.
- Nurse Margaret Slonaker cared for Thompson during the battle’s aftermath when many local citizens helped wounded soldiers.
- Thompson and Slonaker fell in love during the war and married in 1866 after the fighting ended.
- Thompson adopted Slonaker’s son, who was Alexander’s great-grandfather.
- The couple settled in Pennsylvania and raised a family after the Civil War.
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