Ancestry

[Ishmael]

You guys are telling me, A_J, put down the bottle and go to bed...



... but in the spirit of Byron.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/12891_428996117156286_1849708420_n.jpg

Then in the spirit of this thread, and only for this thread, speak of the ancestry you know.

Ishmael

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Grandma was a drummer in a swing band, Grandpa was a drunkard...

That made them citizens of the world.



On the other hand, we have the Swiss German converts to Quaker Oats.

I sowed mine while they were wild. It earned me many a strap of the razor leather...



Before that, I do not care. We're all people and we're all condemned to the hells and paradises that we make for ourselves. I have my Blue Heaven.

 

[Lorilei]

Byron would keep it going. In a fun way.


I miss Byron.

 

[snugglestruggle]

Byron would keep it going. In a fun way.


I miss Byron.

I sorta thought this thread was fun, but dammit now you gone and placed some doubt in my head

 

[Lorilei]

I sorta thought this thread was fun, but dammit now you gone and placed some doubt in my head

Sowwy!

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

Byron would keep it going. In a fun way.


I miss Byron.

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/44342_425877804159851_1678686370_n.jpg

Ain't that a daisy...

 

[glynndah]

Trying to trace my family tree has been interesting, to say the least. Bootleggers, ne'erdowells and rumors only whispered about when the children weren't around, and then there's that nebulous connection to a circus freak.

My husband's great-grandmother's sister is the infamous Roxie Hart from "Chicago".

 

[Not Normal]

Someone in my dad's family did a fairly extensive background, that produced a "book" and made Kinkos type copies. I had one, and a train from Italy with lietter that spell out last name. They may or may not be in my ex-wife's house, because I sure don't remember packing or seeing them in a while.

I'm not really super connected to any of it. I'm not particularly fond of that side of the family anyway.

I know my cousins on both sides, and was lucky enough to know my great grandmother on my dad's mom's side. I had all four grandparents until I was 21, and lost the last of the four not even two years ago. My brother and I aren't reproducing, so, sadly, the shitty cousins are carrying on that name, though one of them is married to a seemingly nice woman, and his kids seem alright. The other is a douchebag, and had a slew of daughters. I guess I'm just not that invested in any of it.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I'd PM this, but you don't seem to have this set up.

I have done a bit of this. Fortunately I had some good info to start with ...

Be careful about Ancestry, and I guess by extension all the other subscription sites. Ancestry has a lot of misinformation, people may actually believe these 'facts', but their 'facts' are often wrong.

They can provide leads, but you need to follow them up and get birth, marriage and death certs, check local newspapers for obits etc. You need to make sure that you can document your tree with the official record, at least if you are 'serious' about it.

If it's for fun and giggles, that's another matter, and you can decide for yourself just how much authenticity you want (and how much time and money you want to put into it).

Another route is to search the 'family name' sites, probably a bit more accurate but also a bit more hit and miss.

Good luck

Correct. Ancestry started life as a free site called ROOTSWEB. Millions donated their private info to the site and the owner sold out to Ancestry about 1999 or so.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

There are fascinating stories hidden in our genealogies.

My mother believed she was a love child. She never knew her father and my grandmother refused to talk about him. So I went looking for them on the 1930 census. There they were but my mother wasn't listed. I found their marriage license dated 11/1929. Then I found their divorce record, dated 1936. The year my mothers sister was born of a different father.

My aunt was not happy about my discovery. Her Ma got knocked up by a co-worker and Auntie was the fruit of their luv NOT my mother. I got cut outta my grandmother's will for exposing the scandal. I had warned them, FESS UP OR I'LL FIND THE FACTS AND SPILL THE BEANS.

I found my grandfathers death certificate, he died in 1952 and is buried across the street from our old house. I mean, sitting on the porch you can hit his monument with a rock. My mom never had a clue he was THAT close.

I connected with another grandchild of his (2nd wife), and she sent me plenty of photos of him and his father.

 

[JohnnySavage]

Years ago, the elder Mrs. Savage traced the roots back several hundred years. She and my father wanted to be in the Sons/Daughters of the American Revolution.

Males of the family have been killed in every war America has fought. As I made it to 50, I think the curse skipped me.

Dad's family came from Sicily and mom's is Scots-Irish. The two lines merged in Appalachia, where they've been for 200 years.

 

[about_average]

Went back a ways, but the courthouse in VA that had all the records from my maternal side burned to the ground in the 40's or 50's. All we know is they came from the (now)UK in the 16/1700's.
My dad and his siblings were put in an orphanage when his mother died in the 1918 flu pandemic so don't have any information from that side.

 

[loveupskirt]

Wife gave me membership to ancestry.com that I'm getting ready to plunge into. Tried on my own but not much info to be found. I am in a unique situation on my dads side since he was 50+ when I was born and his dad was 50+ when he was born too. With me being 50+, that means my grandfather was born during the Civil War! Records in his state were lost in a fire so I'm hoping the Mormon database can shed some light!

 

[girlsmiley]

Ancestry has always been important in (and to) my family. It's a part of our culture. Maoritanga. Knowing where you're from, and who your grand parents were. Your great grand parents, and their parents. And so on and so forth. Your river, your mountain, your tribe, your waka. I studied Maori language like most kids had to when we were at school. I spoke on our marae. I continued on with the language and different forms of art through college. The tukutuku panels that line the walls of my family meeting house a beautiful reminder of our history, and my ancestors.

 

[Que]

Wife gave me membership to ancestry.com that I'm getting ready to plunge into. Tried on my own but not much info to be found. I am in a unique situation on my dads side since he was 50+ when I was born and his dad was 50+ when he was born too. With me being 50+, that means my grandfather was born during the Civil War! Records in his state were lost in a fire so I'm hoping the Mormon database can shed some light!

My family is like that...I don't see how people can squeeze 6 generations into a century.

From my Grandad (b.1897) to my youngest daughter (b.2006) we dip into three centuries with 4 generations.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Be careful of official records.

In the 1870 Census two of my ancestors are tagged BLACK but they weren't black. In 1870 most whites in the South couldn't vote, nor could Indians. So these ancestors told the census taker they were black. One was white, the other was Cherokee.

 

[cleaver]

Be careful of official records.

In the 1870 Census two of my ancestors are tagged BLACK but they weren't black. In 1870 most whites in the South couldn't vote, nor could Indians. So these ancestors told the census taker they were black. One was white, the other was Cherokee.

be careful of revisionist history....

you should embrace your discovered heritage, jimmy!

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Ancestry has always been important in (and to) my family. It's a part of our culture. Maoritanga. Knowing where you're from, and who your grand parents were. Your great grand parents, and their parents. And so on and so forth. Your river, your mountain, your tribe, your waka. I studied Maori language like most kids had to when we were at school. I spoke on our marae. I continued on with the language and different forms of art through college. The tukutuku panels that line the walls of my family meeting house a beautiful reminder of our history, and my ancestors.

And youre a dinosaur.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

One of my great grandmothers was a mystery until today. She died young and we knew little about her but her married name, Mary Elizabeth Walker, and approx. when she died, 1910-1912. So I went looking for her.

She was alive in 1910 as she's on the 1910 census for Quitman GA. Her age in 1910 was 26. I then found her on the 1900 census for Dodge County GA. She's 17 then and her birthday is December 1883. Her parents are James Radford Brown and Elizabeth Walker (daughter of my ancestor Jeremiah Walker and Sarah Brock), Mary and her husband are cousins. I also located a photo of Mary. Red head, petite, pretty.

Then I went looking for Mary's father, James Radford Brown. His father was a James Brown born 1805, and his mother had a strange first name I guessed was wrong. It wasn't NEOMA its NORMA. Norma Clark born 1796, daughter of Henry Clark. Henry Clark was a Virginian. Another Revolutionary War scalp for me.

 

[oggbashan]

I have been researching my real life ancestry for about 10 years. One of my cousins, now deceased, did a large amount of research in the City of London archives in the 1960s. He found that my paternal ancestors were fairly easy to trace because most of them were Parish Clerks.

 

[Lorilei]

I have been researching my real life ancestry for about 10 years. One of my cousins, now deceased, did a large amount of research in the City of London archives in the 1960s. He found that my paternal ancestors were fairly easy to trace because most of them were Parish Clerks.

That's handy! One branch of my family has already been thoroughly researched by quite a few people, which is helpful. It goes back to 14th century Scotland. Another branch I've barely gotten traced to the mid-1800s.

 

[Saint Peter]

My ancestors were ButtVikings.

Oh.


That's nice.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Found 2 more ancestors from an obscure line: William Boothe and his wife Temperance Collins of Macon GA. One more Confederate soldier on the family tree, Company I, 61st GA Infantry. Survived the war and died before 1870. Temperance died in 1901.

 

[rubydlite]

I heard genealogy......!!

Seriously though, I worked in museums and archives for ten years. Genealogy was our biggest draw and I've done both my family trees and helped with dozens of others. Not sure if I can offer any help but I have experience tracing Scottish and New England Planters.
Since I relocated i haven't done any genealogy work....(so I completely jumped in this thread----sorry )

 

[doowdniw]

100% British ancestry from what I can tell. My maternal GF's family traces back to 1740s Shropshire. Maternal GM's family back to 1820's in Surrey. Paternal GF's back to 1840's Gloucestershire, and Paternal GM's family supposedly back to a cousin of William the Conqueror. Frankly, I'm a bit skeptical of the last bit.