Who else is a Genealogy Nut??
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I got the Ancestry.com DNA tests for myself and my two daughters last year and the results finally convinced my science-averse father that DNA is actually valid.
Since both of my parents have been into genealogy forever the results clearly followed the pattern of family that they already knew. Because of their work I know I have a few revolutionary war ancestors and 5 ancestors who were on the Mayflower. A cool thing for me also is that my 12 times great grandfather is Myles Standish. I guess history class has changed since I was a child because my kids had no idea who he was until they read some information on the internet about him. I'm mainly Scottish and English on my mom's side, and Swedish on my dad's. It makes sense that I'm a feisty person! 0 -
I read once that at least 35 million people are Mayflower Descendants! Myles Standish is one of mine as well, which I never knew when I was younger. I also discovered that both my parents descend from the same couple about 12 generations back, which didn't phase them one bit. I also have a couple of French Huguenots who came to New York about 1680, but it was so far back that the DNA test was not helpful in confirming any French lineage.
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I have one fire and brimstone Hugenot preacher in my ancestry, in among the Dutch. He was during the Revolution. I have a touch of French, although the other two sibs did not. I thought from him, but if I can confirm that I have ancestors who moved from Canada to Wisconsin, then the French would make more sense. But right now I am reading The Jesuit Relations, where the New Amsterdam Dutch were generally bad guys
, like I said, too busy to dive back into it. Yeah, one of my New Amsterdam ancestors was Danish, but that doesn't register. Too far back. They generally stayed to themselves, so it shows strongly
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How does one find out if they were descended from someone on the Mayflower? It wouldn’t apply to my family, but I’d be curious if dh’s family had any connection.
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If you can trace back your ancestors to the revolutionary war then it gets a bit easier. I found my 4x great grandfather through family records and us census records. Then my 5x great grandfather I found in an old newspaper and I found the grave stone. And because he was born in Connecticut I found Barbour Collection of town records. Others had done alot of tracing at my 7x great grandparents and beyond. So far I have not found a Mayflower relative most came from England in the 1630s mostly Salem area.
I found New York State during the 1700s to be lacking for records compared to Massachusetts and Connecticut.
I should put in a plug for Reclaim the records, wow they worked the courts to get marriage, birth and death indexes released to the public years 1880 to 1956. Found my great great grandparents marriage index in 1886, also many relatives death indexs in 1910 thru 1949 helped alot.
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You can find a lot of info through theMayflowerSociety.org
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Both arkivdigital, a subscription Swedish genealogy website and Find My Past (lots of info on folks with history in the UK) had free weekends recently. Luckily, I had a couple of afternoons open to spend on the computer.
I was able to find names on a few passenger lists for relatives who left Scandinavia but got bogged down trying to read the old handwriting in church record books from the 1700s - they lacked any kind of useful index on line...
Locating articles in newspapers is another interesting source to pursue. The Library of Congress has the Chronicling America project that spans decades and is easily searchable, at no charge!
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Time to bump since it's been over 2 years and I'm sure we have other nutty 'addicts' out there. I've been using COVID isolation time to update Family Search profiles of unrelated individuals by attaching sources, looking for obituaries, etc. It may help real descendants in the future.
The local public library allowed free use of their Ancestry subscription from home during the pandemic. Too much incomplete and wrong data has infiltrated that site however some folks have posted interesting photos. Find A Grave has been a favorite for submitting biographies.
Our son found a software program from a German company called Synium. I set up 4 trees, for each parent of my husband and myself. It has an interesting display and provides links so other connections may be added. It's private which means no inaccurate info can sneak in…
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Yes, you definitely have to take some "research" with a grain of salt. Make sure you can verify what you find, preferably with original documents.
My husband is the primary family historian/genealogist, though I am intrigued and sometimes work with him. This winter I plan to work on actually writing some of the stories. The names and dates and places are fascinating, but understanding more about the context of their lives is what "brings them to life" again.
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One of the things I am working on is writing the stories of 5 brothers and their families after the Civil War. Amazing information in their pension files!
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Learned that Finding Your Roots hosted by Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr is back on PBS this week with new programs for season 8. Looks like many of the upcoming shows have 2 guests which I think allows deeper dives into each instead of having 3 people in an hour.
I thought Genealogy Roadshow was fun to watch because they used ordinary people, not actors or sports/media stars. During the summer of 2020, ABC had The Genetic Detective featuring CeCe Moore who shares my Finnish heritage. OK however using DNA to solve horrific crimes is not my preferred research scenario…
Lisa Kudrow's Who Do You Think You Are? seems to be on COVID hiatus but might be returning to NBC after being on TLC for a long time. Tell us if you have favorite episodes from any of these (or whether you have seen Canadian or British series)!
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vln, I am fascinated with stories of genealogical DNA being used to solve crimes, often to bring some kind of closure or perhaps answer a few more questions for the families of cold case victims. I’ve heard it is the technological break -through of our time.
I did like CeCe Moore’s brief show, I don’t think there were too many episodes, and it was kind of pieced together, but still interesting. She is an extraordinary woman who’s at the right place at the right time in history. She remains one of the few who does what she does, but I think she is blazing a trail for others to follow her. She has countless fans and followers who believe in the work she’s doing. Besides being so thorough and professional, she’s so compassionate with her approach and I think that human factor is what really appeals to people.
They say genealogy is the second most popular subject searched on the internet. [It really shouldn’t be a surprise that number one on the list is pornography.]
I never watched Lisa Kudrow’s show so I know nothing about it. I could never get into the Finding Your Roots show. But if Gates Jr. would ever want to research and tell me about my genealogical background, I’d be all for it!
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Most of Dr. Gates' work on the show is with people whose lineages are difficult to track-- because of refugee status, slavery, or being Jewish. And they are also celebrities, or at least minor celebrities. I think the show is interesting.
I have some dead ends, one Irish, and the other said to be an immigrant from Germany (with the last name of Harris? Doubtful. Perhaps Canadian?). But given the other lineages which were easily traced given modern tools, really not problematic.
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Not too much going on with my projects but I thought it was time to bump this thread so others can locate it more easily. Also waiting to see whether my offer of free research help with paid membership in our local ethnic heritage society takes off. We are trying to rebuild after the pandemic hiatus…
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After a very long break, I got back into the researching, this time with my husband's dad's side of the family. I learned his dad's grandmother married at age 14, had seven children, two who died young, and then at age 27, she was widowed. She remarried, had two more kids, widowed again and married a third time having one more child. The oldest son from her first marriage married the daughter of her third husband! Well, the many marriages wasn't unusual as people often died young. Next spring, we plan to visit the three cemeteries where this side of the family is buried, about an hour and a half away. Dh visited as a kid but hasn't been there since. He remembers some beautiful scenic views he wants to show me.
I've looked up a few headstones and taken photos of them for people who request certain ones on Find A Grave. This way I'm getting a bit more familiar with the cemetery where my parents are buried. Locating the headstones is not easy! But when I find one I get so excited.
Also learned my own grandfather is five years older than what's on his headstone. I found a WWI military draft card with his birth date and a 1940 census that corroborates with the age. Not sure why the discrepancy!
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The county or state office of vital records should have his birth certificate. That is the authoritative source. He may have lied about his age for some reason or another. Like if he had immigrated with his parents, by lying, he would have sidestepped the hassle of getting citizenship. So maybe his family discovered it when ordering his headstone.
I would like to dive back into it, but I am so busy with other things.
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mcbaker, my grandfather was born sometime in either 1885 or 1890. He immigrated from Poland, and I have no idea how to find a birth record of him from there. It's not known when he came to the U.S. but he didn't come as a child with his parents, who remained in Poland. But I can’t find immigration records on him like I can with my mom’s parents. He probably came as a teenager. My grandmother (his wife) came to the U.S. at age 17 by herself. They did not meet until they lived here.
But you've given me food for thought. I'll have to look at the marriage certificate and date of their first born and see what I think. He died the year after I was born so I never knew him.
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Glad you bumped this discussion. I have stories in my head from my now deceased relatives and have thought about looking into creating a geneaology tree. I'm interested in creating a tree with the info I know, trying to verify stories (did Esler really run off "up north" to gamble?) and expanding that back in time. Never heard an immigrant story, I think we've been in US a couple hundred years and somewhere back there is a Hessian soldier. From what I've researched, I think Ancestry.com works for me. Insights, ladies?
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Ancestry works. You can also use their DNA testing to amplify the results. Through the DNA matching, I have made contact with distant and not so distant relatives I had never known, and the trees match nicely. A distant cousin in England had worked all the way back to 1400. No known royalty.
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Hi All,
This is the first time I have seen this thread so also appreciate it being bumped. I’ve been dabbling in family history for years although I must admit it I haven’t had much time to focus on it for quite some time. However, it’s a priority for me this winter as my downsizing efforts will necessitate getting rid of old photos and other family papers. Unfortunately, I have no children to pass things to and my brothers are not in a position to take a lot of family stuff. My plan is to create an electronic family history book with all the research laid out (since it’s unlikely they will maintain my Ancestry account).
My introduction to genealogy was an interesting one. My mother was an only child to older parents - at least that’s what she always believed. About 14-15 years ago, a family member reached out to find out what her father’s (my grandfather’s) name was. Someone in New Zealand had contacted her, searching for my grandfather’s relatives. It turns out, he had a wife and many children from a previous marriage. His first wife kicked him out due to his philandering, he moved from Scotland to Canada and she ultimately went to Australia with her children. It was my mom’s niece who reached out (a niece that wasn’t much younger than my mom!). As you can imagine, it was quite a shock for my poor mother and it took some time for her to come to grips with the reality.
My dad’s side of the family is also interesting - their roots can be traced back to the Pennsylvania Deutsch with descendants eventually moving north to establish what would become Toronto. There is much work to do to capture it all with hidden gems turning up on a regular basis. As an example, I was unaware that my grandma maintained a chronology of all the dates and locations where my father was stationed in World War 2. (Example of lying about your age, he wanted to be a tail gunner and tried to pass himself off as 18 but they caught on so he ended up joining as a boy seaman in the navy, the only service that would take someone that young. Good thing or I likely wouldn’t be here. Tail gunners lasted about five seconds!) With Remembrance Day approaching, it is a great story to capture.
Nopink, I am a huge fan of Ancestry. I’ve maintained my membership despite being unable to commit the time for several years. I’ve cobbled together so much information and invaluable documents that I would hate to lose. Hopefully I can now get it all organized and downloaded in the coming months.
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I love this thread, thank you! My cousin on my mother's side has done a lot with that side of my family's genealogy. I'm related to Edward Maria Wingfield, sometimes hyphenated as Edward-Maria Wingfield was a soldier, Member of Parliament, (1593) and English colonist in America. He was the first governor of Jamestown, Virginia and went back to London in chains. Not the proudest moment, but it took him years to clear his name. Fascinating stuff.
Now my dad's family I know nothing about.
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Sadiesservant, first, is Sadie a collie? I always wanted a collie, due to my love of Lassie. I had two shelties but never a collie.
I too am thrilled to see this topic on BCO!!! I love genealogy! I used Ancestry for my DNA and to look up information on my Mother’s mother. My ancestors settled in Lancaster County PA, and they fought in every war since the American Revolution. I love researching ancestry and honestly don’t understand why my DH and siblings do not share my passion.
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Love genealogy. One sister decided to do Ancestry.com and then DNA. No big surprises from Dad's and Mom's sides: Scottish/Irish/Norman French//Danish/German-- pretty much Celtic. The big surprise was Basque. But they are Celts too. My husband jokes that is where I get my bloody-minded fierceness from.
kotchaj: for what crime was he sent back in chains? It might be an offence you can take pride in now.
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Yes Sadie is a collie. Lovely dog but her nickname is “Barkus Plenty”. 🙄 She seems to have gotten worse with my illness and Covid. She’s fine out on walks (with the exception of when skateboards go by) but at home? Oy!
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As with anything on line, perform your due diligence and verify whatever is found on Ancestry or FamilySearch! The latter just modified their page structure although it was in the works for some time. Despite being given the opportunity to preview the changes, I stubbornly stuck to the old format.
Regarding date mysteries, we have some among our relatives. One grave marker was placed decades after the death by a person who inadvertently gave incorrect information. What is engraved in stone is not always true…
Keep in mind that a few folks, perhaps in order to receive Social Security a little early, fudged facts and made themselves older than reality. Also, I have made discoveries by taking trips to various archives and local historical society libraries. Their stuff has not all been uploaded to the internet yet.
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Elderberry- Here's what it says about his stay in Jamestown:
Controversy began on the voyage across the ocean when Captain Christopher Newport erected gallows on Nevis (one of the Leeward Islands in the British West Indies) to hang John Smith, an act which Wingfield supported. Wingfield also deserves credit (or blame) for choosing the location of the colony. He selected a site for its defensibility but he did not take into account the water supply or livability of the area. Wingfield oversaw the building of James Fort and the planting of the first crops. Since the group of 104 colonists and fifty-six sailors arrived in spring, it would be quite some time before the crops were ready for harvest. As a result, food supply quickly became a problem. Wingfield, as president of the colony, was charged with keeping the colony alive until harvest. He decided to impose military-style control and rationing of food that was especially unpopular with the colonists.
The rationing of food led to accusations of abuse and favoritism that Wingfield denied. The problem festered until a majority vote of the council removed Wingfield from office. The council also tried Wingfield and jailed him for a short time. John Martin accused him of "doing slack in the service of the colony, and do nothing but tend his pot, spit and oven, [saying] 'But he hath starved my son and denied him a spoonful of beer. I have friends in England [that] shall be revenged on him if he ever come to London.'"2 The council also accused Wingfield of being an atheist for not having a Bible in his possession a charge he denied saying that his was lost or stolen in England prior to his sailing to Virginia. His removal prompted him to make the journey back to England and return to the Kimbolton School where he served as Chief Feofee (i.e., Chairman of the Board of Governors) until his death.
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I've never seen this thread on here before. Real nice to see. I love genealogy too. I've been doing it for years. It all started because my mother was raised in a foster home, and only knew a few things about her biological family. She always wondered about them, and why none of them were raising her, so I took the job on and gradually pieced a lot of her story (and much more of course) together. I started slow, and before Ancestry, but once Ancestry got going, I went gangbusters for years. I don't do as much these days, because I've pretty much found everything that seems to be out there and available on my family, at least via Ancestry and Family Search. To learn anymore I'd probably have to start trying to do some in person talking to other related people. I've been more interested in looking up my friends' families lately, because there's so much there too.
Because of what I'd found, my mother was able to meet with some of her biological relatives, see the old family farm, and more, all before she died, so I am glad for that. Any of them that knew more about her story have all died too, so my main motivation is now gone, but i still enjoy a lot of it. Most recently, I enjoyed looking at the fairly newly released 1950 census, because people I've known well all my life were in there.
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threetree, that has to be very satisfying to be able the bridge to help your mother connect to biological past.
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Anyone have any suggestions on how to better research information on a family member? Here's the situation. The first born child of my husband's parents, a girl (I'll call her Anna) died shortly after birth. This was in the 1940's. She was buried in a local cemetery in what I believe is an unmarked grave. My in laws went on to have four more children. Almost no mention has ever been made about Anna. I found out about her years ago from the wife of my husband's brother. I had thought she told me that Anna died a day after birth. Recently, though, I found a memorial on Find a Grave (FAG) for Anna. No photo of a headstone but the information claims that she was five months old when she died. I had no idea!
I'm not sure who put this information on FAG or where they got it from. I've tried looking for any corroborating facts, like a birth certificate or death certificate. The Family Search site just keeps circling back to the FAG page when I look up her name. Are there any other avenues could I try in my quest to verify the facts?
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You can do it the old fashioned way. Call the county and request if they can find birth and death certificates. Some that old are sent to a state office, but they will refer you on to them.
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