Wednesday, May 07, 2008

I think we have found our summer project: genealogy

My daughter needed to do a family tree as part of her 8th grade project. I hadn't looked at the genealogy paperwork for over 8 years or so. Since so many years had passed, I hoped I would find more information online, and I found a jackpot!

I was able to trace one family branch all the way back to 1600 in England, another branch back to 1640 in London England, and another branch to 1663, a descendant of Dutch royalty living in New Amsterdam (now New York.) I found another ancestor who was in the Revolutionary War militia.

But you don't just find royalty and possible war heroes, you also can find rascals, like my great-great-grandfather, who allegedly abandoned his wife. His wife had to divorce him on grounds of desertion in 1887.

My daughter was shocked to find this info with me. I like any extra info I can find besides names and dates. I think it serves as a reminder that they weren't just names and dates, but they were real people. It's a lesson to leave behind only admirable data for our descendants....and to live a life worth genealogical research.

Oh, and that Revolutionary War militiaman ancestor? I need to find out which side he was on. If he was on the American side, maybe I can be a Daughter of the American Revolution. I wonder how much that would cost, and will I have to wear a silly hat.

UPDATE: I now have one line going back to the year 1540.

UPDATE #2: Oh bummer, I'm not really related to Anneke Jans (Dutch royalty) but close. Seems my ancestor was just related to one of Anneke Jans' husbands. Too many family researchers in the past wanted to make a connection a little too badly.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow interesting stuff!

Anonymous said...

This is a fun project, be prepared to spend hours.. it gets addicting, when you find someone though that you did not know you were related to, it's fascinating.

I had alot of info from an aunt, going back to the 1700's or earlier, and it was a great adventure.

My mothers family I had alot of trouble with, and have let this project go to the way side!

Thanks for stopping in to comment!
I think big hair will return.. hehe.. on your biggah hair!

 

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