Topic
Who Do You Think YOU Are?
I have been studying my family history for more than 20 years and have found it very exciting on occasion. Tonight I watched the Ancestry series "Who Do You Think You are?". I highly recommend this. You may think that your own history is common or boring or unimportant. Well you are just WRONG!
Your history might start out fairly common but the more you dig and the further back in time you go, the more interesting it can be. Many people research only their direct lines. If I had done that, I would have been "finished" about 1995. I hit my "brick wall" about then. I could not learn anything about my Mother's grt-grt-grandfather's family. All I knew was that the man's name was Samuel Porter Bayless and that he was probably born in TN. I did find him in the 1850 census but his son John, my ancestor, was not in his household. John was also in that census but he lived in GA. I couldn't connect them. What to do? Nothing left but to go around that wall! Long story, short, I looked at other family members and traced them. This included spouses. I eventually got around the wall that way and found Samuel and his family on the other side of the Appalachains in the late 1700s. From there I followed my Mother's line back to the early immigrants to this country in the 1600s. What a treat it was! Ordinary people living what for them were ordinary lives but what amazing ordinariness!
The study of genealogy can lead you to many surprises and many ordinary stories which, when viewed as a whole, can open up a world of facination and discovery. I have found preachers and politicians, teachers and artists, rich and poor, triumph and tragedy, etc., and all in my own family. Many amazing stories and even connections to the famous and infamous. It has been wonderful and is ongoing. My Father's line has been much harder to trace and I still have much to learn about both lines.
I hope that you will watch the series on NBC every Friday night. You should also be able to watch it online at NBC.com. It is inspiring but the tales of the rich and famous on the series are no more surprising and exciting than what I have learned about my own family.
Genealogy Tales: A Familiarity With Strangers (My Blog)
bribling.blogspot.com/2010/...
The Ancestors of Boss Bayless (My genealogy)
www.grandmahudson.tribalpag...
Replies
- Well I'm pretty new really at the family history thing. Started my tree in earnest two years back. I know how it feels hitting a brick wall, but isn't it just awesome once you get past it. I happened to stumble upon a fair few interesting stories in my trees. For example Ramses III was my 120th great grandfather. My ancestors also owned the castle that is used in the Harry Potter films for Hogwarts.
- I have long since believed myself to be part teapot. Havent traced it far enough back yet but one day.
- I've hit brick walls going and coming, Brib, but I keep after it. Most of my research gets stalled around the 1850s; fortunately, my father's paternal line goes back a hundred years more. How we got to these American shores before there was a United States is anyone's guess, though. Not on the Mayflower, alas, but sometime between then and about 1740. Wish I could take the other lines backs farther. If it weren't for researching the collateral lines, I'd be properly stuck for something to do (which at this juncture is trying to smash through those brick walls)! My only claim to fame so far is a cousin several times removed who was a noted American sculptress of the early 20th century. Had no idea of this until I followed a collateral line that led to her.
- I was a baby carrot in my past life.
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See, we all have something to discover! Tonight on NBC we can see what Marisa Tomei learned about her ancestry.
I haven't discovered any Italian ancestors but I figure they might be there someplace as I seem to have British, French, Dutch, German, Swedish and who knows what else. We are all connected in some way if we go back far enough. Now I must really look for the Carrot family! :D - My mother's birth is a mystery. Until twelve years old she did not know that her parents were not actually her biological parents. They were from Monterrey, Mexico and lived and worked in Chicago for a time. From the little she does know, from what they told her is that her biological parents were from Holland, and her birth mother lived in the same apartment complex as they did. From birth, her records show her adoptive parents names...but doesn't state the fact though. It's really very strange. My mother was very happy growing up, and never wanted to know more about her birth mom. I wish I knew more. But like I said, it's a mystery.
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On April 2 the 1940 census will be released by NARA. This Census will be available for FREE online but it may take a while to get it transcribed and indexed. Click the Link to read about it. If you want, you can contribute by joining the Indexing project.
the1940census.com/ -
Who Do You Think YOU Are?
Mr. Bigstuff.......
sorry, topic title just make me think of this old song. - Blair Underwood tonight! FEB 17 8PM EST NBC