Genealogy/Family Trees

[tooheys]

Hi guys

This is a subject that could either die very quickly or attract a lot of interest.

I've been researching my family tree for many a year. I'm an Aussie and all my ancestors come from the England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Probably explains my somewhat erratic temperament.  Anyway, while not having anyone notable in my tree, I do have a couple of convicts, a couple of great great cousins that died in WW1 and a link to the attempted assassination of the Duke of Edinburgh in Australia in 1868.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone else out there would be interested in sharing their discoveries. It may be as simple as letting us know how far back you have managed to reach with confirmed sources, sharing a story about a direct descendant or one of their kids, or even how you do your research. (Although we don't need to know that you are related to Napolean etc 20 times removed  )

Well I'll leave it at that at this stage. Look forward to seeing what you have discovered and I have a story or two to share as well.

Dave

[thingfishs]

This is something I've been doing some research into as well following the passing of my grandfather & father (different sides of the family) My fathers ancestors arrived here from Ballylongford in Ireland early last century, (which is a town as I understand it, that exists historically because early settlers charged passing boats with completely made up tolls. )

My Mother's side is of German descent, but this is something that I, and many others in the family, only found out about following my grandfather's death. Not only that but he had changed his name from Ventriro (or similar) to Wentriro, and spoke fluent German and played the harmonica! (a german instrument) (during/after the war there apparently was much concealment of Germanic links of any kind). All of this was amazing news to me, and, as a professional harmonica player (yes such a thing exists ), it was most bittersweet. I would have so loved to play harp with him but I never had any idea... (almost sounds like a corny movie )

(EDIT: I thought I should add that I'm still trying to find out more about my grandfather's German heritage, if anyone knows of any good free internet sources could they possibly post them here? Thanks tooheys good idea, I think it's helped a bit just putting that out there.)

[tooheys]

I know what you mean about grandparents thingfishs. I started my research after the death of both my male grandparents. Despite the personal loss, the knowledge that was lost with one in particular was just, well, While I wasn't even considering a family tree at that time, you just wish you had asked the questions. But that's life I guess.

[adroman]

I guess my family heritage is fairly straight forward... we mostly immigrated from Britain and set up in Australia for the "New start".

Though, I do have a bit of German on my father's mother's side... but, not very much.

My family tree is many ways interesting, apparently I'm related to many-a famous person through marriage, etc...

but, the most interesting part of my family tree is in Ipswich (Ipswich, Australia that is)... a lot of my family worked in the Railway Workshops that operated out of the city until very recently... I guess that's where I get my Labor political stance  . Though, I'm not in touch with my family 100% of the time, I do have a fair idea of my background.  My grandfather has also died, but when I was very young, so I didn't get the chance to find out very much about his side of the family... One day I'd like to get a full copy of my family tree, and to have a look at some of the photographs from way, way back.

I guess my family isn't as glamourous, or as intriguing as others would be, but it's my background 
It'll be interesting to see some of the family ties that exist around here!

Havva good one,
Adrian.

[tooheys]

Hey Adrian, hope you get around to doing some research someday.

I guess my family isn't as glamourous, or as intriguing as others would be, but it's my background 

To be honest, I find the family stories more interesting. And glamour rarely is a factor  The families that struggled thru hard times, families that packed up and moved to other lands, fathers (and their young kids) that spent their lives working in the coal mines to support thier families, the guy that went from burning the office rubbish to becoming the boss, the families that worked in the railway workshops and how they lived; I could go on and on.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having a famous relative, just that sometimes the best stories come from the most unexpected places.

So if you have a great family story, share it with us.

Cheers

Dave

[BarbyW]

I have been researching my family tree for over 10 years. I started when I moved to Ireland as my father's parents were both Irish. I visited Athy, my grandfather's home town, and examined the parish registers. I traced back to 1805 when my great-great grandfather married. I have no idea where he came from as he gave his parish as the one he lived in but there is no record of a baptism for him. End of that line
I could not find a record of my grandparents' marriage and the birth of one of two aunts who were born in Dublin. The eldest aunt told me that she remembered going to Wales with my grandmother and sister - she would have been 4 at the time - and when they arrived my grandfather asked why they had followed him as he would be killed. He wasn't and we had no idea what he meant. Recently the 1911 census of Ireland was put on the Internet so as my aunt was born in 1912 I figured that they would have been in Dublin then. Well I found only one possible match for my grandfather. He was married to someone called Kate - not my grandmother's name. There are a couple of possibilities for my grandmother but the most likely was a parlourmaid in a big house. So it appears that they had an affair resulting in the birth of my eldest aunt who was registered in one surname and baptised with another. She was born in the local workhouse so one day I will try to research the workhouse records to see if I can find out any more. I had a copy of my grandmother's birth certificate but could find no trace of her parents' marriage.
That is just one side of the family. I have traced back with certainty to the mid 1700s on my mother's side. That is for another time.

[D66]

I have been researching my family for over a year now and haved traced my father's side back to the 1700's. His mother's side immigrated from Ireland in 1775 just in time for the Rev. War and actually fought in the war. They were amoung some of the 1st families in America to homestead and explore the new country. They traveled with Daniel Boone, fought the Indians and we even have a gangster in the family (not the blood line ).
I have been able to trace his father's side back to the 1700's also. Not sure when they came to America or from where but do know they were pioneers and were amoung the 1st families to homestead in Madison County, Ohio.
I am pretty much addicted to the whole thing and hope to one day turn this new passion into a business.

Thanks for posting this topic!

[tooheys]

Hi D66, good guys or bad guys, I don't know if I'd like to travel with either, sounds dangerous to me. But I'm sure there are some great stories that went along with their exploits. One thing that most people involved with family trees will agree, it is is addictive. Fortunately, there is a lot of info now becoming available that makes life alot easy. It's not a cost free hobby, but if you join the right website(s) (for a price) it's amazing what records you can now get access to that would have cost a lot more previously.

Barby, I had a similar problem with Ireland, around 1800 it gets very tough. I actually commissioned someone to do some research for me which turned up an extra generation and a lot of family history not previously known, but it costs a fortune.

Anyway, I mentioned before I had a couple of convicts in the family. The first one I discovered was transported for 7 years for the crime of stealing
coal up to the value of 39 shillings. Reading the transcript it would seem that he may have stolen more than that which probably would have ended up in a stretched neck. Must have been his luck day, and mine to of course. Amazingly, the other convict was convicted of manslaughter and got the same sentence. Justice at it's best.

Anyway, it's great to see a bit of interest here and hope to see some more stories.

Cheers

Dave

[Jmouse]

First, a word of explanation. As an adopted child, my story is by no means unique, but perhaps a bit different from the majority of them you will see here. I cannot remember ever not knowing I was adopted, and being made to feel "special" because of it.

Still, by way of explanation, when I speak of my family, I speak of the only family I have ever known. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of such a wonderful, close-knit group.

My mother was an only child, and her mother passed away before her third birthday. Her father passed away less than a year later and both were in their late 20s or early 30s. I was fortunate enough to find out exactly where my maternal grandmother is buried in Chicago, but the rest of my mother's family tree will forever be a mystery.

Not so on Daddy's side, though. He was the middle child of 11, and had one older brother. I've heard he used to crawl under the house when he was a kid and throw rotten potatoes at whichever one or more of his nine sisters happened to be within range!

Unfortunately, my paternal grandmother passed away before I was born, and my grandfather passed away when I was 8.

However, we're incredibly fortunate to have cousin Jim who has spent decades doing exhaustive genealogical research. He has unearthed original family-related documents dating back to the Civil War and beyond. Then, from time to time, he mails copies to us or distributes them at family reunions.

Thanks for starting this thread, Dave. Great idea!

Later...
Joan

[BigSlark]

I have family members on both my mother's and father's side of the family who love genealogy. On my father's side, our family has been in the Eltham/Greenwich area of England, now S.E. London, since at least 1086, and probably earlier as several headstones from the Britano-Roman era (3rd-5th century C.E.) have been found in that parish with my surname inscribed upon them. From the 16th to 20th centuries all my ancestors were Royal Navy officers, my father broke that tradition by serving in the Royal Air Force. My father also broke the family roots by emigrating to Los Angeles in 1963...

My mother's family are German and of the Cherokee tribe of Native Americans. My mother's grandmother's family emigrated from Ulm, Bavaria to California via Trieste and New Orleans in 1911. My mother's father was born in Oklahoma, to Cherokee parents who's ancestors had been forcibly moved there from Fort Payne, Alabama in 1832 by the U.S. Army. He and his siblings were the first to join mainstream society in the 1920's and 30's. My grandfather was not legally a member of the Cherokee Nation until he was 81 years old, this was because the doctor in Pittsburg County would mark any newborn that looked white as white on their birth certificate, Native American parents notwithstanding. Before 1924, the majority of Native Americans were not citizens of the United States of America, and therefore couldn't legally work or own land or vote.

I hope someone finds this interesting...

Cheers,
Kevin

[Tarkus]

I hope someone finds this interesting...

Most certainly--this is quite the interesting thread, I must say!

A little about my background--my descent is primarily French (from my father's side) and Irish (from my mother's side), with a bit of Scottish and German thrown in (mostly via my paternal grandmother). 

My father's side is traced fairly well.  Earliest family member I'm aware of was in present-day Maine-et-Loire in Western France in 1085.  He was a vassal of a Duke there, and was given a small castle--and acquired the family surname--for defeating a count from Toulouse.  In the mid-18th century, that side of the family was Huguenot (French Protestant), and as such, was persecuted against (several dozen ancestors even being executed), so at least some fled to colonial New Jersey in the 1750s.  During the 19th century, they apparently scattered about the continent, with most ending up in Wisconsin and Oregon, being among the early settlers of the latter.  Curiously, at least part of the Oregon side also adopted a slightly different surname spelling.

Both sides actually ended up being fairly involved in respective state politics (and in the case of the Wisconsin side, national) in the late-19th/early-20th century, though the Oregon side was probably best known for owning peach orchards in Washington and Marion Counties, a tradition which ended when my great uncle decided to "retire" from farming in 1993 and tore out most of his orchard (which aggravated the local populace quite a bit).

My mother's side is a little hazier, in large part because there's hardly anyone on that side left (less than 10 living blood relatives).  Apparently, my great-grandfather and great-great-uncle from Ireland had a rather gnarly dispute (great-great-uncle was a Catholic priest, great-grandfather became a Protestant), so my great-grandfather ended up coming to the states.  My mom is apparently eligible for Irish citizenship as a result, though, by virtue of which I could become an Irish citizen as well.

-Alex

[wes.janson]

I know my great-aunt has done some digging on my maternal side, but my knowledge of how far she has searched is limited as the last time I visited her was the mid-90's. I do know that I have a few of my bloodline who fought alongside William Wallace (They didn't like the Scots much, but they hated the British more) and I know that my pregnant maternal great-grandmother ended up missing the Titanic by about 20 minutes; possibly the only reason I ended up existing in the first place, as she could not afford any of the tickets that would have allowed her a chance at survival. I also know that there were some Pinkertons thrown in the mix on that side as well. That's something I've always found quite cool.

My paternal side, though not fully researched, is actually quite neat. Norway dominates this side, but then onto Greenland, as I am one of a long line of descendants of the notable Erik Thorvaldsson and his boy Leif Erikkson. Leif, besides being one of the first documented cases of Europeons setting foot on the new world (Vinland = Newfoundland), but also is supposed to have created the first Christian church in the Americas.