Hello y'all! I'm Jeff, I've been researching my history for about 3 years now and I've made some utterly shocking discoveries. In the realm of things that can't be proven due to fabrications of my ancestors, I found myself to be descendant from the Medici's and the Gherardini family of Italy due to the fabrication of Sir Gerald Fitzwalter who stated this claim in his version of events. Being descended from him and his wife Princess Nest, I'm able to trace my family lineage back to insane places. For example, one of my direct ancestors was called Beli Mawr, who is widely believed to be the human counterpart to Belanus the Sun God. This even brings in such auspicious names as Anna of Aramathea the Prophetess. As well as quite a few other people who are considered to be the human counterparts to the Tuatha De Danann, which translates to the folk gods of Celtic belief. Personally I find that to be hilarious, as a pagan individual the Tuatha De Danann are actually the deities that I pray to and honor in my spiritual practice.
Along with these what I call novelty ancestors who are either unproven or based on proven fabrication, I also found real life people who can be proven. I found myself to be descended from US Patriots and a man who signs the declaration of Independence, I also found My great great great great grandparents Catherine a slave woman from Mississippi and her enslaver Major Sartin, I remember learning about them in history class in 7th grade. As well I found some people who were brave enough to be on the right side of history during the civil war, and unfortunately found some people who were not only firmly placed on the wrong side of that time period But were responsible for slavery itself. Because one of them owned three of the boats from that time. I found a man who used a large amount of money to buy a huge plot of land then purchased 100 slaves for the sole purpose of setting them all free, giving them that land to live on and in doing so became the father of what is now a modern-day town. This took place 10 or 20 years before the civil war ended. I remember as I read the story, I was moved to tears and honestly spent hold up a great deal of time that night in quiet contemplation after finding my spirits stirred with emotion at the brave and beautiful act that this man committed. While that man is seen as nothing less than a hero I also found a direct ancestor who for lack of better terms was a slave hunter who was following the underground railroad charging himself with the purpose of returning slaves to their enslavers. Some of my discoveries have made me immensely proud and left me utterly shocked because no one in my family knew anything about my family history prior to The lives of my grandparents. Other discoveries have literally turned my stomach and almost caused me to completely quit researching it all together.
That brings me to my question. Who have you discovered on your family tree that you had no idea ever existed or that you had no idea that you were related to? Did you come from Kings and queens? Did you descend from people who you wish you didn't? Did you discover people that you remember learning about in history class? What heroes and which villains will we find on your tree?
