Question of the Week: What tidbits of information have you discovered to pass down to the next generation?

Question

During your genealogical searches, what '''tidbits of information''' have you discovered to pass down to the next generation?

Comments

I was excited to find out that my Canadian ancestors were not only from Nova Scotia, but also on my maternal grandmother's lineage from Quebec. However once they immigrated to Boston they no longer practiced Catholicism, so I guess no one knew.  I remember my mother writing letters (we're talking 1970s research) to NYS Albany to see about any vital records to no avail - no wonder, her grandfather (Louis Coron) was from Quebec.

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The land our forefathers came to and we were born on, the new world,new england and the islands, their foundation was based on Faith and virtues.

Others to a new beginning and hope, freedom and economy and survival.

Different cultures and ideas merging together on the islands.

My ancestors of Europe landed on the cape, becoming Mass. Their survival was questionable and may not have been except of a native of Pawtucket as was his tribe, althoe he had been kidnaped and enslaved by eroupeans, he ,Samoset greeted the pilgrims My family owes its survival to him and other natives of the islands

https://archive.org/stream/chroniclesofpilg00young#page/186/mode/2up

 

pages 180 and up My grandfather was Stephen Hopkins

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The most interesting piece of info found recently  is that my 2nd Great Grandfather, Julius  Darius Safford, a John Alden and Priscilla Mullins descendant, had his rifle blown from his hand at the Battle of Gettysburg. There were apparently no lasting physical effects as a result of this.

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I was surprised to find my paternal last name was changed in early 1800's. So my last name as I knew it was not the original one.

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Hi Sharon, we're 21st cousins once removed (according to relationship tool) and share some ancestor experiences with you.

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Most interesting things are, that the Gregg (aka)MacGregors Suffered  Genocide From King James and some of them.was used as slaves and also some was brought to America as slaves  And they was forced to carry their wives last name. Andi that I came from Royalty through  Anne  Bolyn   which also  makes me kin to Queen Elizabeths we're  15th cousins And that I am also  from from  Rolalty  Back to the beginning of the MacGregor  from the Celts    ,also I am related to several Presidents And That my Family goes all the way back to creation  of man.

Answer 1

Hmmm... my ancestor Prince Tobey was the seventh of seven sons born in a row.  

My great-great-grandparents Jacob and Barbara (Zimmerman) Zimmerman were third cousins on their father's side, and also second cousins through their Konig grandmothers.

My mother's ancestor Edward Doty and my father's ancestor Richard Warren were both on the boat that the Mayflower sent out to explore after arriving in Cape Cod.  

Ancestor Jacob Gery, an indentured servant in colonial Pennsylvania, married his master's daughter after gaining his freedom.  

Connecticut's early governor John Webster was on the opposite side of a church dispute with Hartford minister Samuel Stone (both my ancestors), which resulted in the former governor leaving the colony as part of a schism in the parish.  

And I finally figured out why the marriage date of Benjamin Tobey and Deliverance Martin wasn't included in the family Bible -- she was eight months pregnant, oops.

Comments

Hi John, Looks like we're cousins, but relationship shows uncertain on line 22 of the trail.   ( 12. Katherine is the daughter of George Fauntleroy [uncertain]  )   Assuming Katherine is the daughter of George we're 17th once removed cousins. 

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John that oop's made me smile LARGE. There have been a few of them in my family as well."To err is human to forgive divine"

Answer 2

I like for them to know that their great grandmother Mabel R (Keys) St. Sauveur, Fleming, Gagne and Garde had five different last names, and her career was a stay at home mom with nine children. That lead to having 26 plus grandchildren. So there would be a bunch of cousins out there related to them. 

That one of their cousins didn't find out until she was 67 years old that she had a sister!  Apparently Frank Barry Sr had another family in the early 1900's before my family came about. 

Answer 3

I have began to share some of this with my nieces already. Our paternal line came to New Amsterdam in 1661 and we have a line by marriage to their 5th great granddad that goes back to Anneke Jans Bogardus who first settled here with her family in 1630.

We have two direct ancestors, a father and son, who are verified by the DAR as Revolutionary War Patriots and we have multiple relatives that served in the American Civil War. Our family line back to France is from a rural area SW of the ancient city of Lille.

What triggered this genealogical pursuit for me was a photo, a few memorial cards and some letters written by an uncle that died long before we were born. I place these little "bits" in front of the nieces occasionally, and ask them questions to hopefully light the spark in someone. How I wish that I had this passion back when I was their age. There has been some interest in the family history to nurture. Thanks for the question, Deborah.

Answer 4

Well my g-grandmother on my mothers side was a hair dresser for hookers (according to the divorce papers) and I have a third cousin on my fathers side that was killed in the Oklahoma City bombing. I have also found that my family has been involved in every major occurrence in American history, the "Mayflower", King Phillips War, Declaration of Independence, Revolutionary War, Constitution, Bill of Rights, War of 1812, etc, etc, through WWII.

Comments

Lol me too. Either we are related or our ancestors probably all knew each other.

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Hi Tom,

Relationship finder says we're 21st cousins (uncertain.). Assumably only because line 21 of the trail shows one uncertain:  Walter is the son of Eleanor (Beauchamp) de Beauchamp [uncertain].   Otherwise I share lots of your stories and our ancestors must have known each other or were in the same region. 

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Hi Mary, it looks like we're 20th cousins once removed. Hi cousin!

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Hey Cynthia,

Wish I could fill in just one little hole in my lines back to royalty. All three lines that go back that far have one teeny tiny little hole that I can't document. It's a sure bet that two of then are accurate, but not documentable. I think I'm a royal pain any way!!

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Hi cousin. It is fun finding all the obscure info and places that tie us all together. Too bad we can't document back to Noah or Adam. We're all related somewhere- somehow- too bad folks forget that.

Answer 5

Lots of great information to pass along. My family was one of the founders of the United States of America - having arrived in New Amsterdam (soon to be New York City) around 1632. He built some of the first homes in the area. He was an owner of Wall Street - likely one of the first owners of that property. Our family spread out from that beginning and there are now members of my family that extend into many states across the nation and some beyond.

I have Revolutionary War officers in my line - possibly Civil War - definitely World War II, a Berlin Airlift, and Desert Storm. While our family is not hugely military, we have a fairly rich history there.

We're related to some famous people, too. Humphrey Bogart was a blood relative. I have royal blood in my veins (although it's way way back).

I now know more about the immediate past and my direct ancestors (parents, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.) than I ever knew before, and have tried to document much of it. I can only hope that one day, when I'm no longer able to continue to contribute to my family history that someone will carry this on.

Comments

It is interesting how many of us have ancestors that share a lot of that history. My ancestor from New Amsterdam had an odd name that I always was glad I didn't inherit.

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Hi Scott, I knew we had something more in common other than Wikitree! We are 10th cousins 1x removed with John Baldwin of Milford, CT as our common ancestor.

Answer 6

Hi Deborah! Nice question! I feel a long answer coming! :D

I've found so much information during all my searching. Some I was so surprised over so I shared it with family and friends. 

One of my most remarkable founds I think was, after I read lots about the big migrations of the Dutch to Iowa during the 19th century, on my search I bounced through my mothers mothers line into the family Breen. One of my ancestors Maria Breen married a mr. Lauwe in 1848 and they left for the USA by ship in 1849 following Referent Hendrik Jan Scholte. 

Here I found a second Maria Breen in the USA with the same birthdates but married to a Gradus Vriezelaar, so a second profile of Maria Breen made by a very nice American Lady. (who provided later pictures and dates of descendants at the USA. I love the cooperations here!) 

So my search was to show that that wasn't possible.This Maria was married to a mr Lauwe!! :)

Wonder o wonder. There is a  travel journal written by a passenger of the journey of the ship Maria Breen and mr.Lauwe were on with their 3 month old son!!! Sadly learning us that many people got ill and passed during the rough sailing. Also Mr.Lauwe passed away during the trip. 

And here we found our answers for the descendants of Maria Breen married mr.Lauwe and later in the USA mr. Vriezelaar. 

Maria Breen arrived at the age of 24 years with only a son of about 4 months at the USA. I can only imagen how hard that was.......... 

I feel so lucky with these kind of findings. It keeps me moving! 

Thank you WikiTree for letting me. :) 

A.

 

[http://www.wikitree.com/index.php?title=Lauwe-16]

 

 

 

 

Comments

Hi Astrid or should I say cousin. Relationship too says we're 22nd cousins. Isn't wikitree great!

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Wow Cynthia! That is just so great! This trail tells us that John is the 21st great grandfather of Cynthia/Astrid.!!!

 I have a new cousin!!! And I never knew I had a Beauchamp in my family! Thank you for sharing! :)
"34 common ancestors were found between Astrid and Cynthia within 25 generations." 

Keeps me going, as I see some that seem now my anchestors without sources! :D Work to do! 

 
WikiLove!
 

Astrid

 

 

Answer 7

I have a family with a lot of wanderlust.  my nieces and nephews and children travel whenever possible.  It is exciting to me they are already catching the genealogy bug and look for answers when they are near a known 'relative' location.

Answer 8

I hope to pass on to my family the Faith of our Fathers and their struggles in our amazing American Heritage. Some of my favorite direct descendants: MAYFLOWER : Of the six ancestors on the Mayflower three died the first year in 1621: John Tilley, Joan Hurst Tilley, and Thomas Rogers.  The remaining three survived, married and had families that have multiplied through the generations:  ElizabethTilley married John Howland in 1621 and Joseph Rogers married Hannah ? Churchman.   MINISTERS: 1) Deacon Thomas Kendall (arrived 1640) and Deacon Thomas Parker (arrived 1635) children married and their great-great grandson Kendall Parker fought in the American Revolutionary War.  In the Parker Family 26 members fought in the American Revolutionary War. 2) Rev. Robert Jordan married Sarah in 1644.  She is daughter of Gov. Jonathan Winter (ME). Their son Domincus Jordan was killed (1703 French-English War) by Indians from hatchet blow to the head.  Domincus’ family were taken to Canada and ransomed after 7 years. 3) Rev. Francis Marbury’s daughter: Anne Marbury Hutchinson, Puritan antinominian Controvery that shook MA Bay Colony;  Anne believed in Free Grace – “By Grace are Ye Saved”.  Anne and her family were attacked by the Siwanoy Indians in Aug. 1643.  All died except one daughter Susanna (some say because she had red hair), she was captured, ransomed and returned after 2 – 6 years.

Comments

Hi Jennifer, relationship finder shows we're 22nd cousins once removed. Hi cousin.

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Hi. My Brownell ancestors followed Anne when she was expelled from Mass and moved to RI. Many families moved with her family. Pretty amazing that Anne had a bigger "congregation" than any official church did. The families that followed her were "disarmed" and many were able to sell their property, but all over a difference in faith. Anne suffered a lot for her faith. she was held under house arrest in her enemies home for a winter. She miscarried a child that winter while under arrest and trial. Many said it was a monster and proved her alliance with the devil. Have to remember this is the same group that later killed "witches".

Answer 9

So many things it would be hard to single them all out. We have had patriots in every conflict this country has been in, sometimes on both sides. I'm presently on my 2nd Mayflower application out of 18 in the queue. One of my personal favorites is my Grandparents house where I lived many a summer was built before 1830 in Bangor, Maine  on fitted stones and hand hewn beams and the old oak tree in the yard might have been there when the British burned the town.

Mostly it was sturdy yeoman stock with a few colorful bad apples but it stretches from the Magna Carta through today - yet, it is a small, private family just with deep roots.

Oh, and a distant relative, a Gass, owned the land Los Vegas is on but he only sold it because he was broke himself.

Comments

Hi Christopher, interesting story about the Las Vegas land. Relationship tool says we're cousins- 22nd once removed.

Answer 10

A bit of interesting information that my husband and I want to make sure our children and grandchildren see is about his maternal great-grandmother.  My husband and his mother remember her as a strict, unmoving, rather harsh grandmother.  We found through our searches that she came over from Germany by herself at 18 years old, got a job as a domestic, married and became widowed within 5 years or so.  She had a 2 year old and was pregnant with second.  So once again by herself she traveled back to Germany and had her second child, a son.  She was Jewish and wanted her son to be a US citizen, so back she came with a 6 month old and 2 1/2 year old, again by herself.  She traveled across the country so she could lie about the son and say he was born in the US, and married a man on the west coast who raised her two children as his own.  She may have been crusty but she was one tough lady and I want my girls and granddaughters to understand the strength of this remarkable grandmother.  We found her travel papers, and maiden name.  Nannie Huper Jacoby Walske

Comments

Hi Robin- I've learned to be grateful for those tough women, as often it was that toughness that got them through. How fortunate they were tough or many of us would never had been born possibly.

Answer 11

Aside from learning I am the gxgranddaughter of 8 Mayflower passengers, I am preparing some information for my grandaughter to take to school Monday.  Her gifted and talented class is learning about the Civil War, so I am assembling information about two of her 4xgreat- grandfathers who served the Union in that War.  

  One was in the Navy.  He was an immigrant from Denmark and was a sailor by profession.  He was on the USS Seneca when it attacked Fort Fisher, NC.  Coincidentally, we have visited Fort Fisher several times while at our favorite vacation spot, Kure Beach NC!  

  The other was in the Union Army.  He was captured by the Rebs and held at the infamous Andersonville Prison.  He was among those being transferred to other (less crowded?) prisons when he escaped from the prison train in Florence, SC.  He made his way back to his unit and continued to serve until the end of the war.

Comments

Hi Joan, apparently we're 22nd cousins, once removed. It's great how you're sharing your knowledge and love of genealogy with your grandkids.

Answer 12

My grandmother dated Rudy Valleé for two years, she's in his autobiography and I found two love letters that he wrote to her.

My grandfather was first married, in a double first cousin situation, to the first cousin of Porter Cole. His wife was named after Porter Cole's mother.

Comments

Interesting story! I'm a double cousin too and I don't hear many stories regarding that scenario. Glad to hear one.

Answer 13

I have a couple - Hickok family line, I'm related to Wild Bill:-) Our family on both parents sides were deeply involved in the Revolutionary War, 2xg grandfathers (Died and POW) and 2g Uncles (Died and POW)  were in the Battle of Gettysburg.  North and South. My 3xg grandfather built a house in 1840 that ended up in the line of fire at Gettysburg. (McMillan House)  My grandfather was a Navy doctor stationed at the White House during the FDR Admin. My Dad flew the TBM Avenger torpedo bomber in WWII - Dad and Bush 41 were in the same squadron.

Comments

That is quite a story to pass along to the next generation.

Answer 14

This last year, I have learned that I have 2 living aunts, and a half sister on my father's side. My grandfather was Clayton Bowden Duke Jr. born in San Antonio TX. His father, Clayton Bowden Duke Sr., was the great grandson of Green Berry Duke and Lou P. Bowden, who are also the great grandparents of the late Gov. John Bowden Connally who was shot and injured while riding in the passenger seat in the car with President John F. Kennedy at the time of his assassination. Connally's wife was driving. My kids can say that their cousin was a major person involved in one of the biggest ongoing assassination investigations in US history!

Back to my grandfather, Clayton B. Duke Jr, he got a divorce from my grandmother in 1952, and married another woman by 1953, on the day before Thanksgiving of 1956, he took his shotgun and shot his new wife point blank through the bedroom door that she was leaning up against, and killed her instantly. My father was the only witness to his new mother's murder, and he was only 9 years old. My grandfather was sentenced, and served only 18 months in the Huntsville State Prison, for the murder of his wife. A book has been written about the trials, and is in publication by a man named Fred Armstrong, who was a 13 year old boy at the time of the murder, and remembered the flurry of excitement that took place all over the town of Victoria, TX. His father and my grandfather were friends, and some of my grandfather's belongings were kept at Mr. Armstrong's house while my grandfather did an amazingly short amount of time in the pen.

I also learned that my grandmother, Margaret Eileen Wilshaw, married my grandfather, Clayton, shortly after they met in England during WWII. Both were serving for their countries, Duke for America, and Wilshaw for the UK. She arrived in the US in 1946 with her new baby and stayed with Clayton's mother in Texas while they waited for him to come home from war. 2 more children were born unto these two, and after the divorce, all of them were split up. My grandmother had 2 more children in 1953, and 1954 that were given up for adoption in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and we are looking for them.

These things, though I have found out much much more in this last year, I would say, would be the most interesting for my children to hear when they are ready to listen.

Comments

What fascinating stories to pass along. Did you know those before joining wikitree, or as many of us learned the information or details after joining wikitree?

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I am really really new to wikitree, so I am learning more about how to use the site right now, but have learned everything pretty much about my father and any info pertaining to his side of the family in this last year via a collection of newspaper articles, ancestry.com, DNA, finding living relatives of his etc. Stories from his sisters, and news have the "gossip" bits, and ancestry has the family information, or sources.

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Welcome to wikitree Erin!

Answer 15

I don't have children, but I did discover something to pass on to my mother and 84 year old cousin.  It was thought my mom's grandfather was an orphan, but he was placed into state foster care when he was 1 after his mother died.  I discovered a large and rich history for him including Revolutionary war vets and historical figures in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

I just wish my aunt and grandmother (mom's sister and mother) were still alive so I could have told them.

Comments

Bret I've learned that many of us are spurred to actively work on family genealogy after we've lost a loved one. I always dabbled only until I lost family members and now wish I had sooner like you. But how wonderful you are exploring and sharing with other family. By the relationship finder says we are cousins but "uncertain."  One line of your link shows it's uncertain relationship ( Daniel is the son of Alice (Lisle) Hoar [uncertain]  )

Answer 16

I have discovered our Mayflower and Jamestown brave ancestors. But also a lot of medical information. Heart problems and mental health. Lots of suicides! Many more than normal, I believe. So that is something to watch for in family members. Otherwise the people seem to live a looong time.

Comments

Betty have you done DNA test by 23and me? I've not done theirs but I hear people saying they did that one specifically for the health component. Maybe that would give you additional insight.

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Prometheus.com (spelling?) does a health report for you for something like $5 with any main testing company. You can also research it yourself with your report.

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Good to know thanks for sharing the website.

Answer 17

Since joining WikiTree, I have found that I am related to about 35 of the US Presidents, all of the British Monarchs since William the Conqueror and a few famous people (both current and historical). But I'm most excited about all the new cousins I have found and actually got to meet Kelly (Sullivan-756) who is my 5th cousin 1X removed. And that's what it's all about!

Comments

I totally agree with your comment- wikitree at its best is about the here and now and finding family. Btw- relationship finder says we're 18th cousins.

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Hello Cousin!!!

Answer 18

I am excited to find that my ancestors came over with Wiliam Penn. That my family have been in many wars that influenced the development of the United States and individual states as well. I love history and to learn the history of my family generations and to know some of them helped to develop and settle states such as Tennessee, Oregon, etc. Makes me proud to know family history. That some served in the Rev. War, The War between the States, and many other wars, I have family that were in Nam, in Desert Storm, and family still in the service, I love this Country, and with all the faults and failures that have come and gone it is to me still the Greatest Nation ever. My grandparents bought their first farm from Daniel Boone, and generations later, my son married a girl whose grandfather is direct blood line to Daniel Boone!! These things amaze me. I love being able to research and find these facts here on Wikitree!!

Comments

Nice hearing about Daniel Boone, I was just wondering last month why no one had mentioned being related to him.

Answer 19

All the well-known names in the family tree, that reads like a global map, but I haven't shared all of them. Although most are great, some are not.

Answer 20

The fact that my extended Hibbard connection,  "MY BRICK WALL", which is totally new to me, has any connection, in anyway, with the MAYFLOWER.  Not in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that we had this line to it.   I am a 1st cousin 6 x removed from Mary Durkee Brewster, who married  Dr. John Brewster.  Being able to discover this  is just amazing.  My mother, who is long past, would be even more thrilled by it than I am and just the thought of that makes it truly the greatest find of my 40 years of research.  This is my legacy to my family today and forever.