Advent Talk
General Category => General Discussions => Topic started by: bonnie on May 18, 2008, 05:51:12 AM
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Anyone ever take the time to explore where some family traditions originated? Genealogy research can become almost addicting. What may have had a role in shaping who you are? My mother was adopted following the death of her mother from the flu outbreak of 1918. She had so many questions and it was so much fun and intriguing to put so many pieces of the puzzle together for her.
Finding the close family connections to so many names in the history books as Ulysses grant etc
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I am blessed to have a sister-in-law and a cousin who have done a lot of genealogical research for our family. ( My s-i-l's own sister has researched their own family).
One of the most fascinating things has been to find we are descended from convicts! That may sound strange to nonAussies, and it is probably why my grandfather would never talk about his origins. But his mother was the daughter of two petty thieves who were transported to Tasmania from the old country - my greatgrandmother was born in Launceston, Tasmania in 1846. Since we in this country have become more interested in our national traditions, it is quite socially acceptable to claim this sort of ancestry ;D
Another ancestor I was pleased to hear about is a Danish lady who was a village midwife who earned a medal from the local governor for her 'labours'. I like to think I am carrying on her tradition in my own profession.
I agree Bonnie, it is indeed very interesting.
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Yep! Yep! I am addicted. Have been for many years! I hope they never find the cure! If they do find a cure, don't tell them who/where I am, OK? :dunno:
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Yep! Yep! I am addicted. Have been for many years! I hope they never find the cure! If they do find a cure, don't tell them who/where I am, OK? :dunno:
It is addicting, that is for sure. I am constantly amazed at the little pieces of family history perserved down thru the years. Ours began with little or no information. My grnadparents had left MN after after their marriage and ended in Baker, Mt. Due to the times, there was not much contact and then my grandmother died there so it was pretty sketchy. But a great deal to be found
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I am blessed to have a sister-in-law and a cousin who have done a lot of genealogical research for our family. ( My s-i-l's own sister has researched their own family).
One of the most fascinating things has been to find we are descended from convicts! That may sound strange to nonAussies, and it is probably why my grandfather would never talk about his origins. But his mother was the daughter of two petty thieves who were transported to Tasmania from the old country - my greatgrandmother was born in Launceston, Tasmania in 1846. Since we in this country have become more interested in our national traditions, it is quite socially acceptable to claim this sort of ancestry ;D
Another ancestor I was pleased to hear about is a Danish lady who was a village midwife who earned a medal from the local governor for her 'labours'. I like to think I am carrying on her tradition in my own profession.
I agree Bonnie, it is indeed very interesting.
Doesn't sound strange to this non-aussie. My mother was mortified do learn her dad shot a man for cheating at cards.
MT was still pretty wild in 1915 and seems they took care of their own problems. My grandfather was a gambler as well as a rancher.
He caught the guy he was playing cards with cheating, So what else could he do?? Shot him in the side and he did recover. Bet he thought twice about cheating the next time. :ROFL: Mom was so happy to learn he had not died
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The toughness of those in that generation that left everything and came over here is incredible.
The adversity they faced and never missed a beat. Today we would be whining and refuse to face another day.
We used to make up stories about our grandmother based on the picture I have enclosed. Just silly kids. This was the one picture my mother was given when she finally found her brother in 1933.
To us she was a real life Annie Oakley. When I took mom to MT to her birthplace, we were able to visit with those that had known her. One man,98 years old, clear as a bell,had been one of her pallbearers.
My grandmother's days many times consisted of riding the range all day with two small children. My mom a baby, and her brother 3 years old on a pony tied to his mother's horse. The way she is dressed was typical garb for her, complete with the gun. It was said she was a crack shot. She needed the guns for snakes,both crawling and the two legged variety. No one doubted she would use it.
And we worry about a little gas price increase.
It was so interesting to learn the personal things about her parents. My siblings and I grew up hearing when times got tough, "Stand Fast Never Waver". When in MT we learned that was carved in a sign that hung over the door to the ranch house. My mother must have heard this as a child and remembered without knowing where the memory came from
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Yep! Yep! I am addicted. Have been for many years! I hope they never find the cure! If they do find a cure, don't tell them who/where I am, OK? :dunno:
I don't want to know if there is a cure either, coz I LOVE this addiction. :purr:
Right at this moment, our eldest daughter, son in law, and one of our son's daughters are in Germany, in the very town my husband's great grand father was born. They are spending time in libraries and other places today, doing more research. I just read about it on their blog.
They're a bit impatient with me, coz I didn't have a lot more definitive information ready for them, before they left for Europe, but hey! I've spent years researching my side of the family and some of my husband's, so it's about time that the younger ones gave me a hand.
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I am a geneaology addict too. I think it's a great way to study history. Makes it come alive to realize what your ancestors were doing in 1874 or earlier......
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I am a geneaology addict too. I think it's a great way to study history. Makes it come alive to realize what your ancestors were doing in 1874 or earlier......
OHHHHHHH and what some of mine were doing :ROFL:
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Is it very naughty to say how interesting it is, the difference in pregnancy length between the first and the later children? :oops:
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Is it very naughty to say how interesting it is, the difference in pregnancy length between the first and the later children? :oops:
There were a lot of babies that "came early" in those years :ROFL:. What I was so surprised at is the fact so many of my ancestors,others to of course,but they were the ones I followed, that had mistresses. Not only that the wife knew and it was okay as long as they were kept away from the town. My mother's family came to Canada from Scotland, and didn't really find that to be true in the states as much. The illegitimate children were even acknowledged in the will and left a portion of the estate.
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Is it very naughty to say how interesting it is, the difference in pregnancy length between the first and the later children? :oops:
It was working on genealogy that got me into so much strife with my mother-in-law, and I was never forgiven for doing that research. I got various birth, death and marriage certificates, and genealogists do, and came up with her husband's birth certificate (my husband's father) and then the marriage certificate for his parents and found that it only took 5 months for the twins to arrive.
Mother had hidden that information from her husband all those years, to the extent of hiding his parent's marriage certificate, so that he never ever knew (oh, such a disgrace), and I unearthed the information and had the audacity to find it and even enter the dates into a computer file, so that others could see. SHAME! SHAME on me! :oops: :rabbit:
That was only one of my 'cardinal sins'!
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Absolutely for shame, Ozzie!!!! With your medical background you should be well aware that twins very often arrive early :ROFL:
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Ozzie,
You should have seen my mother's reaction when some of her relatives surfaced. Thought I would have to call the paramedics.
When she found out the very close relation to Aneheuser-Busch brewery it was almost more than she could take. She didn't want anyone to know. Here in the states that one is well known and a biggy
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Absolutely for shame, Ozzie!!!! With your medical background you should be well aware that twins very often arrive early :ROFL:
Yes but... with that medical knowledge, I also realise that 24 week twin premmies would not have had too much of a chance to thrive back in 1899! :oops: (done it again!)
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Ozzie,
You should have seen my mother's reaction when some of her relatives surfaced. Thought I would have to call the paramedics.
When she found out the very close relation to Aneheuser-Busch brewery it was almost more than she could take. She didn't want anyone to know. Here in the states that one is well known and a biggy
Oh dear! Some of the stories I was led to believe when I was young and innocent! :ROFL: Like the priest only got around once a year to marry all the couples (but they'd already had a 'civil marriage' - no records anywhere though to confirm that line). What spin we were fed. :dunno:
Then, finding out that my grand mother had actually given birth to a daughter before she even met my grandfather and that her mother adopted the daughter. Rather confusing having an aunt who is really a sister! :purr:
Did they really believe that every one was so dense? One thing they didn't bargain on, and that was computers and 'knowledge being increased' and people 'running to and fro', so that we now have the ability to track so much history.
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Ozzie,
You should have seen my mother's reaction when some of her relatives surfaced. Thought I would have to call the paramedics.
When she found out the very close relation to Aneheuser-Busch brewery it was almost more than she could take. She didn't want anyone to know. Here in the states that one is well known and a biggy
Oh dear! Some of the stories I was led to believe when I was young and innocent! :ROFL: Like the priest only got around once a year to marry all the couples (but they'd already had a 'civil marriage' - no records anywhere though to confirm that line). What spin we were fed. :dunno:
Then, finding out that my grand mother had actually given birth to a daughter before she even met my grandfather and that her mother adopted the daughter. Rather confusing having an aunt who is really a sister! :purr:
Did they really believe that every one was so dense? One thing they didn't bargain on, and that was computers and 'knowledge being increased' and people 'running to and fro', so that we now have the ability to track so much history.
Those babies always told the story didn't they. I am sure no one ever believed that the true story would come out. How tough that must have been for some of those poor women that were blamed and disgraced as if they did it all alone
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A written history of your family makes a great and lasting gift.
After my mother past away,we were afraid her life's story would be forgotten. The Christmas following her death,I wrote her life's story and had it bound in book form. Her life was an inspiration to many . It was made even more interesting and worthy of not being forgotten because of her early years and adoption following the death of her mother to the flu of 1918.
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Ozzie,
You should have seen my mother's reaction when some of her relatives surfaced. Thought I would have to call the paramedics.
When she found out the very close relation to Aneheuser-Busch brewery it was almost more than she could take. She didn't want anyone to know. Here in the states that one is well known and a biggy
Oh dear! Some of the stories I was led to believe when I was young and innocent! :ROFL: Like the priest only got around once a year to marry all the couples (but they'd already had a 'civil marriage' - no records anywhere though to confirm that line). What spin we were fed. :dunno:
Then, finding out that my grand mother had actually given birth to a daughter before she even met my grandfather and that her mother adopted the daughter. Rather confusing having an aunt who is really a sister! :purr:
Did they really believe that every one was so dense? One thing they didn't bargain on, and that was computers and 'knowledge being increased' and people 'running to and fro', so that we now have the ability to track so much history.
Those babies always told the story didn't they. I am sure no one ever believed that the true story would come out. How tough that must have been for some of those poor women that were blamed and disgraced as if they did it all alone
Hey Ozzie: My sister worked for many years as an OB nurse. She always said, "The first one can come anytime. :hot: After that, it takes nine months." :purr:
GrammieT :usa: :dogwag:
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Hey Ozzie: My sister worked for many years as an OB nurse. She always said, "The first one can come anytime. :hot: After that, it takes nine months." :purr:
GrammieT :usa: :dogwag:
I have often tried to imagine what it was like for women 100 years ago(actually not that long) to face what they did when the pregnancy became obvious. Or a young woman without family support and daddy taking a hike as soon as he got the "good News"
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Hey Ozzie: My sister worked for many years as an OB nurse. She always said, "The first one can come anytime. :hot: After that, it takes nine months." :purr:
GrammieT :usa: :dogwag:
I have often tried to imagine what it was like for women 100 years ago(actually not that long) to face what they did when the pregnancy became obvious. Or a young woman without family support and daddy taking a hike as soon as he got the "good News"
It would have been really tough for them.
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Things change, now in the OB business we always refer to 'partner' and not to husband unless we know them well enough to be sure what the bond is.
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Things change, now in the OB business we always refer to 'partner' and not to husband unless we know them well enough to be sure what the bond is.
What I found that seemed so odd was the "illegitimate" ofspring,(nasty word) was many times claimed by the biological father and acknowledged in the will. Of course they needed to live out of town or if a large town, on the outskirts, away from "polite" company". The women of course were not. As if they were no longer worthy to be recognized.
Must have been tough being a woman in those years.
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This topic thread was just now for me such a fascinating read.
I am all inspired. Could you please help me begin by telling me how to start?
I have great grandparents as immigrants from Europe come over on the boat and probably landed at Ellis Island. Otherwise I have no connection to any relative who knows anything of our past ancestry.
Could you two help me get started, please?
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This topic thread was just now for me such a fascinating read.
I am all inspired. Could you please help me begin by telling me how to start?
I have great grandparents as immigrants from Europe come over on the boat and probably landed at Ellis Island. Otherwise I have no connection to any relative who knows anything of our past ancestry.
Could you two help me get started, please?
You will be surprised how much the older generation knows that they think they don't. Start with what you do know, living at time of death etc.
We had nothing but the sketchy memories of my mother and her brother,5 & 7 when their world was turned upside down following the death of their mother. We knew their birthplace and what orphnage they were sent to and that was about it. Prior to doing research my father accidently discovered part of my mother's maternal family. Their knowledge was limited as my grandmother married and moved to MT from MN, making contact pretty hit and miss.
Even newspaper articles can be of a great help. Years ago the small town newspaper would report even a luncheon and who attened. I searched for a relative for years. I stumbled across a article in the social portion of the paper.
I had looked for a man named Gene,only to find out it was Eugene. Found him with one phone call to information.
Obits in papers are another good source for relatives. If you have a name to begin with, you can generally find out by starting his last address and working backwards.
Census are a little eye crossing to read, but can be a fountain of info. I located my g.grandparents thru there. We had some reports by then that G.grandma had been a very formidable woman, especially for her day. The census was revealing as she is listed as owner of several properties and my g.grandfather as the border.
Write a list of what you know and then give us what you feel comfortable doing, no names,just the info you have. Maybe I or someone else can help you get started from there.
Don't be surprised at what skeletons start to rattle. We all have them
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I have been rolling this over in my mind and wonder if I went to some LDS Mormon archive genealogy research center if I would get contacts to certain documents. Especially about ships setting sail for America and their passenger lists. It seems such a mammoth undertaking to get the ball rolling. I have such little to go on as to my ancestry search. I just have this strong curiosity of where they lived, what for jobs they had and if they were all members of the RCC over there in Europe. My aunts, uncles, parents, siblings, grand and great-grandparents are all dead. It seems I should have started earlier in asking questions. My three living cousins are all moved away from the places I knew of and live somewhere in Texas, New Jersey but I don't know where. Remarriage has change their names so I can easily find them through a search.
Oh, well, it was nice reading your account, Bonnie with your suggestions. I am glad you were able to for yourself find some relatives of the past. I like identity that comes from seeing how DNA produces interesting people.
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Interesting to read. . . Here in Iceland we have quite different possibilities. Every citizen can register to use a genealogical net which shows his ancestry and all of his relatives back to about 1500 or 1600. There I can find all of my father's ancestors and relatives, but not my mother's because she was Danish and there are no records of her ancestors. I can figure out how closely related I am to any other citizen, and most Icelanders are related no further back than 8 or 9 generations.
A couple of months ago we had a gathering of relatives, offspring of my grandparents. About 150 came for the gathering, where I happened to be the main speaker. I discovered a number of relatives I had never heard of before. We all decided to have more such gatherings in the future.
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I found some names of people in a local library within some geneology magazines. These were in lists of people who came in on boats from Europe. Some appeared to be familiar. I sent whatever info I found to my sister who was working on the early part of our geneology. This helped her a lot and filled in some cracks.
One time I was at the Washington State Library in Tacoma and found a list of names of people who were in the military. One of them showed two military men who lived next door to each other in Virginia. There is a small possibility that the two became related through marriage but we are not sure. I have never been back to view the book.
Sometimes you can find certain family names in books in libraries. These are all within the geneology section of the library.
I would go to a local LDS library but would not depend on it fully as completely true. This would just help you get started. Shows dates of birth who parents are siblings, marriage, children where lived and died. Getting marriage, death, birth certificates for proof are best to obtain. This can be spendy but you do get the true family history instead of manipulation to become related to some famous person.
Writing to the town where the person was suposed to have been born, married, died, purchased property helps.
If there was anyone in the family who were in the military helps with looking for ancestors. This can also be found in the library.
Hope this helps some.
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Interesting to read. . . Here in Iceland we have quite different possibilities. Every citizen can register to use a genealogical net which shows his ancestry and all of his relatives back to about 1500 or 1600. There I can find all of my father's ancestors and relatives, but not my mother's because she was Danish and there are no records of her ancestors. I can figure out how closely related I am to any other citizen, and most Icelanders are related no further back than 8 or 9 generations.
A couple of months ago we had a gathering of relatives, offspring of my grandparents. About 150 came for the gathering, where I happened to be the main speaker. I discovered a number of relatives I had never heard of before. We all decided to have more such gatherings in the future.
Johann, my grandfather's family were Danish and we have some records going back to 1609 - of course they would not be automatically available in your country though. Who knows, we might have some forbears in common :)
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I have been rolling this over in my mind and wonder if I went to some LDS Mormon archive genealogy research center if I would get contacts to certain documents. Especially about ships setting sail for America and their passenger lists. It seems such a mammoth undertaking to get the ball rolling. I have such little to go on as to my ancestry search. I just have this strong curiosity of where they lived, what for jobs they had and if they were all members of the RCC over there in Europe. My aunts, uncles, parents, siblings, grand and great-grandparents are all dead. It seems I should have started earlier in asking questions. My three living cousins are all moved away from the places I knew of and live somewhere in Texas, New Jersey but I don't know where. Remarriage has change their names so I can easily find them through a search.
Oh, well, it was nice reading your account, Bonnie with your suggestions. I am glad you were able to for yourself find some relatives of the past. I like identity that comes from seeing how DNA produces interesting people.
There are places locally in most area's where you can research the Mormon records. They have miles of records on microfilm. Using what they have locally is free, or at least is here.
Sometimes they did not have in their files what I was looking for then it would be ordered. I think the fee was something like 3.00 One name and one location is enough to get started.
It seems really daunting, but when you get that first sucess, you are hooked