Research Brings Amazing Results
@just4him (323168)
Green Bay, Wisconsin
May 4, 2016 4:51pm CST
I love to research information for my books. I do all kinds, including names common for a time period and one such as I'm working with I don't want to give someone a common name you would find today but nobody would have even thought of back in the 1700's.
I needed a last name for one of my characters, that I didn't realize I hadn't given one for before then, and went to do some research.
Now an interesting site I came up with dealt with all the people who came over on the Mayflower. Now one thing my X bragged about was that his ancestors had been on the Mayflower, so as I'm reading down the list in alphabetical order, there it was. I was surprised, having never come across it before. I went to tell my son, and he was in that duh mode.
So okay, there are some things I need to see in black and white to verify things were as people say, and yes, my husband's family did come over on the Mayflower. Since he also had American Indian ancestry as well he liked to say his ancestors were on the boat and met the boat.
So it has been a fruitful and interesting day so far.
I'm just getting started with my novel for today, but I thought that was interesting enough to share.
Do you have an interesting background?
Thanks for reading.
10 people like this
11 responses
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
5 May 16
So do I. I don't think I'm on any kind of list like that. Though I do have a relative I met through FB that is doing the whole roots thing with my family. There is a city in Belgium with my last name - one of it's spellings.
Sometime or another we came from England on my mom's side and germany on my dad's. LOL
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
5 May 16
I know some of my ancestors were Hugenot's who escaped France's brutal Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
5 May 16
@just4him it is yes - my dad's ancestor's were protestants and at some point in the late 19th or early 20th century my great grand-parents converted to Catholicism - the very people who were their persecutors in 1572, which caused a lot of friction in the family.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
5 May 16
@arthurchappell I would imagine the friction in the family. It remains today when people change their religions. It tears the family apart. It did mine for the longest time. Only my mom was Catholic and converted to Lutheran. So it isn't surprising at all there would be that kind of friction and animosity.
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16568)
• Ireland
5 May 16
wow that's very amazing.. ya my lineage is very old and have odd offshoots and deep roots
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16568)
• Ireland
6 May 16
@just4him ya! it can be difficult to trace if someone didn't keep records. on my paternal side, I know am the 28 generation of that lineage.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
6 May 16
@Drosophila That's quite a ways down. I have two relatives who are doing the roots thing for my family, but no known people famous for anything so far. My husband's side was rife with famous people.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 May 16
There are stories that an ancestor was a teacher in the Appalachian mountains in the same area an early president grew up in, which leads one to think he might have taught same president, who I honestly dont remember, how to read, but dunno on validity of that one lol
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
6 May 16
@just4him I actually don't know much about much of mine, esp not dad's side. I know a set a great great great grandparents came from Germany after they were married. I want to say fleeing a war, but dunno for sure on that one
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
6 May 16
@Jessicalynnt I've been trying to think about what there is about my family, but other than some pastors and teachers, this family doesn't have anything interesting about it.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
6 May 16
Interesting. My kids are related to Aaron Burr who killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel behind the White House and I think, but not certain they could be also related to President Polk through my late mother-in-law. My husband's side of the family is more interesting than mine. There is also a famous Puritan Preacher in his family - Jonathon Edwards. I wish I could come up with even one person of interest in my family.
1 person likes this
@CRK109 (14556)
• United States
5 May 16
wow that's really fascinating! My best friend's family had also come over on the Mayflower. She had done a lot of research into their background while she was alive and I loved hearing all of the stories she uncovered. I'm still digging and learning nothing! lol
1 person likes this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
6 May 16
It is fun to research information for whatever reason. I have done it many times for one reason or another. Some guy on my father's side was supposed to have won a gold medal at an Olympics for fastest runner or something like that. I never checked it out but might be an idea to do so.
1 person likes this
@Elizaby (6902)
• Pensacola, Florida
4 May 16
Yes from being descendant from Mary Queen of Scots to 3 brothers of French Nobility escaping having their heads chopped off during the French revolution and coming to America. There is a castle in France in the city of Guise that still stands today from that time period that I would like to one day see.
1 person likes this
@AnneEJ (4917)
• Dollard-Des-Ormeaux, Quebec
5 May 16
Very interesting. I like that quote from your husband about his ancestors.
@Genipher (5405)
• United States
5 May 16
On my mother's side, my grandma has done a lot of research into our genealogy. Turns out, we have a lot of nuns and priests in our history. Funny, because we're not Catholic.
On my father's side, there's a story that we once owned an island (about a mile in size) off the east coast. Supposedly we sold it off to the government for the grand total of $1!
I love the way your husband's family "was on the boat and met the boat". That's a great expression!
1 person likes this
