Your Ancestors

Heres a interesting thread!!!


Tell us about some of your family history!

Or if you even know any.

Are you related to someone famous?
Was your mom Irish?
Was your great grandpa a war hero?

Tell us here!

I have German and Cherokee Indian ancestry which is oddly enough also John Rambo's ancestry. HAHA!

Big hobby of mine!

Very far back on all lines I'm western European (mostly German, some English, a little Scottish, Irish, and Dutch).  All of that is WAAY back: I consider myself an American mutt.  The closest "off the boat" ancestor is a Great-great grandfather who came over from Germany in the late 1800's.  One line goes back to colonial Dutch (pre-New York) time.

I have Revolutionary War, 1812, Civil War, WWI, and WWII military ancestry.  One guy was at many of the major Civil War battles and somehow survived.

Famous people?  Maybe.  Some good and some bad.  I've seen other people's family trees online that indicate I'm a direct Mayflower descendant.  I haven't been able to prove it myself though.  On the bad side Benedict Arnold is a 4th cousin.

eatbugs wrote:On the bad side Benedict Arnold is a 4th cousin.

Ouch!

Well my moms side is pretty well known as my grandma on that side loves learning about our family's ancestry

My dads side is less known about and Ill get it out of the way.

My dads parents are both from Arkansas and my last name is Wilkinson.
They are as Southern as it gets and we are descendants of some Englishman.
The one interesting bit is my Grandma's grandma was full blooded Cherokee Indian!
So that makes me 1/32 ? Cherokee


My Moms side is pretty amazing!

My Grandma's grandpa was a Lebanese immigrant, who had moved west to join in on the Klondike gold rush, he stopped in Seattle to visit his sister and he met his future wife who was a friend of his sister. And he decided to stay in Washington, and "the rest is history"

My Grandpa's side is also from the south, they are from Georgia, and way, way up the family line, one of my relatives was a Confederate soldier during the Civil War and supposedly was a pretty high ranking officer in one of those famous battles   
That one I don't remember that well

Interesting. I know some of mine but there are probably family members who know more (I need to ask before they die off). On my dad's side we are of Scottish decent. I don't know much about my dad's side of the family other than my great-grandfather was named John. My grandfather was born in Missouri in 1914 but moved to Detroit in the 1930's to work in the booming industry. I was born in Pontiac, MI and my extended family worked at GM or some type of industry job. We moved to Tennessee in the summer of 1980.

My mom's side has a better record of the family (at least that I have seen, I am sure my dad's sister has more info on that side of the family). My great-grandfather was Aden Lynch, son of Gray Lynch (Born 1788 died in 1837 in Bedford County, TN). Aden built the Craighead County Courthouse in Jonesboro, Arkansas. After doing some searching I have found that someone else built this one in 1934. I do not know if part of the original is still with this building or not. Growing up I assumed this was the courthouse that he built, but I will have to ask. He was elected the first mayor of Jonesboro, AR in 1882 (which I have verified). Upon further research (just now) I found that the original courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1869.


I am sure there is more family history from some of the old timers. The last time I went to Jonesboro, AR I was probably 13 or 14. I remember an old aunt who was there and she was 105 at the time and could verify a lot of the information back then but as a young teen I cared nothing about family history. However, now that I am approaching 45 years old this was over 30 years ago so I do not know what family is left in Jonesboro. None that I really know sadly. And, considering I HATE small town, USA I have no desire ever to return there as I remember hating it there when I was a kid. 

I know the Lynch family did have a role in the Civil War. At one time Aden Lynch was the richest man in the state of Arkansas. 

Here is his headstone:



Thanks for posting this thread, I had been thinking of family history for some time. There is a lot out there on my mom's side of the family but not much on my dad's. I have considered Ancestry.com but memberships there are outrageously priced. Might be time to do some digging and see what I can find.

Hardcore Christian wrote:Heres a interesting thread!!!


Tell us about some of your family history!

This is DEFINITELY an interesting thread....

Anybody try that DNA test from Ancestory.com  they can break down what region/ethnicity you are genetically everybody I know who has done it has had one surprise or two. I havent done it because both of my parents have. I will one day when I can afford the 100 bucks to do it.  Ill get into more of that in a bit though....

My wife is a certified Genealogical researcher and teaches workshops throughout New England at public libraries. I also got my father started on it when I was 18.

Some interesting things about my lineage.....

One of my ancestors came to CT in the 1630s and was one of the founders of Hartford CT and served as one of the first state senators.  My daughter is the 11th generation Church, born in CT.   My father's side we have been able to trace back to the 1300s with John at Church who lived near the Essex area of England.  My mother's family came from Scotland but were mostly Irish. Through my mother's side I am related to Daniel Webster (Its either Daniel or Noah) but the one who originated Webster's dictionary. Also through that side (my mother's side that is) I am supposidly distantly related to Jessie James. 

My father's side is mostly English, but I have some Finnish "Volga" , Irish, English, Italian (which surprised me) and 1% African.  results from the DNA test I had mentioned. Also through my father's side I am related to an artist that was very well known out of Hudson Valley, and theres even a house of his works and stuff like a museum and his name is Fredrick Edwin Church.  Through my father's side I come from a long line of sea faring people, my great grandfather was an Oysterman by trade, I have direct relatives/ancestors who were Whaling Captains or ran supply ships during the Revolutionary War. I have alot of ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War. I probably could get into the Sons of the Revolution if i wanted. My father loves being out in the water and I find it very calming and spiritual to be out in the water.  I attribute this to my heritage.  My grandmother on my father's side is from Nova Scotia, Her maiden name was Nickerson, theres a family association in Mass that I know I could join easily as my grandmother was a Nickerson. Heh, she had alot of sea faring people in her lineage too. So its no surprise that i feel drawn to the water.My family has lived in CT for 4 centuries, Though my family line is thining out. My niece and daughter will probably carry it on genetically but not by name (unless my brother has a son at some point)

An interesting tidbit There was another Church settler who settled in Plymouth married the daughter of a passenger off the Mayflower who had sons and daughters one of them fought in the King Phillip's war with the Pequots I believe alot of the names are similar to my ancestors in that time period and all our research has said that both these families are related but does not say how. So thats always been a big mystery for me.

I have ancestors who fought as a Union soldier in the Civil War, Great-Uncle who my dad is named after servedin WW1 on the USS Fulton (if memory serves)

All I really know is that 3 generations ago, my mom's side of the family came over from Germany and my dad's family is originally from Switzerland. I know that my last name was changed from "Ebersol" to "Eversole". (Ebersol had some meaning with working in the "soil" ie farmers)

Thanks to my great grandma on my mom's side, I've got some Cherokee Indian in me. (not as much as my squaw errrr wife has though)
________________________

Not about me, but I used to work with a guy named Wyatt Earp. His great uncle (maybe great great uncle?) was THE Wyatt Earp.

I've traced my heritage all the way back to Noah, and then to Adam and Eve.

Aaron C wrote:

Hardcore Christian wrote:Heres a interesting thread!!!


Tell us about some of your family history!

This is DEFINITELY an interesting thread....

Anybody try that DNA test from Ancestory.com  they can break down what region/ethnicity you are genetically everybody I know who has done it has had one surprise or two. I havent done it because both of my parents have. I will one day when I can afford the 100 bucks to do it.  Ill get into more of that in a bit though....

My wife is a certified Genealogical researcher and teaches workshops throughout New England at public libraries. I also got my father started on it when I was 18.

Some interesting things about my lineage.....

One of my ancestors came to CT in the 1630s and was one of the founders of Hartford CT and served as one of the first state senators.  My daughter is the 11th generation Church, born in CT.   My father's side we have been able to trace back to the 1300s with John at Church who lived near the Essex area of England.  My mother's family came from Scotland but were mostly Irish. Through my mother's side I am related to Daniel Webster (Its either Daniel or Noah) but the one who originated Webster's dictionary. Also through that side (my mother's side that is) I am supposidly distantly related to Jessie James. 

My father's side is mostly English, but I have some Finnish "Volga" , Irish, English, Italian (which surprised me) and 1% African.  results from the DNA test I had mentioned. Also through my father's side I am related to an artist that was very well known out of Hudson Valley, and theres even a house of his works and stuff like a museum and his name is Fredrick Edwin Church.  Through my father's side I come from a long line of sea faring people, my great grandfather was an Oysterman by trade, I have direct relatives/ancestors who were Whaling Captains or ran supply ships during the Revolutionary War. I have alot of ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War. I probably could get into the Sons of the Revolution if i wanted. My father loves being out in the water and I find it very calming and spiritual to be out in the water.  I attribute this to my heritage.  My grandmother on my father's side is from Nova Scotia, Her maiden name was Nickerson, theres a family association in Mass that I know I could join easily as my grandmother was a Nickerson. Heh, she had alot of sea faring people in her lineage too. So its no surprise that i feel drawn to the water.My family has lived in CT for 4 centuries, Though my family line is thining out. My niece and daughter will probably carry it on genetically but not by name (unless my brother has a son at some point)

An interesting tidbit There was another Church settler who settled in Plymouth married the daughter of a passenger off the Mayflower who had sons and daughters one of them fought in the King Phillip's war with the Pequots I believe alot of the names are similar to my ancestors in that time period and all our research has said that both these families are related but does not say how. So thats always been a big mystery for me.

I have ancestors who fought as a Union soldier in the Civil War, Great-Uncle who my dad is named after servedin WW1 on the USS Fulton (if memory serves)

Very interesting, I did not know about the DNA test on Ancestry. That's cool but $100 bucks is a lot to spend. Perhaps someone else in my family has already had it done. I just know their memberships are like 30 bucks a month. I was thinking it was about $15 a year which isn't so bad but a month? Too much.

Aaron, you say that you have a love for living around coastal water but I wonder if you have to urge to rob banks or trains or use big words that no one understands so those of us would have to use a particular book to see what it means? 

Well you know now that you mention it I do get the occasional urges to rob banks and trains but I never can find a good posse to do those things with hehehe

I Do keep asking myself where is that dictionary fund cuz i havent seen a dime of it.  I used to like reading the dictionary when i was younger but I would never try to use big words id have to go look up. My wife on the other hand.... does like that

With Ancestory.com the basic basic i think is 30 bucks a month the top one is like a few hundred a year. I am sure as time goes on the DNA test will go down as it becomes more commonplace.  Its a tube you pretty much spit into.

I do like living on the coast just not New England coast lol. I love being out in the water,  something about the salt water air.....that just melts the daily worries away.

Cool stuff guys!

MikeInFla, you definitely want to ask before they die off.  One of the coolest things I have is a recording of my great-grandpa talking about our family history on his side for an ancestry project/family tree school assignment she had to do (he died in 1991, the recording is probably from 1989 or 1990).  We now also have recordings from 3 of my 4 grandparents and my grandma's aunt.

All of you with Civil War ancestry: pretty much all you need is their name and you can find out what Regiment, Division, etc. they were in, what battles they fought in, and exactly where in those battles they fought.  I've stood on the ground my great-great grandfather stood at Antietam and Gettysburg.

ThomasEversole wrote:Not about me, but I used to work with a guy named Wyatt Earp.  His great uncle (maybe great great uncle?) was THE Wyatt Earp.

That reminded me! Supposedly on my Dad's Dad side, we are related to the outlaw Jessie James, Id have to ask my family about that to figure out if it really holds any weight. 

deathisgain wrote:I've traced my heritage all the way back to Noah, and then to Adam and Eve.

Wow those are pretty famous people! How do we top that! 

eatbugs wrote:All of you with Civil War ancestry: pretty much all you need is their name and you can find out what Regiment, Division, etc. they were in, what battles they fought in, and exactly where in those battles they fought.  I've stood on the ground my great-great grandfather stood at Antietam and Gettysburg.

Thats true, Ill have to ask around for my relatives name as well.

Hardcore Christian wrote:

ThomasEversole wrote:Not about me, but I used to work with a guy named Wyatt Earp.  His great uncle (maybe great great uncle?) was THE Wyatt Earp.

That reminded me! Supposedly on my Dad's Dad side, we are related to the outlaw Jessie James, Id have to ask my family about that to figure out if it really holds any weight. 

deathisgain wrote:I've traced my heritage all the way back to Noah, and then to Adam and Eve.

Wow those are pretty famous people! How do we top that! 

eatbugs wrote:All of you with Civil War ancestry: pretty much all you need is their name and you can find out what Regiment, Division, etc. they were in, what battles they fought in, and exactly where in those battles they fought.  I've stood on the ground my great-great grandfather stood at Antietam and Gettysburg.

Thats true, Ill have to ask around for my relatives name as well.

I have a distant relation to Jessie James we could be distant relatives lol

ThomasEversole wrote:Thanks to my great grandma on my mom's side, I've got some Cherokee Indian in me.

We could be related!!!

Aaron C wrote:I have a distant relation to Jessie James we could be distant relatives lol

We could also be related

eatbugs wrote:Cool stuff guys!

MikeInFla, you definitely want to ask before they die off.  One of the coolest things I have is a recording of my great-grandpa talking about our family history on his side for an ancestry project/family tree school assignment she had to do (he died in 1991, the recording is probably from 1989 or 1990).  We now also have recordings from 3 of my 4 grandparents and my grandma's aunt.

All of you with Civil War ancestry: pretty much all you need is their name and you can find out what Regiment, Division, etc. they were in, what battles they fought in, and exactly where in those battles they fought.  I've stood on the ground my great-great grandfather stood at Antietam and Gettysburg.

Yes, that needs to be done. My mother is now the oldest in the family at 85 years old. All of her brothers and sisters have passed. My dad's brothers and sisters are still with us. His older sisters would know more about my dad's side of the family. I know they have records, I remember seeing them when I was a teenager but I have been out of touch with my aunts and uncles for 25+ years since living so far away.

My great great uncle is Wyatt Earp!!! Whoah! Small world!

I'm mostly French, English, Irish, Scottish, Swedish, German and I have a bit of Cherokee Indian from my great great great grandma!!!

RavenWolf wrote:I have a bit of Cherokee Indian from my great great great grandma!!!

Is everyone Cherokee?

Hardcore Christian wrote:

RavenWolf wrote:I have a bit of Cherokee Indian from my great great great grandma!!!

Is everyone Cherokee?

I think it's because the Cherokee Indians were more of a part of the culture in that early time. If you have family that goes WAY WAY back in American (like yours and mine does), then there is a pretty large chance you are part Cherokee.



What surprised me was that Thomas knows a guy who is the great great grand nephew of Wyatt Earp!!! My mom's last name is Earp! Wyatt is my great great uncle too!

On my Dads side we are German, Scottish and Apache Indian....
On My moms side we are Irish and Scottish..On my moms side Bonnie Parker (Bonnie and Clyde) is our cousin...  
On my dads side their were lots of gunfighters and outlaws...also My family was a huge slave holder in the civil war south..very notorious slave holders... In Alabama there is a city and a county named after my relatives..
I embrace alot of my ancestors and consider my rebel family members heros..

These are cool stories.
My mom's side is like English and Sicilian.  I never understood why my grandma refused to call herself Italian, but oh well.
My dad's side has people from like Norway, or wherever the Vikings are from.  My people conquered part of England, so there's that.  Then there's like English.  I think that's it.
My name James comes from my greatx20 granddaddy.  You may know him as James, brother of Jesus!  WHAT!  No, it's from my dad.  But I am related to Davy Crockett... by marriage.
I guess my relatives were on both sides of the civil war.  The only real interesting stuff in my family history, I guess, came from one grandpa who ran a Christian college and pioneered night classes and weekend classes, I guess.  He also built transformers.  The other went to school for business and helped design missiles for general dynamics.  Oh, and he created a gold magnet that weighs like 30-40 pounds.  Thing's ridiculous.  I can honestly say I regret not talking to them more about that stuff.  I've always been interested in chemistry and they both worked with it, either for fun or business.

Savage Amusement wrote:On my moms side Bonnie Parker (Bonnie and Clyde) is our cousin...  
On my dads side their were lots of gunfighters and outlaws...also My family was a huge slave holder in the civil war south..very notorious slave holders... In Alabama there is a city and a county named after my relatives..
I embrace alot of my ancestors and consider my rebel family members heros..

Wow cousins of Bonnie and Clyde, now thats pretty cool too!

A lot of us here have Southern ties!

The South Will Rise Again

I did some more investigating over the last day and actually found some stuff on http://www.findagrave.com . I looked up some gravesites of relatives (didn't know any were there, I assumed the site was for famous people). So I emailed a relative of my grandmother (my dad's cousin). She said I could access the family tree (from my grandmother's side) on Ancestry.com. When I went to the site there are "free searches". So I looked it up and there it was! However, "free" means "SEARCH" not "DISPLAY RESULTS". So I can see my grandma's name but can't see anything else unless I pay $19.99 a month. Crazy, I like family history but I don't wanna pay that much to look at it. I guess I could try the free month and then cancel but I don't know what to expect if I actually join. I know I am not gonna pay for it, I know that much.

Thats stuff is invaluable to researchers and genealogists


Im not Cherokee at all or any form of Native American

I found a year ago that Klayton (Celldweller, Circle of Dust) is my mother in law's nephew. I was like "What!?" I don't think they have any contact though, so I've never talked to him before