How far back can you trace your family?

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

I think my relatives fought the Campbells at some point. Proper clan wars.

My late uncle apparently did a lot of research into our family before his death, I've never asked about it directly (like my Grandad's history as a submariner!) but really should. And soon, for you never know when tomorrow will be too late.

Everybody, including the Kincaids (my mom's side) and the Macleans of Mull (my wifes side) fought the Campbells at some point. From which we get the big hit 'The Campbells are coming Hurrah, Hurrah' Thank God for a claymore and a wool skirt with the sporran in front for added protection! In checking out the proper wool tartan for the Kincaid thing however, I found out that I' only come from a 'Sub' clan. So it all fits: in my oilskin kilt in my VIIB off Glasgow...

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Not to be mean, but there's really no reason to repost all the pictures, or any of them, when they're on the same page. Cutting the pictures and just leaving relevant words works just as well, and takes up a lot less space.

Sorry, I've done that before and don't know how that occurs. I'll be more careful and only answer written rather than photo blogs.

[Mr Quatro]

Originally Posted by Armistead

Here's a few pics I took this weekend. After driving for a few hours up and down numerous dirt roads we found the 1800's grave site. About 8 years ago they sort of cleaned it out, removed 40 trees. The actual site goes deeper in the wood. Most the larger ones are marked with family names, but about 50-75 simple rock headstones, most belonging to slaves.

If you suddenly have any personality changes, such as a strong desire for drugs or alcohol, then you'll know why you should stay away
from old grave yards.

but seriously I was visiting South Carolina one time and I could not believe my eyes when I saw a church surrounded by a grave yard.

You could not get into that church without passing through the graves of what I suppose they refer to as saints. I just call them ghost.

Yes they are very real and they are always looking for a new unsuspecting soul to enter into.

A cross dipped in garlic wouldn't hurt, because they hate to smell like garlic it gives their presence away.

I stopped looking for my ancestors when I found out they were just a bunch of bank robbers.

Plus the only reason to look is to see if someone owes you money ...

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Armistead

Here's a few pics I took this weekend. After driving for a few hours up and down numerous dirt roads we found the 1800's grave site. About 8 years ago they sort of cleaned it out, removed 40 trees. The actual site goes deeper in the wood. Most the larger ones are marked with family names, but about 50-75 simple rock headstones, most belonging to slaves.


A few slave headstones


They're actually 3 family cemeteries on the total propery, one from the 1700's at the original cabin, the larger near the plantation{above pictures} and one from the early 1900's.

Some very interesting history there

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Some very interesting history there

Sometimes it can be funny studying history. I never knew my wife existed until I met her, no relations or idea of her family. However, her family on her mothers side settled near my family. They married each other a lot.
Years after we got married and really got into the history, we laughed we might be distant cousins or something.

Anyway, it is funny in their old plantation grave sites and ours, you can find both names...

But I think we're OK......

All the family concerns tend to come from my mothers side. She was a Presley from the same linage of Elvis, but far removed. My great great grandfather on her side, about all we know was comes from a family bible, his date of death {hung by Union} My grandmother lived to 100, she said he rode with Mosby's Rangers (Mosby's Raiders if you're a Yank}

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

Good stuff. Did your forbear shoot at that wicked but inventive Scot, Maj. Ferguson, killed at King's Mtn.? I own a Ferguson rifle and Zane Gray wrote a book of the same title. Prefer my two-band Enfield and Colt Navy though. Perhaps I could march my 14 Tenn. brigade on that road... unpaved is easier on the feet than McAdamized especially on one of our too-real 20 milers with packs in the heat. We'd only hep o'selfs to a few ears o' corn!

Ole P certainly killed several Redcoats before he took a bayonet in lower back. As you know, we gave no quarter for a long time. After my grandfather died, some distance relative got his tomahawk he carried in the war.




I take it you reenact? I was a serious CW reenactor from 80's to about 98. I actually got to be a part of the movie Gettysburg. My CW relative walked across that field during Pickett's charge. It was exciting to do the same thing.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

If you don't know the names then you don't know it goes back to the Mayflower. You only know what you can show. Get off yer lazy butts and do some research!

I remember my grandma telling me about it....but I'm too lazy to do research on that.

I'll take her word for it since she's published books about the origins of our family.

[Wolferz]

Now we knows whut's wrong with yer dog, Martin.

[u crank]

This is a very cool thread.

I know little of my moms' family history other she came from the Sudbury area in northern Ontario.

On my dads' side I got lucky. One of my cousins did all the work. He contacted me to find out some info about my kids and wife and told me about his research.

My great, great, great, great grandfather, Jean Pineau was from St.Thual, Bretagne, France. He arrived in Rustico, Prince Edward Island, Canada around 1750. His family some how survived The Expulsion (1755–1764) and that's why I'm here today. Although this island is mostly English/Irish/Scots, P.E.I. has a thriving Acadian culture that is closely related to the Cajun culture in Louisiana. Good food, good music and lots of fun. The lines in my sig are from a song by a local Acadian singer/songwriter, Lennie Gallant. He's from Rustico and more than likely a distant cousin. I can't speak the language nor can my kids but the cool thing is my grandson, who bears the family name will be bilingual. He takes a French immersion school course.

@ Armistead.

My wife has a niece whose partner is a hard core metal detector/treasure hunter. He dives wrecks etc. He has found US Civil War stuff here on Prince Edward Island. Buttons from uniforms, etc. My guess is they were mostly Union. Of course at that time this was a British colony.

Recently read The American Civil War: A Military History by John Keegan. A fascinating subject.

Again, great thread.

[Stealhead]

There are a few companies that offer DNA tests where they actually map out your DNA makeup and they will tell you how your ethnic make up breaks down and where you originated from so to speak.They run a couple hundred dollars though but worth I reckon to know what you are really made of.

There is a show on PBS where they take a person of fame and research thier history at the end of the show they show the results of the DNA test which is interesting because it of course goes back much further than written data can.TLC has a rip off show doing the same thing.

The show is called "Finding Your Roots" very interesting on one they talked to a few black men who of course like many black Americans the family history is hard to trace.The DNA tests where interesting some had been told they had native blood in fact they had none another had relatives a few generations back that where white on one side of the family he had no idea of this.

In another show Martha Stewart found out there her distant ancestors originated in Syria of courses that is so far back there is no way to know more beyond that basic information.

The DNA test is able to traces your haplogroups.It is an interesting idea of course you would still have to research your history to know who was who and that is the tricky part what is true and what is not.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Armistead

Ole P certainly killed several Redcoats before he took a bayonet in lower back. As you know, we gave no quarter for a long time. After my grandfather died, some distance relative got his tomahawk he carried in the war.




I take it you reenact? I was a serious CW reenactor from 80's to about 98. I actually got to be a part of the movie Gettysburg. My CW relative walked across that field during Pickett's charge. It was exciting to do the same thing.

Yup, did it till the politics and squabbling drove me out like Achilles sulking in his tent! Don't worry about the consanguinity of the cousin thing. Cousin marriages are actually the norm the world over and along the Amazon and do quite well as ...well they're family-gotta be nice. If you haven't got Huntington's Choraea (Woodie Guthrie) Hemophilia (Victoria and her intermarrying grandkids) or aren't winning any dueling banjo contests (Deliverance) -all good!. Is yer easily insulted dog a Bluetick or a Redbone?

[AVGWarhawk]

Took a few pictures of my family tree. Mother's side. We hail from Germany. Mother's maiden name of Schultheis. My father's last name of Gossweiler(Barvian)



As far back as 1654:



Up to 1901. From here I believe I have the remaining tree in my great grandmother's Bible. It is in my breakfront under glass. Much family history in this Bible. Charles John is my grandfather.



This is the entire tree professionally framed.




I have naturalization papers, marriage certificates, etc all professionally framed. My mother did an excellent job of preserving our family history.

[Feld Grau]

My fathers side hails from East Prussia,in a tiny town just outside of Konigsberg. Great-Great Grandfather Rudolph Pruss came to the states about 15 years before WW1. Max Pruss,the captain of the Hindenburg is a distant relative. Not sure about anything past old Rudolph though.


And on my mothers side,we come from South Carolina and Georgia. Had a relative that fought in a Georgian Marksman unit during the Civil War,found the grave and the papers and everything. We used to actually own a plantation and were the founders of Brunson South Carolina. Where the family fortune went is a mystery,but we reckon that GrandDad has it buried in his backyard

Still,its fun to say you have an interesting family history! Quite interesting to see how everyone has something unique to their family.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Feld Grau

My fathers side hails from East Prussia,in a tiny town just outside of Konigsberg. Great-Great Grandfather Rudolph Pruss came to the states about 15 years before WW1. Max Pruss,the captain of the Hindenburg is a distant relative. Not sure about anything past old Rudolph though.


And on my mothers side,we come from South Carolina and Georgia. Had a relative that fought in a Georgian Marksman unit during the Civil War,found the grave and the papers and everything. We used to actually own a plantation and were the founders of Brunson South Carolina. Where the family fortune went is a mystery,but we reckon that GrandDad has it buried in his backyard

Still,its fun to say you have an interesting family history! Quite interesting to see how everyone has something unique to their family.

There's a little Junker in every family tree...vel gluck VON Pruss

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

Yup, did it till the politics and squabbling drove me out like Achilles sulking in his tent! Don't worry about the consanguinity of the cousin thing. Cousin marriages are actually the norm the world over and along the Amazon and do quite well as ...well they're family-gotta be nice. If you haven't got Huntington's Choraea (Woodie Guthrie) Hemophilia (Victoria and her intermarrying grandkids) or aren't winning any dueling banjo contests (Deliverance) -all good!. Is yer easily insulted dog a Bluetick or a Redbone?

Well,my wife and I are not blood related in any way, just some other early family from both sides married. We do know of two cases of 2nd cousins that married. My wife was a Winston Cup Girl when racing was real and plays a little banjer. I'm left handed.
Course inner family marriage was common with the rich planters to keep the land in the family. We don't have any of the land, so I feel confident that we're not related.


Wolferz is just jealous of my dog, because my dog is better looking than he is.