| Author | |
Paula in MN
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 25 2006
Location: Minnesota
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4064
|
| Posted: Dec 17 2012 at 7:21am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
We've been exploring our family tree for a few years now. It really helps to bring history alive, not just for the kids but also for us as parents. Yesterday we found out that my 16th great grandfather fought with St. Joan of Arc.
HOW COOL IS THAT?!
She has been one of our favorites for years, and to now have such a personal connection? Priceless.
If you've never explored your family tree, take some time and start. You never know who you will find!
__________________
 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Betsy
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 02 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1962
|
| Posted: Dec 17 2012 at 7:31am | IP Logged
|
|
|
That is awesome! I love St. Joan of Arc, too.
I haven't explored any of our family history. I am *positive* that my dh's Ukrainian background has a Viking past, really. If you know me IRL you can see it one of our children! All of his family has dark olive skin, dark eyes and dark hair....and then a blond hair, blue eye child pops up every once in a while...that is much larger than other children their age..... 
__________________
ImmaculataDesigns.com
When handcrafting my work, I always pray that it will raise your heart to all that is true, modest, just, holy, lovely and good fame!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: Dec 17 2012 at 8:59am | IP Logged
|
|
|
That is way cool, Paula!
My dh explored his family tree before we met, and I have some relatives that did some genealogy on my mom's side, but we haven't dug up anything that exciting.
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SeaStar
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 16 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9068
|
| Posted: Dec 17 2012 at 9:39am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Very cool!
__________________
Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SeaStar
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 16 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9068
|
| Posted: Dec 17 2012 at 11:52am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Paula-
Are you using any particular internet site that is more helpful than others?
And can you tell us more about your relative? My dc asked me all kinds of questions about him!
__________________
Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Paula in MN
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 25 2006
Location: Minnesota
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4064
|
| Posted: Dec 17 2012 at 6:17pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'm using Ancestry.com more than any other site. Unfortunately, you have to pay a fee to use the site, but they have almost everything imaginable. Plus, you have the ability to publish your family tree on their site. I really enjoy that feature, because as I have "found" ancestors, some have been part of another's family tree, which has saved me legwork.
As far as my infamous relatives, they were Guillaume de Flavy and Blanche D'Aurebruche. You can look them up on Google or Wikipedia. Their story is definitely NOT pretty.
__________________
Paula
A Catholic Harvest
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
guitarnan
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10883
|
| Posted: Dec 17 2012 at 8:12pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I highly recommend checking your public library to see if they have any free subscriptions to family history research sites. Ours does, although you have to go to the library branch to use it. I've found my husband's ancestor's Declaration of Intent (to become a U. S. citizen) that way, among other things. Libraries also tend to subscribe to genealogy magazines, another great free opportunity!
Also, once in a while, Ancestry.com offers a free weekend (usually limited to census records and/or new databases) and that's a great opportunity to "test drive" their website services and see if you can jump start your research.
While I'm not related to anyone famous, I did trace my dad's ancestry back to a tiny town in Alsace, France (we knew we were Alsatian, but did not know the town) and back another generation...and I have been to this town a couple of times to take photos and talk with people there. I called Dad on Father's Day from there the first time I went...wow. Dad's grandmother was from Luxembourg (yes, my family tree is bizarre!) and her siblings' descendants have traced their entire history, so my dad was able to visit their town of origin.
Now I'm working on my husband's family (Italian) and have hit the proverbial genealogical brick wall...having a rare last name is good. And bad, when the trail ends on some ship from Genoa (only Italy's most famous seafaring city...).
If you get your children involved in the family stories, you can tie that in with your history studies. Everything is more personal when your ancestor was there! (My high school history/social studies teacher incorporated genealogy into her lesson plans - she won an award for this from our archdiocesan education office - highlights included a "turn of the century party" where we dressed up as an ancestor in 1900 and a special 2-week course in genealogy research.)
I did find (and drag my family to see) my husband's maternal great-great-grandfather's gravesite in Nova Scotia, and we also found out that this g-g-grandfather was a Baptist deacon for 50 years in a tiny country church there (when most people in NS were Church of England).
My uncle by marriage has traced his ancestry to the Revolutionary War (he's in the Sons of the American Revolution) and back to Scotland...it's very cool. If anyone is looking for info on S. A. R., please pm me and I will ask about their membership criteria.
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
3ringcircus
Forum Pro
Joined: Dec 15 2011
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 420
|
| Posted: Dec 18 2012 at 8:52pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My Dad is a big Civil War buff, having taken the Scouts through many battle sights on the way to backpacking/canoeing trips. Turns out, my uncle discovered that his g-g-grandfather and uncles died in the battle at Antietam. He visited again, and found a monument to their regiment. We're going to meet my parents and go to some of the sites they fought at this spring (They are in MA, we're in TX). As young as my boys are, they now have a better sense of history knowing that one of their relatives was there way back then. We're going to do a very young child's unit study on the Civil War in the spring.
__________________
Christine
Mom to my circus of boys: G-1/06, D-1/04, S-4/10
Started HS in Fall'12
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary K
Forum All-Star
Joined: May 14 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 945
|
| Posted: Dec 19 2012 at 8:11am | IP Logged
|
|
|
My mother and aunt researched our family tree. Our many greats grandfather,Pierre Poirier, served as Lafayette's war secretary during the American Revolution and married the niece of General Montcalm.
My family (dh, I and kids) attend the church that my great-great grandparents were married in and attended.
Since we use Latin during Mass, I can imagine what it was like for them to attend Mass.
God bless,
Mary-NY
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
SeaStar
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 16 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9068
|
| Posted: Dec 19 2012 at 10:11am | IP Logged
|
|
|
This all fascinating. Thank you, Paula, for starting this topic.
My maternal grandfather was an identical twin who lived on Helgaland before coming to America.
And my fraternal grandparents have two marriage certificates- a different day, time and place for each one. Same people, though. 
I wonder what is up with that? Over Christmas break I am inspired to start poking into these mysteries...
__________________
Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Genealogy
