RE - Ancestry/Genealogy -

[caglewis]

There is a new TV show starting on NBC tonight at 8:00 called "Who Do You Think You Are?". Some well-known people agreed to have their ancestry traced; and they are shown being taken to the places and shown/told their historical and geographical ancestral origins.
My paternal grandmother [b.1874 - d.1954] was an amateur genealogist. She traced, long before computers, our family's history, by writing letters. She compiled a 3-ring notebook of hand-written history which includes many personal things like copies of letters and diaries - way more than just a "begat" list, that is fascinating reading. This show sounds interesting!
The premier of this show tonight is about Sarah Jessica Parker, native of Nelsonville, OH, but with Cincinnati connections.

[Burg_Grad_77]

Maybe they'll do Traci Lords from Steubenville as well.

[Philly]

I have searched my Dunham family back to Edward Fuller of the Mayflower. We were able to prove our line by using my brother's DNA. We come from Deacon John Dunham, who was one of the first Deacon's of the Church of Plymouth Mass. It is truly amazing what you can find out about your family!

[Orange and Brown]

Maybe they'll do Traci Lords from Steubenville as well.

Down boy!!!!!

[caglewis]

I have searched my Dunham family back to Edward Fuller of the Mayflower. We were able to prove our line by using my brother's DNA. We come from Deacon John Dunham, who was one of the first Deacon's of the Church of Plymouth Mass. It is truly amazing what you can find out about your family!

With the advent of computers and search-engines it's so much easier these days. My grandmother [she died when I was 10] learned that our first Greene ancestor arrived here from England in the late 1600's. He was a member of the House of Lords in England who showed up in Parliament inebriated, used profane language in referring to the King, and subsequently had to get on the first boat out of town very quickly in fear for his life! So much for my illustrious forebearers! But I love these studies and info about my ancestry. Fascinating stories!!!

[orange-n-brown 365]

darn I missed it!! did anyone watch it?? I am a decendant of pocahontas no joke I traced it back that far...

[caglewis]

Yes, I did. It was interesting - maybe a little too much of Sarah Jessica saying "Wow", but, I agree, it's hard to make document searches/discoveries visually exciting and dramatic!
She learned that her 10th great grandmother was accused of wichcraft in Salem. The date was early Nov, and it turned out that the court holding these trials [which ALWAYS resulted in execution of the accused] was disbanded in late Oct - so that accusation made against her never came to trial and her umpty-great grandmother therefore lived to have children/descendants.
Her great grandfather left Cincinnati, OH for California in 1849 [gold rush? probably] leaving his wife [2 months pregnant - did they know?] behind. He was killed/died shortly after arriving in California; but his son was subsequently born to his newly-widowed wife back in OH.

[Orange and Brown]

I thought Sara Jessica Parker was really really fake on the show. (Kind of like her acting) I'll tune in next week to see if it is any better.

[Philly]

I wish they would just do some regular folks like us. I don't give a hoot about the Rich-n-Famous...I thought YO YO MA(sp?) was the only one who was really interested and seemed grateful for them searching his family.

[my2cents]

My cousin did an extensive research on our family and all she found that was interesting was that 9 generations ago one of our ancestors was Daniel Boone's aunt by marriage. Wow!

My great uncle once told me it was a waste of time researching your ancestry. He said you never know who you are going to run into when picking berries. Come to find out after he died, he had been quite the berry picker himself.

[caglewis]

I think knowing how your own personal history fits in and relates to the greater scope of history is fascinating - where and when and how and why and what decisions your ancestors made back then in response to their own current events and situation created the trajectory and story of where your life is now. And purely historical interest pales to the importance of discovering medical knowledge of your family's genetic roots and predispositions. That's not ever a "waste of time"! Knowledge of our past valuably informs our present and our future in all contexts.

[caglewis]

Did anyone watch the show last Friday about Emmitt Smith? Tracing African roots is much more difficult because slaves were called "property" and not "recorded" as people or counted in census numbers - and their listed names were slave names, not their original family names.
With regard to the "berry picking" comment above: Emmitt had his DNA tested and the results showed he was 7% Native American, 12% Caucasian, and 81% African. The lady who did the testing said that that is as close to "pure blood" as she has ever seen in an African American!
Interesting stuff - because we're ALL diluted/combined in some individual way back over time and generations - regular people and celebrities alike - and heredity/history is important!

[TheMalteseFalcon]

- because we're ALL diluted/combined in some individual way back over time and generations -

Speak for yourself, fatso.