Let me be honest. My family tree did not mean that much to me until June 2012. However, when I discovered I had a minimum of 22 family members land, settle, or be born in Jamestown, Virginia between 1585 and 1640, my heritage and lineage took on a whole new meaning.
Part of the reason why my family tree was not that important to me was because I am proud to be an American. I might be 50% German, 25% Swedish, and 8.33% English, 8.33% Irish, and 8.33% Scottish, but I am 100% American. Ask me to define who I am, 'American' is one of the things I will say. It is more than a place where I was born and raised. The United States of America is the best country on the planet: One Nation Under God--with the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution. With the world's greatest military. The U.S. means something to me. Deeply. Powerfully.
Therefore, when I moved to Virginia, the meaning of patriotism and American pride has taken on a whole new meaning. Virginia is America's birthplace. It is where we landed first and is where the final deciding battle of the American Revolutionary War took place. Surrender Field is 15 minutes from my house! Jamestown, where I had several family members take impacted by the Jamestown Massacre, is less than thirty minutes from my house. This means something. This is the United States and all her glory!
U.S. History has come alive in a fresh, bold way.
Then, to learn about my family tree... It has only cemented everything I just wrote a million times over. It's several exclamation points and underlines.
Roots have come to mean something more to me.
I am proud my family was here literally from the beginning and has fought in every war the United States of America has seen. This is what the Family Treez Historical Fiction Series is about and is why I am writing it. I hope that it will help you to learn more about our great nation--as you enjoy a work of fiction which makes it feel less like a history book.
U-S-A!!!
(Photo Credit: Microsoft Images Online)
(Photo Credit: Microsoft Images Online)
Stacy Duplease
Geneaologist and Historical Fiction Writer
Geneaologist and Historical Fiction Writer
dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Family Treez Etc
Family Treez Blog and Website: http://familytreezetc.blogspot.com
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