The Stories of History and My Family Tree

THE STORIES OF HISTORY

Life is full of stories. Some are true and some are make-believe.

Every life has several stories which could be told of every day, never mind over the course of a week, month, year, or decade. What makes things fascinating is how most of our stories intersect with other people's stories and how each person will remember only their version or angle of the story. After all, stories are individual and collective.

I don't know about you, but I love a good story, true or make-believe, and I enjoy reading them, hearing them, telling them, and even making them up or embellishing them in an effort for entertainment or escapism. However, one of my favorite ways to tell an tale is to make up stories based off of historical facts and fill in the gaps of what could have happened when we do not know the full story. Its purpose is to explain what could have been and helps us learn about what that life was like and teaches us about history.

Have you ever thought how history, while it is factual, is actually comprised of stories?

If I would have realized this when I went to school, history would have been one of my favorite subjects, not my least favorite.

This blog is about my family tree. From my family tree, I have learned a great deal already about roots, history, and faith. It amazes me how many stories I can learn about my family doing an Internet search. What a blessing it is to be able to do so. Technology is truly amazing.

What can be frustrating is how many lives there are from my family tree; however, there are several family members I do cannot find their stories. They lived. It seems so wrong not to know their stories and I find it rather gut-wrenching.

Wouldn't it have been nice if we had their journals or letters so that we could know their stories?

That thought got me thinking and is the foundation of this new blog. I will share my family's stories. I will use history to fill in the gaps and form a story of what was or what could have been for each individual and with some of them, I will share a few more.

I never imagined I would learn so much about history than I have through researching and learning about my family tree. Then again, I am quite blessed because my family tree is quite large and there are several familiar historical names. However, there are those of us who are simple and wouldn't be known. These are the stories I want to focus on most, but it takes the well-known stories to help fill in the gaps of the unknown and what could have beens.

Now, this is the way to get to know history.

What is exciting is this blog has the potential of over 17,499 stories. And, let me add how I do not have my family tree near completion. That number will most likely grow, by the way, in the upcoming months. Therefore, I guarantee I can share many stories based on history and what could have happened, and stories based off of historical facts, and tell these stories over a period of years and even decades.

This blog is a memoir of sorts, is a family tree and genealogical blog, is a history blog, and is a blog on faith. It's a blog of stories. Welcome to this new blog about roots, my family tree, history, and faith... and lessons learned from each. It also will help you get to know how to do online genealogy.

This blog will help you to know the true foundations of the USA... the foundations of truth, not a political agenda,mas what is taught in schools and textbooks today. This is the real and unvarnished depiction of history, told through the eyes of those who lived it, and through the eyes of those with prestige and those with none (according to the world, that is). Let's get to know the history of the USA through the eyes of those who actually lived.

I will start our stories with what happened in 1585 and Roanoke and then move to those who came here to the USA through Jamestown, Virginia between 1607 and 1699. But, first, let me tell you the story of how I started to research my family tree. It was not something I ever imagined doing or wanted to do. Little did I know how captivating it would be and how much it would change me.

BIOLOGY, ROOTS, HISTORY, AND FAITH

A family tree offers more than information about biology. It offers roots and a chance to learn about faith, history, and life in a very real way. While your family tree tells you where you came from, and by whom, it also teaches a great deal more. (So much more!) I have discovered studying my family tree is by far the best way to learn history and about faith. It makes history come alive in a fresh way and this alone can change you and enrich your life tremendously. My life certainly has been.

Learning about my family tree has been a very rewarding endeavor and I never would have dreamed this was the case. The truth is, sad to admit, I just wasn’t all that interested in doing anything with genealogy.

No. Scratch that. That is putting it a little too kindly. The truth is, four years ago, I could care less about my family tree, never mind spending the time, effort, and money in actually researching something which didn’t interest me. If someone else did it, great. But, I didn’t want to waste my time. Let me be even more straightforward and confess how I found genealogy interesting, but I just couldn't imagine doing it, let alone with my small family. After all, we knew so little about all four of my family trees. I didn’t imagine there would be much to research.

Life, however, brings unexpected surprises which can change the course of our lives.

Sometimes, when we look back, we can say we should have seen it coming. Other times, there is no way we could have foreseen what transpires. This family tree business is the latter for me. I never would have dreamt this would happen, or how much it would transform me and my life, never mind how it continues to do so nearly four years later. This is what researching my family tree has done for me and for my family. And, this is my story.

I think it has taken me four years to realize what my family tree means to me.

Frankly, I also am still trying to sort it out, I should probably mention. However, it is one of those family trees too interesting not to invest time and energy for, and a little bit of money. In fact, it is more than worthwhile.

I started a very interesting journey back in June 2012 and my life has not been the same since.

This means it is now a time for another confession. I haven't spent too much time at all tracing my family tree. It is expensive to do so, in my estimation, unless you have a great deal of time to invest in doing the necessary research. Therefore, I usually get a one month subscription and I then work on it day and night for a month in order to cram as much into that month of money spent. The first two weeks of most online family tree creators are free and that is what started my journey. Since then, I have only spent the money for five months, I think, of additional research. That is it. But, I have made my time count, that is for sure.

Although, I wish I would have invested more in it, I think there is a reason why I didn't yet. I will get into that in a moment.
Would you believe I have 17,499 individuals on my family tree so far? (No joke.) Never mind how I still have quite a bit to research with it, including making some changes where I have duplicates of certain individuals and a few other errors. But, that is what I have at this point.

And, the story gets better. This is with just one of my family trees. Not all four (the four sets of grandparents).  The tree I am describing is with my paternal grandmother.

However, the fruit of my research has been beyond bewildering. My mind just started to try to process more of it, but I am not sure if I can, without intentionally spending some time trying to do so. The information has been so astounding I think it has taken me nearly four years to attempt to grasp what I have revealed and have learned so far. Furthermore, I do not think it has come even close to fully sinking in yet, let alone fully grasping the implications of what I have uncovered and learned. I imagine this is why I have decided to write my story is to figure out what this really means for my life. (I also hope to inspire you to do your family tree as well.)

I will share all of my interesting finds shortly, but first want to share where I am currently with this Jamestown Ancestry family tree project.

Just yesterday, I sent my ancestral DNA kit back to the company I ordered it from and that has opened the proverbial can of worms. Now, the waiting begins. I have waited a few years for them to build up their database and perfect their DNA testing and how they keep the information secure. They were having a sale and I decided to ask my husband if he would mind and he told me to jump at the opportunity, so I did. It could take between six and eight weeks for them to process my saliva sample and to downloqd the results online for me. Or, that is what I was initially told. I looked online earlier today, however, and they said it could take longer before I get my results because they have received many sales, which I imagine is thanks to the discount they have been offering.

Curses. Doesn't that just figure? I am finally read for it, and am beyond excited, and this is what happens. I am told to wait. Unfortunately, I have had much experience with waiting, so I can wait. I just prefer not to do so. (Sigh.)

I am curious to see what the DNA results will being to my family tree since I do not know much about my maternal grandmother's, my maternal grandfather's, or my paternal grandfather's family trees. I barely have any information on those three trees. Furthermore, I am curious to see what more I learn about my maternal grandmother's family tree. It's that tee that has so many precious gems. Will the others, too? What will I learn? Curiosity builds as I wait.

The results of the testing of my DNA will be added, by the family tree company I use, to the current family tree I have online. More family tree branches and leaves will be added from there. Then, I will also be able to look at other family trees on the site, of other individuals I do not even know, to see if I can glean more information from their trees regarding my family trees. It should fill in some gaps and make some corrections, but I imagine it will bring more questions as well. I look forward to the challenge.

I do not want to waste my time with doing the DNA testing and then do nothing with it. Therefore, I have decided to invest my time and resources and get serious about doing a full study of my four family trees and get every branch to the point I cannot go any further because of a lack of data. Or, in genealogical terms, I want to get to the end of the line. And, I have decided to write the story about my research, my results, what I have learned, and what it means to me, to my family, and even to you, reader.

I will be forthcoming here and add that it could take me years to fully research my tree, never mind write what I learn from it. Therefore, this blog will be a different kind of history blog and will be told through my family tree.

Additionally, I have decided how once I receive my DNA results, I'm going to order either a three month or a six month subscription to my family tree site. Now, I just need to tell my husband about the investment we will need to make. Wish me luck.