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Any family stories that were passed down and turned out to be true, or almost true? What about family stories which turned out to be completely wrong?
For me...
Native American blood - Yes, totally true (Lenni Lenape)
Great-Great-Grandma Lizzie was just a harmless woman - Totally NOT TRUE! She was a petty criminal, common prostitute, brothel madam and ran a criminal ring which had all of Bridgeton, NJ buzzing for years!
My ancestors were British Royalty - Wrong. My ancestor (one branch) was an Indian Princes - Wrong. My comment to my aunt-in-law when she made that statement as fact, was; "Of course she was an Indian Princes, our ancestors wouldn't be around with a plain old Indian, would he?" She didn't bring up that subject any more. My ancestor (another branch) was an Indian Full Blood - probably, but can't be clearly validated. My Dad was an adventurer - absolutely, no question there. The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree - wellllll!
My ancestors were British Royalty - Wrong. My ancestor (one branch) was an Indian Princes - Wrong. My comment to my aunt-in-law when she made that statement as fact, was; "Of course she was an Indian Princes, our ancestors wouldn't be around with a plain old Indian, would he?" She didn't bring up that subject any more. My ancestor (another branch) was an Indian Full Blood - probably, but can't be clearly validated. My Dad was an adventurer - absolutely, no question there. The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree - wellllll!
I love your family stories. They keep me busy and out of trouble, LOL!
My father in law was sure his grandparents came over from Scotland through Ellis Island. Nope. They were born here -- one line is Pre-Revolutionary.
He thought there was a tie in to President McKinley. Yes -- cousin. Second Great Grandmother was President McKinley's aunt.
And there were tales that his mother's side was related to Gentleman Jim Corbett -- not that
I can find.
And there was a tale of buried treasure on the old farmstead near the barn.... a cousin lives near there and she's checked around and found nothing, as did her father and my uncle before her. I think the whole buried treasure thing was folklore, but I have no way of knowing....
My father in law was sure his grandparents came over from Scotland through Ellis Island. Nope. They were born here -- one line is Pre-Revolutionary.
He thought there was a tie in to President McKinley. Yes -- cousin. Second Great Grandmother was President McKinley's aunt.
And there were tales that his mother's side was related to Gentleman Jim Corbett -- not that
I can find.
And there was a tale of buried treasure on the old farmstead near the barn.... a cousin lives near there and she's checked around and found nothing, as did her father and my uncle before her. I think the whole buried treasure thing was folklore, but I have no way of knowing....
Want some help finding it? ArkansasSlim and I can join in, for a cut!!!
Want some help finding it? ArkansasSlim and I can join in, for a cut!!!
Interesting you should say that.... my uncle told me the story of the treasure. They didn't know what it was -- it was rumored to be money or gold or loot from a house robbery, depending on who was telling the story. Uncle Ken told me he and his brother, my Uncle Ray used to look for it all the time.... on his paternal grandfather's farm. My Uncle Ray told his daughter that they used to look for it on his maternal grandfather's farm....
And she lives near maternal grandfather's farm....
So we don't know what it is, and we don't know where it is.... all we know is that it's supposed to be by the ruined foundation of where the old barn was.
But that's about the best family lore I have. Our family is pretty dull.
I've had a few where someone mentioned people we were related to (one in literature and a few others). Some are probable or possible. My family did tell me about how McDaniel became Daniels in our family tree. That was true. It goes back farther than McDaniel, though. One relative jokingly said that we're related to Jack Daniel. It is possible, given that our family had the same name in the same area around the same time, but not proven. I've also been told that one of my ancestors was a Confederate Colonel. No evidence, but it's probable that he was a Confederate. I had ancestors on both sides.
My grandmother used to tell people she was related to Andrew Jackson, but once she grew up she stopped saying that because it's probably very much unlikely, based on location. She knew that, but she was a kid and wanted to be special.
I haven't heard that many outrageous stories from my family, though.
someone I am related to: George Washington (I founded out I'm descended from Charlemagne so I looked up other people who were. If you are descended from Charlemagne, we're probably related). I'm related to Ty Cobb (just through marriage). I'm descended from Charlemagne, so there is royalty back there somewhere.
There was also someone with my last name who married a President's daughter. I'm not sure if there is any relation.
My great-grandfather's sister sat on a book with a mouse inside it and killed the mouse. Probably did happen but it's just gross. Apparently she was a big woman.
Some of you guys have interesting families, to say the least.
Interesting you should say that.... my uncle told me the story of the treasure. They didn't know what it was -- it was rumored to be money or gold or loot from a house robbery, depending on who was telling the story. Uncle Ken told me he and his brother, my Uncle Ray used to look for it all the time.... on his paternal grandfather's farm. My Uncle Ray told his daughter that they used to look for it on his maternal grandfather's farm....
And she lives near maternal grandfather's farm....
So we don't know what it is, and we don't know where it is.... all we know is that it's supposed to be by the ruined foundation of where the old barn was.
But that's about the best family lore I have. Our family is pretty dull.
Have you searched old newspapers to see is a robbery happened during the time frame the loot was supposed to have been buried? There might be some truth to it!
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around with a plain old Indian, would he?" She didn't bring up that subject any more. My ancestor (another branch) was an Indian Full Blood - probably, but can't be clearly validated. My Dad was an adventurer - absolutely, no question there. The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree - wellllll!
