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I view (extreme) love of genealogy as a form of tribalism. I don't understand why my family is more special or better than any others or even why I should have a much greater interest in them than in history overall. ...
This is a symptom of preconceived ideas about genealogy. It may indicate how some people feel less than others or assume the worst of their own family history for whatever reasons, but it totally misjudges why most genealogists want to find out about their family history. If anything it's the ordinary lives that are interesting, what people did, how they lived, the technology and historical events of their time, even what they suffered as well as when they overcame obstacles long gone from most modern lives. Just as in my own life I like being another brick in the wall. I enjoy that sense of teamwork, of "we're all in this together." YMMV
I found out that every one of my paternal Grandfather's generation died young. I found out and told my mother that my paternal grandmother and her daughter both died the same year of appendicitis and my mother than realized why my father was unusually upset when his sister had a burst appendix. My mother had a ruptured appendix as a child and my niece was close to having hers rupture as well. They say it isn't hereditary but I think my family history could suggest otherwise.
Understanding the why's of my paternal Grandfather's generation dying young helps in understanding my health. Same goes for my husband, I see both long life's and many who had heart disease so he takes action on heart health plus we never smoked which was a major issue in our ancestors health.
Learning my German Grandfather's brother was held in a POW camp in Canada during WWI was mind blowing and wondering how my grandfather was dealing with issues during WWII with discrimination because he was German. My grandfather was able to buy his own house in 1939, a major accomplishment especially seeing he married my grandmother and took on her 3 children from a previous marriage and then had 2 of his own in a time of the Great Depression.
My 8th generation great grandparents came from France to Canada, my great grandmother as a "kings daughter" and made a life for themselves having 13 children of which only one died as a baby. I learned that a 10th Great Grandfather was apothecary to Catherine de Medici.
When we visited Gettysburg having known that the brother of my husband's great great grandfather died on the battlefield and we were able to find his grave. It made it much more real and personal.
All this is why I do genealogy. I don't care what I find, good or bad, it is all interesting.
You go back further. In fact, sometimes you can google a couple in your tree and come up with some pretty interesting facts. I found everything from ancestors who have a monument in their honor to someone who committed murder in the 1600's. I found my husband is related to several Mayflower passengers that I had to go back 11 generations to find. Closer in I found a great Aunt (grandfathers sister) who had 15 minutes of fame when she eloped with someone who had the same name as the President's son. They hadn't even had time to contact their family after the elopement to tell them because the news media spilled the beans.
Sorry you found a lack of interest, maybe in the future you will pick it up again.
Fascinating It sounds like you have some interesting ancestors with some who have monuments to honor them and one who committed murder--guess it takes all types, lol.
I did some digging and found one of the ancestors on my dad's side was a union soldier in the Civil War who had burnt down a confederate camp after being taken as a prisoner.
My mom's side is directly related to the Black Donnelly family so there are some odd characters in my family tree. Her maiden name was Donnelly
I haven't dug in too deeply but would like to get into genealogy a bit deeper.
Learning my German Grandfather's brother was held in a POW camp in Canada during WWI was mind blowing and wondering how my grandfather was dealing with issues during WWII with discrimination because he was German.
That's very interesting. There's a book called "The One That Got Away" about Franz von Werra, a German prisoner of war who escaped from a camp in Canada after he was caught in WWII (actually, I think he escaped from the train on the way to the camp). There is also a movie of the same name based on the book.
Those German POWs came from England where they were being held after being caught.
It could be your grandfather's brother might have known von Werra or might even be mentioned in the book.
There was discrimination against the Germans in America during WWII, but there was as much discrimination against the Jews in America during that same time. The Germans in America faced much worse discrimination during WWI, though. At that time, there were whole communities of German people who had immigrated from Germany and many of these communities spoke nothing but German and had German language newspapers. All that was banned during WWI, although I don't know if the bans came from local or state governments.
it's just thrilling, that's why..... and also why i did the whole 23 and me thing when they first came out years ago..... it's just fun knowing what haplo group i belong to and it's super neato to link up with fourth and fifth cousins all over the darn globe!!!!!!!!!!!.....
you can do your own research like mentioned above, my dad never saw a computer he didn't hate, he did all his genealogical research from marriage, birth, death certificates, census archives and the mormon church data bases.....
i added to it with rootsweb. great site!!!!!!! if you have a glint or a hint or a good surmise about where either side might have come from, i'd start there.....
LOL..... and soon enough, you too will be thoroughly engrossed about your history, all your prior ancestors managed to survive.... cause here you are!!! against all odds!!!!! you will gain more information about you, about the courage and strength and fortitude flowing around in your mitochondrial DNA..... it's a wonderful thing, YOU!!!! Now go find out something about yourself you never could have guessed or believed!!!!!!! HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!
I forgot I had posted here and came back to see this response from Stepka to my post:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lodestar
"The first time I heard Spanish spoken was through migrant worker's children. I was immediately drawn to them.
Then the first time I landed in Mexico and exited the plane I had the oddest sense of finally "coming home."
All my staunch Viking relatives would be startled but they really shouldn't. It was a pleasant surprise and affirmation of my sense of affiliation when I discovered that some ancestor had taken a detour through Spain."
Stepka:
"I like having a deeper sense of who I am and how I got to be me.
This is the sort of thing that helps me believe in reincarnation. "
At first I thought of reincarnation, too. But later I learned about the concept of genetic memory. It's fascinating, scientific and may provide some of you a reason to value your genealogy more than you presently do. It's certainly provided me with a few insights into why I may have certain preferences in thought, feeling and behavior.
Genetic memory may even be a reason some of us don't value genealogy. LOL
I visit these "genealogy" sites (free ones only) mostly to get gossip. Example: Recently found out our next door neighbors' last name was changed in the 1940's (shortened Polish name about as WASP as you could get & he always claimed his mother came over on the Mayflower) which explained why the "outrage" when another neighbor who knew him in his childhood referred to him by his original last name. It was always a mystery to us. I also found out my uncle didn't really die in 1956...he "took the powders" (for what reason we're not sure). But one thing for sure; my aunt was a liar. He died in another state 12 years later, turns out.
Lots of "good juicy stuff" can be found out if you know how and where to look.
Last edited by TwinbrookNine; 06-10-2018 at 09:13 AM..
Fascinating It sounds like you have some interesting ancestors with some who have monuments to honor them and one who committed murder--guess it takes all types, lol.
I did some digging and found one of the ancestors on my dad's side was a union soldier in the Civil War who had burnt down a confederate camp after being taken as a prisoner.
My mom's side is directly related to the Black Donnelly family so there are some odd characters in my family tree. Her maiden name was Donnelly
I haven't dug in too deeply but would like to get into genealogy a bit deeper.
Yes, they were interesting. The couple with a monument were among the first settlers in Canada. The man had interest in herbal medicines (his father was one of Catherine De Medici's apothecaries). They both learned a lot from the Indians using herbs for medicine and in turn taught them to read and the Catholic religion. He died though not long after they came over after falling on ice and hitting his head. She continued his teachings.
The one who committed murder had remarried and had other children not related to me. Her oldest child by her second husband was forced to marry (at the age of 12) this much older man who was a drunk and an abuser. The parents decided that he needed killing, so they tried to poison him. They failed and ended up hitting him over the head with a shovel or something like that and ended up being put to death in a very disturbing manner of the times (1600's). The daughter was spared but had to watch her parents be put to death. Punishment back then was really gross.
I have found lots of secrets as well in researching the tree that I am sure my ancestors thought they took to their graves. Ha!
Mostly though, they are average people who got on as best they could.
That's very interesting. There's a book called "The One That Got Away" about Franz von Werra, a German prisoner of war who escaped from a camp in Canada after he was caught in WWII (actually, I think he escaped from the train on the way to the camp). There is also a movie of the same name based on the book.
Those German POWs came from England where they were being held after being caught.
It could be your grandfather's brother might have known von Werra or might even be mentioned in the book.
There was discrimination against the Germans in America during WWII, but there was as much discrimination against the Jews in America during that same time. The Germans in America faced much worse discrimination during WWI, though. At that time, there were whole communities of German people who had immigrated from Germany and many of these communities spoke nothing but German and had German language newspapers. All that was banned during WWI, although I don't know if the bans came from local or state governments.
No, my grandfather's brother was WWI not II. I came across a post card my aunt had from another brother in Germany to this brother in a prison camp in Canada so I googled it and then found that he was returned on the Pretorian in 1919. My grandfather had been put on a ship at 14 by his father to work. He always hated his father for that but I think he saved his life. My grandfather wrote to one of his brothers up until WWII when he lost track of them. I don't know what ever happened to his family but I do know at the time both his mother and father were gone. One brother disappeared in WWI but I don't know if it was the brother in Canada who may not have made his way back to Germany after arriving on the Pretorian in Austria or if it was the brother who wrote to him.
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It sounds like you have some interesting ancestors with some who have monuments to honor them and one who committed murder--guess it takes all types, lol.
