Finding your history!

Have you ever wondered where you came from?  I mean where did your ancestors come from and who were they?  I know we have family history told to us over time, and there is family lore and stories, but as I have learned that isn't always true!

I have always been interested in genealogy.  When we got our first computer and hooked to the internet in 1998, I spent many a long night check out sites like Gen Forum and Family Search.  I was so fascinated by the intrigue as to where I came from.

A few years ago I joined Ancestry.com and found that the site really worked for me.  This is not an endosement for them, it is just what works for me.  I have enjoyed finding new facts and cousins!  I like to add pictures as well.  I think it helps to put a face with a name.  Here are a few I recently was given.

This is my great grandmother Ella Foust Strang.  Not sure when this was taken, she was born in 1863 in Michigan and that is where the picture was taken.  She married my great grandfather in 1887, so probably before then.  Here is a treasure!  This is a tintype picture of Ella's mother, Almeda Thomas, when she was 19.

Almeda was born in 1840, so this was taken in 1859.  It is 153 years old!  Amazing!  My 2nd cousin gave this to me the other day.  I was thrilled, and I love to share it on Ancestry. 

Recently Ancestry introducted their Etnicity DNA test.  So I signed up.  I figured it would come back with Eastern European, British Isles, and maybe some Native American.  But no, was I ever surprised, when it came back 61% Scandinavian!  37% British Isles and 2% Uncertian!

Those darn Vikings and the traveling and pilaging!  I guess my ancestors from France and Germany, came from further up north!  Very interesting indeed.

Recently I joind DAR, Daughters of the American Revolution.  It is a great philanthropic organization, preserving history and teaching about it as well.  In order to join you must have a blood line to a Revolutionary Patriot and the documents to prove it!  It was work, but I was thrilled when I was approved.  I am working on a few other branches in my tree too add to my membership.

There are so many resources out there now for tracking down your ancestry.  It is a lot of fun and can be time consuming, but I enjoy it.

Have fun tracking your ancestors.

Laura


DAR