Family Tree

[Flick James]

A couple of years ago I started some genealogy research because I wanted to create a family tree for my son, and was curious how far back I could go. How many here have done research, or had extensive family tree information already? If so, what are some of the noteworthy people and/or events?

My father had a good deal of family tree information he collected and researched the old school way. I was amazed when I compared my online research to his information how closely they matched, and we were able to fill in each other's gaps in information.

I have traced my surname all the way back to the 1750's, when they came over as transplanted Irish Quakers. With the exception of my grandmother's father, who was from Hanover, Germany, all my ancestors hail from just about every part of the British Isles: Scotland, Ireland, England, and Wales.

Actor George C. Scott is a distant cousin.

My great-great-great-grandfather was a member of the very first jury in the state of Missouri.

I'm one of a very few in my family tree who have served in the military. Perhaps the Quaker roots run very deep. My great uncle, however, served in WWII and was quite a badass, and took part in the entire invasion right up until the Allies started entering Germany, and was killed in action.

I am distantly related to Richard Hickock, who was one of the two killers from Kansas detailed in Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, who was subsequently executed by hanging in 1965. Talk about a black sheep in the family.

Just thought it might make an intersting topic.

[AndyC]

I haven't done too much research myself, but people on both sides of my family have compiled histories that had a few interesting people.

The one I always heard about growing up was probably my best-known relative, at least in Canada. Agnes MacPhail, a first cousin of my grandfather, was the first woman elected to Canadian Parliament in 1921, women having gotten the right to run just two years earlier. She was very big on human rights. What I find especially cool is that she got her own Canadian Heritage Minute on TV. Here's a link to the video.
http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=10212

Others I've read about include James Ostrander, who fought under Gen. Isaac Brock in the Battle of Queenston Heights in 1812. Not sure if he's a direct ancestor or just a relative, but according to a history from my mom's side of the family, he was one of the two men who carried the general's body off the battlefield. So, he's in a reasonably well known painting. As I understand it, this is not an accurate depiction. From what I've read, the mortally wounded general was not quite so lively.


One that was really cool but didn't have the information to substantiate it, was a history from another branch of the family (paternal grandmother) that suggested I might be distantly related to Deacon William Brodie. The deacon was a Scottish cabinet maker in the 1700s. He was also an Edinburgh city councilor, president of the wrights and masons guild, all-around pillar of the community, and the leader of a notorious burglary ring. The burglary funded Brodie's other extracurricular activities - gambling, mistresses, illegitimate children, etc. It helped that his work allowed him to become very familiar with the cabinets and door locks of his wealthy customers, and make wax impressions of their keys. He was eventually caught and hanged from a gallows he had designed. Brodie inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

[Psycho Circus]

The only stuff I know (not going very far back in time) is that, on my mother's side of the family we're related to Joseph William Thornton the chocolatier and deceased actor Richard Beckinsale. My dad's side is all scottish/indian crossbreeds that fought in various wars.

[Raffine]

My grandmother claimed Machine Gun Kelly and Huey P. Long were our distant cousins. Nobody has ever confirmed this, as far as I know.

I know for a fact one of my mother's second cousins was a 'Gold Digger' on The Dean Martin Show. I don't remember which one, though.

[ghouck]

My family tree resembles a chain-link fence.

[Mr. DS]

My father said my uncle had our lineage traced back to an Austrian inventor. 

[Ed, Ego and Superego]

I think I am unique in that there is no one notable at all in my family tree.
-Ed

[AndyC]

My family tree resembles a chain-link fence.

Better than a pole, I suppose.

[Trevor]

I fell out of my family tree years ago. 

[Couchtr26]

I've traced my grandmother's family back to around 1700.  They were of French origin.  Merchants who came into North Carolina.  Interestingly, they fought the US twice in the Revolution and Civil War.  Further even more interesting, James Oglethorpe Varnedoe fought as a sergeant in the Civil War and would fight again in the Spanish American War ended up as a staff officer of the general he had surrendered to in the Civil War. 

[AndyC]

I've traced my grandmother's family back to around 1700.  They were of French origin.  Merchants who came into North Carolina.  Interestingly, they fought the US twice in the Revolution and Civil War.  Further even more interesting, James Oglethorpe Varnedoe fought as a sergeant in the Civil War and would fight again in the Spanish American War ended up as a staff officer of the general he had surrendered to in the Civil War. 

I heard Oglethorpe was quite a fighter.

[lester1/2jr]

my grandfather was like the rick santelli of the gay 90's!

[Couchtr26]

I heard Oglethorpe was quite a fighter.

Actually, it is sadly common in the 1800's to hear from Georgia as James Oglethorpe was one of the two given the contract to found the colony of Georgia.  When you hear it, you think where is the creativity?

[Paquita]

My uncle (on my mom's side) has been tracing our family tree for years, I don't think he's found anyone famous yet.. at least not that I know of.  He researched a bit on my father's side and only had luck finding several of my relatives in Kentucky that suffered pretty clumsy untimely deaths, and some were moonshine-related.

[Couchtr26]

pretty clumsy untimely deaths, and some were moonshine-related.

That actually doesn't sound like a bad way to go right now.