research my genealogy more

This is more than a hobby, finding ancestors who are connected, sometimes you learn of a relative who is alive and well and working on the same project as you. This is a way to passa some time, or when you go visiting other cities, alsways check out the public notices, or court houses for indexes to marriage, birth, many many things are recorded, some quite unusual!

I honestly spent 40 hours a week in the Texas State Library many years back – genealogy is something you can honestly put down, then go back to anytime… boy does it get to ya!

It will always nickel and dime you with copies.

there were times I felt like I was living totally in my head – trying to put the puzzel pieces together ~~ folks in county genealogy ‘clubs’... are so nice.

Try to always gather as much info from the oldest living person you can – NOW!!!

As far as I am concerned – it is definately a time consuming JOB – that is worth it! I have a handful of 20 something nieces and nephews, I will had this down to them …muaaahahahahaha

Another thing is genealogy libraries often offer, a service of taking your collection, they will eventually put it on file – it goes on an index card into the card file!! So that’s cool!

One of my big genealogical goals is breaking through some major brick walls I have. Sometimes, I think it will never happen. Without naming names, but by seperating it into families tagged by letters, here are some of my problems-

Family A, with branch off B-

Following my maternal grandfather’s line, his mother (my great grandma) has a genealogical lineage that can be better traced. Some of them going back to other countries. However, going up his dad’s side (my great grandpa), we hit trouble. We find both of his parents (my great-great grandparents- we’ll call them B). Well, looking for their parents, we do have parents for the woman (third great grandparents) and her mom’s side ends there, but her dad’s parents (4th great) are listed before the line ends. Not very far back, but beats something else in this same family. Oh, I might should add that her family might be part Native, Melungeon, African American or something of the sort, which could make them more difficult to trace.

Going back to my great great grandparents (B) if we try to go up the male line, we are in trouble. We have possible parents for him, but none proven. We have evidence for a couple different ones. We also have a name given by a really elderly lady who knew his sister, that is supposedly family, possibly a their grandpa. However, we can prove neither thier parentage or their granpda, and find little on their alleged parents and grandpa. This man is supposed to be Native American, but we can’t prove that either, though this is one of the few of several claims of Native Ancestry in my family that I am actually pretty convinced of being authentic. There are about two (maybe three) that I am pretty convinced of, and the others, I have no idea. They may be true, maybe not.

Family C-

My maternal grandmother, going up through her female line, woman after woman, I get to my fourth great grandma and it ends there. I don’t know either of her parents. As for her daughter, my third great grandma, I cannot find her dad. He will be even more difficult to find because I only have a last name and location for him, and the date of her birth to tell us he was alive and old enoguh to be fathering kids. To find the man’s name and family, we might have to do DNA tests for people from the descending family and also people descended from others of the same last name, around the same areaand time, who have better documented ancestories (and thus names), to see if we connect.

There are many more, but these are particularly annoying me.

added an entry to this goal, yet, I figured I’d start now. I have done some genealogy research, but I feel I need to do more. I really enjoy genealogy. I get excited when making new discoveries and I find the whole thing so addictive. Plus, I like feeling like I have a giant extended family. However, on the downside, I also get headaches over it sometimes and I get frustrated about all of these stupid brick walls!

Recently, I have discovered some members of certain surnames in my greater family (connected through certain ancestors, but some are not very close kin) taking DNA tests to try and help tear down some of these brick walls. I’m hoping it helps.

... and Mitochondrial DNA testing

Both PBS and NPR did a segment/series on genetic testing for Blacks (“African American Lives”) to help them find their roots.

I beg the question: Why can’t this be method be used for anyone seriously researching one’s family tree?

Yes, it’s DNA testing, thus mucho privacy lost … but if you don’t care, then why not?

http://www.forensicgenealogy.info/

http://www.worldfamilies.net/Getting_Tested.htm