Category: Elder Folk
Hi guys:
I never thought I'd be interested in a family tree, until one of my siblings started one. If any one is interested, this is how you do it:
Go to www.ancestory.com Sign up, and if you're the one starting the tree, then you can access family records, add facts to existing info. put audio and vidieoes on there, along with written stories of family members, and if you're partially sighted, you could add photos. I found out my great-grandfather fought in the Civil war, and some of my family's buried in a cemetery somewhere in Texas in a section for Civil War soldiers. Some of my family dates back to the 1600's. It's really interesting. . Have any of you started a family tree, or is some of your family doing the same thing? I think it's fascinating.
I'm looking into it, as I recently found some info on the BBC's site about this very subject. I'd love to research it back as far as I can some day.
Same here Simon. At the moment, I can only trace back as far as my great great Grandparents, who's names were Rogers and Williams. In fact, I know my great great Grandmother was Emily Rogers, but I can't for the life of me remember my great great Grandfather's name on mum's side. She says I only have to look back at the prison records to find out more about my dad's family, but I don't think that's very fair. They can't all've been inside could they? Yeah, I know my godfather and dad's brother Nigel's done time and I've never met him, but I'm nearly 24 years old, next Sunday in fact, so I've really got to start catching up where everyone left off since I was born, haven't I?
I knew my Great Grandfather, wonderful man, my Gran's Father on mum's side, but he only lived for six years after I was born, finally losing his battle with Cancer on my Grandad's Birthday, 5 June 1990. I knew his second wife Molly as well. She came across to me as quite a delicate little old lady, but ever so strong. She lived a full 8 years after her husband died and she died herself on Christmas Eve 1997. I think it was Uncle Jimmy and his wife who had two little boys, but neither baby survived their first years, so that was the end of two potential little cousins for Gran and that's also why I'm basically terrified of what the future could bring for me, what I'd have to tell potential fathers to my children, especially if I'm expecting boys, for those cousins weren't the only babies who didn't make it. In another topic, I talk about only having one surviving twin in our family, now 43 and also the near death experiences of my Great cousin Emily, 7, my cousins Joe, 15 and Robbie, 6 months. O, not forgetting I could've died myself when I was born, due to the dramatic nature of my eye/facial condition. Ah well! I still have Rogers and Williams as a fairly good starting point, I just have to ask Gran my Great Grandfather's Cristian name and where he hales from to carry on the search and the building of my own family tree.
Jen.
Hi Gen and everybody. I know since we started ours, it's interesting. It's awesome to think that these people actually lived, that they're not just a name on a stone. I mean, I never thought about them until now. I am so glad of the response I'm getting on this topic. One thing though, I wish I could see the photos. I'm constantly trying to find a description that is more detailed than what's on the tree. Sometimes, families have a tendency to not put a very good description up there.
You know, some of us on the zone might be related, and not even know it. Wouldn't that be something.
lol that'd be somethig indeed! As for my family tree, not sure where to start really. My father always talked about doing it, sadly he's no longer with us, so we can't do that goether now. So I'm going to have to start from memory, as mum's not with us any more either. My one sister might know something, and perhaps my uncle on mum's side, but that's about it really. Can't see the rest of the ciblings being interested in it. I'm not giving up though, I'll see where this takes me I reckon.
Yeah, same here Simon. We were all round my Grandparents house last night and Grandad found some old photos of his mum and my mum's, Uncle's and Aunt's 'nanna' Simpson (Beatrice Simpson) so there's another disjointed starting block for the family tree, lollol. Mind you, although Simpson's quite a common name, Beatrice isn't quite so common, especially Beatrice Simpson, so this might be just the kick start I need and it's all I've got to go on till Gran reminds me who's who in the great scheme of things. There was even an old piano forté examination certificate amongst her photos, so I know where I got my musical streak from now, for sure. Both Nanna Simpson and her husband died within a few days of each other, in February 1982. Mum always said, had I been born when she was still around, she would've been great with me. I can tell she's very sorely missed.
Jen.
that's funny. i had the same about my great grandmother. she'd have been great with me, had we been able to meet. Hmm sure would be interesting to go back in time and meet some ancestors, although I'm guessing the further back you go the more ... far removed from today's world and so philosophy they'd be. Ah well, interesting to find out who's who though.
Not sure I want to know. I know I had a great uncle spent time in jail for arson. Supposedly, I had an ancestor who was murdered in a dispute over a horse. I think I already know all that I need to know.
Bob
I've been doing genealogy for over a decade now. If y'all need any help, let me know. If it weren't for the family tree, I wouldn't know who my real grandfather was. My mom's dad is different than who the rest of the world thinks it is. My eye disease came from him.
Good luck to all of you
Thom
Hi guys. Well, the thing that I love about this is finding out the history---. Not only my family's, but the history of Texas.
My mom told me stories of how they used springs of water to keep their food cool, about the wagons they used before cars, and how they smoked meat and pork in smokehouses. (she was born in 1910. But the secrets of the family don't have to be revealed if you're doing a family tree. It's up to the individual members of the family what and how much should be told. I think the people we're discovering would have been cool to know, but I too don't believe they would have fitted in the world as we know it now. Their times were so much simpler..
Hi guys. Updates on family trees can be so interesting. I think there's 200 photos on our tree, and it seems new people are being added daily. Let me know how your trees are coming too, and/or if someone has started one.
I don't know if anyone in my family (or mom's or Dad's side of the family) is doing a family tree, but I would want to start one. The only interesting thing I know for sure, is that a great grandma from my mom's side was Native American. We also have some relatives on my dad's side who are spread out, one of which apparently has Down syndrome like my uncle. That has always interested me, that 2 relatives would have that condition at the same time. I understand cerebral palsy (wich one of my brothers and a cousin on my mom's side of the family has), but the Down syndrome interests me since it is a chromosome thing.
Yes, you can find out about DNA, what diseases and conditions are passed down, (etc). It's weird because you find out stuff you didn't know could or would be passed down. I mean stuff that's rarely heard of. Also, if you do find out something, you're not taken by surprise if you find out you have it too. I love our tree, and it seems to have brought our family closer together. We're planning a reunion in March, and we haven't done that for years.
Hi guys. I was wondering if anyone's surname was Mealer? My mom's maden name was Mealer, and her family was from Ireland. We're finding out now they date back to the 1400s. It would be cool if I was related to someone on this site. Back in the 1400s, they spelled it Myler, but when they came from Ireland, they spelled it m e a l e r. Thought that was interesting. Also, not only can people see photos on Ancestory, but they can hear audio stories as well as contribute audios of their own if they have a tree there.
cool; sounds like a great idea for a rainy day! I am interested in my family tree. does that site full on have records of everyone on there?
My mother does so much with this that there's really nothing for anyone else to do. Has us related to many thousands of people, sometimes I think half the Jewish population of the world and going back 500 years or so. Where I'm stuck is I'm more interested in finding my daughter's brother (adopted daughter) - one she was raised with till she was eleven years old. I thought I was a good searcher and I'm striking out everywhere and I really want to find him because she keeps having dreams that he's in trouble and her dreams are pretty right on a lot of the time. That whole thing is pretty rotten - that siblings don't even have the right to know where each other are. Because he's still a minor lots of avenues are closed which won't be when he's older.
anyway, what I was going to add when I got off on that tangent is a site my mother recommends because it's free: http://www.stevenmorse.org - he brings together tons of resources, both paid and free for finding info about people and focuses on the ones that are still free.
I'm going to try that site. I believe now that adoption agencies will give info to a sibling about their other sibling. Also, on ancestory you can search all kinds of records, but you have to subscribe. I believe the subscription fee is $30 a month. Also, if you could obtain his social security number, you might could find out something that way. Call the social security office, explain your situation, and they may help. Also, I've heard you can find out about people on the net by entering in their social security number, but I've never done it, and I don't know how it works. That's kind of scary with all the I D theft that's going on. Anyway, hope this helps.
Hi guys. There's a new feature that's been added to Ancestory, and I thought you might be interested.
Now, if you want to add an audio story if you own a tree, or part of a tree, they've made it easy. You record your story by phone. I haven't done that yet, but I plan to. Isn't that cool? I mean if somebody passes on, 5 or ten years later, somebody can hear that person's voice and story. Wow
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the right to information about siblings only exists legally in some states and not for a minor. Her brother is still a minor. Social Security doesn't give out info on anyone, not that we would want them to. If someone has died, you can find that out for free on their web site but not about living people.
Well, I just got back from a family reunion a few days ago. It was an experience to say the least. Because of my parents' union, and from their consummated marriage, there has sprung seven children, 13 grandchildren, at least 20 great-grandchildren, and at least 3 great-great-grandchildren. I was fortunate to hold a great-great-nephew, who was born a month or so ago. Besides the great-great-grandchildren , there are great-grandchildren marrying. It's awesome to me how we never think that 50-something years after we marry our spouses, that through the process of the natural order, , people will be produced because of our unions.
We had lots of fun. There was food, lots of laughter, stories about our family, but in the midst of our celebration of our family, there was sadness. Our parents weren't there to witness the branches on our tree, and neither was one sister whom we lost 12 years ago. My husband whom I married 10 years ago, and who was not my kids' dad, had also succumbed to cancer, and wasn't there. My kids' dad is also deceased, but we were divorced when he died.
Still, all in all, the memories we created that weekend will always be alive. My siblings and I wonder if there will be reunions after we're gone. It's hard to say. People get caught up in their own lives, relocate to other places, and somehow lose touch. Hopefully, that won't happen.