The Elbridge Gerry that signed the Declaration of Independence did have a wife and several children. Still, no connections found. Still looking for a cousin connection farther back. At least I am looking at the correct person now.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Family Lore Update
Many a genealogist can relate to this. I have been looking at the wrong Elbridge Gerry.
Friday, October 4, 2019
Today I Shed Tears
While listening to an older episode of Extreme Genes I was reminded about the RelativeFinder site. The site pulls from you FamilySearch Tree and gives you clues to persons of interest to whom you may be related.
I have to say I take any leads I get from FamilySearch with "a grain of salt". I have personally discovered some very erroneous connections to my own family members. However, it is a clue to possible directions to follow when looking for parentage to a known family member.
Well, I was looking through the extended list of possible groups you can look at and saw the Salem Witch Trials. I had commented to a friend recently that it would be interesting to find a connection to the trials but I doubted there would be as I was sure my lines did not date back that far. But, I figured why not look just in case. I was heartbroken to find possible distant relatives on both sides of the story - 2 accused and 3 magistrates who played a part in the trials. I checked the charts showing the links between myself and each person and I could recognize most of my side almost up to the connecting person.
I know I said I would talk about both the "heroes" and the "scoundrels" in my family but I am not sure I can pursue these lines. I am not sure I can endure the sorrow I will feel for the wrongfully accused or rage I will feel for the accusers and judges.
For now, I will put these in my "maybe one-day" file and continue to work on fleshing the stories of closely related families.
I have to say I take any leads I get from FamilySearch with "a grain of salt". I have personally discovered some very erroneous connections to my own family members. However, it is a clue to possible directions to follow when looking for parentage to a known family member.
Well, I was looking through the extended list of possible groups you can look at and saw the Salem Witch Trials. I had commented to a friend recently that it would be interesting to find a connection to the trials but I doubted there would be as I was sure my lines did not date back that far. But, I figured why not look just in case. I was heartbroken to find possible distant relatives on both sides of the story - 2 accused and 3 magistrates who played a part in the trials. I checked the charts showing the links between myself and each person and I could recognize most of my side almost up to the connecting person.
I know I said I would talk about both the "heroes" and the "scoundrels" in my family but I am not sure I can pursue these lines. I am not sure I can endure the sorrow I will feel for the wrongfully accused or rage I will feel for the accusers and judges.
For now, I will put these in my "maybe one-day" file and continue to work on fleshing the stories of closely related families.
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Family Lore - Fact or Fanciful Stories?
As I mentioned in my introduction there are several stories I grew up hearing from my grandparents. I always wanted to more. How are we related? Where did they live? What impact did they have on my world?
The first is supposedly my 2x great grandfather Arthur Angel was on a ship that traveled to the South Seas and brought back a Tasmanian Devil for Smithsonian. I was told there is a newspaper article title "Angel Brings Devil". My grandmother and Dad have both have told me they have seen an actual copy of the article but an internet search on numerous newspaper sites has never produced it. I have asked my grandmother to see if she still has the article in her trunk and have my sister or one of my cousins take a picture of it for me. In the meantime, this is what I know:
The next story is that we are related to Elbridge Gerry, signer of the Declaration of Independence of the state of Massachusetts. Supposedly my grandfather's cousin paid a genealogist to prove or disprove the story but refused to share the results. Since her passing her son has refused to share it as well. Elbridge Gerry does not have any known children, so we would only be linked as distant cousins. I have not gotten back enough generations yet to find a possible link but I do have a lead that we might be linked through his mother. THE HUNT RESUMES.
The last story is that we descend from a Prussian baron that was exiled from Prussia due to being persecuted and fled to Eastern Europe and changed his name. I have traced the family back to England but without more information, I can't go back any farther. I think DNA may be the key to break through the brick wall.
The first is supposedly my 2x great grandfather Arthur Angel was on a ship that traveled to the South Seas and brought back a Tasmanian Devil for Smithsonian. I was told there is a newspaper article title "Angel Brings Devil". My grandmother and Dad have both have told me they have seen an actual copy of the article but an internet search on numerous newspaper sites has never produced it. I have asked my grandmother to see if she still has the article in her trunk and have my sister or one of my cousins take a picture of it for me. In the meantime, this is what I know:
- I found documentation for an Arthur Angel working aboard a Naval ship.
- That ship was commissioned to sail to Australia and the surrounding islands for scientific exploration.
- That ship brought back an assortment of specimens of animals and plants for the Smithsonian.
The next story is that we are related to Elbridge Gerry, signer of the Declaration of Independence of the state of Massachusetts. Supposedly my grandfather's cousin paid a genealogist to prove or disprove the story but refused to share the results. Since her passing her son has refused to share it as well. Elbridge Gerry does not have any known children, so we would only be linked as distant cousins. I have not gotten back enough generations yet to find a possible link but I do have a lead that we might be linked through his mother. THE HUNT RESUMES.
The last story is that we descend from a Prussian baron that was exiled from Prussia due to being persecuted and fled to Eastern Europe and changed his name. I have traced the family back to England but without more information, I can't go back any farther. I think DNA may be the key to break through the brick wall.
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