One whole side of my family are Norman French who came to Quebec in the 1600s and only moved to the USA in the 1950s. I guess I'm more Viking-Froggy and less heritagy.
Thread for Heritage Americans
- Thread starter starlight
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My mom and I have been working on our family genealogy for many years (as well as collecting family stories from the eldest before they passed) and it's something that I've always been fascinated with. Whenever I would look at pictures of old family members (some are daguerreotype and tintypes and no one remembers who they were...) I would always wonder "Who really is this person? What was their life like? What were they like? What were their hopes and dreams, joys and sorrows?" Studying genealogy not only keeps the past alive but also gives us a realistic perspective on our own existence: that we're just another branch in our family tree. I hope, someday, a great-great-granddaughter will wonder about who I was and try to imagine what it was like to live during this time period.
In the current year, I think it's especially important to recognize that America, as a people, still exists. The pilgrims, colonists, pioneers, '49ers, etc., didn't just vanish. They exist within their descendants, us. And I think it should be celebrated. I don't think it's boasting to be incredibly proud of the achievements of our ancestors and share their stories.
It's sad to have unlabeled old, fading photos. By doing online research, though, I found distant cousins who helped identify some, and also had some to share. What treasures! So don't throw out your unidentified ones, and perhaps scan them instead, as you never know. I have another family story to share:
My GG Grandmother had experienced many losses. Her parents died when she was only 5. She was brought to America in the early 1800's from England by her aunt and uncle when she was still a child. Her aunt's baby died on the voyage to America. Her older sister moved on to Austrailia. Shortly after arriving here her aunt also died so her uncle placed her in a convent, but she escaped over the wall, living in the streets until she was taken in by another family. She married her first husband in her late teens who, sadly, died a year later from an old wound he'd received in the Mexican War just before she bore his son. She met my GG Grandfather, who married her, also taking in her young son, and they had their own family. (LIving happily ever after!)
I shared the above story hoping it would be interesting to someone. Many of my ancestors arrived before we became a nation. I don't want to bore you all, but I care very much about our founding families, the colonists, and admire their strength of character and courage.. I can't help but feel that our culture has lost something over the centuries.
My GG Grandmother had experienced many losses. Her parents died when she was only 5. She was brought to America in the early 1800's from England by her aunt and uncle when she was still a child. Her aunt's baby died on the voyage to America. Her older sister moved on to Austrailia. Shortly after arriving here her aunt also died so her uncle placed her in a convent, but she escaped over the wall, living in the streets until she was taken in by another family. She married her first husband in her late teens who, sadly, died a year later from an old wound he'd received in the Mexican War just before she bore his son. She met my GG Grandfather, who married her, also taking in her young son, and they had their own family. (LIving happily ever after!)
I shared the above story hoping it would be interesting to someone. Many of my ancestors arrived before we became a nation. I don't want to bore you all, but I care very much about our founding families, the colonists, and admire their strength of character and courage.. I can't help but feel that our culture has lost something over the centuries.
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I love hearing/reading old family stores.
Some idiot said that "remember when..." was the lowest form of dialogue except that "remember when..." is literally all of verbally transferred memory and stories. Tell and retell the stories of your ancestors lest they be forgot.
Anyway...
Here's one for you: My great-great Uncle was walking on his way home one evening in far North Michigan...
(Where he was coming from, we don't know. The first thought is that he was coming home from a saloon or bar except they didn't (and still don't) have anything like that around that nearby for miles).
Anyway, so my great-great uncle was walking home and it started to get dark and he got really tired. So, he did the normal thing and laid down to sleep on the side of the road with his shotgun in his arm. Unfortunately, he blew half his arm off before sunrise. Somehow he lived and was eventually immortalized by the local paper.
What a story!
I'm descended from William Brewster and am also related to the clumsy boy John Howland that fell off the Mayflower
Why not, if it's something Canadians would be interested in. With ancestors who arrived in the 18th century, you'd certainly be the Canadian equivalent of a Heritge American. It's unfortunate that you felt the need to use those contemptuous quotes. Surely there is a difference between Anglo-Saxon people with a genetic connection to the USA or Anglophone Canada going back to colonial times and those whose ancestors came from somewhere other than Great Britain just a few geneations ago. Even more so with more recent immigrants from outside of Europe.
Unless you believe in magic dirt theory, of course. That is, the idea that moving a Honduran, Nigerian, or an Arab to to the USA or Canada magically transforms him into an American or Canadian just like you and me.
That is amazing. You definitely get some serious bragging rights! Are you a part of the Mayflower Society??