When I got into finding all of my family roots, I also decided to do those of my ex-husband so that my children would have a full history of their ancestors. Just like in my family, my mother-in-law also had stories about her's and her husband's family.
In her family, she is supposedly a second cousin to Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. That is a connection I am never going to find on my own. The Irish, like every other culture it seems, uses the same names over and over again. And I do not know the parish where her father emigrated from in the 1880's. So, dead end. Connected to the Kennedy family by marriage? Maybe so.
On the Hammond side of the family, much easier. My MIL told me that her husband was a cousin to President Warren G. Harding. My husband knew nothing about it. I never asked for more information from her, which I should have done before she died in 2005. Yes, she and I remained in touch and friendly for more than ten years after her son and I split up - much to his chagrin (tough!).
So, when I started working on this tree in earnest, (and I do suggest separate trees for each side of a married couples family, which I did not do) I had to rely on what other relatives had put in their trees and then verify with documents online. As it turns out, Warren Harding is a third cousin of my ex-husband. My husband's great-grandfather was married to a Harding. Both lines of the family are descended from Amos Harding who was born in 1764 in New York. One of my husband's cousins says she had a picture somewhere taken at a family reunion with my husband's father and President Harding together. It was when my FIL was a young boy.
But the Harding ancestors go back much further than 1764. Richard Harding was born in Northampton, England in 1587. He arrived in Massachusetts in 1623 and died in Braintree, Mass in 1657. He was my husband's 10th great-grandfather.
So, quite the history. All that being said, I often wonder how many errors have been made by folks putting this information together. There are a lot of conflicting dates and places, even in the Millennium File and a book about the family history. But I will not pay someone to sort it out. While it is interesting, I really can't get upset if a few things are incorrect. At least I can verify the history back to the 1800's.
Are there Kennedy names on your ex's side? Did they grow up in Mass?? I love it that your kids have a connection to a former president. It can feel so overwhelming when you look at your own tree. I am glad you found this one man who came over from England and was an early settler.
ReplyDeleteNo Kennedy names. My mother-in-law was a Sheehan and Clifford. Not even sure which side was related to the Fitzgeralds.
DeleteGenealogy rumors can be fun to chase. One thing I discovered is that many stories went much further back than said. My great grandmother Margaret Beatty Sryock was supposed to be Irish which was not true according to my mother's DNA ethnicity. There are a lot of Kennedys in Appalachia.
ReplyDeleteI understand Warren G Harding was elected because he was so handsome and it was the first Presidential election that women were allowed to vote. Your kids must be exceptionally good looking as a result.
I have had to dig hard for information following the Civil War. Huge swaths of my family went to Texas or West afterwards. The poverty was grinding.
You know, I actually believe that women would vote based on looks. Why not. A man once told me he voted for me because I had a nice smile. A friend voted for a woman because she had nice boobs. Makes sense.
DeleteSearching for my daughter-in-laws family, it appears that there is a Mormon connection that she never heard about. My sister's husband's family is from Tennessee and Kentucky and his mother is supposedly related to Rutherford B. Hayes. But there are so many folks with the same name I got lost looking for them.
My aunt on my father's side married a Kennedy. But they were from Tennessee. My cousins would brag they were related to "The Kennedy's" Yeah right.
ReplyDeleteCute. I have one Kennedy in my tree, a woman who married a sixth cousin. I am pretty sure I am not re!ated to anyone famous.
DeleteI’m so enjoying these posts, Denise. Years ago, I compiled a tree for my mother (a Handy), but through her mother (a Kenyon), I was able to go way back (a twisty line got me back to King Alfred the Great, which gave us both a good laugh). The English records were a lot easier. When I attempted to find my father’s, I ran into what you described - there were just so many named John Reynolds and James Reynolds!
ReplyDeleteI am sure that our problems is why professional researchers are so expensive. When I tried to find my MIL's Sheehan ancestors I was hit with a barrage of possibilities and no idea where to start.
DeleteAs you say, quite the history! I now know far more about your family than I do of my own!
ReplyDeleteMy aunt married into a Kennedy family. They are very much London based, but how they got to be there I have no idea!
Joseph Kennedy Sr. was the Ambassador to the UK in the 1930's. I've watched lots of documentaries about the family.
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