Is anybody into geneology?

I have spent the past several years searching the internet, county libraries and courthouse records, books, and anything else I could get my hands on to trace my genealogy.

I've often told people that it is like a drug. Once you've found a few previously unknown things you search for more and more. It seems like when one door is shut another 3 or 4 open.

I've traced all of my family back at least 150 years and I've traced most back over 250 years.

I've found that all of my family, whom I've traced back far enough, had come to America before the Revolutionary War and several branches have been here for almost 400 years. Several were members of the Old Swedes Churches in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Rhode Island back in the 1600's.

I've also found that I am a descendant of King Edward I of England (Longshanks of "Braveheart" fame) and Philip of Spain.

Also descended from Emperor Constantine, Muhammed, and Augustus Caesar(of Christ's time).

I figured, once I got that far back, there was really no reason to go any further as most of the ancestors prior to that are already spoken of in the Bible.

Can't go back much further than Adam, huh?

I do seem to be having quite a bit of difficulty with my dad's family though. I've got up to his great grandparents on all sides, and his maternal side was a snap as many were of the Hatfield clan of the notorious feud in W. Virginia and Kentucky. His paternal side has been a bit harder as a fire struck the family Bible in a cousin's house several decades ago. It also took out the portrait of my Great-Great Grandparents Reed. I've got the Bible of my great Uncle, but he has little info of those past his siblings, parents, and all his kids, nieces, nephews, etc.

I have found that marriage, death, and census records are a good start and social security applications are always good as well.

It doesn't hurt to do some cemetary walks as well. Also, county libraries have been a great help to me in finding otherwise obscure data that isn't readily avaliable via the internet.

Good luck LadyEagle on your quest to find your ancestors.

Brother James

 

On my mother's side, I am related to most of the royal houses of Europe (wrong side of the blanket of course!). So Bro James and I are distant cousins! That in turn takes me back as far as Noah via the High Kings of Ireland and from him obviously to Adam

On my father's side, got it back to 1820

Yours in Christ

Matt

 

I have been a genealogist since 1985 and have trace all my families back to when they came to America, several in the 1600's. One family I have back to 1030A.D. when the Danish Viking King Sweyn invaded and conquered England. With him was his son Prince Canute who was declared King of England by the Danish fleet upon his father's sudden death Feb. 3, 1014. One of King Canute's Chiefs was a man famous for making superior swords. King Canute christened him Genergan, which meant "Iron Famous". This name was later changed to Jernigan. Jernigans have been landed gentry down through English history, either Knights, Barons and Baronets. Besides the Jernigan Barony, they also laid claim at one point to the Stafford Barony.
During Mary Tudor's reign(daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine) Sir Henry Jernigan, who changed his name to Jerningham to distinguish his line from other Jernigans) declared his allegiance to her in 1553 and went into her service. He was appointed Vice Chamberlain, Captain of the Guard, Master of the Horse and of the Household and a member of the Privy Council.
After Mary (who was Catholic) died in 1558 and Elizabeth (dau. of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn) became Queen, the Jerninghams and the Jernigans suffered greatly because of their Catholic faith and fell out of favor during Queen Elizabeth's reign. Many lost their lands and had to worship in secret.
After the Jernigans came to American, they were great patriots and holders of large tracts of land in Virginia and North Carolina, then migrated to all the Eastern seaboard states as well as all points West. They became Protestants and I can boast of their many great works in the Baptist denomination. I am very proud to have descended from such a noble and godly family.

Genealogy is very much like a drug. Once you start it is very hard to stop. You find yourself wanting to learn more and more, whether they be horse thieves, murders or ministers. The last 19 years researching my family have been very interesting and rewarding.

 

As I just found my research binders, let me point out the following:

I am a descendant of the Plantagenet Kings, ruling Engalnd from 1154-1485, beginning with Henry II. A short run-down of the more famous ones, but not all.

King Henry II

King Henry III

King Edward I, married Margaret, d/o King Philip III of France

Sir Henry, 3rd Lord Scrope, knight of the Garter and English Treasurer...beheaded in 1415, married to Lady Philippa, d/o Sir Guy de Brian, Knight of the Garter.

Sir Thomas de Tunstall, Lord of Thurland Castle, married Alice Neville, d/o George Neville, Archbishop of York.

Brian de Tunstall, nicknamed the "Stainless Knight" after his death at the Battle of Flodden Field.

Edmund Tunstall, sailed to Virgina w/ 2 servants in 1636 and became one of the first commercial tobacco farmers in the U.S.

Sir John Bankes(later Banks) sailed to Virginia aboard the Peter Bonaventure in 1635.

His father, also Sir John Bankes, served as Lord Chief Justice of England during the reign of Charles VIII. He was Attorney General in 1634 and was granted Knighthood. In 1640 he became Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. In 1642 he was bestowed with an honrary Law Doctorate from Oxford and was named to the King's Privy Council. He announced the conduct of the Parliamentary Generals as treasonable at the outbreak of the civil war. He and the other justices were then declared traitors by Parliament and an attck force was sent to his home, Corfe Castle on the Isle of Purbeck. Sir John was awawy, so his wife successfully defended the home with only servants and retainers. Sir John Bankes is buried in the Cathedral of Christ Church at Oxford.

delly, you are right, it is very addictive. The first time I started researching at night and still was doing so when the sun rose I realized that.

I should also mention to Americans that my family owned the land that the State Department now occupies. Should we stage a coup to take it back?

 

Bro. Reed, I see you have a Lord Scrope in your line. I have one in my Jernigan line also, but just a bit later.

Sir Edward Jernigan, Knight, married to his 2nd. wife Mary, dau. of Lord Richard Scrope. Sir Edward died in 1515 so this would be over 100 years from your ancestor.

My first American ancestor Sir Thomas Jernigan was born in 1614 and was knighted at age 19. He came to America at the age of 21 on the "Truelove" in 1635 and settled at Somerton, Nansemond County, Virginia, which he had named after one of the Jernigan Seats, "Somerlyton", in England.

It seems weird that both our ancestors came to America in the same year, just on different ships.

Happy hunting.

 

I have done a fair amount of research into my family history. It is fascinating to learn of my heritage. I have found no royalty like many of you have. I would caution any new researcher that you are probably not going to find your related to royalty. The old joke has been that your a descendent of George Washington (He had no children).

If your family is anything like mine this is what you will find: a lot of poor farmers, most of which did not own the land they worked, a lot of sickness and dead children, (The number of infants and young children who died in years gone by has always moved me), a few criminals and rascals, and perhaps one or two land owners who left a mark on their communities.

The best thing I have found so far was a will left by an ancestor (7 greats back) in Virginia in the 1600's. It is a fascinating document that records all of this man's possessions (He went into such detail that he had his knives and forks numbered and distributed). The best part is the opening of the will where he states his assurance of a home in heaven based on the atoning blood of his savior and lord, Jesus Christ. It is an incredibly clear and strong statement of faith for that age.

 

North Caroline, you are right on the mark. Most of my people were very poor tenant farmers who never owned a piece of property in their lives. In fact, my dad was a "sharecropper" and never owned anything until he retired from farming. We were very poor when I was growing up but we never missed church whenever the doors were open. In fact, we opened the doors. lol
Isn't it wonderful to find old wills. The language
so many of them used back then is fascinating, although hard to read sometimes. They list everything down to the pots, pans and kettles. I was thrilled recently to find the will of a man in North Carolina who was the father of one of my Jernigan ancestors. He and his wife divorced and she changed her name and her son's name back to Jernigan. Her ex husband married again and had many children. In his will, he left his first son, Arthur Alford Jernigan, 1 dollar.
I am always thrilled when I find those who were instrumental in furthering the cause of Christ. So many in my family helped found new churches when they came to Tennessee.

 

My dad is a descendant of the preacher with "the travelling church" Elder Lewis Craig. He and his brothers were arrested several times in the 1700's for preaching without a license. Whenever he felt the urge to move, whether led of the Spirit or just for better farming land, a bulk of his congregation would move with him. He planted several churches throughout North Carolina, Virginia, and Kentucky.

I also have ancestors from Nansemond Co., VA. William Horn, born ca.1690 in Nansemond County.

What other surnames are in your family back then delly?

 

Bro. James, HOWELL is another prominant name in my ancestry. One of my 4th great uncles was Robert Boyte Crawford Howell was instrumental in establishing the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville, TN and served as it's president for a number of years. He was a widly published author and pastored many churches in North Carolina and Tennessee. He was born in North Carolina.
My first American Howell ancestor was Etheldred Howell who came from Ayershire, Wales, Great Britian to(James City) Jamestown, Nansemond Co.,VA. in the 1600's.
Other names in my North Carolina history are MORRIS, WILSON, RUSSOM, HART and AUSTIN. From South Carolina and Alabama I have WHITTEN, SCROGGINS, SHADDRICK (SHADIX).

 

Off the top of my head I know that I have Morris and Hart bloodlines. I'll have to look them up for the given names though.

 

So what is your (collective) advice as to how to get started?

I've made a few feeble attempts at tracing my ancestry, but I really don't have the slightest notion of how to begin.

I feel sure that should I ever hit "pay-dirt", I'd be like Bro. James Reed, and see the dawning of the new day.

 

I'd start with the largest internet-based genealogy sites.

Most "facts" are posted by other genealogists and a lot of the material is disputible, but it is a good way to start nonetheless.

www.ancestry.com

www.genealogy.com

www.familysearch.org (this is the most accurate, imo, because it is mostly taken from census, marriage, birth, and death records and coordinated through the Church of Latter day Saints so they can baptize in the names of the dead...they like to document facts and check before they post a new subject)

www.rootsweb.com (not much difference from ancestry.com except there are additional social security and death records that are pay-areas on ancestry)

Asking older family members is always a good start as well, also looking through family bibles or old church records. Then, there is also the old-fashioned way of going to county libraries, especially the counties where your family lived, and looking through the records databases.

You'd really be surprised by what all stories have been passed down, and old events that the older folks remember. Looking at pictures is a blast because you can put faces to the names you are searching.

Happy hunting.

 

Bro. James is absolutely correct. Start by talking to all your older relatives. Don't wait until they are all gone, like I did. LOL Old folks have a wealth of information so tap into it quickly. I hit every library and every cemetery in 4 counties when I was just starting. I didn't have a computer way back then.
Some other great sites to go to are: USgenweb and your state's genweb. This brings it down to the states and counties you need to look in for your families. Your most likely will find cemetery lists, marriage records, death records, some civic war lists and land records.
Just be careful that it doesn't become an obsession. hahaha

 

Have been gone for a spell, AND having 'puter problems, but thanks for the input! I'll spend some time trying out the info.

Incidentally, I'm the old one in the family now; everyone gone 'cept my Mom, so she's the only source of "first-hand" info left. I'll try to milk this source.