Anyone else into seeking their ancestors?

[darksideofthemoon]

I have become adicted to Ancestry.com and am lucky enough that one side of my family can be researched way back into the dim times.

The other side has hit a brick wall and I have to wait until someone else in the world may have more information.

How is everyone else going?

[clair.de.lune]

So not having read this thread, did anyone find out anything interesting about their ancestors?

[punch*drunk]

My family is a little boring, I do have one ancestor that helped capture Ned Kelly, so I was pretty impressed with that. I also very recently discovered one that built churches, a musuem, a couple of schools and various other buildings in Dunedin. I was able to find some photos of some of them online.

On my husbands side, we discovered my MIL had a couple of half brothers. Quite a shock considering she was the illegitimate child of a catholic priest.

[punch*drunk]

I probably shouldnt say my family are boring. I am quite fascinated by where everybody came from, when and how they arrived in Australia, what they did for work, etc. Its like trying to piece together a big jigsaw puzzle.

[clair.de.lune]

That is not boring! 🙂

[punch*drunk]

Nah, I guess not. I love it. I feel like I know them all and I desperately want to go to England/Ireland/Scotland and check out where they all lived.

I have found a lot of them cemeterie that my ancestors in victoria were buried in, so i want to get around to them too.

[2chappies]

Punch, are you or others on Facebook?  There are several groups I'm on there who are most helpful, especially photographing gravestones for others in their local cemeteries or if they are travelling through a town.  If anyone wants to know the groups I know of, send me a mesage.  I'm not posting them here, still smarting from a sore bot last week. 😞

[flashie*]

No idea about the medal Punch.

My ancestors are rather boring too..........well not so much boring as average.

My ancestor was a convict...........sent out for life for a crime of poverty..................he stole a cow.

He was 22....married with twin girls...........and his wife was pregnant.

Even his convict records say this crime was out of character for him and he came from a well connected family.

His wife gave birth to a stillborn girl while he was awaiting trial and he never got to see his wife and twin girls again............as they were denied permission to come out to Australia.

When he arrived here in Tasmania he was assigned to a gentleman who farmed a huge property in one of the most beautiful areas of Tasmania.

He eventually remarried and had another 13 children.......and ironically most of his sons became Policeman...........one grandson became Deputy Commissioner of Police.

His eldest son (my Great grandfather) remained as manager of the property that his father was sent to as a convict.........and went into local politics before retiring..........and became part owner of 20 acres when he risk his life .........when the owner was drowning in the near by river after his boast tipped over while trying to cross in a small boat.

So although my original ancestor arrived as a convict it is good to see that he was obviously respected within his community despite his humble beginnings.

My family still remain in the area farming now........180 years later.

[kengillard]

Just a word of warning Clair.

A lot of Americans "add" their own relatives to some trees...so be very suspicious if you find a relative born in the USA in the year 1000 for example.  Check out births and deaths...sometimes searchers don't bother to check dates...and so a child is supposed to be born 100 years after it's mother died e.g. 😄

[flashie*]

I have a small challenge for anyone who wants to look for me.

Henry Marshall..........born 21 May 1786 in Hemingby Lincolnshire.

His father is Mark Marshall.............his mother is either Mary or Sarah (some records differ)

What happened to him?

There was also a Henry Cacroft Marshall born in Spilsby Lincolshire in February 1786.........his parents were William and Grace Marshall...........he is not the one I am looking for.

[clair.de.lune]

That's so sad flashie the first part of that but interesting too.

Thanks kengillard 🙂