On Family History

I know nothing, really, about my family history. It's not something anyone talked about when I was growing up. Maybe they, themselves, were never even curious about it. I started the project YEARS ago, and then dropped it because stuff like that can be expensive. But the other day, I picked it back up again.

I've found out about all kinds of people I never even knew existed.....And the most interesting thing is that I am a direct descendant of someone who was knighted by Henry II. That's a ridiculously long way back, all the way to the 1160s, but the stuff is all there, many other people did that work, and I was lucky enough to have stumbled upon it.

Some of the branched are difficult, there not being anyone else that is working on them, publicly, at least, and a lot of records aren't available...I can;t find anything about certain people, even using all the TIPS AND HINTS given.

I've found some things I am ashamed of, some unpleasant things, but also some people that seem like they would make for a good story.

Anyway, it's a project that has totally sucked me in and made me completely unaware of the things around me. Dishes in the sink? I am SO BUSY! My OCD has a new focus now. I realize that I could work on this forever and ever, and probably never be done, but my fervor will settle down.

My heritage, which has always been something no one really KNEW (Oh, um....German, I'm sure!)....I have found out that my ancestors came here from Wales, Germany, England, and France. What I'm really interested in finding out about is also my ex husband's family tree. Someone, years ago, showed up with a stack of papers, saying that they were direct descendants of some pretty famous Native American people. I was promised copies, which I never got, so I'll have to do my own digging on that one. I am working on Mr. Parker's ancestry, too. So far, nothing especially interesting there, except for some exceptionally pretty names among the women of his family.