Your roots
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Topic: Your roots
Posted By: Finnforest
Subject: Your roots
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 11:11
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I thought it might be fun to hear about the origins of people families, as I'm a big fan of family history/genealogy. Pick the line of your family you're most familiar with and do a show/tell as far back as you can go. One of my lines goes like this.... My Dad was born and raised in a very poor Saint Paul neighborhood known then and now as "Frogtown." With no welfare state during the depression they went hungry quite often, they went shoeless often, they passed clothes down from one to the next. Luckily with 7 brothers nothing went to waste. Somehow, despite dire living conditions and an often absent father, they had a wonderful childhood. Grandma was a strong woman who kept sh*t together. Grandpa with my 3 eldest uncles in 1930 Frogtown:  My great grandparents lived in a small farming community not far from here. They ran a general store there. Grandpa with his brothers in about 1915:  My great-grandparents family in front of their store, about 1905.  Share some of your pics if you wish, or stories. |
Replies:
Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 11:24
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The history of my family is shrouded in mystery. Legend has it that one of my ancestors was a soldier in the Civil War. When passing by a town in which many of the soldiers had families, they requested permission to go see them. The request was denied. Never one to take no for an answer, my take-charge relative shot his superior officer, allowing all the men to visit their wives and children. He then fled to Texas and changed his name, making it difficult to trace our history further back.
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Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 11:34
| That's a cool story Logan....I can vouch you find out lots of weird things when you start digging into the past.....have you ever had the urge to start researching it? |
Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 11:38
My mom has put in a lot of time and effort researching the family's history (or her side of it anyway) and it has been pretty fruitless. My heritage is extremely diverse and apparently has roots in Scotland, France, Germany, and probably a little bit of Natiev American, although that is unprovable. -------------
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Finnforest wrote:Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 11:44
I think what really energizes people to start digging is photos. At some point in our lives, someone dies and we will inherit a box of photos like I've posted below. When you start really studying them closely, it can ignite a strong desire to learn about the people in them. That's what happened to me. Once you get into it, it's very rewarding. |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 12:26
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I've never really had much interest in researching my family's past. I don't know much beyond my grandparents. It's something I'd like to learn eventually though. ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: The T
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 12:32
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One day a few centuries ago my father's ancestors came from Spain to what now is Ecuador. Then, eventually, my grandfather was born bearing the same exact name that my father and I also have (Teodoro Jose Gomez de la Torre). My grandfather, whom I never met since he dies before I was born, was a man of arts and show business, running the city's most important theater and dealing with people in high arts, in opera, in theater. But things went downhill and from richness he fell to poverty. My father, the youngest of 5 children, was the only one who had to suffer through this poverty. He became an artist, a painter, and also somewhat of a pioneer filmmaking (in my country of origin whose film industry is less than 40 years old, if we can call it an industry). Eventually, he had a very idiotic son who ended up living in Florida and visiting progarchives regularly. ------------- 
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Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 12:36
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The other cool thing about researching those old photos is that it leads you to contact some distant cousins. I've met so many people via phone and mail that I never would have met otherwise. What you find out by talking with other living descendents of great grandparents/ grandparents is that they often have stories and photos of your own parents/grandparents from when they were young. Photos that your family never saw. It has a real treasure hunt feel to it. One cousin of my Mom hadn't seen anyone in our family since they were tots, but she photos of birthday gathering from those days...pics of my Mom at a young age that I had never seen. |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 12:41
| Cool Teo, do you have a photo of your Grandpa? |
Posted By: The T
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 12:49
Yes. Well, not in digital form so I'll post it later  -------------
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Posted By: zappaholic
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 20:18
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My family background is German and I'm barely aware of it. ------------- "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." -- H.L. Mencken |
Posted By: geneyesontle
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 21:28
My great grand mother is british. She is called Elizabeth Cox. My other great grand parents are pure quebecers. Proud of my english origins. Can I have a cup of tea please.  ------------- Poseidon wants to Acquire the Taste of the Fragile Lamb - Derek Adrian Gabriel Anderson, singer of the band Geneyesontle |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 21:51
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My great grandmother about 1890. This photo was given to me by an 80 year old woman I'd never met....it had been in a box of photos given to her in 1965 by her husband's cousin, whose mother was the sister of my my great grandma pictured here. Had I not went on a serious detective hunt I'd never have this part of my past. My Dad had almost no photos or info about our ancestors. I have tons of photos and information obtained by tracking down strangers from other lines of my great grandparents family....2nd and 3rd cousins or whatever that makes em.....We compared notes and photos and be shocked to see we both had ones that were precious to the other. This is what I did with my spare time for a couple years, before I heard Quella Vecchia Locanda.   |
Posted By: Sumdeus
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 22:08
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My parents are both Russian. Mother is from Moscow area, father is a Tatar from Ufa. We came here when I was only seven years old so I'm pretty much a Californian in every sense of the word.
------------- http://sumdeus.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - Sumdeus - surreal space/psych/prog journeys |
Posted By: AEProgman
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 22:16
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Cool stuff. I had traced my fathers side back to the 1600s somewhere in Saint Paul's Church area in London, England. My mother's side got a little muddy, but I did find that one of her ancestors was an aide to Stonewall Jackson during the Civil War (somewhere I have a photo of him). Makes sense as most of them were in Virginia. ------------- 
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Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: November 17 2012 at 23:56
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Being raised by wolves makes my genealogy rather convoluted.
------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow">  https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: refugee
Date Posted: November 18 2012 at 09:33
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Interesting stories. I’d love to hear more about the wolves, Ian. I’ve been told that my family (on the paternal side) can be traced back to the 17th century when one of my ancestors moved from Denmark to Norway. The earliest one I can find, however, is Niels Hagerup (1729-89). The most interesting person in my family tree is probably my grandmother, the poet Inger Hagerup: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inger_Hagerup" rel="nofollow - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inger_Hagerup She and her spouse Anders Hagerup had two sons who both became writers, Helge (my father: http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helge_Hagerup" rel="nofollow - http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helge_Hagerup - only in Norwegian, I’m afraid, and the pic was taken while I was a toddler) and Klaus ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Hagerup" rel="nofollow - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Hagerup ). My childhood was a bit chaotic: periods without any money at all, periods with lots of money (especially when my father had sold a play), writers, actors/actresses, artists and other misfits who frequented our home, rather unhealthy amounts of alcohol … and an ugly divorce. My father had five children. Three with my mother: My brother Henning (literary critic, translator), me (translator/musician) and my sister Linde (writer). He married again and had two sons: Bendik (composer) and Simen (writer). So we’re all misfits. Three of us live abroad; I live in Greece, Bendik in Belgium and Simen in Germany. ------------- He say nothing is quite what it seems; I say nothing is nothing (Peter Hammill) |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: November 18 2012 at 09:41
| Interesting Espen, does your family get together for a reunion every so often? If so , where do you choose with everyone living in different places? |
Posted By: refugee
Date Posted: November 18 2012 at 10:07
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No, we don’t arrange reunions. The last time we all met was in my father’s funeral, four years ago. But I’ve seen nearly all of them since then (the exception is Bendik; if I had the money, I would visit him in Gent). Simen came here in October with his girlfriend and two sons I had never met before (they’re only 3 1/2 and 2 years old). Simen’s mother came too – a cool 69 years old woman who looks like a witch and acts like a witch but in reality is a teacher and a very nice person. I will definitely meet Henning next year (he plans to come and visit us), and hopefully my financial situation will allow me to go to Norway. ------------- He say nothing is quite what it seems; I say nothing is nothing (Peter Hammill) |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: November 18 2012 at 11:14
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Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: November 18 2012 at 11:22
Nice music Aginor, what's the connection to this thread? (for those who can't understand the tongue)
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Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: November 18 2012 at 11:37
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Posted By: refugee
Date Posted: November 18 2012 at 11:43
50 generations is a bit exaggerated (if one generation is 30 years, that would be 300 years). She was born in 1905.  The lyrics to the third song (Måken = The Seagull) were written by André Bjerke, her long time friend and rival. EDIT: Sorry, stupid miscalculation. It would be 1500 years.  ------------- He say nothing is quite what it seems; I say nothing is nothing (Peter Hammill) |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: November 18 2012 at 11:45
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my relatives come from different parts of Norway and central Europe , my maternal mom is from Haugeland, and she comes from a small village that is almost not vissable on the map, Austboe, she had two sisters, we don't know who her father is, but roumers is that he went on the sea, as most men did in Norway at that, time, sailor, so noone know who he is or have found any traces of him, my grandfather is from a farming/agriculture in South Trønderlag, my matternal grandfather can trace the ownership of the farm to 1740, and some time futher back to a different place, my relatives bought the farm in the 1700, my patternal grandparents is from Hungary -------------
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Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: November 18 2012 at 16:01
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My older, earlier relatives that i know anything about (my parents and grand-parents) are, or were, Canadian, except for my maternal grand-mother, who was half American. My Dad was an English Literature teacher, and in his youth, a jazz drummer (amateur level)-my Mother was a social worker, and very academically inclined, at one point being the top academically in all of Ontario, Canada My Dad's father owned an insurance company, and also had a Diamond drilling company up north in Canada, but it was when he became political that he really hit his stride. In the 1950s, he was pretty well Prime MInister John Diefenbaker's right hand man. Grandpa Ted was both a Provincial and later Federal Member of Parliament, and was Chairman of Commitees and Asssistant to the Deputy Speaker of the House under Diefenbaker. But a stroke felled him and put him in a wheelchair. My earliest memory is meeting him when i was just 2 and a half years old, he died just months later. My father's Mother, whom i never knew, was a Tobler, and an American Mormon, who was related to the famous Swiss family of "Toblerone Chocolate" fame. My mother's father, whom i knew well, was an important Canadian Historian, both as a teacher, and writer. After WW2 when the history texts had to be updated, he was chosen as one of 7 Canadians to do the job, |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: November 18 2012 at 16:20
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Scotts-Irish with a splash of German. Lindsey and Ransdell. Greene and Mitchell. Witherspoons... People that settled in the Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio area. My parents hail from Carrollton Kentucky. |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: November 18 2012 at 16:21
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mmmm i love me some Toblerone
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Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: November 20 2012 at 11:29
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German, Irish, Catholic & Jewish all feature in my gene pool, so I tend to cross borders without permission, am too drunk to know why, but know exactly how much it cost & always feel guilty about it ------------- 
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: timothy leary
Date Posted: November 20 2012 at 12:04
| Adam & Eve |
Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: November 20 2012 at 12:50
| I think my ancestors were notorious horse thieves in Ireland. Lucky for me a few of them managed to escape the hangman. |
Posted By: ClemofNazareth
Date Posted: November 20 2012 at 13:48
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My father's family immigrated to the colonies from Essex aboard the Bona Nova in 1620 (family name Tyus) and settled in Virginia. The family later migrated to Georgia and then Alabama. My mother's family came from Sweden around the time of the U.S. Civil War (family name Hundley) and settled in Kansas. Apparently I still have a lot of relatives in Sweden but I don't know any of them. ------------- "Peace is the only battle worth waging." Albert Camus |
Posted By: Moogtron III
Date Posted: November 20 2012 at 14:38
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Both my mother and my father come from a village north in the Netherlands, in the province of Groningen. All of my father's family and half of my mother's family come from Groningen. The other half of my father's family come from the province of Friesland, west of Groningen. So the north part of the Netherlands, that's the origin of my family.
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Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: November 20 2012 at 20:03
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I'm not very into genealogy. I'm probably an heir to the throne of England for all I know. Also, my name is Ralph. ------------- http://soundcloud.com/drewagler" rel="nofollow - My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want! |
Posted By: JJLehto
Date Posted: November 20 2012 at 20:45
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Half Ukrainian, the other half is Italian and Spanish. There just isn't much about it, typical poor, uneducated immigrants that came to the US for a better life. Though the Ukrainian side is decently interesting. After Hitler invaded they were moved to a work camp where my grandparents met, and my Uncle was born in Germany. Also some ancestor of mine died in 1917, he was drowned in the town fountain as a sign of surrender  I always wondered what went down exactly. A lot was happening in 1917 but we'll never know. |
Posted By: Sagichim
Date Posted: November 21 2012 at 01:48
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OK this is going to be different. My father was born in Iraq (Yes the same Iraq) to a very wealthy family. One day a government guy knocked on their door and told my grandfather he has a few days to get the hell out of their country. All the jewish community was deported to Israel, that was in 1951. My grandfather was devastated to find out Irael was in such bad shape. They were forced to live in a tent with the rest of the community, than moved to a tin shack for ten years, they didn't have enough food, no clothes and no health care. And it was worse than you could possibly imagine. My mom was born in Morocco and in the age of 17 in 1963 she came with her brother to Israel, she had a slightly easier time, but still it was very hard to make that transition. That's the basic story I guess. BTW beautiful pictures Jim, I love those old photos. |
Posted By: UMUR
Date Posted: November 21 2012 at 02:10
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We actually have a family tree on my fathers side that dates back to the 1500th century Denmark. I´m apparently the descendant to this horny king: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John,_King_of_Denmark" rel="nofollow - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John,_King_of_Denmark , who alledgedly "had his way" with a female laundry woman who was my great, great, great, great.............grandma. So yeah you can call me Prince of Denmark. Blue blooded b*****d to the bone.
On my mothers side I only know what my grandma has told me from her childhood and some of the stories that her parents and grandparents told her. The most interesting thing on that side of my family is probably that my great, great grandfather (or maybe it was my great, great, great or maybe only great ) was the one who found this Danish National treasure: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trundholm_sun_chariot" rel="nofollow - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trundholm_sun_chariot ------------- http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/" rel="nofollow - Metal Music Archives https://rateyourmusic.com/~UMUR" rel="nofollow - UMUR on RYM |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: November 21 2012 at 02:48
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I guess my ancestry can be traced back to Noah of early Biblical ages, or even Adam. But I won't go that far because I know too little of what's inbetween. My parents come from a region called 'Het Gooi', some 30 km southeast of Amsterdam. My mother's side has Frisian roots: one of my great-grandfathers (the one whom I have known) came from a village near Harlingen, the other was born on Terschelling, one of the Wadden islands.
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Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: November 21 2012 at 07:35
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Thank you guys for sharing all these stories, this is great reading for me. I like history, but I enjoy it more when it's on a personal level....coming from people about their own lives. |