posted on December 21, 2004 04:23:26 AM new
I had to share this because I think it's amazing. What a Christmas gift!
About three years ago, I posted on the MacDonald clan website a request for information on my family history. I never heard anything so I forgot about it. Sunday night I got a phone call. The caller ID showed British Co as the originator of the call. The caller simply stated he had an early Christmas gift for me and that he had my family history. I waited for the "and for only $59.95, you can have this information". Turns out this man is my 3rd cousin. He's been trying to track me down since my email address has changed. He tracked down my family in Toledo who gave him my uncle's number here who gave him my mother's number who gave him mine! Talk about persistence! What a gift! This cousin has the family history. He's been working on it for quite some time now. For the first time, I've been able to see pics of my great-great-great grandmother and my great-grandfather. What a history! I love reading this stuff! So far I have over 50 pages of things to read over. The funny thing is, people whose names I thought I knew, I didn't at all. Aunt Marguerite is actually Aunt Sarah, etc. I thought my mother's side was all Scot, but it turns out there's Irish there as well. Irish on both sides of the family. That explains a whole lot!
Anyway, I've now got family in Canada I didn't know still existed. A lot of family!! I've heard rumors over the years, LOL, but never had concrete proof. Now I know. I now not only have a new email buddy (he's only a year older than me), I now have real reason to get to Victoria BC.
What fun it is getting to know one another! Of course, he's put me to work on getting information about the family here. He's putting together a book so it will be a great thing to hand down to the kids. For a number of years we've been trying to find definitive proof that we're cousins of Sir John Alexander MacDonald, but have been unsuccessful in nailing it down. He did it.
Anyway, I hope everyone on the board gets a gift as great as this one for Christmas. See, not all gifts are in the form of those you have to wrap!
Cheryl
"Success in almost any field depends more on energy and drive than it does on intelligence. This explains why we have so many stupid leaders."
-Sloan Wilson
posted on December 21, 2004 05:34:47 AM new
"About three years ago, I posted on the MacDonald clan website a request for information on my family history."
posted on December 21, 2004 07:33:21 AM new
CBlev65252
Thats great! It is amazing how people wind up where they are. It is good to know family history.
Great gift for this season. Keep us updated if you ever make the trip to Canada.
posted on December 21, 2004 07:38:41 AM new
::Aunt Marguerite is actually Aunt Sarah, etc.::
LOL! I know what you mean. Imagine my surprise when I found out that my grandfather Dan's real name was actually Louis. Of course I only discovered this after I found out that my grandmother had changed her name too and when researching using her real name found a record of their divorce with his real name.
While we are on this subject - maybe our reitireed service members can help me out here.... I need to find service records for both of my grandfathers. One was killed in WWII, the other never really spoke of his service but did bring home a beautiful set of hand carved bookends, portraying a young couple leaning back to back. Above each person in is a book cover, above the girl is my grandmothers name, the boy is my grandfathers. These are beautiful pieces that we know little about other than that he once told my grandmother that they were made for him by a POW that he guarded. We would love to find out where he served and was stationed to see if we can figure out a little more. How does one research past service records of famiy members?
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
[ edited by fenix03 on Dec 21, 2004 07:39 AM ]
posted on December 21, 2004 08:11:40 AM new
I agree Cheryl. I had a surprise phone call about 5 years ago. It was about 8 pm in the evening and this gentleman was doing our family tree. His wife is my 2nd cousin. It is great reading and every once in a while I look it over. We had 2 titanic survivors. But the best part was the french that settled in Gallipolis, Ohio. I had a chance to vist that quaint little town to see where my roots on my dad's side was from.
Now you know why you want to go live in Canada as you have a connection to that beautiful country. Have fun reading and also getting acquainted with your loved ones.
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