Back home!

I just wanted to give an update---last night we were able to make it back home to our house, so I should be able to get some posts going again.

I cannot say how much we appreciated the support that we received through the entire process.  It has really been amazing to see how truly blessed we are.

~Christine

Thanks for your patience!

I wanted to take a quick minute to say that I am sorry there has been a break in the posts---we are currently under mandatory evacuation orders from our house due to a wildfire!  The news we've heard has been positive and it doesn't appear at this point that there will be any structure damage.  It is on its way to being contained---but at this time we are kind of in limbo.  Thanks for your patience!

In the meantime, I have started reading a new book on genealogy---can't wait to share what I have learned!

Thanks!
~Christine

Photo of the Week: John Oschip, Pisa Turenchalk & Metro Oschip

Photo taken most likely in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, circa 1916-1920

Left to Right: John Oschip, father; Pisa (or Piza) Turenchalk Oschip, daughter-in-law & Metro Oschip, son
 

This photo was brought to you courtesy of my mother's family photo collection. Metro & Pisa Oschip were my maternal great-grandparents. If you are interested in other Oschip family photos, please check out this gallery.  Oschip Photo Gallery

~Christine

For your reference, here is how John Oschip/Pisa Turenchalk Oschip/Metro Oschip are linked to my family:
John Oschip--->Metro Oschip (m. Piza Turenchalk)--->Mary Oschip (my maternal grandmother)

Why I Share

I have been asked so many times over the years to share information or to explain a relationship that I have discovered in my research.  To me it is no big deal.

However, to some it is.  It is a huge frustration of many family researchers.  I read posts day after day from people on group message boards about how other family members have stolen "their" research and how wrong it is.  I tend to disagree. 

While I believe in giving credit where credit is due, I don't feel that a copy of a picture of the family from the early 1900s belongs to any one person, but should be shared with the entire family.  Each and every person in my family deserves to be able to learn about our family history.  It isn't mine to keep hidden, it isn't mine to lock up in a closet, it isn't mine to hold hostage.

I firmly feel that the story of my family is the story of OUR family and doesn't belong to me or anyone else.  It belonged to our ancestors and to keep their spirit and legacy alive we must be willing to share it.

I cannot tell you how many hours or dollars I have spent doing family research throughout my life.  I wrote letters when I was 10 years old trying to discover family stories.  I sent emails when I was 18 looking for more information.  I pay to subscribe to Ancestry.com and other sites so that I keep the research going constantly.  To me it doesn't matter how much I have spent or how many hours I have spent doing the research.

To me, the reward is sharing my work.  Seeing my mother-in-law's face after she met family she had never known.  Hearing the laughter from my uncle as he chuckles at the family pictures I have dug up.  Watching the amazement in my daughter's eyes when I tell her a story about how her great-great-great grandmother sailed across the sea with her baby girl to leaving her entire family behind and joining only her husband to start a new life in America.  That is what it is all about.  My goal is to keep the family history alive within each and every one of my family members and to share the stories from our ancestors so that they might live on within each of us as well.

~Christine
 

Book Review: The Seven Daughters of Eve

As I was talking with my sister about family genetics, mitochondrial DNA versus DNA passed on via the Y-chromosome and the like, she recommended I read a book called The Seven Daughters of Eve: The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Ancestry by Bryan Sykes. My sister, a genetic counselor, knew it would clear up a few questions I had on genetics and DNA as well as see how both apply directly to my interest in family history genetics. She also thought it would likely fascinate me with how the author used genetics and applied his knowledge to study ancient ancestry and genealogy. 

I immediately logged onto my Amazon account and read a sample of the book before purchasing it.  I was hooked.  I purchased it immediately and couldn't wait until night so I could read more.  I am completely fascinated by the idea that all of us have a common ancestor or that we descend from just a handful of people.  I immediately wanted to learn more and hoped the book would help me acquire knew knowledge.

I have had a pretty basic understanding of genetics since high school, probably a little deeper knowledge than the average person, but in no way an expert.  I really wanted to grasp the subject better in order to see how several family DNA projects applied to my family.  Also, for some time I have been entertaining the idea of doing a DNA kit from one of the various commercial ancestry DNA programs but didn't want to spend the money until I understood the subject.

From the first page of the book The Seven Daughters of Eve I knew that it would hold my interest.  It was a book that would help me understand human genetics as they apply to ancestral studies and common ancestry and lead me on my way to a better grasp of all of our common roots.

So, what it is about?  The Seven Daughters of Eve works on the premise that all modern Europeans descend from seven maternal ancestors, linked by thousands of years of mitochondrial DNA.  That's right, only SEVEN maternal ancestors!  Author Brian Sykes goes through the evolution of the science of genetics and a pretty in-depth look at the progression of genetic research and how he arrived at his conclusion that modern Europeans all descend from the seven maternal ancestors.  If you aren't interested in genetics or the theory he used or how he proved and defended his theories, the first two-thirds of the book really isn't for you.  While I was intrigued and thought the background necessary to expand MY personal understanding, others may easily get bored by the first two-thirds.

However, once he names the seven maternal ancestors, any ancestry buff will be hooked.  By naming the women, he brings the history to life and allows readers to connect and feel emotions towards each female.  By using the first letter of a labeling system he adapts in his lab, he comes up the names: Tara, Ursula, Velda, Xenia, Jasmine, Katrine and Helena.  Then he continues one by one describing what life might have been like when each of the maternal ancestors lived, how they lived and where they might have lived.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.  It was right up my alley.  Many of my questions about genetics were cleared up completely.  But, for readers not as interested in the minute details of his research and how genetics work, I can see how the book might get boring.  For me though, I am a believer.  I cannot wait to splurge on a mitochondrial DNA kit sometime in the future to see if my maternal lineage is what I think it is!  When the time gets closer, I will share my suspicions and reveal if they are correct!  I can't wait!

~Christine

Get your copy from Amazon today: The Seven Daughters of Eve: The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Ancestry by Brian Sykes.

A Closer Look: The Moore Family-Rodeham Moore (part 3)

Each week I feature "A Closer Look" on my blog---which digs deeper into the history of one line of the family.  For simplicity, the post is broken down by generation and possibly into multiple posts per generation depending on the amount of known information, starting with the first generation which I have substantial information about.  I start each featured family with a summary of information of those who will be covered. 

A Closer Look: The Moore Family - Rodeham Moore (part 3)

As Rodeham Moore built his life as a landholder, he was also making sure his legacy would carry on.  Rodeham and Elizabeth Moore have 8 well documented children, however, it is possible they had more children than that.  I have found that oftentimes when there are large gaps between the birth of different children that losses of some sort have occurred---either prior to birth, during birth or in a child's early years.  I cannot say this is the case with Rodeham and Elizabeth Moore, but it is highly likely, given the gaps in time between several of the children, that they could have had other children that didn't survive to adulthood.

What follows will show a brief biography of each of Rodeham and Elizabeth's children and then the discussion will conclude the series by discussing the division of Rodeham Moore's estate.

Their first son, William Moore, was born in October of 1771.  Per my previous posts on Rodeham's whereabouts at that time, it is likely he was born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.  At least once in his life, William purchased acreage from his father and ended up working much of the same land as his father as time went on.  William Moore married Jane Dalton Hanby in Patrick County, Virginia in December of 1798.  William died on May 13, 1819.  William and Jane had 9 known children.

There is approximately a 9 year gap between William and the next son of Rodeham and Elizabeth.  A gap like this could indicate that the Moore family suffered from the loss of one child or even several children.  Again, that is unknown but not unlikely.  Hugh Moore was born in 1780.  He was born in either Henry County (later Patrick County), Virginia or Surry County, North Carolina.  Hugh married first, Rebecca Smith Creed (who actually was the mother-in-law of several of Hugh's brothers) in 1806 and second, Mary Hill between 1817 and 1821.  Hugh, like many of his family, moved to Hawkins County, Tennessee and died there on January 28, 1842.  Mooresburg, Tennessee was founded by Moore brothers Hugh, John and Ewell.  Hugh and Rebecca had 5 known children.  Hugh and Mary had 8 known children.

John Moore was born in approximately 1782 in either Henry County (later Patrick County), Virginia or in Surry County, North Carolina.  John married Elizabeth Williams in approximately 1809.  John and Elizabeth moved to Hawkins County, Tennessee.  They had 8 known children.  John died on December 28, 1822.

Another small gap existed between John and his next brother, Galehew (Gallahue) Moore.  Galehew was born in about 1787, again in either Henry County (later Patrick County), Virginia or Surry County, North Carolina.  Galehew was married to Rhoda Laurence on August 25, 1816 in Surry County, North Carolina.  Galehew and Rhoda had 9 known children.  Galehew helped raise his brother William's children after William's early death in 1819.  After helping raise his nieces and nephews, Galehew and Rhoda moved to Polk County, Missouri.  Galehew died in Dade, Polk County, Missouri on September 11, 1854.

Cleon Moore, who I will be discussing more in-depth in the next "A Closer Look", was born on July 8, 1789 in either Henry County (later Patrick County), Virginia or Surry County, North Carolina.  He married Margaret "Peggy" Creed on December 22, 1812.  Cleon and Peggy moved to Hawkins County, Tennessee where they lived until their death.  Cleon and Peggy had 13 known children.  After Peggy died, Cleon married Emily Reese Bradford and had 1 more child.  Cleon died on August 21, 1852.

In 1791, Rodeham and Elizabeth had their sixth known son, Ewell Moore, in either Patrick County (which became a county in the same year), Virginia or Surry County, North Carolina.  Ewell married Nancy Emily Creed on March 20, 1812 in Surry County, North Carolina.  Ewell was one of the three first Moore brothers to make his way to Hawkins County, Tennessee.  Later Ewell moved to Polk County, Missouri.  Ewell and Nancy had 11 known children.

Their first known daughter, Elizabeth Moore was born on January 31, 1797, in Surry County, North Carolina.  Elizabeth married Peregrine G. Yoe (his second marriage) on January 15, 1816.  Elizabeth and Peregrine lived in Jefferson County, Tennessee.  They had 12 known children.  Elizabeth died in 1865 and is buried in Hawkins County, Tennessee. 

Rodeham and Elizabeth's last child, another daughter, Sarah (aka Sallie) Moore, was born on January 20, 1799, in Surry County, North Carolina.  Sallie married George Williams on September 8, 1814 in Tennessee.  George and Sallie settled in Hawkins County, Tennessee like many of her siblings.  Some documentation links them with 8 known children, while other records show 12.  My research supports 12 children.  Sallie Moore Williams died on February 20, 1853 in Hawkins County, Tennessee. 

Based upon all available research, these were the 8 children that represented the next generation of the Rodeham and Elizabeth Gallahue Moore Family.  As the numbers indicate, the family spread rapidly, with well over 80 known grandchildren of Rodeham and Elizabeth. 

Rodeham Moore died on June 4, 1811 in Surry County, North Carolina.  He was buried in what became the "Moore Cemetery" in Patrick County, Virginia.  Without a doubt, he left his mark as an "American success" story in the early days of our country.  He was able to increase his wealth massively over the course of his life and left a legacy to future generations of the Moore family.

At the time of his death, Rodeham still had two minor children (Elizabeth and Sallie) living at home meaning the estate couldn't be settled until they reached a majority.  However, due to the death of his presumed heir and oldest son William in 1819, Rodeham's estate was actually not settled in its entirety until after William's estate was divided amongst William's children.  The last distribution of Rodeham's assets was after William's last child reached a majority in 1834.

What remained went to Rodeham's wife.  Elizabeth eventually moved to Hawkins County, Tennessee where most of her children and grandchildren lived.  After she died the rest of the family assets were split amongst her living children or her deceased children's heirs, except William's children as they had already inherited such a large part of Rodeham's estate.

With that, the series on Rodeham Moore is over an the discussion of the Moore Family will move onto his fifth son Cleon Moore in the next "A Closer Look".  Cleon Moore was my husband's 5th great-grandfather.

Again, I would like to acknowledge the work that Joyce Browning, another Rodeham Moore descendant, has put into researching the Moore family as well as the Rodeham Moore Descendants Association for sharing the information so that people like myself can share it with you!  If you are interested in learning more about the association or Ms. Browning's work, please follow the links below within the sources section.  Also, if you are interested in learning more about other branches of the Rodeham Moore family, you can find many different articles and stories on the site listed in the sources.

~Christine

If you missed the first three posts in the series, follow these links to learn more!
A Closer Look: The Moore Family-Introduction
A Closer Look: The Moore Family-Rodeham Moore (part 1)
A Closer Look: The Moore Family-Rodeham Moore (part 2)

Sources:

The Rodeham Moore Descendants Association www.rodehammoore.com
Click here to read the article written by Rodeham Moore descendent Joyce Browning.  More information from the association is also included in this report.  All deeds, tax records, lawsuits, wills and other details discussed in this post are referenced in this report.  Also, see an extensive Moore Family Tree authored by Richard Kesler and published by the Rodeham Moore Descendants Association on the association website.  Much of my family research has been confirmed by this tree.

For your reference, here is how Rodeham Moore is linked to my family:
Rodeham Moore--->Cleon Moore--->William Henry Harrison Moore--->Albert Wesley Moore--->Nellie Moore--->Howard Estes Millis--->Marjorie Ruth Millis (my husband's maternal grandmother

A Closer Look: The Moore Family-Rodeham Moore (part 2)

Each week I feature "A Closer Look" on my blog---which digs deeper into the history of one line of the family.  For simplicity, the post is broken down by generation and possibly into multiple posts per generation depending on the amount of known information, starting with the first generation which I have substantial information about.  I start each featured family with a summary of information of those who will be covered. 

A Closer Look: The Moore Family - Rodeham Moore (part 2)

As I dive into Rodeham's life a little bit more, I would again like to say thanks to Joyce Browning for her work on the subject.  Without the research she has done, I wouldn't be able to share so much of Rodeham Moore's life with you.  All dates, deed information and tax records are derived from information she shared with the Moore family; you can find complete references to all deeds, tax records, lawsuit and other details besides those extracted from the 1800 and 1810 census in Joyce Browning's report.  I take no credit for finding this information.

The last post left off with a brief description of Rodeham Moore's life, today I will take a much more in-depth look into his life and his accomplishments.

Rodeham Moore was born in approximately 1744.  Records cannot prove what county he was born in, but it was likely Amelia County or Caroline County, Virginia.  Documents do show that William Moore and his family lived in Amelia County until his father-in-law, Robert Hall, died in 1752.  Rodeham would have been about 8 at this time.  After this point, the family moved back to Caroline County where it appears they lived at least until Robert Hall's estate was divided. 

The next suggestion of the family's movement comes from two records.  The first was the conveyance of the deed for a lot in Prince William County to William Moore and the second a lawsuit against William Moore for an unpaid debt in Caroline County.  The Sherriff returned from collecting the debt from William Moore with, "a chest, 2 padlocks, 1 key, 1 small phial, 1 small piece of soap and a razor strop" to pay off the 25 schillings owed.  Apparently it was customary during the time to collect debts in this manner when one party had removed himself from the said county.  These events occurred in 1759 and 1762, respectively. 

Prince William County was the first place that Rodeham Moore met his future wife, Elizabeth Gallahue.  By the time they married, it is likely they had known each other for approximately 11 years, to what degree is unknown.  By 1766, both families had moved away from Prince William County.  The Gallahue family settled on the Marrowbone Creek in Pittsylvania County (later Henry County), Virginia.  Records indicate that while the Moore family may have briefly lived in this area, they settled rather quickly in Guilford County, North Carolina. 

In 1769, Rodeham Moore returns to Marrowbone Creek and marries Elizabeth Gallahue.  The first record of Rodeham Moore after marriage is found in the 1770 Pittsylvania Personal Property Tax List records.  He is listed as having paid his "just tithe" for himself and one slave named Mime.  Shortly after marriage, Rodeham and Elizabeth Gallahue have their first child, William Moore.  He was born in October of 1771. 

As we all know, the 1770s brought about a critical time in American history.  As the fight for freedom from the British government began, all white males aged 16 years and older that were living in Virginia were asked to swear allegiance to the Commonwealth of Virginia.  One possible penalty for not swearing allegiance to Virginia and sympathizing with the British was possible "extraction" of all landholdings.  Rodeham Moore took the oath and swore allegiance to the new Commonwealth of Virginia.  No records indicate that he participated in the war as a soldier. 

During this same time (by 1778), research indicates that Rodeham and Elizabeth Moore crossed the short distance over the state line and took up residence in Surry County, North Carolina near the Dan River.  It was here we learn he ran the local grist mill and began he lifelong quest to increase his landholdings.  Some records do indicate his property was a known point of prisoner transfer during the Revolutionary War which leads us to believe that he was in fact involved in the war, but in a civilian sense rather than as a military member.

By 1781, tax records indicate that Rodeham Moore is the owner of 200 acres of land.  His tithing records show he is taxed for himself, 1 slave, 7 horses and 12 cattle.  In 1784, records indicate that once again the Moore family moves across state lines into Henry County (later Patrick County), Virginia.  At this time, deeds are found for massive land acquisitions by Rodeham Moore.  In fact, by 1790, by all indications, Rodeham owned more than 800 acres.  By 1800, it is possible he owned over 2000 acres combined in Patrick County, Virginia and Surry County, North Carolina.  Records indicate he likely sold his grist mill in Surry County in 1794 and turned that money around to acquire more land.

One good indicator of Rodham's acquired wealth is a study of the 1800 and 1810 United States Census records (shown below).  These show him living again in Surry County, North Carolina.  In the 1800 census, it shows 7 male and 3 female inhabitants at his house.  One indicator of his expanded wealth, as unfortunate as it is to us today, is the fact that he lists 12 slaves on the census.  By the 1810 census, there are 3 male and 4 female inhabitants in his household and he lists 16 slaves.  Compare this to the tax records from 1770 and 1781 when he had 1 slave.  This is a huge indicator of wealth during the time period. 

By all indications, Rodeham Moore was an investor in land and was able to acquire enormous amounts of wealth during his life.  In the final post on Rodeham Moore, I will delve into his family life, who his kids were and how they followed in their father's footsteps. 

If you missed the first two posts in the series, follow these links to learn more!
A Closer Look: The Moore Family-Introduction
A Closer Look: The Moore Family-Rodeham Moore (part 1)

Sources:

The Rodeham Moore Descendants Association www.rodehammoore.com
Click here to read the article written by Rodeham Moore descendent Joyce Browning.  More information from the association is also included in this report.  All deeds, tax records, lawsuit and other details besides those extracted from the 1800 and 1810 census are referenced completely in this report.

Census Records from Ancestry

For your reference, here is how Rodeham Moore is linked to my family:
Rodeham Moore--->Cleon Moore--->William Henry Harrison Moore--->Albert Wesley Moore--->Nellie Moore--->Howard Estes Millis--->Marjorie Ruth Millis (my husband's maternal grandmother)

A Closer Look: The Moore Family-Rodeham Moore (part 1)

Each week I feature "A Closer Look" on my blog---which digs deeper into the history of one line of the family.  For simplicity, the post is broken down by generation and possibly into multiple posts per generation depending on the amount of known information, starting with the first generation which I have substantial information about.  I start each featured family with a summary of information of those who will be covered. 

A Closer Look: The Moore Family - Rodeham Moore (part 1)

Today "A Closer Look" continues to look into the line of the Moore family that my husband's mother descends from.  The first Moore I will be discussing in-depth is Rodeham Moore (1744-1811).  Luckily there is a lot of interesting information to pass on so I will be posting his information over several days. Click here to see the first post on the Moore Family. 

Rodeham Moore (Rodham, Rodey, Rode) was born in approximately 1744 in Virginia.  His roots have apparently been questioned for years---oral history had him from Scottish/Irish descent but the Moore family could not find proof of this tale. 

In 2005, a descendent of Rodeham Moore, Joyce Browning, submitted fairly solid empirical evidence to "The Rodeham Moore Descendants Association" about Rodeham Moore's lineage.  I believe the full story is hers to tell as the work and effort that she put in was absolutely amazing, literally years and years of in-depth, on-location, life-consuming research so if you want to read the entire report, please look for the link at the bottom of this page.  But the result of her research was that she was able to trace Rodeham Moore's lineage back three more generations.  So before I discuss more about Rodeham's life, I'd like to briefly talk about the three previous generations of his family.

Rodeham Moore was likely the son of William Moore and Margaret Hall.  William was probably born in King and Queen County, Virginia around 1705 to James Moore II and Agnes (maiden name unknown).  It is believed he married Margaret Hall, of Caroline County, Virginia, in approximately 1742.  In 1766, William moved his family to Guilford County, North Carolina.  In 1783, he resettled on Lovill's Creek in Surry County, North Carolina.  He died there around 1785.

James Moore II was born in Northumberland County, Virginia to James Moore and Sarah Moore (her maiden name is Moore) in approximately 1669.  James married Agnes (maiden name unknown) before March 1707.  Documents show at least three children: William, James and Mary.  It is estimated that James Moore II died in 1720 in King and Queen County, Virginia.

James Moore was likely the immigrant ancestor (meaning he was the first Moore ancestor of this line that immigrated to the land that is now the United States).  Ms. Browning's work indicates that he was likely from England, not Scotland or Ireland as oral family history suggested.  James Moore was likely born in or around 1630.  It is estimated that he married Sarah Moore (possibly a daughter of a man named Walter Moore) in 1665.  Documents show that James and Sarah had at least sons Seymour and James II.  James Moore died in Northumberland County in 1690.  See the map below of Northumberland County, Virginia and King and Queen County, Virginia.

View James Moore and Family in a larger map

Now that you have learned a little about his ancestors, I will move back to what we know about Rodeham's life.  As mentioned above, Rodeham Moore was born in approximately 1744 in Virginia.  Using tax records, land records and estate records, Moore family researchers have been able to establish many details about Rodham Moore's life.

In 1769, Rodeham Moore was living in Pittsylvania County (later Henry County), Virginia.  It was this year that he married Elizabeth Gallahue.  In 1778, the Moore family removed themselves to Archie's Creek and the Dan River in Surry County, North Carolina.  In 1784, they moved back to Henry County (later Patrick County), Virginia.  The year 1796 found them back in Surry County, North Carolina, living along Lovill's Creek.  Rodeham Moore died on July 11, 1811 and is buried in the Moore Cemetery in Patrick County, Virginia. Below is a map of Patrick County, Virginia and Surry County, North Carolina as well as photos of Rodeham Moore's original gravestone as well a new stone made in more recent years. 

 

View Rodeham Moore in a larger map
 

In the next "A Closer Look" about the Moore family and Rodeham Moore, I will look more in-depth about Rodeham Moore's life, what he did for a living, his family and some fun little insights into how the events of the era played a role in his life.

~Christine


Sources:

The Rodeham Moore Descendants Association www.rodehammoore.com
Click here to read the article written by Rodeham Moore descendent Joyce Browning.  More information from the association is also included in this report.

Gravestone Pictures from FindAGrave by Bill Woodard, www.findagrave.com

Maps from Google maps.google.com

For your reference, here is how Rodeham Moore is linked to my family:
Rodeham Moore--->Cleon Moore--->William Henry Harrison Moore--->Albert Wesley Moore--->Nellie Moore--->Howard Estes Millis--->Marjorie Ruth Millis (my husband's maternal grandmother)

Photo of the Week: William Jabez Baldwin Family

Photo taken in Eugene, Oregon in 1914.

  Back row (left to right): Roy Victor Baldwin (1896-1983), Clarence Lester Baldwin (1892-1958),
Osmun Thomas Langdon (1842-1922) 

Middle row (left to right): Cordelia Malinda Langdon Baldwin (1868-1946), William Jabez Baldwin (1855-1950),
Tresa Delight Langdon (1863-1918), Martha Elizabeth Cook Langdon (1838-1925)

  Bottom row (left to right): Frank Delbert Baldwin (1894-1979), William Earl Baldwin (1899-1941),
Newell H Baldwin (1891-1957)

This photo was brought to you courtesy of my father-in-law's family photo collection.  If you are interested in other Baldwin family photos, please check out this gallery.  Baldwin Photo Gallery

~Christine

For your reference, here is how this family is linked to my family:
William Jabez Baldwin (m. Cordelia Malinda Langdon)--->Newell H Baldwin--->Charles Baldwin(my husband's paternal grandfather)

I am Rusyn

This is a repeat of a post from another blog I write dedicated solely to my Rusyn heritage.  If you are interested in learning more please check out my blog by following this link I am Rusyn or check out my I am Rusyn Facebook page dedicated to my family and Rusyn history.

About 10 years ago, as I was looking at information I had compiled as a kid, it struck me that the quarter of me that was an Adams was just that, a quarter of me. What about the other three-quarters of me? I didn't know much more than that I was Slovak and Ukrainian (and possibly Polish). I knew the stories of AFTER these families came to the United States, but what about before?

At this point I began to search, obviously the first place I turned was the Internet and Ancestry.com. I kept seeing the same words pop up over and over again on various pages: Rusyn, Ruthenian, Lemko. These names were associated all six names that I was researching (Oschip, Turenchalk, Ledney, Bitlyan, Taczak and Kovalyak). "What is Rusyn?" I asked. Finally it began to sink in. That other three-quarters of my blood wasn't from Slovakia, Ukraine or Poland; it was all from one common heritage, the Rusyn Heritage.

I have continued to expand my knowledge of my Rusyn family and my Rusyn heritage and connect with new family members or others that share this common heritage.  Here are a few links that go further in the Rusyn culture than I am able to on this brief summary page. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusyns
http://www.slovakia.org/society-rusyn.htm
http://www.rusyn.com/
http://www.rusyn.org/
http://www.carpathorusynsociety.org/
http://www.rusynmedia.org/Links/C-RRC/

~Christine

Tip of the Week: Overzealous "Leafing"

Each week I will post a tip on something I have learned over my years of research.

Like many people, I use Ancestry.com as my root research tool for family history research.  All of us have seen the commercials on television where the person types in a name, has dozens of hints in the form of tree leaves pop up and magically traces their roots back five generations and everyone is happy.

"It isn't that simple?" you ask.

Unfortunately, it doesn't always work this way.  And what isn't said is that those "leaf hints" are many times links to other public family trees not just historical documentation.  The problem with that is that you never know to what extent the other trees are accurate.  "Leafing" is what I like to call the act of following family trees back by using those little leaf hints without substantiating the familial links with documentation and research.

Chances are you can put a name in and track your ancestry back to someone like King Edward the Elder of the 10th Century just by "leafing".  And maybe there is someone who has done incredible research and this in fact true, but how do you know who has and who hasn't done the research?  My point is overzealous "leafing" can lead to error upon error upon error in your tree.  While you might think you are related to King Edward the Elder and be completely happy with using those hints to get you there, my recommendation is to slow down and document.

"But I followed the trees back and there were 80 matching trees.  How can they all be wrong?" 

The problem is that the further we go back in our family history, the more possible people can be related to a common ancestor.  And that means more people who have seen the magical commercial and have done "leafing" of their own.  The problems can extrapolate until you literally have hundreds of matching trees saying you are related to King Edward the Elder, but not one tree with any proof.

And as much as I hate to admit it, I was once a "leafer" too.  When I first started on Ancestry.com I connected my family back almost 2000 years by matching leaf hints with other trees.  Then I went back and started trying to document the 2000 years and was left with literally hundreds of people in my tree that I had to delete in order to get back to the point that every relationship was documented.  It would have saved me hours of research time if I had documented each connection to start with. 

My recommendation to you is, while you might consider "leafing" to get yourself going, you will be glad you didn't in the long run.  Sometimes when I suspect a connection, I will look at those little leaf hints connecting me to other public trees and see just how far back the tree can possibly go...then I prove it.

~Christine

 

A Closer Look: The Moore Family-Introduction

Each week I will feature "A Closer Look" on my blog---which will dig deeper into the history of one line of the family.  For simplicity, the post will be broken down by generation, starting with the first generation to which I have substantial information about.  I will start each featured family with a summary of information of those who will be covered.

Over the past two years I have spent much of my time researching my mother-in-law's family as we found a few long-lost family members of hers that didn't know much of the family history.  One of the families that I researched extensively was a line of the Moore family, starting with Rodeham Moore (who was born in Prince William, Virginia then spent most of his life in Surry County, North Carolina) down to his great-great granddaughter Nellie Moore (born in Tennessee and died in Oregon).  Nellie Moore was my husband's maternal great-great grandmother.

In brief, over the series of  "The Moore Family" posts I will be discussing these people:

1. Rodeham Moore (married Elizabeth Gallahue) and had son Cleon.
2. Cleon Moore (married Margaret "Peggy" Creed) and had son William Henry Harrison.
3. William Henry Harrison Moore (married Julia Ann Smith) and had son Albert Wesley.
4. Albert Wesley Moore (married Malinda Isabella Millis) and had daughter Nellie Moore.
5. Nellie Moore (married William Marshall Millis) and was my husband's 2nd great-grandmother.

The next "A Closer Look" post will feature Rodeham Moore. 

 

~Christine



In the future I will have a complete family tree available --- however at this time, I am still working on formatting it for my site.  Thank you for your patience!

For your reference, here is how Rodeham Moore is linked to my family:
Rodeham Moore--->Cleon Moore--->William Henry Harrison Moore--->Albert Wesley Moore--->Nellie Moore--->Howard Estes Millis--->Marjorie Ruth Millis (my husband's maternal grandmother)

Family Myths

My maiden name is Adams.  My family descends from John Adams that came to the United States on "The Fortune" which was the supply ship for "The Mayflower."  Pretty neat, right?  My family has been here since before the American Revolution---by over 150 years!  I grew up "knowing" that I was related to President John Adams and President John Quincy Adams.  This "fact" is actually what inspired my drive to learn about my ancestors.  At the ripe age of 10, I wrote a letter to the Adams National Historic Site asking about genealogical research and how I might be related to the two presidents.
 
Guess what?  They didn't have any reference to how my Adams family was related.  So at 10 years old, I set out to prove them wrong.  I did a major family history project in school.  Couldn't figure it out.  Nothing ever made sense.  But, I had the family tree from a genealogist that had been commissioned by someone in my family that said, "You are related to these two presidents."  It had to be true, right?
 
Wrong again.  As I got older and computer research developed, I learned that there was a book that had been written that possibly had misinformation.  In the "Memorial of Captain Thomas Abbey" (pg. 49) there is a passage about my ancestor John Adams that says:

"John Adams, who came to Plymouth on the Fortune in 1621, was the first of the name to set foot on these shores, but the descendants of his brother Henry, who settled in Braintree in 1640, have outstripped those of the first arrival and included more illustrious men in a single direct line that any other family in America."

Henry Adams of Braintree was the ancestor of  United States Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams.  However, now that documentation and records and DNA testing have all become more readily available, it appears that John Adams was not the brother of Henry, it was more likely an assumption made than a statement based on fact.  In fact the exact origin of John Adams of Plymouth, Massachusetts remains unknown.

What? That means I am not related to the Presidents?  But I was told that I was and I will prove it.  Well, I can't prove it through the Adams line, but I found another way to prove it!  Turns out the names we should have been focusing on were female lines of passengers of "The Mayflower."  Yes!  I proved it, with much better documentation and, yes, I am in fact related to not only President John Adams and President John Quincy Adams, but also to Presidents Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt and Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush along with many other famous Americans. 

I guess the point of this story is, don't believe everything you have been told about your ancestry, but don't disbelieve the family myths either, the truth can be revealed, it just might take some digging!

~Christine

Sharing Their Story

Genealogy research is like breathing air to me; it isn't a desire but a need.  I have always been interested in my ancestral roots.  It is as if I hear my ancestors whispering my name asking me to share their story; it is my calling.

I first became interested in my dad's family, the Adams family.  How cool is it that we are likely related to TWO Presidents of the United States?  How could anyone NOT be interested in that?  How about the fact that my ancestors crossed the Atlantic on the Mayflower and the Fortune and participated in that first "Thanksgiving?"  Super neat!  To me, these roots helped me understand the history involved on a personal level.

 

I began my trek upon a genealogical journey when I was just a kid and continue down that path today.  I have made many discoveries about so many people in my personal family history and look forward to learning more.  I have also expanded my research into my husband's family and done private research for others.  Sharing the story of those that have gone before me is an incredible feeling to me.

 

The purpose of this blog is to share information I have found with those interested.  Join me on my journey, help me learn more and maybe learn a little about yourself...

~Christine
 

Are you Rusyn?  Check out my blog dedicated directly to my Rusyn heritage.

 

http://iamrusyn.blogspot.com/ 

 

On my blog, "I am Rusyn", I share what being Rusyn means and explore the roots of my family.  It has allowed me to expand the knowledge of my family and connect with new family members and others that share this common heritage.  I also utilize the blog to help keep the Rusyn heritage alive.