A few days ago I decided to dig into our family genealogy. I knew a bit about the Johnson side thanks to Momma’s first cousin who did research before the days of the internet. I knew less about the Creecy side and very little about the Tate/McGougan side other than at some point someone was scalped by an Indian. I remember being told about the Indian story but apparently no one else does (although I haven’t quizzed my sister, so maybe she does, but since she has a faded memory, probably not).
Let me just say right off—what an easy way to lose track of time. As I began to find clue after clue and unravel generation after generation, the whole thing became addictive. Sort of like working a crossword puzzle. I fill in one name which makes another name easier to discover. But I have a difficult time focusing on one particular tree branch and seem to jump branches a lot. Like a squirrel.
But the sheer possibilities, the idea of what might be found, is so intriguing.
Stumbling onto a photograph of my great-great-great grandfather and realizing he looked just like the Papa Creecy I knew was a chillbump moment for sure.
3rd Great Grandfather William F. Creecy and Adeline (Griggs) Creecy
Reven (Papa) Creecy
See what I mean?
Last night after finishing a great book yet not wanting to start another (because of that end-of-book mourning period thing), I thought I’d take another gander at my work-in-process family tree. And boy did I hit pay dirt. Actually, gold.
But first, let me explain how this website (Geni.com) works… if a certain family member (my great-great-grandmother Alice Johnson) is already connected to a tree compiled and researched by someone else (a long-lost cousin?), the tree populates like magic. And so as I followed one particular line from Momma to Nana to Grandpa Johnson to Great Grandma Johnson, before I knew it my family included a couple of Knights(!) and then a Count or two and then Eustace de Vesci, Surety of the Magna Carta, who sounded very important, and then on and on and on to…wait for it…
Charles II “The Bald”, (who apparently wasn’t bald, didn’t get along with his brothers because of a land squabble, and was crowned King of France by Pope John VIII on Christmas Day, 875),
then,
Louis I the Pious (who initiated reforms and redefined the relationship between the Frankish empire and the papacy),
And then,
Charlemagne. (Aka Charles the Great and Charles I).
Wow.
And look, the website gave me a tidy little flow chart because who other than a computer could keep track? (Sorry, if you’re viewing from a mobile device, you may not be able to read the names.)
The story doesn’t end with Charlemagne, but I had to stop and go to bed. And when I woke up this morning, I wondered where exactly our roots veered from Holy Roman Empire to Arkansas Rice Farming? I’m thinking things may have gone wildly off track around the time the Mallorys immigrated to the New World.
And what else is waiting to be discovered in my family tree?
So yes, I’m totally sold. Family genealogy is my new favorite thing.
[tweetthis]Charlemagne is my 35th great grandfather—as in Holy Roman Emperor fame. #genealogy #history #ancestry #JohnsonFamily[/tweetthis]
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
P.S. Have you done any work on your genealogy? I’d love to know.
Musical Pairing:
Blondie, Charlemagne
Barbara Tate says
September 18, 2015 at 8:12 amOh, my, goodness! How interesting is that. Keep digging.
Jan says
September 18, 2015 at 8:41 amThats so cool!!
Laura Rooks says
September 18, 2015 at 9:17 amSound like you have been bitten by the genealogy bug. I’ve been doing it for years, and it is totally addictive, and load of fun. Like being a sleuth.
Talya Tate Boerner says
September 18, 2015 at 1:17 pmThanks, Laura, you are right. There’s a little Nancy Drew in the process. And I imagine if we all go back far enough, we are somehow related.
Ken Johnson says
September 18, 2015 at 9:26 amWay to go Talya!
Dorothy Johnson says
September 18, 2015 at 10:10 amSo, I now have a friend who’s descended from royalty? Impressive. I know a little about my mother’s family, but I need to do this too.
Talya Tate Boerner says
September 18, 2015 at 1:16 pmWell, we already knew Momma is Queen of Mississippi County:)
Colene says
September 18, 2015 at 10:30 amThere is so much information out there now that was not available years ago when my grandmother decided to start ‘digging’. I haven’t been bitten by the genealogy bug yet but others in my family have.
Talya Tate Boerner says
September 18, 2015 at 1:17 pmMaybe let everyone else do it – LOL. It’s fun though!
june walker says
September 18, 2015 at 10:33 amI’m totally obsessed with genealogy….I’ve gained five new cousins just in the last few years who I knew nothing about….and lucky for me they had already done extensive research and were willing to share. It is something you could do 24/7!! Have fun!
Lyn fenwick says
September 18, 2015 at 11:35 amOur remodel had to include storage space for all of my genealogy research! Yes, it is addictive. Warning: beware of too much reliance on the research of others. Check their documentation before automatically adding their ‘stuff’ to your tree. It is harder to cull the weeds out of your tree than to check their authority before adding. For one example, one person had relied on the identical name and appropriate location to add an ancestor…but when I did the work to check their link out the ‘man’ would have had to father the child of whom he was the alleged father when he was three years old! Unfortunately, people are especially to build a link to a famous ancestor. I hope you links prove true, but don’t assume the professionalism of the stranger’s research. Good hunting!
Talya Tate Boerner says
September 18, 2015 at 1:16 pmI totally understand what you’re saying, Lyn. I’ve already run across that problem on the other side of the family. I thought of you when I was working on this. You and Isaac, of course:) History is so cool.
Ashley says
September 18, 2015 at 10:42 pmThis is great!
My husband Edgar loves genealogy. He’s traced his family back to the 1500’s, in Norway! We love to watch, Who Do You Think You Are?, on TLC!
I remember hearing about the scalping story, in our family!
Keep going. It’s very interesting! Would love to know the information on the Tate side when you find it. Happy researching!
🙂
Darlene Zurface says
September 19, 2015 at 12:32 pmThanks for doing this research and what a great website you found. RM was my great grandfather, Earl was my grandfather. I tried doing some Johnson genealogy many years ago but found it hard to do. Johnson being a common name it made it hard to narrow down. It is amazing how much family history can be lost in just a couple of generations. It’s wonderful how the internet can help us to find our lost history.