All my life I never really cared (or sought to find out) about my ancestry or 'roots'... my family is pretty messed up. I have been able to live a seperate life through many strong choices I have made. (I have had my share of challenges and deterring moments) However, it has been a longlife goal to exist on a different path than 90% (if not more) of my biological family.

Evolution and History has re-entered my interests... I know some basic information and can obtain some specifics. However, again... within my family (or those I regularly communicate with), 'tall tales' seem to exist.

Where would I start? Are there any sites that are creditable (?)... I don't mind doing the work myself.

What certain facts will be helpful if I can obtain them?

All my grandparents are ceased... my biological father has ceased... I don't have any connections with his side of the family. My biological mother is still alive... however she is not a valid source.

I have one aunt that can give me some information concerning my grandparents on my mothers side... and the rest... all I have are names.

I had very little relations with family throughout my life... (a good thing), however I am now curious to know some truth about certain cultures I know and feel I am.

Searching...

i've been wondering how to start up on my family tree as well--i remember seeing part of one that my grandma (on my mom's side) started up that she kept tucked between the pages of this huge bible that she had, but i dunno what happened to it after she passed away.

i know very little about either side of my family--i don't get along with my mom's side too well, and my dad's side i don't see too often since they're from the south.

Me Jules!

Best of luck with your quest With you, I bet somewhere along the line there'll be a celestial connection

i actually recently inherited a few boxloads of research into my family tree..

i'm almost looking forward to winter and sitting around reading through it all.

ALMOST looking forward to winter, that is.

i found some shit about my ancestory... Hijo le puta did i find some shit..not only do i have Black and rican, im a fuckin descendant of Attillah tha hun dont ask how, but its da truth,i gotz Indian,creole,french. so needless to say my ancestors fucked like rabbits

Jules, I'd really be interested in hearing about the outcome of your quest. Do you feel you have some kind of American Indian connection, since you love the outdoors and respect it so much.

I have questioned my geneaolgy as well. I have always had a feeling that I was adopted. My parents were incredible so it's nothing against them but I would like to know where my ancestors were from. I kind of think I am my father's biological son but not my mothers.


M.

with the death of my uncle i am very concious of the fact that i need to help my mother get her family's history recorded. my father helped compile a book about his side of the family.

full names, maiden names and dates of birth are very important
get as much information as you can from your aunt and whomever else you can
there are all sorts of official records you can search
marriage records, church records, passenger ship lists, census, birth and death records...

i haven't done more than play around with the online searches and i haven't checked this one out to know if it's any good
but here is a link to a site with a ton of links

http://www.cyndislist.com/

but you need some starting points from your aunt

TheRealFiness said:

You are hillarious!

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

I thought I was adopted as well. I asked my Mom, and she asked me what the fuck was wrong with me!

sag10 said:

i iz... just lil ole me

The thing about starting threads... I want to respond to everyone of you... I truly appreciate all you share.

Personally I feel I was delivered by the stork, I shit you not. I look at my family and wonder... , then there are features that are dead on.

Anyhow, I don't feel a personal related connection among my family... perhaps just a few, although the majority... no.

I can't even imagine visualizing a family tree... it would be nice to see some goodness that existed in the past... for all I know is torment and distruction... for the most part.

I suppose what I am really interested in... is how much Indian blood I truly have. Senik... you and I could be related. That would rule out marriage or procreation out... I'm afraid. Heh.

Miguel... my spirituality and interest in 'natures gifts' do drawn me to learn more of my true spirit within and beyond. I believe in visions... (there is much I can say here, but will not right now).

Finess... get lost... I can't agree with you more...

I don't have any full-blooded relations... all my siblings have different fathers or different mothers... so what can I say... I think rabbits come to mind (or something like that...)

Good luck to you all that seek answers as well (Handsclap, XxAxX) and the rest that may question (where the fuck did we come from )... I have found that up until now... it really was not a focus of mine, I had different goals to obtain and reach. Now... in the 'calm of the storm' that is my current life... I have the time, peace and interest in a new storm to come.

Nah... nothing in this point and time can shock me! Goodness perhaps... but nothing more than that. ~Smile.

I am being a bit smarty-pants... but true at the same time.

I want to know more experiences... stories of finding your own answers concerning... your past family and history that truly makes up who we are... whether we want to face it or not.

Everyone has their time... and perhaps many don't.

I am going to come back to this... however this little part of my family is here... and they are my favorite part to existence. I think I am going to take Shaley hiking today... she loves nature too. My kind of girl.

They just got here... see... and my kitty wants to run for his life.

the only lone things that i know about my family tree so far:

-- my mom was 1/4 cherokee

-- my mom's side of the family has roots in the west indies someplace, and my dad's side has roots in haiti, trinidad & tobago...also there's a lotta creoles in my dad's family tree

I grew up SO aware of my ancestors that it kind of put me off this stuff.

But when you want to find out in Holland you go to the townhall and start with your birth certificate.

I am an orphan since almost two years now, so it made me aware of the fact that the only thing that can give you pride in yourself IS yourself. Live life to it's fullest. Don't be afraid to jump into the far end of the pool. Love the ones you love with a passion. Be committed.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

I am so drawn to the Native American culture... especially the past. It is said my dad was part Cherokee as well... Hispanic...

My mother's side... Hispanic/Mayan (grandmother) and my grandfather... Welch, from Wells I believe.

Are you going to search more Deja?

HamsterHuey said:

I believe what I am in search of is... how much Native American (between Cherokee) and Mayan (from Mexico) I actually have. Not for any other reason but for this lifelong spiritual existence I have always lived by. I have just known it to be a part of me..., later in life, now... I am starting to wonder if infact there are ancestral connections beyond what I have ever really known or knowingly faced.

I understand what you are saying Herman, 100%.

Wow speaking of geneology....I just started this topic on another message board. Anyway....I could write a book on my family story. My father was 83 when he died in 1998. I grew up having only met one of his sisters and my grandmother on his side right before she died. I began talking to my dad's other sister when he was ill. My dad told me before he died that I had a brother. (I always figured I had other siblings - not far fetched). Right after my dad died, a different brother came looking for my dad and we met. He flew me out to California where I met his family AND the aunt I had just begun talking to. That was awesome!! I met her kids (my cousins) and it was really eery in a sense. My cousin looked like a carbon copy of my dad. I also learned that my dad had SEVERAL kids before he married to my mom as well as several wives. (My parents had been divorced since I was 6). This was also news to her.
So later, I began searching for my information on my dad's side of the family even though I had some information already. My aunt is the only living link from my father's generation. So she will be a good one to talk to. I haven't had ANY luck with just random searches. Our last name is pretty common. I know our background is Scottish though. But not even my grandmother's maiden name brought up anything. THEN.....while doing a search of my dad's name, I found someone looking for information about their grandfather (MY DAD) and by this time it was about 7 months after they had posted and their email account was no longer valid. Talk about frustrating. I could have helped this woman but now I can't find her!! So all I can say is.....family is important. We are each other's links.
Freespirit, I am curious about your reluctance to know more about your family history.
[Edited 10/21/05 20:37pm]
[Edited 10/21/05 20:37pm]

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

we could be related!


well..depending on where in the west indies your mother's family was from...

I've been doing some research on my family. It is really interesting the things you can learn with very little information to start. If you have names of grandparents, aunts, and uncles, and know approximately when they were alive you can go back from there. Check the Ellis Island records for family from Europe. It's free and you even get to see pictures of the boats they sailed on and the ship's manifests. You can access some of the census records for free too.
If your Native American relatives lived on reservations it will be easier to trace them. I'm part Cherokee but I only have a few family members who live in the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.They do have some records of familes there.
You can also try Ancestry.com or Rootsweb.com, but they only give you a short free trial and then it gets a little expensive.
The Latter Day Saints have extensive geneology records,but not for every family.
I have to warn you, this is very addictive. Once you start hunting you can't stop.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

We could be related somewhere too ! On the Cherokee side

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