Thursday, March 8, 2012

My First True Entry into the 'Genealogical Blogosphere'

When I set up this blog back in August, I was fairly convinced that I would make entries on a regular basis.  Why bother to have a blog if I didn't do that...right?  Right.  Sure.  I guess I didn't take into account that little thing called 'life.'  Since I'm now retired, I was pretty sure that I could easily do this.  Nevertheless, I didn't take into account the fact that I am still working two days a week at my old job, and that life truly does interfere with our 'best-laid plans.'

Today, however, is a new day, and I have a newly-found desire to put my thoughts on genealogical issues 'out there.'  Now, you might ask what kind of expertise can I actually add to that already rich equation? The answer to that is simple: nothing; nada; zilch.  Nonetheless, I can add my thoughts on certain historical issues and events, and in particular, I can write about my own family and my endeavors to find out about their lives.  My degree in history and my years of family history research should count for something - I hope!  So bear with me as I begin the process...

I actually began my journey into family history research back in the mid-1970s, when I found a document that my Father had written tracing our family back to General Thomas Gage of Revolutionary War fame.  I was so excited to find that. I had already been teaching history for a few years and couldn't believe how wonderful it would be to share that with my students.  But wait....what?  This guy Gage was on the wrong side! He actually sent the troops to Lexington and Concord.  Oh, my.  I couldn't be related to him, could I?  I was pretty devastated, I must say.

I had also heard all of my life that my middle name was Lee because we were related to the famous Lee Family of Virginia; General Robert E. Lee, in particular was my cousin.  I never believed that for one minute.

I tried on and off for years to connect Hannah Gage, my fourth great grandmother, to General Gage. She was purportedly his daughter, which is what my Father had indicated in that perfectly drawn and filled in family tree that I had found. I hadn't been able to find the connection, and I thought it was my own poorly done research.

It was not until the early 1990s that I began my serious quest for the truth about these two family stories.  I went once again to libraries and researched once again the children designated as General Gage's sons and daughters.  No Hannah was ever listed.  What could have possibly happened to her?  Hmmmm.  I finally found an article that had been written in the 1800s about one of her grandsons.  The article mentioned that she was of English descent and was related to General Thomas Gage.  Well!  So much for family 'legends.'  She was most certainly not his daughter.  That's when I first realized how easily family stories could be passed along - incorrectly.

I also began to research the Lee family about the same time, and was truly shocked to find that I am a descendant of Richard Lee, 'the Immigrant,' and his wife Anna Constable, through their son, Charles Lee.  Robert E. Lee is my fourth cousin, five times removed.  Whoa - what a shocker that was!

So all of my life I had believed the family story that was not true and didn't believe the one that was

Did I say that I had a degree in history?

14 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing your Gage and Lee family stories - and your subsequent research. Looking forward to more of your blog entries!

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    1. I can't believe that I never 'replied' to this post and never said thank you for your being the first to read my blog and for posting my first 'comment!' Well, here it is: THANK YOU!!!! You are the greatest. I truly appreciate (as I think you know!) your help and support.

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  2. I live in Marion, Arkansas across the river from Memphis, Tn. Sunday (tomorrow) there will be a huge event at the school on Old Military Road featuring The Sultana steamboat fire. This is for all history buffs. They will have reenactments, band playing Civil war era songs, museum artifacts, etc. There will be an exhibition housed in Marion for the rest of the week after this. Marion is the site of the Sultana wreck and Mayor Fogelman is a descendant of some of the rescuers.

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    1. Thanks for that information! The Sultana tragedy is a major part of the history of this region, but so few people actually know about it. I would love to be there for the event if possible.

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  3. Hi Carla ~ Welcome to Geneablogging!! I always MEAN to blog more than I do, but as you say, sometimes life gets in the way.

    And oh those family stories ~ but they do often have some small grain of truth. I look forward to reading about your further discoveries with both families!!

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    1. Thank you, both for the welcome and for reading my blog! I've got lots of stories for sure, but it's the 'getting them written down' part that will be the hardest. :) I appreciate your support.

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  4. Great Stories, have fun doing your blog, genealogy and family stories. Your knowledge of history will add so much.

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    1. Thank you, Mary. I do plan to have fun. I think that it has to be in order to do it! There are so many wonderful bloggers out there (like you and others who have made comments), so I'll have some awesome inspiration!

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  5. Hi Carla,Welcome to the world of blogging. Those family stories usually have the truth buried in their somewhere. Happy Ancestor Hunting.

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    1. Thank you, Kathryn. Yes, there are a number of those stories with the 'wee bit of truth' behind them. Amazing how things get passed down!

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  6. Welcome Carla! I can so relate - especially since I spent years doubting my husband's Lee connection only to learn he, too, is another 4th cousin, 5 times removed to General Lee.

    Have fun with the blogging. I've made some wonderful connections by sharing the research.

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    1. Hey Susan. I guess that means that your husband and I are related! :)

      I'm looking forward to making those connections, too. Thanks!

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  7. Good for you! Keep it up... you can do it! ;-)

    Welcome to the GeneaBloggers family. Hope you find the association fruitful; I sure do. I have found it most stimulating, especially some of the Daily Themes.

    May you keep sharing your ancestor stories!

    Dr. Bill ;-)
    http://drbilltellsancestorstories.blogspot.com/
    Author of "13 Ways to Tell Your Ancestor Stories" and family saga novels:
    "Back to the Homeplace" and "The Homeplace Revisited"
    http://thehomeplaceseries.blogspot.com/
    http://www.examiner.com/x-53135-Springfield-Genealogy-Examiner
    http://www.examiner.com/x-58285-Ozarks-Cultural-Heritage-Examiner

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  8. Thank you so much! I appreciate you and all of the others who have been so supportive. I can't wait to really get myself more involved. I know I'll find it as helpful as you do. :)

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