I joined Ancestry in 2015, not knowing much about it but thinking it would help to continue ancestral research begun by a great grandmother. She did it the hard way-traveling to nearby New England archives to do her research long before computers were invented.
She self-published a book for her family with her family history, including a 3 ft x 2 ft heavy-duty paper genealogy chart folded and attached in a pocket glued to the inside back cover. It was inspiring -but had been mostly just sitting on a shelf in my house for 40 years. Another famous cousin published a second book with an extensive genealogy chart and much more family history a few years back. With my own grandchildren growing up fast, and the Ancestry website available, I decided it was finally that time in my life to continue the family saga and further the research before I "kick the bucket" down the road.
I’d realized Many of the historical items we used or played with at grandmother's Greenwich house when young have been in the Bush Holly Museum in Connecticut for years. Makes me realize I’m no spring chicken so better get on with it if I want to pass it along to the next generations.
I’ve found it hard to stop the research- it’s fascinating to learn the history of ancestors as I continue the story of their lives. It’s like reading a novel, but it’s your family history!
Many family members on father's side are in SAR , DAR and Colonial Dames and that side of the family includes Gov. Winthrop, the early Planters, and many other early colonists. Among others, we are descended from Gov. Winthrop's 2nd son Henry - through his only child from his wife Elizabeth Fones Winthrop (later married to Feake then Hallett). If you have not read her story, "the Winthrop Woman," it's a fascinating book, on Amazon. There are still many lines I have not even begun to look at..
All my life I was exposed to family history through my paternal New England grandparents who repeated our history often so we would remember. We visited many graveyards together in New England during our summer-long visits from California when growing up, to see where our ancestors were buried and read their names on ancient headstones.
Researching the other side of the family starting in 2015, I found fairly easily after only a few months that WE ARE PILGRIM DESCENDANTS. Starting with very little info on that side- just a couple of generations and some unusual names and places, I traced it back, each person with original documentation (no database info). I am almost ready to submit my Pilgrim verification package to the Society. It's a ton of work.
The Pilgrim Society has verified the earliest generations. The hardest part was obtaining birth, marriage and death documents for the latest generations. For example, my maternal grandmother did not have a birth certificate ! She was the youngest of 5 and probably born at home. Her parents both died of TB by the time she was 3 and she was raised by her grandparents. She had to get census records and a notarized "Affidavit of Birth" signed by her brother plus school records to verify her identity and get a Passport in 1940 to travel abroad.
Her side of the family is also descended from every one of the very first founding families of Nantucket (where I found the Pilgrim link). Some were famous whalers. One nephew, Mathew Joy, was the first to die on the infamous whaleship Essex, the true story and inspiration for “Moby Dick” and the 2015 movie “In The Heart of the Sea”. Our last immediate Nantucket ancestor smartly left the island in 1853 as whaling was waning, to sail around the horn in a whaling ship and head for California's Gold Rush. He didn’t find any gold but that's why I live in California!

I joined Ancestry in 2015, not knowing much about it but thinking it would help to continue ancestral research begun by a great grandmother. She did it the hard way-traveling to nearby New England archives to do her research long before computers were invented.
She self-published a book for her family with her family history, including a 3 ft x 2 ft heavy-duty paper genealogy chart folded and attached in a pocket glued to the inside back cover. It was inspiring -but had been mostly just sitting on a shelf in my house for 40 years. Another famous cousin published a second book with an extensive genealogy chart and much more family history a few years back. With my own grandchildren growing up fast, and the Ancestry website available, I decided it was finally that time in my life to continue the family saga and further the research before I "kick the bucket" down the road.
I’d realized Many of the historical items we used or played with at grandmother's Greenwich house when young have been in the Bush Holly Museum in Connecticut for years. Makes me realize I’m no spring chicken so better get on with it if I want to pass it along to the next generations.
I’ve found it hard to stop the research- it’s fascinating to learn the history of ancestors as I continue the story of their lives. It’s like reading a novel, but it’s your family history!
Many family members on father's side are in SAR , DAR and Colonial Dames and that side of the family includes Gov. Winthrop, the early Planters, and many other early colonists. Among others, we are descended from Gov. Winthrop's 2nd son Henry - through his only child from his wife Elizabeth Fones Winthrop (later married to Feake then Hallett). If you have not read her story, "the Winthrop Woman," it's a fascinating book, on Amazon. There are still many lines I have not even begun to look at..
All my life I was exposed to family history through my paternal New England grandparents who repeated our history often so we would remember. We visited many graveyards together in New England during our summer-long visits from California when growing up, to see where our ancestors were buried and read their names on ancient headstones.
Researching the other side of the family starting in 2015, I found fairly easily after only a few months that WE ARE PILGRIM DESCENDANTS. Starting with very little info on that side- just a couple of generations and some unusual names and places, I traced it back, each person with original documentation (no database info). I am almost ready to submit my Pilgrim verification package to the Society. It's a ton of work.
The Pilgrim Society has verified the earliest generations. The hardest part was obtaining birth, marriage and death documents for the latest generations. For example, my maternal grandmother did not have a birth certificate ! She was the youngest of 5 and probably born at home. Her parents both died of TB by the time she was 3 and she was raised by her grandparents. She had to get census records and a notarized "Affidavit of Birth" signed by her brother plus school records to verify her identity and get a Passport in 1940 to travel abroad.
Her side of the family is also descended from every one of the very first founding families of Nantucket (where I found the Pilgrim link). Some were famous whalers. One nephew, Mathew Joy, was the first to die on the infamous whaleship Essex, the true story and inspiration for “Moby Dick” and the 2015 movie “In The Heart of the Sea”. Our last immediate Nantucket ancestor smartly left the island in 1853 as whaling was waning, to sail around the horn in a whaling ship and head for California's Gold Rush. He didn’t find any gold but that's why I live in California!