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This page is in the very early stages, obviously. I am a graduate student who has long had a strong interest in genealogy. When my children were very young I began to trace out stories told by great uncles. I was very lucky, since much of the basic research had already been done, back to early Virginia.
Of course, there remains a great deal of work to do. The children are grown now, though I still do not have a lot of time. However, there are a few spare moments, and so by returning to this long-neglected hobby I am keeping empty nest (somewhat) at bay, and also gradually piecing together, through research, charts, photos, and narrative, something that will be there for my children and the generations to come.
Knowing who one is and from whence one came is a great gift, and hopefully someone along the line will appreciate the effort!
My first step is to begin scanning hundreds of family photos, documents, and ephemeral objects. When I was working on my Master of Library and Information Sciences degree, I specialized in archives and digital preservation. This project is a great way to put that degree to work!
However, I am especially interested in 17th-18th ancestors, especially the lives of women, and where possible, those that came before that time period.
Our earliest ancestors in America were indigenous peoples, though this is an aspect I am yet to explore. There is a tradition and some evidence that we descend from Pocahontas. The earliest Europeans I have located are Robert Adams I (1623), Walter Chiles II (a little later than Adams) and we are somehow connected to Capt. John Warde, famous for being present at the 1619 Assembly. These individuals and their families eventually wound their way from Tidewater and into what is now called Central Virginia. I enjoy discovering and watching (even if it is in aged documents)their movements, their triumphs and tragedies, and how so many of the same names pop up and blend again and again with each other and most of the other early families that settled in Virginia.
What an amazing story it is. And every time I poke around online or in an archive, I learn something new.
The problems I have encountered over the years have to do with genealogical works that are widely used but not properly researched (i.e.: a lot of wishful thinking therein). I would hope to sort out fact and fiction, while allowing for "tradition" if it is accompanied with strong plausibility.
As my graduate program in history continues, I will have more opportunities to research in Europe, particularly the UK, and I hope to have a little time to devote to family history.
Just in case anyone has read this far, here are some of the allied families I am researching:
Adams, Chiles, Ward, Walden, Lynch, Clark, Lewis, Terrell, Oxford, Cash, Whitesell, Wall, Preston, Hubbard, Franklin,Ferguson, Davenport, Peachy, Goin, Gunter (will update as I remember or locate more!)
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