Its Mike Williams

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  Ancestry

  Mar 17, 2019

  This year marks around the 25th year my family tree has been in progress.  Way before Internet access and Ancestry.com.  My brother built the base information from the family bible, records offices in the cities our family was known to live, and cemetaries.  While building the main branches was the goal, a primary focus we my great grandfather on my father's side.  We only had the family "story", but could not verify it.  The growth of the tree pretty much hit a wall at just under 300 entries.

  Along comes the Internet, and Ancestry.com.  The ability to research, compare, and verify information.  The ability to collaborate with others building their tree.  Ancestors were being found and verified.  Census informaiton seems to be one of my best research tools.  While I was able to build my tree with the free Ancestry.com account, it did not offer me access to records or global info.  The membership made the difference.  Growth of the tree was off and running.  Entries at this point were around 2100.

  DNA Kit.  Yup.  The next step.  I thought this would help me connect to family over seas perhaps.  Learn my genetic makeup.  Find family.  It has done that!  With that said, be careful what you ask for.  Because I guarantee you that you will learn more than you expect.  I did not realize how many of my connections were using the DNA kit to find parents.  Things I took for granted?  I have personally helped cousins find and connect to parents, half siblings, and 1st cousins.  Entries now - 4400!

  As of today, July 24, 2024 there are now 11,359 entries!  Yes, it is habit forming.  I check connections and leads daily.  However, we have still not progressed any farther on my great grandfather Frederick.  We can find no information on him prior to his joinng the military.  The search continues...

  I will share what I have found in the way of notable relatives.  (not that they all are not notable, but these folks found their way in history books along the way).

  - Chief Oconostota 1704-1788, my 8th Great Grandfather.  He was a Cherokee skiagusta (war chief) of Chota, which was for nearly four decades the primary town in the Overhill territory, and within what is now Monroe County, Tennessee. He served as the First Beloved Man of Chota from 1775 to 1781.

  - Robert Beheathland 1580-1628, my 9th Great Grandfather.  He was an English gentleman who arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607 aboard one of the three founding ships the Susan Constant.  He is noteworthy as the only original 1607 Jamestown colonist having documented descendants living today.

  - William Maye 1540-1560, my 13th Great Granduncle.  His sister Agnes is my 13th Great Grandmother.  He was Dean of the Order of the British Empire. He was nominated Archbishop of York in 1560, but died before he could take office.

  William May was the brother of John May, bishop of Carlisle. He was educated at Cambridge, where he was a fellow of Trinity Hall, and in 1537, president of Queens' College.  May heartily supported the Reformation, signed the Ten Articles in 1536, and helped in the production of The Institution of a Christian Man. He had close connection with the diocese of Ely, being successively chancellor, vicar-general and prebendary. In 1545 he was made a prebendary of St Paul's Cathedral, and, in the following year, Dean of the Order of the British Empire.

  His favorable report on the Cambridge colleges saved them from dissolution. He was dispossessed during the reign of Queen Mary, but restored to the deanery on Elizabeth's accession. He died on the day he was elected Archbishop of York.

   

  Tags: family, its mike williams, its-mikewilliams, ancestry, dna

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  Pamela Jackson says (Mar 24, 2019):

  Welcome to the world of Blogging! Been doing it for years and I love sharing my ideas, projects and life in general. Can't wait to read and follow you to see what you are up to next. You can view my blog at https://pam-lifethroughmyeyes.blogspot.com/. Yep...I want to do the DNA testing thing also. Mom worked for yrs on our family history and has us back to the early 1700s on her dads side. So interesting but what is so neat is that the records are there to this day.

  
  
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  Lexie Childress says (Jan 17, 2024):

  So glad to have connected on Ancestry! I really wish I had more access to the database without the membership- I think it would be so much easier to figure out where exactly we are related. Love the blog.