This is the church where my ancestors have worshiped for a Very Long time, the same town they have lived in since 1512 A.D.
It’s Matt. Many may not know this but I really enjoy doing genealogy work. See I do not have much knowledge of my relatives. My Moms side disowned her when she married my dad for multiple reasons. My Dad wasn’t apart of any religion and he didn’t have a education to name a few. My Dad’s side were only tied to my Dad until he realized he needed to stop sending them money and focus on his own families well being. And that was the last time they really had anything to do with him at all. I received a Christmas card from my Dad’s Mom. I really don’t remember anything about them. The last time I was actually around them, I was about 2.
Now on with the present day. With my last name I thought we were German. Come to find out we actually had no clue. I knew Fort Wayne Indiana had a lot of people with my last name, so I concluded that is where our roots stem from. My Dad was even born there. I found a book online at a genealogical site and found a Pierre that worked for the Maumi Indian chief in 1813. It said he was a teacher from France. I was also able to find old maps of land plots he purchased, and I have been able to map out where they lived in Fort Wayne. I also found out that his son patented the wood column in a way that was all wood. I made contact with others in Fort Wayne and they too have been stuck on not being able to find the link to where we came from in France.
I then joined a French genealogical website that was mainly in french. And no I don’t speak french. But searching through the site I started emailing people with my same last name. If you’re wondering how to find your birth parents, a skilled genealogist can help.
And a few responded, one in particular had been searching for over 25 years to find out how his line came to the USA. Once we contacted each other and shared info, I found in his list a Pierre born the same year our records showed him. But in the French side he had no death record, and that he was a professor. Can you guess why he had no death record… That’s right it is because he came to the United States. He lost contact with the French side of the family.
So now later this month I am flying to Fort Wayne for a reunion they are having, and will take my Dad so he can meet cousins and uncles he hasn’t seen in over 55 years. In a few years there is a reunion that takes place every 5 years in eastern France. Come find out we came from one region and mainly two towns with in that region. Seventy percent of the towns are all of the same family, even the mayor hold my name.
I can now trace my last name to 1512 A.D. I can now say I have a family line. And hope to attend that reunion as well in 3 years.
So If you have ever wondered where you came from, ignite the fire that I have and simple do a google, or better yet, check out this free weekend:
Ancestry.com offers the world’s largest of online collection of U.S immigration records and it’s yours to use FREE this weekend. This is a great way to try it out and see if it’s something you’d like to pursue! Click Here
Thanks Chi Town Cheapskate