Family History

Oreruion · Dec 13 2007, 03:36 AM

Are there any amazing things that you've discovered about your family history? I ask because earlier today my mum was telling me about all this stuff about her family. I discovered that my mum's great-grandma had a large fortune worth of gold pieces hidden around her house AND a 500 year old bible, to name a few things. I don't think I should say any more except that the family has a huge conspiricy inside of it (my pop called his real father 'uncle', and his uncle 'father') and that we're very distantly related to the guys that crossed the Blue Mountains...

Anyway, what have you discovered (don't give any details like surnames, etc) that is surprising, amazing or shocking? Some of this can actually be very interesting.

Exodus · Dec 13 2007, 04:17 AM

Great Uncle served in the Nazi army (yeah, seriously) one of the forts here in the US is named after a relative. And my other great uncle was a baseball player for the St Louis cardinals a while ago (he's really old now, 60's over).

About it. Boring family. My late grandpa was involved in something interesting, but its worse than great uncle being a nazi (was forced in though, or so I heard xP)

Whiplash · Dec 13 2007, 05:01 AM

^It wouldn't be surprising, lots were forced in. My local priest for example.

Nothing particularly interesting in my family, distantly (and I mean distantly) related to one of the Ethelreds (Ethelred the Unready I think). I went to school with a girl whose grandmother was a minor princess in the Austro-Hungarian royal family though who fled to Australia.

Naunen · Dec 13 2007, 06:50 AM

My family used to be rich when they lived in China until the Japanese invaded. My great-grandfather was one of the greatest generals at the time but he went under a pseudonym and was killed by a Japanese soldier though no one knows how exactly or where the body may be and it's impossible to even trace him in the past. There's probably way more about my ancestry but my grandparents can't remember and they're the only past generation alive now.
I once met a descendant of Lief Erikson. O.o He was a substitute teacher. Then just last year, I met and became friends with a Prince. o.O

Devious · Dec 13 2007, 10:01 PM

Nothing. Absolutely nothing unique about my family. Both sides. Believe me, I asked. The most exciting thing about my family is having an aunt who's a CEO of a small company that's got something to do with Nortel.

Whiplash · Dec 14 2007, 01:42 AM

If I were you, I'd go and start sucking up to that aunt now with an eye to her will.

Dark Remnant · Dec 14 2007, 12:06 PM

My grandfather was a sniper in WWII...that's about it for me I think.

Hitoshura · Dec 14 2007, 12:42 PM

My great great great great great great (i dont know how many greats) grandma was an Indian .-.

Whiplash · Dec 14 2007, 12:44 PM

That's a freakish coincidence because my great great great great great great grandma wasn't! :O Scary...

Ashton · Dec 14 2007, 01:17 PM

Pft. My father's side is from some woggish place, so he's related to possibly the creator of Mario? My mother's side is from England, so here's hoping the queen randomly picks me as her heir.

The only thing I'm angry with is that my mum had blue eyes and I received ugly brown. :/

deceptacon · Dec 14 2007, 04:12 PM

harrr both my parents have hazel/brown eyes and i have blue

Käthe · Dec 14 2007, 04:17 PM

All i know about my family is that my grandmother in WWII was captured after being found out of helping british soldiers.
My grandad, a Nazi soldier, luckily saved her from being killed, then i think they moved to England after that.

If it wasn't for them falling in love, i wouldn't be here ;D
EDIT: Well if it wasn't for them, my parents wouldn't have met. ;D because my mum wouldn'ts techincally existed xD
(Ok to complicated now

)

Alice · Dec 15 2007, 03:35 AM

I was told that one of my ancestors was the doctor who treated John Wilkes Booth after he had shot Abe Lincoln. Booth apparently broke his left leg when he jumped from Ford's Theatre after the shooting and then went to see the doctor for help. The doctor was later accused and arrested of conspiracy and with harboring Booth and a man named David Herold after their escape in his home. Needless to say, I'm not very proud of my ancestry.... u.u

Sundance Kid · Dec 15 2007, 04:35 AM

My birth parents have either brown or green eyes and no one else in my family has blues or hazel and my eyes change colors to blue, blue green, light green, green, hazel, hazel green

I have a family member who survived the Holocaust...

There's probably more but I can't think of it right now

Passion · Dec 15 2007, 05:57 PM

I can't really think too much that has happened to my family or interesting things of note.

Hopefully I'm desended from someone incrediblly interesting!

Oreruion · Dec 18 2007, 01:19 AM

Wow some of these stories are great. I guess we're all related to someone famous...maybe. Also, my great-grandparents held deeds to about 20 properties; my great-great grandparents came to Australia on a ship they built, and most of the family history has been jumbled thanks to someone lying about her identity. :O