Your ROOTS are showing aka who is the black sheep in your family?

a reply to: eisegesis

I don't have a single politician in my family tree.

Unless you count the great grand uncle who as a horse thief.

a reply to: DBCowboy

Nothing exciting in the direct line as far back as anyone in the family knows. Great-grandparents came to the US (Chicago) in the late 1800's from 4 different countries, no known history before then except nation of origin.

A couple great-uncle told stories of making bathtub whiskey during prohibition (regularly), my mom's cousin spent 15 years in jail for murder - he confided in me after he got out that he didn't kill the guy, but he was "supposed to" and the other guy actually did the killing. Apparently he was/is mobbed up.

Another of mom's cousins, who was big into horse racing (gambling) and consumption of contraband, but couldn't swim and stayed away from swimming pools, managed to drown in a pool while on vacation alone in Florida.

My paternal grandfather was illegitimate. He was raised by a single mother in a time when that didn't happen.

On my mother's side, things are pretty well documented and pretty boring.

a reply to: DBCowboy

One of my great-great grandfathers was a Civil War "hero"... for the south. 'Nuff said bout that.

One of my great x 9 grandmother was the sister of Sam Adams, one of the reputed founders of the Sons of Liberty

I'm the black sheep in my immediate family... and I'm glad about that because I don't want to be like some of them.

I'll bet most ATSers are the black sheep in their family.

My half brother is in prison for life on the third strike rule in CA.

Robbery, chop shop, cc fraud, assault with a deadly weapon, I could go on here but you can imagine.

Big p.o.s. that one is

I'm the youngest of 6.....I'm an atheist....rest of the clan are not, You do the math.....My brother did the whole Ancestry look-up thing a few years ago. It seems our ancestors came to the USA via the "prison ships of undesirables" from the British Isles.

a reply to: DBCowboy

On one side my family tree includes a Lebanese man, a set of cherokee sisters, and a German. On the other side my grandather was a Hungarian immigrant as a child. My grandmother was a desert rat who was crazy and spiteful. If it weren't for my grandfather, she would have likely stayed a desert rat. The Lebanese man's name was "Privi", which amused everyone to no end, as it was common slang for "outhouse" when spelled "privy".

One o her brothers used to feed his dogs gunpowder until they went so crazy he'd have to shoot them and get another one. He ran a junk yard. He'd get smashed and put on his six shooters, and go out in his yard and start shooting at the chickens. He survived half dozen attempts on his life when his last wifes brothers kept trying to kill him. He shot and killed one of them along the way. He lived in El Paso, and in the desert south of there. Crazy old bastard. Of my grandmother and her 3 siblings, only 1 wasn't really crazy. One other was a nice kind of crazy though. I don't mean insane....i mean just prone to outrageous stuff.

I have an uncle that was a Sgt at Arms int he Cossacks. Their chapter was more like an "old mans club", with them just drinkin and doing various charity events. But he was still every bit the bad ass biker.

I as you can see have African Heritage but was never too interested in genealogy, I have both English German and African roots. Black Sheep yes, i tend to drive my family crazy from time to time with my ideas. That's all. I enjoy reading through the stories of people and interesting accounts of your roots very much.

A very Great Grandpa was John Sevier (Mother/Grandma's Side):

John Sevier (September 23, 1745 – September 24, 1815) was an American soldier, frontiersman and politician, and one of the founding fathers of the State of Tennessee. He played a leading role, both militarily and politically, in Tennessee's pre-statehood period, and was elected the state's first governor in 1796. Sevier served as a colonel in the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780, and commanded the frontier militia in dozens of battles against the Cherokee in the 1780s and 1790s.

When I lived in Europe, I visited John Sevier's Ancestor's castle (Xavier Castle in Spain):

Consists of three buildings with different antiquity. The "Tower of the Kristo Santua" is the main fortified building and chapel, holding an interesting Late Gothic crucifix and a series of murals depicting the dance of the death, unique in Spain. The "Tower of Homage", call also the San Miguel Tower, is the oldest in the castle. It also harbors the museum dedicated to the life of the saint. In its foundations Muslim vestiges have been unveiled, possibly dating from the 10th century. In the 11th century, the first enclosure that sheltered the early surround rooms. In the 13th century, two polygonal bodies and two flanking towers were added in all four cardinal directions.

I have always collected stamps, and one of my most treasured features John Sevier with Andrew Jackson:

The 150th anniversary of Tennessee statehood was commemorated by a 3-cent purple stamp issued on June 1, 1946. The design features the Tennessee State Capitol in the center, flanked by portraits of President Andrew Jackson on the left and Governor John Sevier on the right. Jackson was the first U. S. President from Tennessee. Sevier was the first governor of Tennessee.

John Sevier Wikipedia
Castle of Xavier Wikipedia
150th Anniversary of Tennessee statehood stamp source

No clue. I can't find any evidence either of my grandfathers ever existed.
Maybe both were born at home and there weres no records.
Even my mother didn't get a birth certificate until she was about 30.
BUT, one of my half sisters got creative and invented a somewhat trashy backstory for the family, if that counts.

ganjoa

a reply to: seattlerat

Wow!

That's some history!

a reply to: DBCowboy

Depends how far back you want to go. I have roots in all the four so called corners of the British Isles, and back before that ones assumes plenty of Saxons, Vikings, BLOODY ROMANS, and more besides. It's a mixed bag. Back further than that of course most everyone shares ancestry with everyone else to a degree, right back to the tree shrew, and then of course you have aquatic phase, then the bacteria phase and finally the primordial soup.

a reply to: DBCowboy

I have a half brother who has been in jail for over 30 years for murder. I guess he has a parole hearing coming up which is a bad idea.

A nephew who Has done multiple years for attempted murder and gang involvement

a reply to: DBCowboy

I'm not too proud of the fact that my ancestors killed the indigenous people, and probably did a bunch of other evil stuff, but most politicians just can't help themselves, so I may forgive him someday.

a reply to: seattlerat

He was also a Freemason. The hand gave it away.

In addition to being the first Governor of the State of Tennessee, John Sevier held the title of "Worshipful Master" of Tennessee Lodge No. 2, and was among its first charter members.

Oh, and if you aren't the one who created the blog that I linked to below, prepare for information overload. I enjoyed skimming through it.

truthfreedom-shenandoah.blogspot.com...

posterityproject.blogspot.com...

This thread has proven to be quite interesting (so far). I can only imagine some of the stories and historical ties that ATS's past members may of had. It used to be rife with Masons around here! (probably still is)

Thanks DBCowboy!

a reply to: eisegesis

I have a couple Masons in my family, not sure on my maternal grandmothers side as she was adopted, but she had German heritage.

a reply to: seattlerat

That is an amazing heritage you have, what was it like to visit your Grandfathers Castle? I am amazed by your story that few can say something like you have of their family. It is significant for you i enjoy hearing more.

I don't know my full history due to a parent being adopted. On the adopted side there are supposed Scandinavian roots, possible Vikings then. That with likely German, in which I don't know when they came to the US or if connected to anything during WWII-seems doubtful however.

The other side is Ukrainian Cossacks(Great Grandma cooked for the Russian Imperial Army), as they get a bad wrap. Along with British family which were pretty well off types, maybe not a lot of trouble going on. Same with the Irish percentage of that quarter that was Gaelic nobility. As well as with Viking roots traced to the family.

originally posted by: schuyler
My fifth cousin was Jesse James. His full name was Jesse Woodson James. Woodson was a great times X grandfather of mine. He was a doctor who was killed by Indians near the original Jamestown settlement. I have full documentation for this.

Interesting history right there.
My adoptive side of the family had a link to him as cousin. He was either a blood relative cousin or once removed. Not sure of the whole story as they didn't talk of it much not wanting to reveal it.

a reply to: DBCowboy

Chased for 700 years for being a gYpsy? Black sheep in the family.. How about every male