Most intersting thing found while doing research?

[CindyLouWho]

I just recently found out that my parents were related...but it was way back in 1227 in England. They had a common ancestor, William de Beauchamp, the 9th Earl of Warwick who was my 22nd great grandfather. My father was descended from William's son and my mom from William's daughter.

I also discovered that some of my parents other ancestors knew each other. In one instance, ancestors from both of my parents (Edward Bumpass and William Palmer) came to Plymouth Colony in 1621 (a year after the Mayflower) on the ship the Fortune so they most likely knew each other since there were only 34 passengers on board. Also, another ancestor, Edmund Lockwook, on my dad's side was a member of the church that my mother's ancestor, Rev. Thomas Hooker, was the minister of in Cambridge, Connecticut in 1632.

It is a small world after all...or at least it was back then.

[dgridley]

I think if you could go back far enough you'd see 99% of us are cousins..

I also read the other day that a study showed that all non-Africans have some Neanderthal in them..

I'll buy that..

‪Arnold Schwarzenegger training‬‏ - YouTube

‪Arnold Schwarzenegger training‬‏ - YouTube

Originally Posted by CindyLouWho

I just recently found out that my parents were related...but it was way back in 1227 in England. They had a common ancestor, William de Beauchamp, the 9th Earl of Warwick who was my 22nd great grandfather. My father was descended from William's son and my mom from William's daughter.

I also discovered that some of my parents other ancestors knew each other. In one instance, ancestors from both of my parents (Edward Bumpass and William Palmer) came to Plymouth Colony in 1621 (a year after the Mayflower) on the ship the Fortune so they most likely knew each other since there were only 34 passengers on board. Also, another ancestor, Edmund Lockwook, on my dad's side was a member of the church that my mother's ancestor, Rev. Thomas Hooker, was the minister of in Cambridge, Connecticut in 1632.

It is a small world after all...or at least it was back then.

[brrad]

My last name is Parbs, and when one of our family members was researching our family tree, he found out that sometime in history there was a period where our last names was misspelled 'Pabst'

Kinda cool?

[CindyLouWho]

Does that mean you might be related to the beer making family of Milwaukee?

[brrad]

Maybe!

I hope so!

[CindyLouWho]

Recently, while delving deeper and further back in my family history I discovered some very colorful characters.

My 10th great grandfather on my father's side was Captain Christopher Newport. He was an English privateer and during the war with Spain, he seized fortunes from raids on Spanish and Portuguese ships for Queen Elizabeth I. He lost his arm in one such raid and was thereafter known as "Capt. Newport of the one hand." He later became an admiral and led the fleet of colonists in 1607 who established the first permanent settlement at Jamestown, which was 20 years before the pilgrims came to Plymouth Colony. Jamestown was best known for the tale of Pocahontas and Capt. John Smith who were also there at the time. The Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia is named for him.

My 12th great grandfather on my mom's side was also famous but not so very well liked. Sir Richard Empson was known as the "Most hated man in England." He was born in 1434 and became a Minister and Tax Collector to King Henry VII. He had a reputation for taxing everyone, rich or poor, for everything he could think of...there was even a tax for adultry! When King Henry VII died and Henry VIII took the throne, he wanted to win the favor of his subjects, so charged Sir Richard Empson with "constructive treason" and had him beheaded in 1510.

[dgridley]

One of my ancestors pushed Mark Twain in the Mississippi River, or so the story goes.. he's mentioned in Twain's "Life on the Mississippi"..