I love history. Especially family history. I’ve been working on our family history (mostly my paternal grandmother’s line) on and off for about 20 years. It all started with Gram’s stories about John Allan (my 7th ggreatfather).
If I could have one wish, it would be to be able to go back in time and meet my ancestors. When I was stationed at NSA I used to take weekends and head to D.C. to do research in the Library of Congress and National Archives. I have to say the help of the internet and sites like Ancestry.com sure make life a lot easier.
You might remember my find that I’m the direct descendant of many of the Mayflower passengers. That was a shocker. Even more so when I found out Gram knew it but never told me. She only ever talked about our Scottish Heritage. She was very proud of it. My ancestor of choice for the last year has been Gram’s grandmother, Margaret E. Fraser Campbell. She came to America in 1882 and was married to Lemuel Saunders Campbell in Boston in 1885. After the 1920 census I couldn’t find them and it really bothered me. I looked everywhere. I knew they both immigrated from Nova Scotia. I met a 3rd cousin by way of Lemuel once removed through Ancestry.com. His his ancestor is Lemuel’s brother. He gave me a bunch of church records including Lemuel’s parent’s marriage record from a church in Bear River, Nova Scotia.
Anyway, I was talking to my aunt a few months ago and mentioned my obsession with Margaret. She surprised me by telling me that they had lived in the Ossipee area. When we went up over Christmas I asked my grandfather about it and he drew me a map. Dan, the boys and I set off to find it. This is the beautiful house that my 3xgreatgrandparents lived in:
On the map Gramps also showed me where a couple of Margaret’s relatives lived! As soon as I got home I went looking through the 1930 census. Finally. I found the missing link to connect Margaret to the John and Ellen Fraser in the 1891 Canadian Census that I thought might be her parents. One of the relatives Gramps led me to was Margaret’s youngest sister, Marion. Marion was the key I needed to link everything together. They were from McLennan Mountain in Pictou, Nova Scotia.
Here’s the mind blower. I started researching the area and found out that McLennan Mountain had only been founded a few years before John Fraser was born. Three Fraser came to Nova Scotia just a few years before John’s birth and started the Presbyterian Church there. Now… get this. The brothers came to Nova Scotia from THE ISLE OF MULL!! I’ve been there! Not once but TWICE!! What are the odds?! Is it any wonder I teared up every time we had to leave Scotland? I definintely bleed plaid. I’d definitely like the weave the tartans of Clans Campbell and Fraser.
Speaking of weaving, I played with the loom last weekend. Here’s my first sampler. I still need to finish it but I think I’m ready to move on to towels now.
Well, here you go, then-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYhTye_A9H0
did you catch my note on Elann? I saw your crooked finger relatives on TV!
So very cool Jean! But it all definitely points back to confirm the wisdom of “Scottish Lamb”!
Wow! What a great story. I bet all those ancestors are bursting with excitement at the clever person you are for being an adventurer, discoverer, knitter, weaver, builder and more. I think you’re channeling every one of them!
What a great bit of your history you have uncovered. Mine is mostly shrouded in the mists, it seems, and my poor husband’s is practically obliterated.
Love your weaving!!!!
Great find Jean. How exciting to track down those missing links. You really opened a can of worms for Brad he is still plugging away and finding people. He even joined a Romanian matchmaking site to try to find someone in the area to read and translate papers, but no one seems to want to friend him,poor guy. They all want to friend the gorgeous young “newly single” girl. Hmm. The weaving looks great! What did you use for your sampler? Did you follow the video or the instructions from your kit? Inquiring minds want to know these things.
Family history is so interesting, only I’m terrible at remembering the stories I’ve been told of my family. I’m counting on my sister to keep track of that for future generations.
Great job on the woven sampler!
That is really neat!!
Happy new year, Jean, and the weaving looks great too.
You are going to laugh…….my father’s name…. John Allen
LOL!
What a fun story!!! I can’t wait to go to Barb’s class!
Jean, Interesting family findings! My Jameson ancestors go way back in this country, also coming originally from Scotland. But really want to comment on your weaving! Looks great! You’ve got a lot of twill variations and I’d say you’re definitely ready for towels. What fiber were you weaving? I started by first project in wool which wasn’t the best idea but I survived and finished a scarf my mother never, never wore!! I have placemats on my loom right now.
Jamie