So what's your background (country of origin, ancestors, etc...)???

[Colson39]

Something in another thread set me off to thinking....

So what background do all of you come from?

Personally, I am mostly Irish with a fair share of Native American (Blackfoot and Sioux from both sides of my family). Probably a smattering of some other stuff, but that's the gist of it.

So how about you guys/gals?

 

[LarryJ]

Something in another thread set me off to thinking....

So what background do all of you come from?

Personally, I am mostly Irish with a fair share of Native American (Blackfoot and Sioux from both sides of my family). Probably a smattering of some other stuff, but that's the gist of it.

So how about you guys/gals?

There are probably more, but I have documentation for Cherokee (I'm a registered and voting member of the Cherokee nation via the Trail of Tears relocation thru the Hestor Roll mainly), Prussian and English and possibly some French. Verbal family history also indicates some Irish, but I haven't confirmed that yet.

Larry

 

[lucy_love]

Something in another thread set me off to thinking....

So what background do all of you come from?

Personally, I am mostly Irish with a fair share of Native American (Blackfoot and Sioux from both sides of my family). Probably a smattering of some other stuff, but that's the gist of it.

So how about you guys/gals?

I'm Irish and Polish.

That's interesting about your Native American ancestry. N.A. is a topic I tend to research, I am very fascinating by the culture and history. On my out west trip we went to Devils Tower which is a Sioux (and other tribes) spiritual place, we went in June which is the national month for the Sioux and the monument.

 

[lucy_love]

There are probably more, but I have documentation for Cherokee (I'm a registered and voting member of the Cherokee nation via the Trail of Tears relocation thru the Hestor Roll mainly), Prussian and English and possibly some French. Verbal family history also indicates some Irish, but I haven't confirmed that yet.

Larry

That's awesome that you have Cherokee in you, I love researching Native American tribes (as I said to Chris). I actually just finished a paper on the Cherokee tribe in education and children's literature. I just love researching the topic, I wish I had Native American in me!

 

[djblu883]

I'm mostly Irish. I took a trip to Ireland 5 years ago to look for roots...found my daughter's instead...her father was first in his family to be born in the states.(O'Dowd)

 

[LarryJ]

That's awesome that you have Cherokee in you, I love researching Native American tribes (as I said to Chris). I actually just finished a paper on the Cherokee tribe in education and children's literature. I just love researching the topic, I wish I had Native American in me!

I was fortunate since both sides of my family are from the far NE corner of Ok. and many of my relatives applied for government benefits around 1908 and living in D.C. I was able to retrieve all of the documentation from the National Archives from the microfiche records. These benefit packages had to list all the siblings (with birth dates, etc.) along with the maternal/paternal parents including their Cherokee names if any along with ages, Birthdates, locations, etc. I have documentation where my Cherokee lineage started when a full blooded Cherokee boy was taken in by a white male and given that males last name and then raised. This individual was born around 1801. The root of my Cherokee ancestary is from Gilmer, Ga. I actually knew and met my great grandmother that was listed on the benefit application of her father. She died in the late 1950s and was in her 90's when she died.

A funny somewhat related story is when our oldest son was accepted to Carnage Mellon University he put on his application as a NA minority and was invited to attend their "Minority Weekend" and when he showed up he was th only fair skined individual in about the 2 or 3 hundred that attended. He loved it and made some great friends in those three days. Also, in addition to his NROTC scholarship he got a grant for being a N.A. that paid for his room and board which was around $5,000 per year or semister back in the 1996 to 2000 time frame.


Larry

 

[Colson39]

I was fortunate since both sides of my family are from the far NE corner of Ok. and many of my relatives applied for government benefits around 1908 and living in D.C. I was able to retrieve all of the documentation from the National Archives from the microfiche records. These benefit packages had to list all the siblings (with birth dates, etc.) along with the maternal/paternal parents including their Cherokee names if any along with ages, Birthdates, locations, etc. I have documentation where my Cherokee lineage started when a full blooded Cherokee boy was taken in by a white male and given that males last name and then raised. This individual was born around 1801. The root of my Cherokee ancestary is from Gilmer, Ga. I actually knew and met my great grandmother that was listed on the benefit application of her father. She died in the late 1950s and was in her 90's when she died.

A funny somewhat related story is when our oldest son was accepted to Carnage Mellon University he put on his application as a NA minority and was invited to attend their "Minority Weekend" and when he showed up he was th only fair skined individual in about the 2 or 3 hundred that attended. He loved it and made some great friends in those three days. Also, in addition to his NROTC scholarship he got a grant for being a N.A. that paid for his room and board which was around $5,000 per year or semister back in the 1996 to 2000 time frame.


Larry

Very cool Larry, you've done a lot more researh into your background than I have. I just know the basics of it, Blackfoot and Sioux, both plains tribes. It's kind of funny that I have it on both sides of my family, because my mom is hillbilly West Virginian, and my dad is Massachusetts Irish...lol. Most of it I get from my moms side, my grandfather was very Native American looking, and my Aunt on my moms side has striking dark hair, dark skin, high cheekbones, the whole typical Native American features. My mom came out fair skinned and blonde, go figure...lol.

 

[Colson39]

I'm Irish and Polish.

That's interesting about your Native American ancestry. N.A. is a topic I tend to research, I am very fascinating by the culture and history. On my out west trip we went to Devils Tower which is a Sioux (and other tribes) spiritual place, we went in June which is the national month for the Sioux and the monument.

We visited Devils Tower when we went out west when I was about 16. In fact, when I looked at your pictures of your trip out west, you guys are standing in front of a paining of Devils Tower with a bear climbing up it, my parents have that EXACT same painting that they got when we went on our trip, some 16-17 years ago...lol.

The story of Devils Tower is great, about the bear claws making the marks in the rock, I've always loved that story.

 

[jrandtysmom]

Very cool Larry, you've done a lot more researh into your background than I have. I just know the basics of it, Blackfoot and Sioux, both plains tribes. It's kind of funny that I have it on both sides of my family, because my mom is hillbilly West Virginian, and my dad is Massachusetts Irish...lol. Most of it I get from my moms side, my grandfather was very Native American looking, and my Aunt on my moms side has striking dark hair, dark skin, high cheekbones, the whole typical Native American features. My mom came out fair skinned and blonde, go figure...lol.

Wow you called your mom a hillbilly or were you generalizing all people from WVA?

 

[kc5grw]

I'm half Czech. The other half is a mix of Irish, Native American and who knows what else.

 

[lucy_love]

I was fortunate since both sides of my family are from the far NE corner of Ok. and many of my relatives applied for government benefits around 1908 and living in D.C. I was able to retrieve all of the documentation from the National Archives from the microfiche records. These benefit packages had to list all the siblings (with birth dates, etc.) along with the maternal/paternal parents including their Cherokee names if any along with ages, Birthdates, locations, etc. I have documentation where my Cherokee lineage started when a full blooded Cherokee boy was taken in by a white male and given that males last name and then raised. This individual was born around 1801. The root of my Cherokee ancestary is from Gilmer, Ga. I actually knew and met my great grandmother that was listed on the benefit application of her father. She died in the late 1950s and was in her 90's when she died.

A funny somewhat related story is when our oldest son was accepted to Carnage Mellon University he put on his application as a NA minority and was invited to attend their "Minority Weekend" and when he showed up he was th only fair skined individual in about the 2 or 3 hundred that attended. He loved it and made some great friends in those three days. Also, in addition to his NROTC scholarship he got a grant for being a N.A. that paid for his room and board which was around $5,000 per year or semister back in the 1996 to 2000 time frame.


Larry

That's awesome Larry!

We visited Devils Tower when we went out west when I was about 16. In fact, when I looked at your pictures of your trip out west, you guys are standing in front of a paining of Devils Tower with a bear climbing up it, my parents have that EXACT same painting that they got when we went on our trip, some 16-17 years ago...lol.

The story of Devils Tower is great, about the bear claws making the marks in the rock, I've always loved that story.

I actually became really fascinated with the tower after my visit and I did research on it and did a presentation. I'm kinda a dork and like to research, obviously! That's really neat that your parents have the painting. When we were there, everyone working was of a tribe, which I thought was pretty cool!

 

[Colson39]

Wow you called your mom a hillbilly or were you generalizing all people from WVA?

lol, yes I called my mom a hillbilly. One day maybe you can listen to her stories of her running barefoots through the hills of West Virginia, then you'll understand why I called her that. If you saw the pictures of my relatives in WVA, you would also understand...lol. I love that part of my family though, through and through. I love WVA, it's gorgeous there, to me one of the most beautiful states in the nation. It was also great seeing WVU doing great in college football now! Both my grandparents are alumni from there, so I follow that school from time to time. If you're from WV, trust me, you're good in my book!

Trust me, when we call her a hillbilly, it's a term of endearment, nothing negative meant by it

Just like when my friends call me a redneck...lol

 

[Colson39]

That's awesome Larry!



I actually became really fascinated with the tower after my visit and I did research on it and did a presentation. I'm kinda a dork and like to research, obviously! That's really neat that your parents have the painting. When we were there, everyone working was of a tribe, which I thought was pretty cool!

My parents go and work in Glacier National Park in Montana every summer (they are there right now) for 6 months, stay in their camper. They work with a lot of Blackfoot out there, I love going out there to visit. Unfortunately, seeing the reservation is very saddening, it is so desolate.

Just recently, my dad put up "prayer flags" for my grandfather who passed away about 15-20 years ago, this isn't a picture of the one's he put up, but it gives you a general idea. These are ALL OVER near the reservations out there, seeing them among the quaking Aspen is one of the most amazing sites I've seen.

 

[Kaler131]

My dad is 100% Irish and my mom is Irish, Greek, & German. Which makes me a lot of Irish and a smaller amount Greek & German. My DH is from England....his family is from England & Ireland.

 

[K Killabrew]

Irish, Scottish and English. My mother's is 100% Irish. Father is half Scottish and English.

 

[lucy_love]

My parents go and work in Glacier National Park in Montana every summer (they are there right now) for 6 months, stay in their camper. They work with a lot of Blackfoot out there, I love going out there to visit. Unfortunately, seeing the reservation is very saddening, it is so desolate.

Just recently, my dad put up "prayer flags" for my grandfather who passed away about 15-20 years ago, this isn't a picture of the one's he put up, but it gives you a general idea. These are ALL OVER near the reservations out there, seeing them among the quaking Aspen is one of the most amazing sites I've seen.

That's awesome that your dad did that, I also saw them at Devil's Tower since June was the national month for that. I guess my mom decided not to post those pictures

We were told strictly not to go off of the path, touch trees, etc. I was FURIOUS at the climbers that were there because by law, Devils Tower has to let climbers climb year round but they HIGHLY SUGGEST (there are signs all over the place) not to climb in the month of June. I was SOOOOOO mad when 3 climbers were getting ready to climb. I was about to let them here it. They even have to ask the Native Americans for the release forms, talk about a slap in the face!!!! All they ask is not to climb in the month of June since it is a highly spiritual time.

I really want to visit a reservation.

 

[Colson39]

That's awesome that your dad did that, I also saw them at Devil's Tower since June was the national month for that. I guess my mom decided not to post those pictures

We were told strictly not to go off of the path, touch trees, etc. I was FURIOUS at the climbers that were there because by law, Devils Tower has to let climbers climb year round but they HIGHLY SUGGEST (there are signs all over the place) not to climb in the month of June. I was SOOOOOO mad when 3 climbers were getting ready to climb. I was about to let them here it. They even have to ask the Native Americans for the release forms, talk about a slap in the face!!!! All they ask is not to climb in the month of June since it is a highly spiritual time.

I really want to visit a reservation.

I've probably been to 3 or 4 reservations in my life, and they all have pretty much made me realized that the Native Americans have it worse off than pretty much anyone in this country. Minus the one's that have the casinos

That's why whenever I see someone complaining about an Indian casino going up, I just remind myself how much was taken away.

 

[clkelley]

Well, I'm half German on my dad's side, and on my mother's there is a little bit of Cherokee and a few other things.

I have the distinction of having Field Marshall Rommell "The Desert Fox" as a great, great, uncle.

But actually what I love telling people is that my grandfather came to Huntsville as a member of the German team that worked with Dr. Werner Von Braun on the Space Program.

Unfortunately, I don't speak any German as my grandparents didn't speak it around my dad (it was not a good idea to use German in the US in the 40s).

 

[Shannone1]

I am a complete "mutt". Irish, Austrailian, Dutch, English. Mix that in with Chad's German, Irish, Swedish and Austrian and our kids could be the United Nations !!

 

[PolynesianPixie]

I'm descended from the original Dutch Colony that is now Manhatten. I guess I'm about as American as you get without being native American because my Dad has traced all our ancestry back to at least sometime in the 1700's. I'm also very German with a smidge of Irish and a fair amount of Scottish.
My kids get the Cherokee from daddy, plus more German. They are blonde....with really good tans!