Genealogy - Where do we come from?

Ever since Stacey and I began dating back in 1999 I have had a fascination with Genealogy and learning more about where we came from. With the Internet at your fingertips, it is amazing what information you can find. My particular favorite web site is Ancestry.com. A few months back, Ancestry was offering a three day unlimited trial, so I took advantage of it and started plugging in information that I knew. I believe I had started with my great grandparents Henry Loren and Julia (Shea) Broughton. Once I started entering in information, the web site began doing the research for me. Along with the bits and pieces I had and what the web site found, I was able to go back to the early 1700s! (assuming all the information goes down the right path). I could not believe it. With that, I have started on a new quest to try to find more information. I just wish I had the stories to go along with the people. Who were they, what were they like, what did they do, what were their likes and dislikes, what traditions were passed down, and how did all of these years and lines of ancestry come to help shape who I am today? Here is a picture of the Broughton family - circa 1920 or so. My grandfather (Martin Henry) is behind his father. He grew up with 1 sister (Florence) and 2 brothers (Elmer and Oliver). They owned a family farm in Addison Co, VT. Of course, all have passed on now, but leave a great legacy.

Before the Broughton clan moved to VT, many years were spent in the Moriah/Mineville/Crown Point, NY area. My great grandmother, Julia Shea's lineage also comes from the NY area. According to documentation, my great grandparents also had another daughter, Eliza Mary who died at the age of six weeks and is buried somewhere in Mineville, most likely with Julia's family. My father has spent many trips to NY trying to find their burial site.

Stacey too has become quite interested in genealogy as well. Pops (a.k.a Stacey's Dad) made an amazing find last Fall with the discovery that his Great Grandfather, Francis "Frank" Burns, fought in many famous battles during the civil war, many in VA. Who would have thought years later, Pops would be walking in some of the same footsteps where his great grandfather once stood. Pops and a few of his buddies every once in a while will do weekend tours of civil war sites. Now we all know why Pops loves the civil war era - it's in his blood. Gigi's (a.k.a Stacey's Mom) family comes from Australia (from great grandma Necia), but also from the Feathers lineage, mostly located in the Johnson City, TN area. Gigi's uncles have done a great job compiling family history already, so we have good documentation on both sides with some great stories.

This has certainly become a hobby of mine. Eventually I would like to put together a huge family album showing Jack, Caroline, and Lauren the family history from all sides (Broughton - LaGrow - Burns - Feathers). Now it is our turn to make the legacies.