Genealogy
Offline I was wondering if anybody else has explored their family genealogy on here.
I recently received some research from my brother on our genealogy and it's pretty interesting.
All of my ancestors appear to have come to America between the late 1600's and late 1700's. And all of them lived in Southern states. The most interesting ancestor I have found is Colonel Elijah Isaacks of North Carolina that fought for the colonies during the revolutionary war. He also fought in the war of 1812. Here's some info on him.
Birthdate is an estimation. Death date based on Will dated 4 April 1799, proven 24 June 179
9 in Pendleton District., SC. Witnesses to his will: Thomas Gibson, William Isaacs, Hayes Bla
ir. Executors were James Blair and Samuel Isaacks; will names children. Elijah was the 3rd ge
neration lsaacks in America. He was a colonel in the Rev War, captured at Gen. Gates defeat a
t Camden, SC Aug 16, 1780, sent to England and exchanged July 1781. His capture by the Britis
h is recorded in NC State Records. In May 1782 NC Legislatures nominated Col. Elijah Isaack
s as a Brigadier General for District of Morgan. Sold land in 1784 in Wilkes Co, NC. Bought l
and in Franklin Co, GA in 1785. He was on the l790 census of Pendleton District, SC.
The Records of the Moravians in NC report several troublesome visits by the Wilkes militia a
s they marched through the area during the Revolutionary War. One incident is of special inte
rest: Salem Diary, page 1787, 6 Jan 1782… "Wilkes militia arrived, under Col. Isaacks. Most o
f them camped at Petersbach overnight, and had to be supplied with provisions and forage. A
t first they were rather wild, and the Colonel made various threats, but when they were serve
d in friendly fashion they calmed down. Some of them attended the gemeinstunde and were quie
t and orderly." Page 1787, 7 Jan 1782… "The Wilkes militia marched on ....".
(The Moravian records are in German, of course, and the word "gemeinstunde" translates as a "
quiet evening time of study or reflection ...".
Elijah Isaacks and his brother Elisha, both from Wilkes Co., NC were elected to the Senate an
d the House respectively of the NC State Assembly in the early 1780's. These were not the twi
ns Elisha and Elijah. The twins were grandsons of this earlier Elijah.
Samuel J. Isaacks in "The lsaacks Clan in American and Texas" says Elijah appears to have bee
n fairly intolerant of the "Tories", those colonists who remained loyal to the British crow
n during the Revolutionary War. Fairly often in the Senate journal he was recorded as votin
g "yea" on bills to confiscate property of British sympathizers while in the NC House of Comm
ons, his brother Elisha voted "nea".
". Author S. J. lsaacks quotes a letter from a Col. Farming, living in Canada, who describe
d himself as a "loyal British subject" and complains he had been forced to leave his birthpla
ce of NC after he and other loyalists suffered incidents of mistreatment at the hands of Col
. lsaacks and the militia. Citizens not opposed to the Continental cause were not mistreated.
In the "Revolutionary Army Accounts" manuscripts of the NC State Archives is recorded that El
ijah Isaacs was granted the sum of 38 pounds 7 shillings 2 pence on 17 Jan 1782, but the purp
ose of the payment is not given.
There are 2 Isaacks (different spellings) families in NC on the list of 1790 surnames on cens
us.
He was married to a granddaughter of the father of Daniel Boone. So I'm related to that guy. He also met Andrew Jackson and later Sam Houston, the president and first governer of Texas.
Other than that it appears that I have at least 6 ancestors that fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War and everyone seems to have moved to Texas (the ones that weren't already there) within 20 years of the end of the war.
No famous people though.
My wife is supposedly descended from Daniel Webster but that hasn't been proven yet.
"I am an atheist, thank God." -Oriana Fallaci
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I was born and raised in eastern Europe, Romania. The record keeping back there is not at the top of the priority list. Add to that the fact that my dad was adopted and has no information on his biological parents... I don't stand too many chances at finding reliable information regarding my ancestors. That being said my mother's family are relatively long lived, my great grandfathers both lived passed their 80's and one died at 94. I've heard many stories growing up, but they always took on the form of fairytales.
It would be interesting to know, as a history lesson, but beyond that I don't hold much value to popularity. Even if it turns out I had a famous ancestor, it wouldn't do anything for my self esteem.
"Don't seek these laws to understand. Only the mad can comprehend..." -- George Cosbuc
I've done some research. Not much money, and my family is not well known for letter writing.
Mostly midwestern moving out west. One great grandfather was in New York, then in Illinois while still a child. One great grandmother was also in Illinois as a child. One of my great-grandfather was in the Missouri volunteers in the Civil War. My dad has his discharge papers - the ancestor was 16 when discharged with viral pneumonia. Must have lived long enough to have a family.
Most of them were farmers or shopkeepers. Not very interesting to anyone. One of these days, I'll do some more research.
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
For which side? Missouri was a border state and had both US and CSA volunteers. One of my great, great, great grandfathers fought in a CSA Missouri regiment.
"I am an atheist, thank God." -Oriana Fallaci
The USA side. I am real glad I wasn't around. Another branch of my family had a farm in Kansas during the Civil War. The second time they were burned out by Kelly's Raiders, they packed up and moved to Yuma, AZ.
And as far as I have researched, the rest of the family on both sides (that was then living in the US - some are later immigrants) tried to avoid the Civil War as much as possible. Can't say I blame them from all I've read about it. If you are interested in public health, Cyclone in Calico about Mary Ann Bickerdyke is very interesting. She was not one of the Red Cross volunteers, but was a nurse during that war. I found it in the juvenile section, but it seemed to be well researched and didn't talk down to the reader.
Homeland: A Novel by Barbara Hambly is a different take on the war. Two women who went to school together, correspond during and just after the war. The author provides a very in depth discussion of the different attitudes during that time. As well as vivid descriptions of every day life. One of the women is southern and sympathizes with the north. The other is northern and her husband is fighting for the south. Fascinating read -
-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.
"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken
"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.
My Dad is pretty big on tracking out family back. He can go all the way back to France and Germany in the 1600's and maybe earlier. I am somewhat into it. I really don't look much into my dad's side of the family because they are pretty well documented. I like to look into my mom's side a little. That side of the family is Irish, English and German. I really don't know much about anyone from my mom's side of the family that may be well known.
As for anyone well known from my fathers side of the family there are quite a few. Most notably is Jack Jouett (known as the Paul Revere of the south) He basically saved Thomas Jefferson when he was still Governor of Virginia and the entire state legislator from the British. He is fairly famous in Kentucky. There is also Mathew Harris Jouett who is a painter and there is also James Edward Jouett who was a Rear Admiral in the us navy and was the one of those the command "Damn the Torpedoes" was directed at. The actual command was: "Damn the torpedoes! Four bells. Captain Drayton, go ahead! Jouett, full speed!". There have also been 3 ships named the USS Jouett. Two destroyers and a missile cruiser.
I can explain it to you but I can't understand it for you.
You see that evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.