We all have ancestors – we have parents, our parents have parents and so forth. The number doubles with each generation back in time. During our lifetime, we will get to meet a limited number of them. If we are fortunate, we get to hug our parents, our grandparents and maybe a great grandparent or two. But those 5 generation opportunities where a person is in the same photo as their 2nd great-grandparent is very rare.
When I started my family history journey, I was 16 and in high school. It was an assignment in my history class to fill out a pedigree chart as far as I could. For many in my class, I dare say their research never went further than that class – but for me it spurred a passion to find out what and who I did not know!
The Beginning
The beginning of any journey to connect present generations to the past begins with what you know and what those close to you can share. I knew my parents are, and I knew who my four grandparents were. I had meet all of them – and they had all been a part of my life, some more than others. With their help and family documents, I was able to quickly fill out that original pedigree chart with names, dates and places and identify my 8 great-grandparents. The next step would be the identification of the parents of those 8 ancestors.
Initially, I knew little about the records available and how to research and analyze them. That first assignment relied on family Bibles, preserved birth and death certificates and the memories of older relatives in my family – relatives that were aligned with my grandparents who would have remembered their parents. I believe those early conversations with my older relatives is what fueled my interest as they shared not just names and dates but also glimpses into the lives behind the names.
The sources for my first 15 ancestors, including me were records found easily at home and where I lived –
- My birth certificate that named my parents.
- My Paternal Grandmother’s family Bible.
- A marriage certificate from my maternal Grandmother.
- Discussions with my Grandparents and Grand Aunts.
- A walk through the cemetery where some of them were buried.
I accepted these sources at face value, unaware of how to assess their reliability or verify biological accuracy. I had no knowledge of census records, deeds, court documents, or other resources, nor did I realize that names, dates, and places could be inaccurate. Nonetheless, I completed the assignment, learned some ancestral stories, and felt ready to explore the next generation!
My 16 Second Great Grandparents
Through traditional research and DNA results I have identified my 16 second great grandparents, who are listed in the table below. Over the coming weeks, for each of these ancestors I will be sharing my journey to find them along with introducing you to what I know about each of them. Finding them was my introduction to records outside the home and how to use them to piece together the clues to connect me to each one of them.
| Ahnen Tafel | 2nd Great Grandparent | Birth Year | Death Year | Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Jasper Byerley | 1826 | Biological | |
| 17 | Malissa Byerley | 1837 | 1899 | Biological |
| 18 | John Tate Roddy | 1842 | 1911 | Biological |
| 19 | Martha E. Ingram | 1853 | 1902 | Biological |
| 20 | Preston Young | 1829 | Step | |
| 21 | Caroline McDaniels | 1835 | Step | |
| 20 | James Roderick | 1855 | 1925 | Biological |
| 21 | Deborah Wilson | 1862 | Biological | |
| 22 | Isaac Newton Lemarr | 1856 | 1943 | Biological |
| 23 | Frances Malinda Wright | 1852 | 1896 | Biological |
| 24 | James Jackson Couch | 1871 | 1945 | Biological |
| 25 | Mary Martha Ward | 1869 | 1944 | Biological |
| 26 | Lewis Edmond Jerkins | 1858 | 1919 | Biological |
| 27 | Josie Woods | 1857 | 1927 | Biological |
| 28 | Albert Pinkney Leffew | 1849 | 1908 | Biological |
| 29 | Hasseltine Selvidge | 1852 | Biological | |
| 30 | William Riley Caraway | 1848 | 1932 | Biological |
| 31 | Rhoda Ellen Hensley | 1861 | 1889 | Biological |
