My Family (Maternal)

Below are old pictures from my family tree, which has, one or two branches and not much more. I'm not fond of the term inbred, let's just say, we are inter-related. My family tree is so confusing I have to draw a picture for my mom. As to preserve the dignity of many, I will simply refer to them as Family B (FB), Family C (FC), and Family M (FM). Family B were French or rather, they immigrated to the United States from France. We have yet to prove that they were in fact French, as opposed to another nationality which had immigrated to France from North Africa, the Balkans or were indentured servants or even slaves brought from Romania or other parts of Eastern Europe. FB married into a French family, the Ramey's, which have a long, long French history and have been traced back to Charlemagne. The Ramey's were Hugenots and immigrated like everyone else for religious freedom. Family C also immigrated from France but like FB, there is no way of knowing their actual origins. Family M, same thing. I do, indeed, have interesting ancestors. Dorothy Dorothy J. immigrated with her parents from Wales. She married into FC while living in Philadelphia. It is said that her husband helped build the first brick home in the city. She was a Quaker but married him anyway, even though he was a member of the Church of England. Tsk, tsk, "marrying out of meeting." She was arrested for impersonating a man at a masquerade ball in Wilmington, PA (now Delaware). The man who allowed her to come as a man was also arrested. The court documents state in part: ... and disturbance of peaceful minds and propagating ye Throne of wickedness amongst us. Hahahahahaha. Ali B. Ahhh.. Great-great-great grandpa Ali. His list of attributes: >Once shot a rooster for crowing. >Pushed his horse downhill in the mud because it wouldn't move. >Kicked over a cast iron cookstove because the fire went out. >Would only eat duck eggs, so his grandchildren took chicken eggs to the river and got them wet and he ate them anyway. >Confederate deserter, not that I mind. George B. (Ali B.'s Grandfather) >Almost froze to death with George Washington at Valley Forge. Julie B. >Was said to have been tipped $50 by Jesse James. I posted about this a while back. >Chewed tobacco and on an old stick all the time >Had a cow named Cherry which followed her around like a dog. Rebecca B. >Took the Bible to heart and "prayed without ceasing." Booker M. >Was murdered by a man named Hall over an orchard of trees. >His sons murdered the Hall man. >All the sons then moved north and became preachers. Bart B. >Had 21 children by three wives. Isaac C. >My 5th great grandfather was said to have 25 or 26 children by three wives. >His brother had at least 20 children although most of FC can trace their lineage to Isaac instead. >Was a minister in NC. Cornelius R. (Ancestor whose grand-daughter married into FM) >Was killed in an indian raid while picking ginseng. >Was in the VA militia which fought in Lord Dunmore's war. It is of note that he served under Capt. Looney, another ancestor of mine but on my dad's side of the family. Capt. Looney's son-in-law is my 6th or 7th great grandfather. Jonathan C. >Was a love-child. Had he been the son of his father's wife, I would be much more inter-related. Indian/Melungeon Ancestry >I have two confirmed great grandmothers who were American Indians. One was a Cherokee. >A Melungeon is loosely considered a person of Tri-Racial origins (Scotch-Irish and/or Mediterranean, Native American and African). >FB, FM and several others in my lineage are possibly Melungeon in origin. >Our family carries several genetic characteristics of the American Indian, although we don't look like it. >Most of us have what is called an "Anatolian Bump" on the back of our skull which indicates lineage from the Anatolian region of Turkey. >We all have Asian Shovel Teeth, meaning our teeth are not straight in the back, they curve, additionally, we have a small protrusion on the back of the teeth next to our front teeth. Most people with American Indian ancestry have this characteristic. Neighbors (No, not the ones next door) >My great great great grandfather Bartley B. lived a few hollers over from the Hatfields and McCoys. (Bartley B. is also my great-great grandfather... I know... inter-related) >Nate's dad's great uncle lived a few houses away from mom's family, according to the census. >Part of my dad's family is also from this area of WV although I have found no familial connection, yet. >My dad's family also has Melungeon and American Indian ancestry. >As stated, Nate's dad's family is also from this area of WV, I definitely have found NO FAMILIAL RELATION. And if I did, I sure as hell wouldn't admit to it. That's all for now. At some point, I will explain the familial connections... but it might take a while.