Ancestor Approved Award

I was pleased and surprised to have Dionne Ford pass along this award to me, today: Treasure Chest Thursday: My first Genealogy Blogging award at Finding Josephine. I add my thanks to Leslie Ann at Ancestors Live Here for initiating the award.

The recipient of this award is supposed to list ten things we have learned about any of our ancestors that has surprised, humbled, or enlightened us and pass along the award to ten other bloggers who we feel are doing their ancestors proud. Here we go...

Surprised
    •    My great-grandfather, James P. Preston, actually had a long life, despite my aunt saying, "we don't know much about him!"
    •    Albert Sydney Johnston, highest ranking General of the Confederate Army to die in the Civil War, at Shiloh, was my 4th cousin, twice removed.
    •    My second great-grandfather, William Preston, was the first elected Sheriff of Williams County, Ohio, at that time in Defiance, OH. We was known as the first white settler of Defiance, and, as "The Old Sheriff!"
    •    My fifth great-grandfather, William Kinnick, was Sergeant-Major during most of his three years of Revolutionary War service, and participated in most of the northern campaign battles.


Humbled by
    •    learning that Roger Conant, co-founder of Salem, MA, and Governor of the Massechusetts Bay Colony was my ninth great grandfather.
    •    finding that I have so many ancestors who were in either the Civil War or the Revolutionary War


Thrilled
    •    to realize my first "born in Ireland" ancestor, third great-grandfather, John Butler was also one of eight first cousins who were with George Washington at Valley Forge; five officers and three enlisted men.
    •    to find that my fifth great-grandfather, William Kinnick, and his brother, Jasper, fought in the War of Jenkin's Ear, in 1741-42.
    •    to find that my seventh great-grandfather, Captain Richard Brightwell, was a contemporary of George Washington's grandfather, and they participated together on Indian affairs across the Potomac at least once that is recorded; Washington from Virginia and Brightwell from Maryland, in Maryland.
    •    being a fourth cousin, twice removed, of Nile Kinnick, Heisman Trophy Winner out of the University of Iowa.


Passing this award along to:

• Cyndi at Mountain Genealogists
• Dave at Tree Rings
• Leland at Genealogy Blog
• Jonathan at Them Medfords & other mountain folks
• Lynn at The Armchair Genealogist
• Irish at Portals to the Past
• Herstoryan
• Elizabeth at Little Bytes of Life
• Alice at John Brown Kin
• Julie at My Papa's Book

Families are Forever!  ;-)