Surprising finds in your family tree

[Marusya]

What surprises have you found about your family while doing genealogical research?

I've been working on my mother's family tree. I recently found the connection from America to Ireland on one branch of the tree, with a surprising religious faith. I am related to a family (Barton) that immigrated from Ireland to America, and the surprise is that they were Quakers! I didn't even know there were Quakers in Ireland until now. I didn't even know my family had a connection to Quakers. This is the biography of one of my earliest great-grandfathers.

Isaac Barton

Birth: 1680
Killaloe, County Clare, Ireland
Death: 1721
Chester County, Pennsylvania, USA

Isaac was born c1680 in Killaloe, County Clare, Munster, Ireland, the son of Christopher and Dorothy Barton and married Sarah Vesey on 6 Dec 1705 in Munster, Ireland. He was a blacksmith by trade.

Killcomonbegg Meeting, county Tipperary, Munster Providence Ireland. Tipperary Meeting of Friends:
"Isaac Barton of Killaloe, son of Christopher and Dorothy Barton of Killaloe married Sarah Vesey daughter of Tobias and Ann Vesey of Limerick 6th day 10th month 1705."

Children with Sarah:
1) Abraham Barton (b: 1706), m: Lydia Simpson.
2) Isaac Barton Jr (1708-1746)
3) Elizabeth Barton (b: 1710), m: John Harling.
4) Mary Barton (b: c1714)
5) Jacob Barton (1716-1762), m: Henrietta Biggs.
6) Rev Joshua Barton Sr (1718-1779), m1: Jean Dubart, m2: Widow Susannah (Griffith) Dodd. (I am related to this guy, too.)
6) Benjamin Barton (b: c1720)

Isaac and his family left Ireland on a Certificate dated 16 May 1714. They were received into Pennsylvania meeting on 29 Oct 1714. They requested membership into Chester meeting on 29 Apr 1715.


US Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1994
Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, Arch Street
Certificates of Removal, 1681-1758, Pg 92:

"At our six weeks mens meeting at Killcomonbegg ye 16th of ye 3d mo: 1714 Whereas Isaac Barton of Clonmell Cutler & bearer hereof live concluded to Transport himself and family into ye province of pensilvania in america, and friends here being not willing he should goe from them used some endeavors to diswade them to ye contrary but he and his wife being pretty much resolved for is thiere minds and desiring a Certificate from friends along with them.

This is therefore to Certifie whom it may Concerne that ye sayd Isaac Barton have been of our mens meeting for severall years pass and allso his wife of ye womens meeting and as far as we know have behaved themselves honestly and is in unity with friends so desiring theire welfare and that friends may be kinde to them conclude with dear love to friends signed in behalfe of ye abovesayd meeting by Stephen Collett Joseph Collett Sollomon Watson Samuel White Thomas Chanllee Olliver Symonds Jonathan Chanlee and other."

Quaker Meeting Records 1681-1994, Chester Monthly Meeting, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Minutes, 1704-1734:
"From our Monthly Meeting held att Philad'a: the 20'th of 2 month 1715/--- To friends after the Salutation of our Dear love to You in the Blessed truth wherein our fellowship stands we give you to understand that the within mentioned friend Isaac Barton and his wife came over now from Ireland and produced the within Certificate and Stayed a Short time, But are now as we Understand come Down in order to Settle amongst You and Desirs a few Lines from us to you with Respect to their Conversation whilst here amongst us therefore these may Certifie You after Enquiry made that we doe not find but the Said Isaac and his wifes Conversation During the Short time of their Residence here amongst us hath been orderly & we Desire their prosperity and welfairs.

Every way Conclude & Remain your friends and Brethren, Signed at & on behalf of our Said meeting by Eliza'th Griffith, Thomas Griffith, Nicholas Waln, Hannah Hill, Christo'rp Blackbourn, Griffith Owen, Mary Camm, Hannah Carpenter, Anthony Morris, Prisila Bardford, Jone Fforrest, Samuel Richardson, Nathan Stanbury"


1719-1720 tax index lists Isaac Barton as a landholder in Chester Co PA. Isaac is listed again in the 1720-1721 tax index in Chester Twp, Chester Co PA, also as a landholder.

"Isaac Barton's Will, which lists his children in the same order as they're listed in a letter from Reverend Isaac Barton (s/o Joshua Barton b. 1718), was discovered in PA. This was documented in a large, 2-volume set of genealogical data titled "Descendants of Isaac Barton Killaloe, Co. Clare, Ireland" by Margaret "Peggy" Barton Marsh Carter and published by the Barton Family Association in 1988."

Will [excerpt]
Chester County Wills, 1713-1825:
Written 18 May 1721, Proven 31 Mar 1722
"To wife Sarah 1/2 estate real and Personal, To my 7 children, vz Abraham, Isaac, Mary, Elizabeth, Jacob, Joshua, and Benjamin 5 shillings each. Remainder to executors for use of children.
Executors: Wife Sarah and Jacob Welden.
Witnesses: Arthur White, Wm Marsh, Robert Sanford and Joseph Griffiths."

Isaac's wife Sarah remarried very soon after his death and later moved to Frederick Co MD, possibly leaving the Quaker faith.

Note: Isaac died at the young age of 41 yrs. In 1721, the area in which he lived was part of a vast wilderness, constantly travelled by Shawnee and Susquehanna Indians. One story is that Isaac was killed by Indians. The story is not posted here until it can be confirmed.

[Grimmler]

Where did you find this?

[Smitty]

Widow Susannah (Griffith) Dodd ... Witnesses: Arthur White, Wm Marsh, Robert Sanford and Joseph Griffiths

I'm possibly descended (haven't confirmed the connection yet) from a John Griffith of Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was a Quaker from Wales. Not a genetic connection, but I thought that was interesting. Cool story, by the way. Sounds like you're digging up all sorts of stuff on your mom's side. :)

[Gooding]

In all three of the DNA tests I've taken, I've invariably had a Finnish reading, the smallest, to be sure, but it was always there. That surprised me about as much as the Eastern European readings I got on AncestryDNA and FTDNA. I think that those are the two biggest surprises I've found.

[Marusya]

Where did you find this?

Grimmler, I found the information on Isaac Barton here: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=55649840

Findagrave.com is an excellent source for obituaries and photos of cemetery headstones.


I'm possibly descended (haven't confirmed the connection yet) from a John Griffith of Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was a Quaker from Wales. Not a genetic connection, but I thought that was interesting. Cool story, by the way. Sounds like you're digging up all sorts of stuff on your mom's side. :)

Chester County, PA obviously was the place to go for immigrant Quakers. :) As for genetic connections, at this point in time, there are hundreds of descendants of Isaac Barton! His genes live on in many, many people. There is even an annual Barton reunion meeting and website. It is highly likely that people are dating or have married who are distantly related and don't know. haha.

Working on my mother's family history has been much easier than the Ukrainian side. :D Plus, the language is English. I don't have to decipher Polish or Old Russian languages, often written in illegible scripts. Other people have done a huge amount of research on my mother's paternal side. An aunt told me this summer that someone from two families (Barton and Boyd - good name for a book shop, btw. :D) interviewed my grandfather in the 1970s or 1980s. They were writing books. I did find a book on the Barton descendants published in 1988.

Anyway, someone published a public Family Tree for my grandfather's maternal side on Ancestry.com. The links took me back to Ireland. His paternal side only goes back a few generations, though I've been told they immigrated from Scotland. At this point, I have HUNDREDS of ancestors to research. Should keep me occupied for some time. :D

I wish you good luck in your genealogical research. :) I can say it has really changed my perspective on who I am.


In all three of the DNA tests I've taken, I've invariably had a Finnish reading, the smallest, to be sure, but it was always there. That surprised me about as much as the Eastern European readings I got on AncestryDNA and FTDNA. I think that those are the two biggest surprises I've found.

At some point, I need to corner a few of my male relatives and have some of these tests done.

[Berahthraban]

I was suprised how insanely far back in time I could trace my ancestors with Geni.com, completely for free. It sounds like I'm making a commercial for them, but no :D

[Pony]

My Quaker ancestors were Quakers in the counties neighboring Chester County, maybe they knew each other :P
I was also really surprised to find Quakers in my family as I am predominantly Irish Catholic

[Carignan]

When I was doing my genealogy, I was surprised to see that I had a Hessian soldier in my family tree. He served in Quebec city and ended up marrying a local French Canadian.
George Ziliac was born in Krautheim, Newmark to Johann-Zacharias Ziliac and Catharina Elisabeth Weinshreken. It is odd, because he's listed under different name in genealogy records.
His children took the name Lessard which was/is a French Canadian last name that was in Quebec since the 17th century.

[Linebacker]

I have to dig up and try to find something about my two sides,especially my mother's side,which is a long line Partizan family since Ottoman times,I have ancestors who fought Ottmans and Nazis,and then even Soviets.Their names are engraved on multiple monuments around my town.

The thing is my country's records aren't as tidy and yippy as America's,so its a nightmare to try and fight anything.

[Mazik]

I was suprised how insanely far back in time I could trace my ancestors with Geni.com, completely for free. It sounds like I'm making a commercial for them, but no :D

When I was in high school we all had to make a project work. I decided to do a project work about my family history. I was so shocked that I in some cases just could google the names of my great great grandparents and find a family tree going back to the 17th century. So the work was extremely easy. I could pretty much find all my lines on sites such as geni. :thumbs up The teacher was very impressed due to my effort and how much I managed to find. But if he just knew that I just used google and added names to my own family tree in that way :D

[Berahthraban]

When I was in high school we all had to make a project work. I decided to do a project work about my family history. I was so shocked that I in some cases just could google the names of my great great grandparents and find a family tree going back to the 17th century. So the work was extremely easy. I could pretty much find all my lines on sites such as geni. :thumbs up The teacher was very impressed due to my effort and how much I managed to find. But if he just knew that I just used google and added names to my own family tree in that way :D

That is awesome, could totally see that happening :D from where in Sweden did you find the most of your ancestors?

[Albannach]

Found out that I'm a direct descendent of Sir James Ormiston " The Black Laird" He was hung for treason after assassinating King Henry Stuart, husband of Mary queen of Scots.

[Mazik]

That is awesome, could totally see that happening :D from where in Sweden did you find the most of your ancestors?

Most of them from Västerbotten and Lappland. Further back also some bourgeois who moved from southern and central Sweden. :)

I believe it's much easier in northern Sweden, since much less people live here. But then in the south it's very easy if you descend from the Långaryd family. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A5ngaryd_family

[Southerner]

I found various Afrikaner surnames in my family line way back in the 1700's. Turns out an ancestor had been employed by the Dutch East India Company as a soldier. He was from Germany.
I also found various Jewish ancestors that are from the Horowitz family. Another good one is John W. Short, a Negro soldier in the 15th Colored Infantry during the Civil War.

Those are just some. I'm very into genealogy. It's a quite exciting hobby. :D

[Skjaldemjøden]

Catholics. A rarity today and equally so in 19th century Denmark. My great x4 uncle married a Catholic woman and joined her church in Aalborg. They had a flock of children. I might ask for a classification of her portrait since she had an interesting visage.

[Profileid]

Japanese names on my dad's side. It would be kinda cool if I had Japanese ancestors,but they're usually accompanied by female first names, so they're likely distantly related aunts. I haven't bothered to figure it out,but that would be my guess.

[DizzyGinger]

Most surprising for me was my maternal 5th great-grandmother was a black slave. I'm still doubting it to a certain degree, despite some pretty convincing evidence for it being true. I look as white as they come.

[Kamal900]

My family belong to "baiyt al-Lafi" or "the house of Levy" in Arabic, and I'm mostly likely descended from prominent Jewish or Samaritan Levite family lines. Hell, there was a Jew also had the same surname as me.

[Antimage]

this year i learned that i'm about 1/64 german, it's not a big deal though lol

[Skjaldemjøden]

Back when I started researching my Christian ancestry I was half anticipating some link to royalty further back in time. Virtually everyone I knew, including cousins, had some fancy count or prince among their ancestors. No such background for me. I'm the descendant of carpenters, masons, farmers, barbers, tailors and so on.
My closest tie to royalty is actually on the other side. My Jewish great-great-grandfther's sister converted to Christianity and married a Russian baron.

marusya the quaker, wheres my sandwich? :(

[Berahthraban]

Does anyone have a new interesting genealogical discovery? :D

[Skjaldemjøden]

Does anyone have a new interesting genealogical discovery? :D

My great-great-grandfather's cousin was the physiotherapist of the German Kaiser and developed a groundbreaking health program for his army. It's not exactly news for me, but I had some doubt about its accuracy that was just recently ruled out.

[Berahthraban]

My great-great-grandfather's cousin was the physiotherapist of the German Kaiser and developed a groundbreaking health program for his army. It's not exactly news for me, but I had some doubt about its accuracy that was just recently ruled out.

That's really fucking cool, Jewish or Danish? :D

[Wrong]

Nothing surprising, just 100% Balkan.

[Skjaldemjøden]

That's really fucking cool, Jewish or Danish? :D

Jewish.. My Danish ancestors never left Denmark and none of them practiced learned professions.

[Longbowman]

Slave owners, opium traders, Indians, early settlers in Argentina and the US, incest.

[Skjaldemjøden]

Slave owners, opium traders, Indians, early settlers in Argentina and the US, incest.

Incest? :fwhat:

[Longbowman]

Incest? :fwhat:

Metric shit tonnes of good old fashioned Sephardic and Mizrakhic incest my good time pal.

[Longbowman]

Care to elaborate?

Oh, an uncle marrying his niece, two sets of first cousins marrying, seven brothers marrying seven sisters, so on and so forth.

[StevenTylerAerosmith]

incest is wincest

[Mikula]

That František Palacký (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franti%C5%A1ek_Palack%C3%BD) is my distant cousin