About

The journey began with a simple yet profound question from my children: “Where do we come from?” Despite growing up with the belief that my maternal side was Irish and my paternal side was German, a series of swift phone calls to family members shattered that illusion. Beyond a few branches of the family, recollections scarcely reached back more than a couple of generations. A challenge emerged from my sister—to unearth the truth.

In 2006, the quest commenced. Our initial motive was pure curiosity, a desire to unearth the origins of our lineage. The plan was to make a few calls and wrap up the task. But the phone calls acted as a revelation, exposing the extent of our ignorance about our family’s past. Armed with a subscription to Ancestry.com and subsequent research across various institutions, we embarked on a journey to uncover the facts. The result has been an ongoing endeavor, delving deep into the stories and histories of our forebears. Thus, this blog has transformed into both a chronicle of our research journey and a repository for their narratives.

Almost two decades have elapsed since then and regrettably, my sister is no longer with us. Today, I possess a family tree encompassing tens of thousands, yet the complete understanding of “who we are” eludes me. Given migratory patterns and territorial boundaries over the generations, there really is no definitive answer to the question. Nonetheless, I am left with is a profound appreciation for the journeys embarked upon by my ancestors. Through this blog, my objective is not solely to record the fact of our family’s history, but also to narrate the tales of numerous individuals who came before us.

Whether you have a familial connection or not, I extend an invitation to explore. This website archives all the information and materials gathered throughout these years.