This Blog will be dedicated to the research of my family history.

When I began my research 5 years ago (or so), I was quite satisfied to collect the names of "ancestors" at a rapid rate. I collected all sorts of names, usually without regard to accuracy, or lineage, or proof, or any of those tedious tasks that would have verified the information I was entering into Family Tree Maker. I once added to my tree, without any amount of particular thought, more than 100 names going back to the 1500s! Someone had emailed them to me from their family tree software as a GEDCOM file. I knew then that I was a GREAT genealogist - I knew what GEDCOM was and I could use it! I know now that family history research requires more thoughtful care than that (I have since separated those 100 individuals from my tree until I can research in greater detail).


I have slowed down my research pace drastically over the past few months. I have identified, fairly certainly, my ancestors back to my 16 great great grandparents. I know that I have ancestors from San Fele and Corleto, Italy, from Wurttenberg, Germany and from somewhere in Ireland. And I've gone beyond just collecting names and typing them into my family tree software. I've also learned some of the stories that have gone untold for many, many years.


This Blog (my first ever) will tell the story my family, their stories, and the search that helps me discover them.


An introduction to the names

My family tree contains the names:

Giallella
Bork
George (Giorgio)
McClellan
Gaudiosi
Pellegrino
Uebelhoer
Kleinhans
Tauriello
Marraffino
Cardone
Scott
Schaub
Helfer
Gaskill

...among others


What I'm working on this week

My Irish ancestors have always fascinated me, probably because I know so little about them. Those with the surname SCOTT arrived in the United States sometime between 1853 (when their son was born in Ireland), and 1855 when their daughter was born in New York State.

Remembering that I read somewhere (before I actually sourced information) that they arrived in the port of Philadelphia, I've spent two days digging through the non-indexed Philadelphia arrival records from 1854 and 1855 on FamilySearch.com. I'll look at the 1853 records, and then on to gravestone searches (my favorites).