Sunday Search: Finding French Royalty

At this point in the process, the family tree has been well documented and we know a lot more than we did just a few years ago. We can trace most of our lines back through the decades and centuries deep into the 19^th and 18^th centuries in America. However, making the leap into the countries of our heritage has been extremely difficult. While we know the places from which our families emigrated, that is pretty much were our history ends. However, there are now a few exceptions to that pattern the most prominent and well documented of which is that of the Noblit line.

You may recall previously reading about John Noblit’s service during the Revolutionary War but the family history does back much further. Not only do we have a wealth of information, thanks in large part to Quaker record keeping at the time, about his father’s life, William Noblit, but the entire family that came to the colonies in the 1720’s from Ireland. And this is only the beginning of the pre-immigration journey. As it turns out, Ireland was only a brief stop in the journey to the colonies when looking at the family history in its entirety.

Prior to the family’s brief time in Ireland, only lasting a generation or two, the Noblit name is traced back to England where the family lived for a similar duration than that in Ireland. At this point, the truly exciting leap takes place when we venture into France. It is here that we find the most documents related to the family, their place in society, and their subsequent expulsion in the late-16^th century. Yes, we are, by definition, Huguenots. These records don’t just cover a brief period of time, there are actually mentions of the Noblit/Noblet surname in documents dating back to the 12^th century.

While the earliest mentions are scarce but beginning in the 16^th century there are volumes of documents that have been found. What is especially fascinating, and tremendously useful, when tracing our family back is that some of these documents are patents of nobility. While I can’t confidently trace back to the earliest of mentions in the annals of history, I can, with documentation, trace back well into the 16^th century and can, with relative certainty, state the fact that we are descendants of French nobility. This was a surprise to me but one that I am eager to explore further. Who knows, maybe one day I will be able to stay at the old family homestead in the Anjou region of France.

Sunday Search: Who’s Next?

With the first supplemental application nearly done it is time to start looking through the family tree to see which line I will be submitting next. Now that the “easy” ones have been documented, all of the other options are going to require some more work. That being said, now that I have traced one ancestor on my father’s side and one on my mother’s side, I can at least look at all possibilities without having to limit my options. With that in mind, I have to look and see what information I do have and how likely it will be to find the supporting documentation I need for the additional lines.

Looking back at the list I compiled in March, there are certain things that still need to be worked on for each of the ancestors listed. While we have already submitted documentation for the Redcross and Noblit lines, there are still twenty eight (28) other names on that list. However, from that list, I have at least narrowed the selection down to a few ancestors where the mysteries are minimal and acquiring the documentation is realistic pursuit given my limited time at the moment.  

Jacob Duffordt, Virginia Patriotic Service, Provided supplies to the Continental Army. We have the documentation of him paying the supply tax as well as, what I believe to be his service in one of the Flying Camps. Additionally, I have all marriage certificates and other documentation going back to his grandson, my 4^th great grandfather Jacob Teaford, whom I wrote about in May regarding his service at Norfolk during the War of 1812. The issue with this line is that we aren’t 100% certain as to the identity of this Jacob’s mother. It is a mystery that the family has been working on for decades but I believe that I am making some headway.

This is likely the next supplemental application that I will be completing but there are other patriots in the family that I will be researching at the same time including:

• Johann David Von Nida, Virginia Patriotic Service, Paid Supply Tax
• Frederick Boyer, Philadelphia County Militia
• John Snider/Snyder, Corporal, Flying Camp Maryland Militia; Wounded at White Plains.
• George Michael Wilfong / Wildtfang, Virginia Patriotic Service, Paid Supply Tax
• John Cook, Private, Logan County Virginia Militia
• William Terry, 3rd and 5th Virginia regiments
• John Philip Mumbauer, Private, Bucks County Pennsylvania Infantry
• John Norbeck, 1st Battalion, Berks County Pennsylvania Militia
• John Phillip Young, 6th Battalion, Philadelphia County Militia
• Rufus Cone, 7th and 17th Connecticut Regiments; Taken prisoner at the Battle of Long Island; Died aboard the prison ship off the coast
• Matthias Kerlin, Pennsylvania Patriotic Service, Paid Supply Tax

Again, all have their small gaps in the documentation but I am confident in tracing these names and we will eventually be able to verify them. The real question for me is whether we will be able to trace back through the Muhlenberg line as this requires my research on one generation to be supported through documentation as the maiden name is the one that I have traced. This will require a considerable amount of effort which is why it will be worked on in the future, after a number of other patriots have been proven. That being said, I welcome any information on the Muhlenberg family tree to get things started.

Sunday Search: Another Rediscovered Surname In The Revolutionary War

The Noblit surname is one that was lost to my family for well over 100 years until I started digging into this lineage. We were well aware of John Uttley, whom I have previously written about, but his parents were a bit of a mystery. It wasn’t until I found his death certificate that this new branch of the family tree was discovered. And to say that this has been an interesting journey would be an incredible understatement. But, for the time being, we are going to focus on the three generation prior to my 2nd great grandfather, John Uttley, beginning with his mother, Charlotte Noblit.

According to Charlotte’s obituary, she was the oldest living person in Manayunk at the time of her death in 1903 at the age of 93, which was not surprising given the longevity of her uncle, Dell Noblit, who exceeded the century mark. My grandfather was one of 16 children between her two marriages (first to Joseph Miller and later to John Uttley) and her father, Thomas Noblit, was noted to have served in the War of 1812. What has proven to be an invaluable tool at this point in the research process was that Charlotte was the most recent generation mentioned in John Hyndman Noblit’s book “Genealogical Collections Relating to the Families of Noblet” which also provided generations of additional information.  

Focusing more precisely on my lineal line, my next ancestral subject was Charlotte’s father, Thomas Noblit. While I was unable to find any information related to his service during the War of 1812, I did manage to find an interesting document. In 1855 Ann Pearce, Thomas Noblit’s widow, filed a Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application in which she states that Thomas Noblit, who died in 1850, served as a “private in the Revolutionary War from Chester County, Pennsylvania, and served at Chadds Ford and Battle of Brandywine commanded by Colonel Wallace, she thinks” and that he was drafted at Chester County, Pennsylvania in June 1777. While additional evidence is provided through a letter from the State Treasurer for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania noting the pension that Thomas, and now Ann, was receiving, I could not find any additional information regarding his service in the war. However, his father, John Noblit, was a completely different story altogether.

Born in Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania in 1734 to Tavern and Inn Owner (The Black Horse Hotel) William Noblit and Mary Parke, the first mention of John Noblit that I found was in the depredation claims stemming from when the British Army occupied his land during the Philadelphia Campaign in September of 1777. However, there is much more information available outlining his service in Captain William Britton’s Company commanded by Colonel Oliver Spencer (also known as Spencer’s Regiment of Continental Troops) from March of 1777 until May of 1778. During his service he fought during the Battle of Brandywine and the Battle of Germantown before spending the winter of 1777-78 at Valley Forge. It seems as though he returned home in the spring most likely to help his family recover from the depredations suffered in the fall and later moved to the adjacent Ridley Township in Delaware County where he died in March of 1786.

And this is just the beginning of this part of my family history as there are pages and pages of documents that have survived the centuries to tell the story of this surname. From the United States and Ireland to Great Britain and France, there is a lot that have yet to learn about this family and about this part of my heritage. But, for now, I guess I will be working on pulling together all of the aforementioned documents and additional materials for my first supplemental application for the Sons of the American Revolution. And, once approved, I will have patriots on both sides of my family.

Sunday Search: Mother’s Day And Maiden Names

This Mother’s Day I wanted to discuss an interesting situation that comes about in many of the genealogy conversations that I have with others. Unfortunately, the sentiments that follow are not restricted to those only now just starting their research… I have encountered many knowledgeable family historians that just seem to be stuck in a certain mindset. The issue is rather simple, and appropriate for this day, in that there are too many people only focusing on a fraction of their family history by overlooking the wealth of lineal knowledge that exists in a maiden name.

In several instances lately I have spoken to individuals who can, at great length, discuss the history of their surname and can also speak intelligently about their own mother’s line (and sometimes the lines of their grandmothers). However, that is where there maternal ancestry stops. Once they go back a couple of generations it seems as though they have forgotten that there are multiple paths that we can take into the past through both husbands and wives.

First, let me start with the fact that I am proud to have my mother’s maiden name as part of my own, serving as my middle name. It has allowed me to carry with me the surnames of both of my families and I do my best to remember that each day. Second, now as a father, I better understand the importance of teaching my son about all the families that he represents and I look forward to sharing that knowledge with him. Third, I have explored many of the different lines in my tree weaving between husband and wife and I can attest to the rich tapestry that is revealed when you allow yourself to take this journey.

There is so much more to who we are than simply our male descendants and the surname that we each carry. It is with this in mind that I encourage everyone to not just remember your mothers on this day but all the mothers in your family tree that have each had an impact, large or small, known or unknown, on who you are. Without the women in our family we would not have life… we would not have the layers upon layers of history and the fascinating lacework that is our own family genealogy. Mothers are what make genealogy possible and we should always remember that and honor them by knowing about all sides of the family.

Good Enough For Today

This is always an interesting time of year. It doesn’t really matter where you are or what you do for a living, you quickly find out who around you has even a trace of Irish ancestry. And, of course, you also find out who are the ones that see this as an opportunistic excuse to show up to work the following morning with soft voices, light shuffling feet, and sunglasses nearly implanted on their face. It really is an interesting day on the calendar to both experience and to observe (in more ways than one).

Until recently, it was never really a day that caught my attention. There were year when it even passed by without me knowing. Now having a better grasp and understanding of my own family history, I enjoy seeing the festivities and hearing the multitudes of stories of the places from which families originated. Given the long history and pride that is found in Irish families, it is no surprise to find my family’s original surname, McKenna, listed on Wikipedia:

McKenna, also MacKenna, Mckenna or Mackenna, is the anglicized form of the Gaelic Irish surname "Mac Cionaoith", also spelt Mac Cionaodha or Mac Cionnaith, meaning "son of Cionnaith.

The historical lineage of the McKennas lies in Trough, County Monaghan, Ulster, Ireland, where they were "The Lords Of Truagh" and the McKenna coat of arms can be seen on many of the graves from members of the family.

In North Kerry Mckenna is considered to come from Mac Ginea. The Cionnath, Cionaoith, Cionaddha forms are considered there to be sources of names like Kenny, Kenney and Kennedy.

It is fascinating to see the original family surname so closely tied to a specific geographic location in Ireland. This is particularly important given the limited details that we have about my family’s original Irish ancestor whom we believe was named William and who arrived in the United States sometime between 1840 and 1860. We don’t know exactly when or where he came into this country or precisely from where he came but we at least have some idea from which part of the country the family originated.

While this is the most recent immigrant on either side of my family, it is proving to be one of the more difficult to pin down both due to the discrimination of the Irish at that point in history and also the sheer fact that the name is so incredibly common. But, on this day it really doesn’t matter all that much. We know that we have Irish blood and from where our family hails. Today, and most days, that is enough. But it would be nice to know a little bit more.

Sunday Search: Unintentional Intentional Errors

Every once in a while I will receive a message through my Ancestry.com account regarding some of the information in my family tree. Sometimes it is about documents, photos, or certain details that I have discovered elsewhere and uploaded to the website which I am happy to share and discuss with anyone who contacts me… you never know how you might be related. However, most of the time, the questions and corrections are regarding the very tips of the limbs that I have yet to fully research. In these instances I reply letting them know that the research has yet to be done and the information is stemming from scant documents that have been uncovered. This is usually followed by an invitation to share any information they might have on that individual or, as has been the case a few times, the correct name that should inscribed on that leaf.

This all comes down to how each of us use Ancestry as a genealogical research tool. While many people refuse to enter information in to their tree until they have verified the content, I prefer to use the website to both record known facts and figures but also theorize as to those names that may consist of the next generation. Sometimes it can be stemming from information culled from documents and other times it is a much more general estimation given the age of children, where subsequent generations lived, and sometimes the information that has been passed down in the family.

Even the most basic of estimations have sometimes led to the information that I have been looking for. Many times I have entered the surname and approximate year of birth to find only a handful of possible people who could fit into my tree. After looking at all the records available, I was able to not only find the right name but verify that, yes, they are my ancestor. All it takes is that small detail and a little bit of deduction in order to begin chipping away at that wall. This is the process that has worked for me and has kept me somewhat organized in my research thought process over the years.

Of course, with this being my process it leaves a number of assumptions wilting under the sun on the end of the branch until I am able to make the time to prune them but I know that the information is there and I don’t have to worry about retracing some of my steps over and over again when I find the rare moments to search for that next generation. Again, while not a process for everyone, it is the one that has worked best for me so far. Now if I could only be so organized with all the photos, documents, and notes cluttering my office.

What Does Your Last Name Mean To You?

Having spent countless hours working on my family genealogy I am always reevaluating what my name really means to me. What does it mean to my family? What weight does it carry and how do the actions and experiences of our ancestors influence who we are today?

It was with these thoughts and questions running through my mind that I watched the documentary “Hitler’s Children”. If you never thought about how the actions of your ancestors influence who you are this is the movie you need to watch. It demonstrates how powerful our name is in shaping who we are and how our genealogy can shape our lives.

The documentary explores the lives of the descendants of prominent Nazi’s and how they cope with the burden of the past. For those who live with the last names of Himmler, Frank, Goering, Hoess their name ties them with genocide. They have a direct connection to the death camps; their family legacy is that of extermination. While some families may have skeletons, these people have monsters in their closet.

It is an interesting contradiction to the emotional ties that many people have and the associations that their last names carry. One’s surname can invoke prominent thoughts of their ancestry and a strong bond with their heritage: Irish, English, Italian, Spanish, Native American, Eastern European, Asian and even many positive German connections. Imagine the absence of pride; think of the horror of being so closely tied to the abominations of the Nazi regime.

All of the descendants in this film wrestle with knowing. There is no mystery. They know their name and the power it carries. They know the terror that their names still invokes in the people and decedents of the Holocaust. I can’t fathom the immense burden they these people live with every day of their lives... I can’t grasp the fear of having some part of those monsters inside me. The strength that these people have is immeasurable. These people are the generation that offers hope and they need to be remembered as much as their heinous ancestors.  

I take pride in the names and generations of my family. I accept the good and the bad. Regardless, I look forward to knowing more about the people in my tree, the lives they lived, and the places from which we came. I don’t know if I would be able to handle knowing of such monsters in my families past and knowing the same tainted blood was running through my veins. I am German; I am Irish; I am Native American; I am English; I am many things, all of which I am proud.

Watch and think about your own family. Appreciate what you have and look to find out more. Whether you realize it or not, your name is a big part of what makes you who you are and the more you know about it the more you will find out about yourself.