The Old Folks Home

[Alaskan]

Yes!

I found some interesting information. My Dad was born in 1935. His Parents married in 1936. My guess is that he had a different Biological father than the rest of his siblings.

Must have. Did he look lots different from his siblings?

I'm not sure I want to open that Pandora's box.

Sure you do! So much fun.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

My brother and sister (different dad than I) have a half sibling about half a year younger than I am. Their Dad left when he was small and that mom cut ties with my step dad. My sister connected on face book with him somehow and her and I travelled to our brother's place and we met their 1/2 brother at a funeral for their Dad's side.

So the family had never seen this man since he was a baby. Well...he is the spitting image of their dad...more than my bro and sis. He's a bit taller but the same hands and the same mannerisms...the same everything of their dad. It was surreal. That's about the only way to put that. And it was a bit overwhelming to be truthful. I was incredibly happy for my brother and sister that they connected with their brother.

He was sure nervous meeting their entire family at a funeral...but you could see how happy the entire family was to have him there.

I think about it. I just don't know if I want to take that step.

 

[chickisoup]

I sent in for the Ancestry.com genetic test and found out that I am not German pretty much at all! I am 43% Great Briton and 32% Irish. A large part of Great Briton is also Irish so I am likely more than 32% Irish.

Something Hinky went on with the German side of my Family....

 

[chickisoup]

My maternal grandmother's side is French and that goes back to Quebec...but from there I can't imagine who would know...lol. Poor people, hard working but I can't imagine much for literary skills

My maternal grandfather's side is supposed to be Irish and Scottish. The name, the look and the hair seem to be the correct markers. Some of that family skipped school...so they couldn't read or write through out their lives. Kinda sad. A few things going on strange back in the lineage but who knows what went on even farther! One of that side of the family has been searching the family history so he would know all the chaos of that side...lol.

My Dad's side I don't know very well at all. They were French as far as I knew.

When Mom was sick...she dropped the bomb that I had native American on that side.
And that I had a brother I knew nothing about. My father's son. Double

We figure it was my Grandfather's side that was native. DH's cousin got married in that very area...and the some of the people had a familiar look. A decade ago we picked up a native gentleman in a snow storm who's car had went in the ditch. He got in and thought I was his daughter! (His glasses were fogged up...but there you go) We thought that was humorous...lol.

Then I found out that my Dad's last name isn't even the family name? Apparently WAY back the family's name had been changed I don't know what the real name is or anything. I do have aunts, not close...that I've lost touch with. They contacted me a few years back about road tripping...but they called in harvest when I was swathing in front of the combine. That's not something you can just stop and say "Honey, I'll be gone for a couple of days! Have fun while I'm away!" View attachment 1032477 So I think that upset them.

I've never searched out my brother. I "should" have asked more questions, but I didn't. Mom's best friend and room mate would've been able to tell me...but she passed from cancer about 8 years ago. I'm not sure I want to open that Pandora's box.

 

[getaclue]

wicked, sometimes knowing about the skeletons is enough. I understand why you may want to leave sleeping dogs lie.

ron, Slainte!

 

[ronott1]

Must have. Did he look lots different from his siblings?



Sure you do! So much fun.

I think so but my cousin does not. She only has pictures to look at though.

 

[pennyJo1960]

@ronott1 my parents where like 5th cousins I know the dilemma it
did end in divorce but made my Brother and I first

 

[ronott1]

@ronott1 my parents where like 5th cousins I know the dilemma it
did end in divorce but made my Brother and I first

5th cousins do not count really. It is perfectly legal and usually you do not know your 5th cousins.

I am fairly sure of what happened. My Grandmother was married at a young age, likely about 17 to a guy named Dick Sheffield. They had a daughter named Nita. My Dad's birthday is not clear. The Obituary says 1936 and a Social Security document says 1935. I found a marriage license that was dated Nov 4 1936. My Dad was born on Dec 12. The Marriage license said that my Grandmothers name was Caroline M Sheffield so either still married or did not have time to change the name back to her maiden name of Sheets.

Because of the amount of British genes, my Dad had to be half British. I have a very high level of certainty that Dick Sheffield was my Grandfather and not Bill Ottman. Either Grandma did not know or kept the secret to her grave. Then DNA comes along and peers into the closet to see the skeleton!

I love it!

As an aside that everyone knows, the marriage license was never used. There was no actual marriage and the license was not activated.

 

[NotAFarm]

Love a good mystery! The real life ones are sooo much better...truth is stranger than fiction!

 

[perchie.girl]

Lots of common law marriages on my dad s side of the family. mixed in with regular marriage and just plain cohabitatitng.... His sisters had shall we say... high libito?

All of them had children out of wedlock some of them several.

I think it stems from the fact that they all contracted TB and survived it after years in and out of hospitals. One of his sisters was lving in Hawaii and happily Tending the Naval Fleet... when she met and married Uncle Mitch.... Mitch Mitchell... What a great fellow.... had The raspy voice of a DI and was an MP as well as Bartender.

She couldnt have children So they atopted an Hawaiian Baby.... They moved to Ridgecrest Ca when Mitch got out of the navy... Where upon he opened a Bar.

When I met Stevie I was about 5 or 6... So was he. Dad said he had to have some Samoan in him because by the time Stevie was thirteen he had to carry his birth cirtificate with him in order to play little league. Not only tall but VEry Athletic.

during the Gas crisis in the seventies Uncle Mitch was elected Police Chief of Ridgecrest

Dad had massive intellect..... His sisters were cut from the same cloth... All were a force of nature and will.

deb