Cindy Crawford tonight.

Cindy Crawford's lineage got to me! I know that I'll never, ever be able to go anywhere NEAR as far back as she, because I seriously doubt that I come from the type of person who was mentioned in old books & documents. I'm not going to ruin the surprise (and a huge surprise it is!) for anyone.

The show did, however, give me a push to look up a line I haven't bothered in a while - and may have pay dirt! Here's the fun part: I have an ancestor who changed the spelling of her maiden name like some people change their underguccis! We've looked under Challis/Chelis/Chellis/Chalice/Shallis etc, etc, and I tried a new way of searching. Believe it or not, the name just may be CHILES. What a hoot that would be, with my honeychile screen name!

How are you doing, NP?

That's pretty awesome she was able to trace that far back.

While I was originally searching, I came across name changes/spellings. Makes the search more interesting in that you have to remember names had different spellings.

I haven't been looking recently. I just don't have the time. I need to look/find slave manifests or journals, roosters or what I can find. It's really time consuming and costs $$. I'll figure out something.

Out of curiosity, have you subscribed to the Slave Dwelling Project page on Facebook? Terribly intriguing!

There are at least seven current spellings of our family name in branches of our tree around the United States. Makes one want to visit new places in our great country simply to possibly meet another member of one's far-flung family.

Fortunately there are only two spelling options for our family name. And, though I don't have any nobility in my line (as in people who made the books by being wealthy, and/or had last names centuries ago) I do have a lot of clergy in my line and the monasteries were quite good at keeping track of who came and went so my dad was able to trace the line back all the way to when last names became obligatory under Napoleon's rule.

You are SO lucky!

My mother used to get one newsletter for the McCullough Family - there are 28 ways to spell McCullough!! In fact, the only name in my genealogy that doesn't have more than a few spellings seems to be Hunter. :(

No, this is the first I'm hearing hearing of it. I will check it out! Thank you!!:)

It's more archeology than genealogy, but oh, what wonders have been found! I may be a Pollyanna, but I like to think that this will help more people visualize the divide that once was so rampant.

I appreciate anything that will help!:)

Loved the Cindy Crawford episode. How lucky is she. Not lucky in the sense that she comes from the line of a great emperor, but from the line of people who were written about.
I truly believe everyone has greatness somewhere in their heritage, unfortunately not every great person was deemed important or worthy enough to be written about in centuries past. How different would history be is all the great stories were written down!

Just in case you haven't yet found it, NP, here's a link to an article on the Slave Dwelling Project: http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle...QuJ/story.html

As you can see, it's in Boston, of all places!


I completely agree with you, Tulip86. There have been thousands of people with interesting lives who nobody will ever hear of. Or the lineage has just died out. That's why I've been writing down all of the stories of some of my ancestors - I'm the end of several lines. :(

I definitely agree with this.
My fiance has been working intermittently on doing his family tree, and we're pretty sure that he's related to this man. We can't seem to find much information on his family that isn't in German or Polish :\

Both keep great records, if you can find someone to translate. Did I hear once that you live in or around Chicago? There's a Copernicus Center in Jefferson Park that's supposed to be a great repository for all things Polish. I'm afraid that I don't know much about it.

And be aware that old German records are in a specific, archival German script. I have no idea why they did that, but it's a challenge to try to get even a fluent speaker to read them!

Loved the Jim Parsons episode. Again, what a connection, and many well known names mentioned!

Yep. Too bad they had the Honey Boo Boo countdown clock on the screen for the entire freaking episode. Supremely annoying!

Yes!

Jim Parsons episode was really nice but I'm disappointed the season is over so fast.

Yeaaaah!

From wiki
"Season 5 (2014)

TLC renewed the show on September 10, 2013. The season will include ten episodes.[5]"

Whooooooooo Hooooooo! New Season July 23rd! I just saw the commercial! http://www.thewrap.com/tlc-who-do-yo...premiere-date/

Can't wait!

In the commercial, I just saw that Rachael McAdams is a twin! Cool!

I didn't know that, either! So many interesting bits of trivia come out on this show!

^^One of the reasons I really like this show.



FYI Show FB page
https://www.facebook.com/wdytya

Watching Cynthia Nixon's journey.

So, Rachael is not a twin but the two look a lot alike. Nice episode but Valerie Bertinelli & Brooke Shields episodes were fantastic!

With Valerie Bertinelli, I started sputtering when I heard the name "Bohun"! Even my DH was rather impressed! I was also excited by Rachel McAdams' family were Tories during the American Revolution.

I am absolutely addicted to this show. I don't care whether someone is descended from royalty, or a pope, or a dirt farmer - just having that insight on your family is precious!

They also showed a repeat of Brook Shields. Wow!

I agree with you HC the insight is great! I think the thrill for me is when the moment of new information is revealed.
I will say though, my fave episode is still Vanessa Williams.

I keep forgetting to catch Vanessa's - that HAS to be fascinating! I'm going to see where I can get it. Thank you for reminding me, NP!

:)

Whoo Hoo! Sunday March 8 on TLC!

Loved watching the glamorous story of Brooke Shields' ancestors. I know if I had the chance to be on the show, I'd be traipsing around in the Welsh coal mines!

I was amused by the Paula Dean episode. They went back many generations and never got out of the state of Georgia!

Thanks for this thread! I was not aware of this show until I saw it posted here. Thanks, too, to Honeychile for the great source for genealogical books and CD.

My maternal grandmother has the "glamorous" branch of my family tree, going back to Charlemagne and the Plantagenet kings through Edward III. Then down through three of his sons, including John of Gaunt who eventually married his mistress of many years, my much removed grandparents. What was fascinating to me is the number of lines I have going back to legitimate royals and nobles and their wives AND their mistresses as well! AND their mistresses and their legitimate husbands! Mind-boggling. Genealogists estimate that about 20% of England's current population descend from the prolific Edward III.

My maternal grandfather's Swedish ancestry was traced back by a genealogist in Sweden to 1632. Unlike his wife's ancestors, his were all sturdy farmers.

My father's side is where I have my brick walls. Have not been able to trace either his maternal or paternal ancestors before the gateway ancestors. Except for some of the Quaker wives who go back into England a good many generations.

Honeychile, I also have (de) Bohuns in my ancestors!

Thank you, 1964Alum - just doing my job! ;)

I've spent most of the evening trying to find the link to the Vanessa Williams episode with no luck. :( Does anyone have it?

I can't find it online, but it's set to air on TLC at 3pm on Tuesday.

Here are parts of it, Season 2 Episode 1:

http://www.movieweb.com/tv/TEcP1EuOS0k8fi/washington-dc

I don't think this was ever posted but here's the link to another show on PBS.
http://www.pbs.org/genealogy-roadshow/home/

Here's a link for anyone doing African American genealogy, especially my favorite Poodle: African Slave Trade Ships and Manifests.

In all of the years I've done genealogy, I've never seen such a link!

Thanks for that one Honeychile!