Faces of America

This is a fantastic program and everyone should watch it. If you are not into your family genealogy now, you will be after watching the series!

About the Program
What made America? What makes us? These two questions are at the heart of the new PBS series Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. The Harvard scholar turns to the latest tools of genealogy and genetics to explore the family histories of 12 renowned Americans — professor and poet Elizabeth Alexander, chef Mario Batali, comedian Stephen Colbert, novelist Louise Erdrich, journalist Malcolm Gladwell, actress Eva Longoria, musician Yo-Yo Ma, director Mike Nichols, Her Majesty Queen Noor, television host/heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, actress Meryl Streep, and figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi.

Schedule
Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. premieres nationally Wednesdays, February 10 - March 3, 2010 from 8 - 9 p.m. ET on PBS

Past episodes can be viewed on the PBS website.

Visit PBS

Keeping up with the Jones'

I'm currently working on a scanning and archiving project for a client. His family is from Armenia and I've scanned some very cool old photos. I'm now jonesin' to work on my own family tree!

A Good Day To Die?

Looks like my maternal Great Grandfather (John A. McConnell) was hit by a train the day before my birthday in 1901. He spent the next day (November 24th) in the hospital, then died 24 hours later. Happy Birthday to me!

Paging Mr. Cock

While Looking through the 1840 Grayson Co, VA Census records I found a person by the name of Valentine Cock. I'm not joking! In the same county I also found Polly Pickle, Louisa Fag, and a guy named Pleasant Perky.

I want to live there.

Thistle, Maple Leaf, Eagle and Shamrock?

Every person who has investigated their family history has gone through the experience in a different way. The process can be enlightening for some and educational for others. Skeletons can be let out of closets, family myths confirmed, and historical connections debunked. I'm sure I'll experience all of these things while learning about my family. It's my hope to chronicle some of my discoveries here in this blog as I delve into my Father's family.

Thistle & Maple Leaf refers to Scotland and Canada. My Paternal Grandmother (Shaw, Main) came to Ellis Island from Airdrie, Scotland when she was 15 years old and eventually settled with her family in Minneapolis, Minnesota. My Grandfather (Pickard) hailed from New Brunswick, Canada and was sent to Minneapolis, at about the same age, after his mother died. Their lives prior to arriving in the United States were very different, yet somehow their paths crossed in Hennepin County.

As far as I know the story of my Mother's family (McConnell, Keyser, Reins, Symonds) has nothing to do with Canada. This cast of characters hails mainly from Germany and Scotland, and maybe even Ireland. Most of them settled in Illinois and Missouri in the early 1800's. I'll delve into that genealogy as well.