My True Roots with Dear Myrtle - Wacky Wednesday: DAR Episode

My DAR Application Review

Click Here:  Dear Myrtle & My True Roots

Dear Myrtle and Cousin Russ along with Sheri and Marian did a Heck of a Job for me. 

I'm truly indebted. I feel blessed beyond. My words can't express all they did for me.

My Job is to "Pay it Forward"

Thank You.....

True! and My True Roots!

U5b1c2 & My True Roots!

 True's mtDNA from myself to Mom then to  Grandma and their Mother's Mother's to Mother.

All born in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

The 3rd photo is of Grandma Lillian when she was YOUNG! The 4th photo has my Grandma Lillian as a child with her Mother and Grandmother. That gives me 3 photos of her Life. 

 Grandma Lillian 

4 of the last Photos were given to me by new 2nd Cousins on my Maternal side who Graciously shared them with me. I'm eternally Grateful, to see My Women , 7 of the 9 Generations of Women I have researched.  

Thanks! to K&F! 

 

                   

    I am WHO I am, Nothing Less.

Lillian Mary Johnson Sweigard

Hello All!    it's FEBRUARY!  Time for 2# Post for WorldWide ~ A Genealogical Collaboration

It's me; True! again.

I'm going to make this Short and Sweet. I will be traveling to my "Ancestral Home" of Alabama to bury my Mother's Sister. My African American side. So please bear with me. I will add to this later.

It's very challenging when you are grieving and have to keep up your daily responsibilities. I haven't been much in the mood to write as of late. After I get past a few things in the next couple days. My tears will turn to joy and I will get up to task of writing again. I'm just in a lull right now.

I wanted to introduce you all to my Maternal Grandmother!

                                                      "LILLIAN MARY JOHNSON SWEIGARD" 

 Lillian Mary Johnson was born on Tuesday, October 3, 1905, in Newville, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Her  Father was, Joshua William Sharpe Johnson, he was 26. Her Mother, Cora Agnes Rebecca Watson, was 22. 

She was 1 out of 6 children. Her brother William Levi 1904, "Grandma Lillian" 1905, Russell Luther 1907, Dorothy "Aunt Dot" 1910, Rosanna Jane 1914, Viola Catherine 1917. 

She had one child with a man with the last name of  Carpenter in 1925. Geraldine. 

 She then married Harry Clayton Sweigard in 1932. My "Grandpa Harry". They had one child together in 1948.  My "Mother" Sharon. 

Grandma Lillian passed away on November 27, 1971, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at the age of 66.  I was 3 years old.

Lillian Mary Johnson Sweigard

In 1910, Lillie Johnson was 4 years old and lived in Newville, Pennsylvania with her father, mother, and 2 brothers. They are on LINE 22-26. Grandpa Sharpe was working on the railroad.

1910 Census of Lillian in Newville with Parents and Sibs

Newville is the kind of sleepy town full of Mom and Pop's stores. Where people know people. Mostly a Generational family type of town. Like the Walton's if you please. Grandma Lillian's line goes all the way back to William Watson from what I have researched. Watson's have been there since the Revolutionary War. This is my Irish Line. Her Mother Cora's family has been there as well. 

That line goes back to "My Patriot" Johann Nicholaus Barrick born August 2, 1761 in Cumberland County and died July 20th, 1844 in Cumberland County, Pa. He is my 5th Great Grandfather. 

 I only have his Father's name of Henry Berg/Berk. No Mother's name. He married Anna Maria Lambert/Lambertie.

I've only been told stories about Grandma Lillian. I still have to interview my Mother more while she is still in good health and good memory.

My African American Grandparents would tell me because the 60's were so rocky even in Pennsylvania. They would have to sneak and let Grandma Lillian see me. Grandpa Harry was still leary. My Paternal GrandParents would tell me how they would call her and let her know they were gonna be at Sears that day and what time. Sears was by Grandma Lillian's house. She would go and act as she would normally as to shopping. Then she would slowly come up to my Dad who would be holding me then. Strike a conversation about how Pretty of a baby you have Sir. Daddy said she would hold my little hand and gaze and coo at me and I would just look between her and him. 

I wish I could see her in my big eyes. I wish I could smell Grandma Lillian. No one knew I would only have 3 little years with her off and on. 

Mom would tell me also how she would sneak to call late at night or during the day when she could and ask Mrs. Lewis is there anything TrueAnn needs? No Ms. Sweigard she is doing fine. Don't worry and begin to tell her little things I might of been doing through the week. 

Mom said once she called about about  a white fur coat she wanted me to have and Mom talked her out of it saying I would get so many things on that. Your spoiling the child. They would laugh. I know Grandma Lillian wanted me to have the best. I still have the white lace dress with a pink bow after my Grandparents passed. They still kept dress for me to have as Woman now. Every time I would go home I would ask my Parents. Mom where is the dress Grandma Lillian gave me? "She'd say in the back closet", Go! Look at it. I'm still saving it for you! and her and Daddy did.

White Lace Dress

She was a tough lady with her Irish bit in her, she was sentimental. These are the accounts about her that I wish to talk to my Mom about. 

My other gift is her China punch bowl set in it's original box from Anchor Landing. I'm about to put it in a hutch now that I have a Home of my own now. That was saved for me as well. I love it. 

Also I have my most cherish gift which is my baby Rocking Chair.......Grandma Lillian bought that for my Grandma Lewis to rock me in. I have kept that chair in my baby room and then when I moved from my nursery that was through my Parents room and graduated to my Tween room it went with me down the hall. Well...I have that rocking chair in my Grandbaby's room at my House now. Mom always told me you take care of that chair, it was my job every Saturday to dust it down. Make sure nothing got on it or to break it. 

My baby Rocking Chair

This Spring I plan to meet my DNA cousins who are Grandchildren of Grandma Lillian's siblings. I hope my Mom will show me new pictures and I hope there is one of me and her together. My Aunt is suppose to give me her Bible and I wonder what treasures I'll find in there?

I'm so grateful My Grandparents saved those things for me.

 Grandma Lillian is part of who I am. My Grandparents kept her memory and presence near me. It's those little things that they did that they knew would make a world of a difference to me later in life.... So it has.

They say you can never miss something you never had. Well... I do miss my Grandma Lillian. I love my Grandma Lillian. 

See ya Soon!

Best Regards, 

True!

Worldwide Genealogy | A Genealogical Collaboration: A TrueKeeper....

Worldwide Genealogy ~ A Genealogical Collaboration: A TrueKeeper....: Hello All! My name is TRUE ! Yes!  that's really my NAME . I usually don't talk about ME. Just for this Post I will tell you a ...

Hello All! My name is TRUE!

Yes!  that's really my NAME.

I usually don't talk about ME. Just for this Post I will tell you a little about MYSELF which is hard to do. This is the 1st Time I have gotten really Personal.  I have been blogging since November 7, 2012. I choose that date in Remembrance of my Daddy who taught me the True meaning of Family History.  I  Reserve my Blog for my Ancestors.

I was born a day before Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr died. April 3rd. In Harrisburg, Pa.
 When I was born my Father's Parents adopted and raised me. My Grandmother Tinnie named ME.
On April 4, 1968 when Dr.King was assassinated my Grandmother said "When One Life was Taken, Another was Given".

She always boastfully said. I was "Blessed" from the womb.

My Mother who is German and my Father who is African American.

My Mom, Me and 2nd child with Parents (Grandparents) 1989

 They were young, it was the 60's. The World was a tumultuous time. My Father was away at Vietnam he served 2 Tours and spent 28 years in the United States Marine Corps, and still Living today. Both are! I'm a retired Army Veteran as well. Serving in the Army has afforded me to be stationed and live all over the World and United States in ways I might not of ever experienced doing something else as a career. I live in the COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY! good Ol' US of A.

My Grandparents decided after much thought who were married for 25 years and all their children were Grown and Living away from home decided to "Keep Me"!  I was their Oldest Child's Firstborn.

I laugh now because I say they bought and got me for about 160 Bucks!

Receipt of my Adoption

This and my Original Birth Certificate and Letter from Lawyers is my only Documentation of my Original Birth. This has never been seen before. I only found it after my Grandparents passed away.  My Adoption Records from the State of Pennsylvania are Sealed. That is why I'm glad my Grandparents let me KNOW my Parents so I didn't have to Question who I was and Search for my Heritage. It was the Best thing for my Family to make all those decisions before I was born.

I'm so Grateful and Proud. I was meant to be with my Paternal Grandparents. They were the catalyst for the Wonderful Life I have been able to Live. I had the Luxury of having all of ME and my Heritage. No part of me was Denied. My Grandparents let me see both sides of my WORLD through my Birth Parents.

I've always felt International for the longest. So it's befitting that I'm participating in this WorldWide Genealogy Blog for I am Truly Worldwide. Through DNA testing I have learned about my English, Irish, Norwegian and African Roots. Some parts still Unknown. I'm a U5b1c Maternally and E1b1a7a Paternally through 23andMe.

Since I was a little girl. I knew I was gonna be the "TrueKeeper" of my Family's History. I've appreciated this Gift for a long time. It started when I was 9 and I didn't know it was called Genealogy or what Genealogy was?  I just always penned and kept Notes to Myself. Eventually as I grew into adulthood. It has it's True Meaning now.

Daddy and Me,  age 9.  1977

From this picture, it explains it all. I found this after my Parents passed away also. I remember those times. When Daddy would break out the pictures and I would ask so many questions and remembered Family Stories from Heart back then.

I'm so Grateful for them not shooing me away and answering my questions. I always loved to hear  My Family Stories and where I came from. I have deep roots in Cumberland County, Newville, Pennsylvania, my Mother's European family have been there since the Revolutionary War from England, Ireland, all over Europe.  All the way to Bullock County, Midway, Alabama with my Slave Family. It was always a joy learning about all the Relatives I had and what their Lives were like.
 They could of kept the old ways where a "Child should be Seen, and Not Heard". I loved hiding in the wings and behind doors to Listen to the Old Folks. I'm glad I got to stay with my Grandparents. I was Overwhelmed with Way too much LOVE for ONE person.

I get a little teary-eyed at times. I find solace in that they appreciated and knew what I was doing and they were so Glad and Grateful to tell THEIR stories and that someone was Passing it On.

So that is what I do at my blog: My True Roots!  ! I do African American Research intermixed with my European Heritage. Please stop and have a look around. We just might be Kin!

I'm a member of 3 Genealogical Societies. I'm also a part of African American Genealogy Slave Ancestor Research or AAGSAR.  I also TWEET.  That Girl! @MyTrueRoots .   I look forward to writing more on my Ancestors and tell you the STORY that Inspired me the MOST and hearing all of Yall's stories. Thank you to Julie Goucher of "Angler's Rest" for the Invite!

I have A Ol'Slave named Ike Ivery!  He is who began me on my Quest for being the......... TrueKeeper! of my Family History.

Are you the "TrueKeeper" of your Family?


Thank You to my Grandparents for all their Love and Everlasting Support. Simply the best!

Me with my "Parents" who are my Grandparents, 1997

See Ya soon!
Best Regards, True!

||| Me and Pam |||

  

                                

Me and Pam's Journey for about a year now has come to a "Great Conclusion"! We can finally say we are COUSINS!

We had the paper trail, now we wondered DNA wise?  Well finally this week, through Pam's sister, she's still awaiting her results we were confirmed. Pam's test came back and she is U5B8.

My Great Grandma is Cora Agnes Rebecca Watson. That line goes all the way back to 1580.

Pam’s Grandfather is Elmer W. Watson. Him and Cora are Siblings. Brother and Sister.

Their Father: Levi Alexander Watson married Rosanna Harriet Barrick. 

Grandpa Levi Alexander Watson and Grandma Rosanna Harriet Barrick
Parents of Elmer and Cora Agnes
  

The Mother of Elmer and Cora : Rosanna Harriet Barrick. Her PARENTS were:  Andrew Barrick and Rebecca Heckman.

Andrew Barrick  and Rebecca Barrick (Heckman my 3rd Great Grandma)  are 1st COUSINS.

Andrew and Rebecca (Heckman) Barrick 1st Cousins Married in 1837.

Andrew’s Father and Rebecca’s Mother were SIBLINGS.  Andrew’s father was George Barrick and Rebecca’s Mother was Susannah Barrick (4th Great Grandma) who were the children of my PATRIOT: Johann Nicholaus Barrick.

Andrew and Rebecca’s Parents Married SIBLINGS.   Meaning Susannah and George Barrick They married  HECKMAN siblings. Philip and Maria Magdelena Heckman.

WATSON LINE GOES BACK TO 1580

BARRICK LINE GOES BACK TO 1761 with my Patriot Nicholaus Barrick

HECKMAN LINE GOES BACK TO 1728

LAMBERT LINE GOES BACK TO 1745

This is how I became a U5 HAPLOGROUP: Which what makes me a U5b1c exactly, ends with Dorothea Zimmerman born in 1745 which is my 6th Great Grandma. This is how far back I have researched the Mother to Mother to Mother line for my U5.

Ancestry.com DNA Results

She is the Mother of Anna Marie Lambert (5th Great Grandma) who married "My Patriot Johann Nicholaus Barrick". Which are the Parents of Susannah and George Barrick, there are other siblings to my Patriot and Grandma Anna. These two just stood out the most.

Most of these lines are from Cumberland, Mifflin and Berks County,Pennsyvlvania. My Family didn't venture to far out from there. Doubling Gap, Newville are a few of the city names.

ALL these lines me and Pam are intertwined with her Grandpa Elmer and my Great Grandma Cora.

I finally got another 4th cousin successful DNA match on Ancestry.com!

With Pam and her sister for all 4 of these lines which were done pretty much correctly through another cousin Linda Barrick Durham she researched our family and wrote a book called: The Descendants of Johann Nicholaus Barrick. Linda hasn’t done DNA yet. I hope she decides to do soon. 

With the help of now gone Mildred Hurley who is passed away, she was a great researcher also of our Family. Pam has done more research than me. I’m just a little bit behind her but the DNA has proven our research on the paper trail side of Genealogy.

 It just goes to prove that if you do your research and document you will make it easier on yourself to get around all those hurdles on how to find your match. Some of it is challenging from me not having certain lines researched fully or some may be my brick walls like the Sweigard, Evan and Lewis lines.

So I have had much success about 3 times with a 4th Cousin, all happen to be on my European side. I'm waiting for some of my 4th Cousins and beyond matches on my African American side to reveal themselves also. 

I have tested with 23andMe, Ancestry.com, FTDNA, SNP marker with DNATribes. I have a Dr. McDonald report as well. I'm also on www.gedmatch.com .

I belong to several groups of interest for me on Facebook for Genealogy and DNA as well Ancestry sites. 

This is just some of my story, of SOME, of my People. 

This story is to be continued..........

I have so many stories on this line to tell of heartache and tragedy but most of all LOVE. So stay tuned on my "Momma's Side" of the Family!