Don’t click on that leaf

If any of you have visited Ancestry.com you know what I mean by leaf clicking. It all started very innocent for me, as most of the work on my fathers side of the family was done and my mothers side had been done.   What was left? I guess until we start digging we just have no idea how big our family really is and the search has been long and sometimes frustrating.  After all it has taken up sewing and blogging time.

I decided one day to search for my fathers mother, that should not be to hard I had a few facts to go on and they advertise that you don’t need to know what you are searching for you just need to start.   I didn’t know grandma’s maiden name when I started.  I know it seems like I should have at least known grandma’s maiden name but I didn’t.   This is the mother to my father, so you would think someone had gone down that road before but I guess not as any information has been hard to come by.

I did find some fascinating facts about my fathers family.  I knew the names on the chart but coming across pictures such as these, really bring the history to life.  The first Jonathan Gillam was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania in the year 1753. He had fifteen living children in his will.

  This is Jonathan Gillam’s cabin.  I have a cousin that actually has been to this cabin.  There is also records stating that the family gravesite is located by a river close to the cabin marked by stones.

This the the head stone of John and his wife Mary.   This is my grandparent’s, and I can’t think right now how many greats to add to that.  There are stories of the revolutionary war and the civil war, all very fascinating. I think I also mentioned very time consuming. 

Back to grandma (see I told you I get sidetracked)  so far I have found out her maiden name was McBride or MacBride depending on where you are reading.  Her father was born either in Canada or Pennsylvania and her mother was born in Pennsylvania ( I think).

I have not been able to move beyond that information.  I hope I can find the family and put as much together as I can for the grandkids. I know they don’t care now, but someday they will.