Finding Your Roots

Have you ever wondered about the roots of your family tree?  No, I'm not referring to the tree you climbed as a child, or the tree where you built a tree house with your friends, or the tree where your childhood swing was hung from.  I'm referring to your ancestors.  Yes, that family tree.

I blame my parents for my love of history.  As my sister I and grew up we were well aware of world and U.S. history.  For example, our parents participated in the bicentennial reenactments in Massachusetts.  The history that our parents were most proud to share with us was our family history.  I blame my father particularly for my vast knowledge of our family's history.  Between my father and his father they spent hours in libraries around the United States gathering information and connecting the dots from one relative to another. 
 
I am filled with great joy and respect when I read their notes as well as other relatives who have done a little research of their own about our family's history.  Modern technology has helped me greatly  to fill in may gaps.  During the break between the Fall 2014 semester and the Spring 2015 semester I was able to follow the Sheldon branch of the family and go back 630-years.  I was able to make a fascinating discovery about my 11th-great-uncle.  It turns out my 11th-great-uncle Gilbert Sheldon was the Archbishop of Canterbury from September 7, 1663 until his death on November 9, 1677.  Uncle Gilbert  also funded the building of the Sheldonian Theatre at the University of Oxford in England.  I can't wait for the day to come where I head over across the pond and view where my uncle's interment is as well as the theater he funded. 

Another interesting discovery I made took place during King Henry VIII's reign.  When I focused on this particular time period I was hoping to find a relative who was close to King Henry VIII and/or a great figure of his court.  However, that wasn't the find.  My 15th-great-grandfather John Sheldon of Monyash along with his brother and wife were brought before King Henry VIII's court due to an offense committed.  Over the course of five-years they were caught brewing beer without a license on six different occasions.  They were each fined two pennies each at each individual offense.  I knew my family's drinking is (and was) commonplace, but I didn't realize how far back the fondness for alcohol truly was.

My next project in my research in my family's history is, and actually has been, the Riley branch.  This limb is a bit of a mystery to quite a number of us on my maternal side of the family.  My great-grandpa Riley never spoke of his childhood or his parents.  It seems as though I hit a brick wall when I attempt to look up his information.  This brick wall and lack of family stories won't stop me!  I look forward to find out more and more about the Riley's.

I truly mean it when I say I can't wait to see what I uncover in my research and I have excited butterflies in my stomach when I just think about what lies ahead.
  

 

Painting of Gilbert Sheldon Archbishop of Canterbury by Anthony van Dyck, 1663, on display at Lambeth Palace.