Two Trees

In my family garden, there are two trees: Adoptive and Birth.

The Adoptive Tree

My knowledge about my Adoptive family has come gradually over the years. Surrounded by aunts, uncles and cousins, I grew up with a "working knowledge" of this family's tree.

My mother was very proud of her heritage, both its origins and its longevity on the North American continent. Every now and then, she would mention yet another relative, about whom I was unaware. But, she became most excited when one of her many cousins would write to her, sending along another piece of the relationship puzzle.

She kept a folder of wrinkled and yellowing clippings about family members which had appeared in the local newspapers. In other folders were collections of old letters and photos; boxes hidden in the attic were full of more photos and letters. It was not until I inherited this treasure trove that I understood her fascination with her heritage.

Names in this tree include: Haviland, Gilfedder, Goodhue and Maguire.

My father's family was largely unknown to him. He knew that he was of Irish descent and that his family had lived in Boston and Lowell, Massachusetts, but his parents did not often talk about (or know) where they came from in Ireland. It's still a bit of a mystery, but research has unearthed some rather interesting tidbits and hints.

Names in this tree include: Donovan, Quigley, Norris and Gilman.

The Birth Tree

My Birth tree has been revealing itself over the past 10 years, since the time when my birth mother and I first made contact.

Although she believed that she was of Irish ancestry, my birth mother was actually a descendant of the hearty Acadians and Scots who settled in the picturesque province of Nova Scotia, Canada. I did not have enough time to ask her about her lineage, but my siblings and a cousin have been helping me piece together the family history.

Names in this tree include: Sutherland, LeBlanc and Chiasson.

My birth father's family hails from the American South. He is of English heritage. That is the extent of what I know for sure. However, I believe that I may have located him in the 1930 United States Census. Until I can confirm my findings, this branch of the tree may remain unknown.

Names believed to be in this tree include: Harvey, Jones, Agee and Perkins.

As this blog develops, I intend to share the results of my research and stories about the people in both of my family trees. It's meant to compliment my Family Harvest genealogy pages, which are undergoing a major revision.