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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Some family back to Colonial America and almost all, with one exception, were in this country well before the Revolutionary War.[/quote]

Nonsense.[/quote]

Why nonsense?

I'm in the same boat. Virtually all lines arrived prior to the revolution, going back to the very late 17th century.

A lot of people did move to early colonial America and pretty much stayed in the same place for multiple generations and intermarried with families in the same region with the same origins. Then people could migrate westwards for new farms and often travelled in groups with other migrants from their old communities.

A perfect example is my paternal line. They were German Anabaptists who came to Pennsylvania in the late 17th century in a big group of other Anabaptist immigrants and first settled in Lancaster County. Stayed in the same part of Lancaster for a few generations, and then moved, with some of their neighbors, who they were related to through intermarriages (big families with lots of children), to York County, and then the next generation to Franklin County, and then stayed put for the next few generations. But once more always marrying within the same Lutheran/Anabaptist heritages as that was the dominant heritage for their regions. No matter what line I trace through, it's the same story. I do have a bunch of weird-sounding German last names in my ancestry that's almost only found in certain parts of south central Pennsylvania. They're not even found in Germany anymore!

Then you have my maternal line, which is almost entirely Virginian of English/Scots-Irish heritage but with similar patterns of movement.

These were all plain, quiet small town people and farmers. [/quote]
I am the one that posted above about tracing back to Colonial America. I think some feel that is bragging or something of a status grab. I was told by my great grandmother that our family goes way back but I think she would be surprised. The man she married, my great grandfather, ancestry was easily traceable to pre-revolution time simply through find a grave links. What led me to do more research was simple, I have always loved history and when given a chance to discover the history of my family it was something I was drawn to.

So, how do I feel about ancestors that came over and helped settle towns in Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland etc.? I admire their courage, some did good things and unfortunately others not so good. Doesn't change a thing about how I feel about myself and certainly doesn't make me feel special.[/quote]

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