Family Trees and Stuff

Just recently I became interested in doing research on my ancestry. Maybe the fact of my Mother's passing away has something to do with this, or it could be another one of those things that I pick up like a pit bull with a bone in its mouth for a few months, and then move on to something else. On my Dad's side, on his father's side, I have traced back 5 generations from me. My Great-Great Grandfather was Hezekiah Burchard. He was a Union Officer in the Civil War, born in New York, and was a farmer in Michigan. His wife was Ellen Eliza Davis Burchard, and they had 5 children. One of them was Glenn, who was the father of Harold Ward, who was my dad's dad, my grandfather. They also had a daughter named Ethylin. I have attached their photos. Something else I have discovered that I didn't know until recently. My grandfather had a brother. (I know that is not a surprise, except when you don't find it out until you are 43) So now I discovered I have a second cousin in Seattle that I have never met. It is a funny thing about families. How can the descendants of 2 brothers become strangers within 2 generations? There was no bad blood between my Grandfather and his brother. My great uncle lived in Alaska. He was, if not a World War 2 hero, very brave. He was in the Army - a Warrant Officer, and he was captain of a ship. (yes you read that correctly) The Army had its own Navy in those days. He was based in the Aleutian Islands, and was on board a launch that got its bottom blown out by a Zero, but no one on board got a scratch. The Japanese actually invaded the Aleutians at one point in the war, so the action up there was probably pretty hot. My dad told me he gave him several war souveniers, including a Japanese Grenade. This is funny. My dad took it to school for show and tell (in the 40s)at Lake City Elementary School. He lost it that day, and then in the 60s they found a grenade in the bushes at the school, and my dad thinks that was probably his. Needless to say, he didn't step up to claim it. Can you imagine someone bringing a grenade to school for show and tell in today's post Columbine High School paranoia? I just have to chuckle.

So it is interesting to check out your family tree. Go for it. You might find out something interesting about yourself.

The Pictures, in order, are Ethylin Burchard Shelton and her father Hezekiah Burchard, and his wife Ellen Eliza Davis Burchard. She looks quite severe. But Ethylin could be classed as a beauty of her day.