My Family History
Finding Ancestors
It's What We Do
Take a look at all of the great information we've gathered!
I began researching my family history in 2003. In the years since then, I've learned a good bit about my ancestors and in the process, about myself, too. I hope you'll find things here that interest you, too.
As with any family history, not everything is documented as well as I would like. I'm sure there are gaps and brick walls still to be climbed. Please contact me if you have any information that should be added.
We are the chosen. In each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors. To put flesh on their bones and make them live again. To tell the family story and to feel that somehow they know and approve. Doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts but, instead, breathing life into all who have gone before. We are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called, as it were, by our genes. Those who have gone before cry out to us: Tell our story. So, we do. In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before now and cried? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors, "You have a wonderful family; you would be proud of us.". How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there for me? I cannot say. It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who I am, and why I do the things I do.
Click on the tabs below to learn about some of my ancestors.
Sarah Ellen Ingham was my maternal great-grandmother.
Sarah Ellen Ingham was born on 19 November 1891 in Pursley, Navarro County in East Texas, where her father was a farmer. Sometime between 1900 and 1910, the family moved to Big Spring, Howard County, Texas where her father became a cotton buyer. While in Big Spring, Ellen met Lester Lee Boardman, a young man who had also been born in Navarro County. They were married in Big Spring in about 1912 and soon moved to Wichita Falls where Lester began work as an agent for Magnolia Petroleum Company.
In 1918, oil was discovered in Burkburnett, a small town near Wichita Falls. Lester and his brothers formed their own company to drill for oil. Over the next several years, they expanded their company to include a refinery and gas stations in the Wichita Falls area. Lester was the president of the company and was very active in the oil industry. The gas stations sold Conoco-branded products and provide full service for the residents of Wichita Falls.
Meantime, Lester and Ellen became parents of three children: Lee Ellen, Ruth Maurine, and Lester Lawrence (Larry). Ellen taught school for some time while raising the children.
Tragically, in 1935, Lester died from complications suffered after an auto accident in Dallas. Ellen, the young widow, assumed Lester’s duties at Boardman Oil Company, running the business until she was able to sell the company to the Texas Oil Company which later became Texaco. Afterward, Ellen became an active homebuilder, buying land and building houses in Wichita Falls. She partnered at times with HJ Naylor, a general contractor and lumberyard owner. He was the father of HJ Naylor Jr. who married Ellen’s daughter, Maurine.
Around 1972, Ellen moved to West, Texas to live near her eldest daughter, Lee Ellen Boardman Sulak. She eventually entered a nursing home after having broken her hips twice digging out rocks in her yard. When the second incident occurred, she managed to get to her carport and stayed their overnight until Lee Ellen came to her house looking for her. She died January 4, 1989, at the age of 97. She was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Abraham Pietersen Van Deursen was my 10th great-grandfather.
Abraham Pietersen Van Deursen was born in Haarlem, Noord-Holland, Holland (now Netherlands) and baptized on 11 November 1607. Little is known about his childhood.
It appears that Abraham made his first trip to New Amsterdam in about 1627, just a few years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock. He returned to Holland to marry Tryntje Melchiors on 9 December 1629 in the Groote Kerke (Big Church) in Haarlem. (This church is now known as the Cathedral of St. Bavo and is still standing and in use. The original marriage records of Abraham and Tryntje can be seen at the church.) They had at least seven children.
Abraham was employed by the Dutch West India Company as a miller and expert on construction of windmills. Millers were vital to the Dutch economy and were considered to be leading citizens. He built a large house adjacent to one of his mills on what is now Broadway in New York City. He operated an inn and tavern in his home.
In 1636, Abraham negotiated the purchase of the island of Quentensis (now known as Dutch Island) for the Dutch West India Company. He operated a trading post there for many years.
In 1641, Abraham was elected to the Council of Twelve Men, the first popularly elected government body in the American colonies. The council was set up to advise the Director-General of New Amsterdam on the impending Indian war. In 1643, he was appointed to the subsequent Council of Eight Men. The council petitioned the Dutch West India Company to remove the current Governor-General and allow more direct power in a new government. As a result, Peter Stuyvesant was appointed Governor-General, a position he filled until New Amsterdam was captured by the British in 1664.
Abraham was named a burgher on 14 April 1657. Later that year he was made a Lance Corporal of the Second Company of the Burghers Corps.
Abraham Pietersen Van Deursen's legacy can not be underestimated. His descendants now number in the millions. He was the 3rd great-grandfather of President Martin Van Buren and the 7th great-grandfather of President Franklin Roosevelt.
Samuel Boreman was my 9th great-grandfather.
Samuel Boreman was a prominent figure in the early history of Wethersfield, Connecticut. Born in 1653, he was one of the first settlers in the area and played an important role in the development of the town. Boreman was a farmer and a landowner, and he also served as a selectman, helping to govern the town and make important decisions about its future.
In addition to his work in local government, Boreman was also involved in the town's religious community. He was a member of the Wethersfield Congregational Church and served as a deacon for many years. Boreman was a devout Christian and played an important role in the spiritual life of the town.
Boreman's legacy can still be seen in Wethersfield today. The Boreman Hall, which is part of the Wethersfield Academy for the Arts, is named in his honor. This historic building was once the home of the Wethersfield Academy, a school that Boreman helped to found in 1805. Today, the Boreman Hall is a hub for arts and cultural events in the town, and it stands as a testament to Boreman's commitment to education and community building.
Overall, Samuel Boreman was a key figure in the early development of Wethersfield, Connecticut. Through his work in local government and his involvement in the town's religious community, he helped to shape the character of the community and lay the foundation for its future growth and prosperity. Today, his legacy lives on in the many cultural and educational institutions that bear his name.
Sir Isaac Penington was my 10th great-grandfather.
Isaac Penington (c. 1584 – 16 December 1661) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1653. He was Lord Mayor of London in 1642 and a prominent member of Oliver Cromwell's government.
Penington was the son of Robert Penington and followed him in becoming a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers. He inherited several estates from his father and purchased one of his own. He made a fortune as a wine and cloth merchant. From 1626 he acted as financial agent to his second cousin, Admiral John Penington. He increased his commercial holdings in 1629 by becoming a partner in the brewery business of his second wife's family. He and his wife, Mary, the widow of Roger Wilkinson, a Citizen of the City of London, were both staunch Puritans.
In 1638 Penington was elected Sheriff of London and became an alderman of the City of London for Bridge Without ward on 29 January 1639. He was Prime Warden of the Fishmongers Company in 1640.
In April 1640 Penington was elected a Member of Parliament (MP) for the City of London in the Short Parliament. He was re-elected MP for City of London for the Long Parliament in November 1640 and sat until 1653. On 16 August 1642 Parliament appointed him Lord Mayor of London after removing the Royalist Sir Richard Gurney, 1st Baronet from the position. He became Colonel of the White Regiment, London Trained Bands, in 1642 and from 1642 to 1645 he was Lieutenant of the Tower of London. In that capacity he was present during the execution of William Laud. He became Governor of the Levant Company in 1644, retaining the position to 1654.
In January 1649, Penington was appointed a commissioner of the High Court of Justice at the trial of King Charles, but he was not one of the signatories of the King's death warrant. He served on the Rump's Council of State and on several government committees. He was made a knight in 1649. From 1650 he was the sole representative of the City of London in the Rump Parliament until it was forcibly ejected by Oliver Cromwell on 30 April 1653.
After the Restoration, he was tried for high treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he died on the night of 16 December 1661.
Marriage and children
Penington married twice:
Joshua Naylor was my 5th great-grandfather.
Joshua Naylor was a distinguished soldier who fought in the Revolutionary War. Born in 1751 in Maryland, Naylor grew up during a time of great political unrest in the colonies. As tensions with Great Britain escalated, he, like many of his peers, felt a sense of duty to defend his homeland.
In 1776, Naylor enlisted in the Continental Army, joining the 4th Maryland Regiment. He quickly proved himself to be a skilled and brave soldier, rising through the ranks to become a sergeant. During his time in the army, Naylor saw action in several key battles, including the Battle of Long Island and the Battle of White Plains.
One of Naylor's most notable contributions to the war effort came during the Battle of Cowpens in 1781. This battle was a turning point in the Revolutionary War, as the Continental Army was able to score a decisive victory over the British forces. Naylor, who by this point had been promoted to the rank of lieutenant, played a critical role in the battle. He led a group of soldiers in a daring charge against the enemy, helping to secure the American victory.
Naylor's bravery and skill as a soldier did not go unnoticed. He was awarded the Badge of Military Merit, which was a precursor to the modern-day Purple Heart. This medal was given to soldiers who demonstrated exceptional courage and devotion to duty. After the war, Naylor moved to North Carolina, where he settled down and started a family. He lived a long and productive life, eventually passing away in 1835 at the age of 84. Throughout his life, Naylor remained proud of his service to his country and the sacrifices he had made for the cause of American independence.Today, Joshua Naylor's legacy lives on as a testament to the courage and sacrifice of the men and women who fought for America's independence. His story serves as a reminder of the bravery and determination that is required to defend one's homeland, and it is an inspiration to all those who value freedom and liberty. His contributions to the Revolutionary War and the founding of the United States of America will always be remembered and celebrated.
The bones here are bones of my bone and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing something about it. It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in or giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family. It goes to deep pride that the fathers fought and some died to make and keep us a nation. It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us. It is of equal pride and love that our mothers struggled to give us birth, without them we could not exist, and so we love each one, as far back as we can reach. That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are they and they are the sum of who we are. So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take my place in the long line of family storytellers. That is why I do my family genealogy, and that is what calls those young and old to step up and restore the memory or greet those who we had never known before. It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us. It is of equal pride and love that our mothers struggled to give us birth, without them we could not exist, and so we love each one, as far back as we can reach. That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are they and they are the sum of who we are. So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take my place in the long line of family storytellers. That is why I do my family genealogy, and that is what calls those young and old to step up and restore the memory or greet those who we had never known before. by Della M. Cummings Wright; Rewritten by her granddaughter Dell Jo Ann McGinnis Johnson; Edited and Reworded by Tom Dunn, 1943.
Why waste your money looking up your family tree? Just go into politics and your opponents will do it for you.
Everyone has ancestors and it is only a question of going back far enough to find a good one.
We've uncovered some embarrassing ancestors in the not-too-distant past. Some horse thieves, and some people killed on Saturday nights. One of my relatives, unfortunately, was even in the newspaper business.
Southerners are so devoted to genealogy that we see a family tree under every bush.
My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She's ninety-seven now, and we don't know where the hell she is.
I began researching my family history in 2003. In the years since then, I've learned a good bit about my ancestors and in the process, about myself, too. I hope you'll find things here that interest you, too.
As with any family history, not everything is documented as well as I would like. I'm sure there are gaps and brick walls still to be climbed. Please contact me if you have any information that should be added.
I make every effort to document my research. If you have something you would like to add, please contact me.
