Old photos part 2

My great great grandfather was a drag queen.

Nat Geo will be repeating that show tomorrow night, Sep 1, at 9 PM.

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/the-human-family-tree-3706/Overview

Hard to find out who I am---not many records from Lithuania, country was claimed by too many other countries, too many times. My DH says I'm a direct descendent of Gengis Khan.

It seems like everyone I talk to is descended from Charlemagne or William the Conqueror or some such regal person. Makes me laugh. I guess I am the only person I know who came from a very long line of common, ordinary, Russian and Irish peasants whose names are forever lost in the mists of history.

My MIL always says her family is descended from French aristocracy; she points out that my FIL's family came over on prison ships, lol. Of course neither is true, but when I tease my husband about his ancestry, his answer is always "well, at least we lived above ground!" - a reference to my coal mining ancestors in PA.

Robindog, I can't help but laugh when I see the name Genghis Khan now. My SIL's name is Glynis, which my two-year-old nephew can't pronounce. He calls her Genghis. So now we all call her The Great and Mighty Khan. LOL.

I wish I had a scanner to scan some photos to share. I've been meaning to get one for some time now...

Victor, I've always known a lot about my roots. I have learned more the past couple of years while building my family tree.

This photo is my Great-great-great-great-grandfather on my father's mother's side.
Enoch George Howard (1814-1895)
This info was obtained from the Sandy Spring Museum in Sandy Spring, MD.
================
Born a slave, Enoch George Howard (1814-95) purchased his freedom from the Griffith family of Unity in 1851, then bought freedom for his wife Harriett Ann Lee and their four children, price 25 cents each. In 1862 he purchased the Gaither farm and later two more, acquiring a total of 900 acres to become the county's largest black landowner. With no black schools in the county and education sorely needed, Howard acted. Wrote great-grandson Harold Howard, ... "in 1867 he petitioned the Montgomery County Government for a school to educate black students, posting collateral and a parcel of land for the school, which opened around 1880." Descendants included educators, journalists, and magistrates and leave their name in Howard Chapel Road near Unity.

Very cool.

Wow! Would that be the start of Howard University?

amazing

very amazing!

Makes you proud! He was a handsome and smart man!

No, re: Howard University. Howard Univ. was founded in 1867, ironically the same year Enoch Howard petitioned for a school.

Different Howard. The university was named after Oliver O. Howard, a officer in Civil War. He fought in Gettysburg & was part of Gen. Sherman's march through Georgia.

Enoch Howard's mother, Polly (1797-1856), was a slave who was sold (along with some others) to pay off a $300 debt. She & her husband, Jack, were slaves on plantations owned by the Gaither, Howse and Griffith families and on the various farms of Jeremiah B. Howard.
That's where the Howard name came from. Many slaves took the last name of their owners. If they were sold, their last names were often changed to match their new owners.

It's so sad... and important, to learn about all this. They weren't considered people. They were strictly property. There are many Bill of Sale records that list items as: 5 cows, 6 goats, 2 male slaves, 3 female slaves, etc. No names, no ages.

Very sad.

Nancy

This pic is Enoch's sister, Eliza with the record of her manumission. The document that granted her freedom.

gaba, your ancestry is the most interesting post I have ever read on DG, thank you for sharing

gabagoo you must be extremely proud of your ancestor.

Wow - so great that you have an extensive history, Nancy. Great for so many reasons - personally, of course, but to document the awful history.

Thank you for sharing. I would be interested in any more you have.

This is fascinating! My first thought was Howard U. also. Then I also thought about Gaithersburg, MD.

I agree, fascinating!

Got some more...

gotta love the cool fifties dude

Nap in the sun

hulu girl

hula girl

one of hubby's aunts
note year of pic 1937

Don't know why that one pic double posted

Hubby's grandma with some of her kids

grandma and her daughter
love the gardens behind them

2 little angels

This one is just too cute

Very nice, Jen---they are way cute---wonder where those formal gardens were?

The family on hubby's dad's side is from PA( Pottsville/St Clair). I don't think they vacationed a lot, so maybe somewhere in PA.

great pics Jen!!

Yes - very nice, Jen!

Great pictures Jen!

Nancy, I agree that the piece of family history you shared is the most amazing I've seen. How remarkable that your ancestors (and others) could persevere and flourish against such obstacles.
Dave

Check out these knockout roots!

http://msn.foxsports.com/boxing/story/10008818

The O'Greatest!!

:)

Certainly does explain the greatest blarney ever heard!!

And nobody did it better!!!

Irish verse

The Mouse on the Barroom Floor

Some Guinness was spilled on the barroom floor
when the pub was shut for the night.
Out of his hole crept a wee brown mouse
and stood in the pale moonlight.
He lapped up the frothy brew from the floor,
then back on his haunches he sat.
And all night long you could hear him roar,
'Bring on the goddam cat!'

Hee hee!

that's great!!

I was just at the Ali museum. They missed this new twist You scooped them jadajoy!

Dave
What a treat! Didnt know there was a museum. Probably built before this recent news.

When I was very little Ali came through Manhatten for a promotional tour and my mother, sister and I were in the crowd to see him. He actually picked up my sister and kissed her. My mother was ecstatic and told that story for years. I only wish we had a picture of it.

I'm a big Ali fan. That's so cool, Joyce!