Any black sheep in the family tree?

Question

While searching the family tree, we learned, much to our horror, that dear old great-grandpa was a murderer and had spent some time riding and robbing in the Jesse James gang. He was also a polygamist with another family elsewhere. How he managed to father my grandpa, a kind and gentle man if ever there was one, we'll never know. To sooth our hurt, we were wondering if any of you have found any black sheep?

Answer 1

yes the wife lol

Answer 2

A "black" sheep, almost literally. My great-grandfather's birth certificate from right after the Civil War says he's "Colored". Well, he was born in Alabama, and we didn't know a lot about him. We always said he must be "Indian," because he was so dark. I saw him every week growing up, and he died when I was almost 12.

He was apparently "passing" as white after he came up north. He said he left Alabama after he saw a white mob lynch a black man. We thought he was outraged and left to get away from that kind of thinking, but obviously he left in fear that it would happen to him.

Quite a revelation when we got the copy of his birth certificate several years ago, I can tell you. LOL My mother & brother are dark like him, and they have been mistaken for Hawaiian, Filipino, Mexican, and Chinese, but my sister and I are fair and red haired, like the predominately Irish heritage we cherish.

Answer 3

I have helped several people look for their ancestors, and yes, there are numerous black sheep who strayed from the fold.

One woman  went to California in the 1930s, had a baby and brought the baby back to North Dakota.  "He is your baby" she told her astonished husband, and they she took off for parts unknown.  We are still searching for her, but it was easier to disappear then.

Grandpa Jack told his grandchildren that he got in trouble in the  service and changed his name.  But the records I found indicate that he got into trouble and then joined the service with a new name.

We can't find any record of Jack before his service time. 100 years ago it was easy to change your name and the service didn't run background checks like they do now.

Answer 4

I'm the black sheep! Our family tree doesn't "branch" as much as some. Married my Scottish first cousin-(couldn't help it! Saw him first  when he was eight and I was seven.12 years passed before I saw him again and he was gorgeous and clever!) Family wasn't happy when I divorced him many, many years later. But, destiny and love stop for no one, and we have been back together for eight years.

Answer 5

http://ibssg.org/blacksheep/

http://blacksheepancestors.com/

There is a source for EVERYONE.

I have to say that one of the most intriguing things I have done, is to work with someone researching the murder of their ancestor, and FINDING a descendant from the other side of the shotgun.  Both sides were researchers.. and got together online, and were completely cordial. Not my own family, but I kind of claimed them as research-kin.

My own background isn't so notorious, but they were Polish immigrants at the turn of the century, dirt poor.. and yet some of them worked their way up to clergy and lawyers. And some relied on booze to numb the cold of Chicago winters.. my mother and siblings spent some years in an orphanage, even though grandma was still living. It wasn't until my research brought me to some of my cousins, and a sense of healing.

Turn the 'hurt' around.  We are not responsible for what dead (or even not dead) relatives do. Look at how we have managed to make good lives for ourselves. I think the black sheep add a lot of spice to research.

oh! I am waiting for someone to come online here, asking for help with a prostitute ancestor from the 1800s in Colorado.  Just happen to have stumbled onto a booklet with history, names, etc.. and KNOW it will help someone.

If you are afraid of skeletons.. stay out of the closet!!

Answer 6

I spoke to one Genealogist who informed me that in Australia, one of the most "elite" genealogy groups around is one which you must be able to trace your ancestors to a transported criminal!   Sort of like in the US there are groups who can trace their ancestry to the American Revolution or even more restrictive,... the Mayflower.  ( I have half a dozen or so in the American Revolution, but none from the Mayflower)

Answer 7

my great, great great great etc...grandma was tried, convicted and hung for being a witch in Hartford, Ct in 1662.

Rebecca Greensmith

Answer 8

I am UK based but in tracking my family around the world I have found two that were transported to Australia, My  three times great Grand Father in in Bodmin Goal on the 1841 census and a distant relative in the USA who robbed a bank (badly, he got caught).

Just part of that rich tapestry we call life and a bit of colour for the family tree.

Answer 9

Although most Scots would hardly consider my 7th great-grandfather on my mother's side a "black sheep", John Macquarrie, a farmer from Eigg (in the Inner Hebrides), was transported to the American Colonies after fighting against the Crown at the Battle of Cullodeen.

On my dad's side of the family, both his maternal and paternal great grandfather's owned slaves in Georgia and Virginia, which is something I certainly don't take pride in today.  Indeed, one of his great grandfathers, a Dr. Robert B. Dickerson, was one of the three delegates from La Fayette County to the meeting where Georgia declared its succession from the Union.

Growing up, I  heard rumors that my dad's paternal grandmother was disinherited for (gasp) marrying a "Yankee" in the middle of the American Civil War.  Then, I discovered that her father's second wife was also from upstate New York (along with my great grandfather).  She was Sam Houston's cousin, so I suppose she was forgiven for her birthplace, or maybe my great great grandfather simply disliked his son-in-law and the fact that he grew up in New York and Michigan had nothing to do with it.

I also grew up hearing tales that my paternal grandmother wouldn't let my grandfather's relatives into the house because they borrowed money from him during the Depression and never paid it back.

Answer 10

My own family tree is rather boring, but I have found a few things in my father-in-law's family:

1.  His father's mother did NOT die in childbirth when her only child was born (which has been the story for about a century, her poor son went to his grave believing it) - - we found her obituary and she lived 10 months after her son's birth, she died of consumption.  This was earth-shattering news for the family.

2.  There is NOT any documentable Cherokee blood in the family (which was another shocker).  The ancestor who was rumored to be Cherokee was actually from England!

3.  There was a father who shot and killed the son-in-law he hated, leaving his daughter widowed with 3 young children AND he removed her purposely from his will for marrying the guy.  Surprisingly, this story was not a shock, as it has been passed from generation to generation - - but the details and the removal from the will were surprises!

I have unwittingly riled up family members of my Mother's and my Mother-in-law's by uncovering multiple marriages and divorces and including them in family trees - - one distant cousin was in tears at a family reunion because her ex-husband was included with photo and marriage date/location, she had just remarried and only wanted the new husband to be included!  (I had to remove husband #1 completely when we published a book!)

I'm sure your findings were very shocking at first, but what a wonderful story you have now, about an ancestor in the Jesse James gang!  Enjoy and try to embrace that interesting piece of family history!