In researching your family tree have you found any information that really astounded you?

Question

I am finding a lot of self defense fist fights and home invasions in the early 1900's.

Answer 1

I went back 15 generations, and most of my family were explorers and artisans. 7 monuments were erected just in the city of Montreal Canada.  Surprised me.

Answer 2

Yes, my maternal grandmother's ancestry is 100% colonial, unless Sarah Elizabeth Winston who was born in 1791 had an immigrant mother.

Now, I have had my mitochondrial DNA done and find my DNA is Haplogroup K subgroup K1.    

I knew my maternal grandfather was a Jew.

His grandparents and his father immigrated in 1853 through New Orleans,  but this  possibility  is really a surprise about my grandmother.

Answer 3

im related to Edgar Allen Poe.

Answer 4

I found out that my Great Grandfather was a hitman for the mafia during the '20's and '30's.  that was a little disturbing, although I never met him.

Answer 5

Yes I did, someone who would have been my 4th great grandmother had my birthday.

Answer 6

my sister found the first documented, as far as we know, lawrence. he was knighted by king richard the lion-hearted. he was also given a castle called Ashton Hall.

Answer 7

Awesome relatives I've found in my family tree.

President Zachary Taylor (cousin through the Taylor family)

President James Madison (cousin through the Taylor family)

John Wallace, younger brother of Wm Braveheart Wallace (Great Grandfather about 20 generations back through the Wallace family)

Clint Eastwood (distant cousin through the Cherry family)

Lt. Colonel Nathan Brandon of the 14th Tennessee Infantry CSA (Uncle)

Answer 8

Lots of stuff!

My gggg-grandmother mudered her husband, framed two slaves for it, and ran off with a married man.

I found a black ancestor back in the 1740s; DNA tests suggest that he had Jewish origins.

My husband's great grandfather has several unclaimed swiss bank accounts that no one in the family knew about.

But I think what has astounded me the most has been realizing that things never really change that much.  The problems we have today have been with us all along.  People have always lied, cheated, slept around, swindled their family members, fought with neighbors, filed frivilous lawsuits, etc.  The more things change, the more they stay the same!