Latter-Ward Family Reunion

Beginning: Let me first explain the Grell family. My Grandfather David Grell and Grandmother Linda Grell currently live in Prior Lake, Minnesota. Grandpa owns a construction business, while grandma is a high school secretary. My mother, Laura Todd, the first of three daughters, lives in Sioux Rapids Iowa with my Father Kerby, and works at Buena Vista University. My Aunt, Angie Mendrzychowski, the middle child, married to my Uncle Steve, and is currently living in Shakopee, Minnesota. My Aunt, Jackie Antonie, recently married my Uncle Tony, and is currently living in Chicago, Illinois.

Origins of a family have meaning and history. By keeping track of family relations also known as a family tree it can allow us to keep records of the past. The Edwards family tree shows great record from the early 1700 's to the mid 1800 's. This family tree demonstrates when a person was baptized; when they got married; and when they passed away. The Edwards family chart show the different relations of marriages and fertility rate from today 's society. From the chart we can determine that the Edwards family show a different demography compared to todays society. This is because life expectancy was shorter; families were larger; and finally marriages were happening at a young age.

Family history is something most people do not know much about. This is unfortunate because some people do not or are unable to value their families past. Family history is important for many different reasons. It can be used to meet family members a person never knew about and for educational purpose. I was fortunate enough to have my grandparents still alive to tell me about their great-grandparents and grandparents. I never truly understand how interesting and important it is to know about where my family came from until I did this project. My family consists of Polish and German immigrants.

Our subject is an African American female. The historical roots of the African American family are in Africa and as a result the family can trace its origin to a distinct culture and society.

As I researched and talked to relatives concerning my background, heritage and culture, it made me want to know more about my family and where it all began. I had fun putting

As I embarked on this assignment I was unsure how to begin and what stories to tell. I did not know if I should commence with how my family came to America, my family tree, or a fascinating story about how my grandparents met. In order to complete this assignment I convened with my grandfather, Earl W. Stafford Sr., who knows a lot about our family history, to learn as much as I could.

To start my family origin paper we have to go way back to 1976 when my parents met in Alamo, North Dakota; a town of about 200 people in the northwestern part of the state. They met while going through school playing sports, mainly basketball. Both were pretty good at the sport and won some awards and had chances to play more but decided to get married and start a family instead. Both grew up around the whole farming scene. My mom actually lived on a farm growing up and also as she started her own family. My dad lived in the small town but his grandpa had a farm not far from where he grew up and also helped a lot of the local

My family the Heintzelman family has lore that has come from our ancestry in Germany. Ancestry is a very important part of a person. Knowing who came before you can affect a person greatly. If someone knows the hard work that their ancestors did it can lead to a lot more humility for that person. No person gets to where they are in life without the hard work of the people that came before them, especially in America. Almost no one is a native of American which makes it a melting pot for all cultures, which means knowing your history is important. The hard work of my ancestors I feel is extremely important due to the story that surrounds the last name of Heintzelman. The story of the Heinzelmännchen, which originated in Cologne, Germany, was a legend about elves who would do the chores of the lazy townspeople. Every night when the townspeople went to sleep the Heinzelmännchens would come up to do that work that the townspeople had neglected to do (Kopisch and Thrlet). This was a myth that was started many years ago in Cologne but is still remembered today. The story of the Heinzelmännchens is commemorated in statues that stand in Cologne and through my last name. The story of the Heinzelmännchen has been passed down from generation to generation in my family, as the beginning of our last name and heritage. However, this is not the only way that lore is passed down, we have also passed down our history through our names, as many Heintzelmans have been named after

Gregory Mears Sr., my grandfather, was born on October 20, 1945 in Baltimore Maryland. His mother Myrtle Elizabeth Dalton Bailey and father Henry Saile Bailey were also born in Baltimore Maryland. Growing up Gregory had seven brothers and sisters Eddie, Myrtle, Matthew, Del, Mildred, Melvin, and Marie all of which were born in Baltimore Maryland. Although at the moment the occupation for Myrtle is unknown, Henry worked as steel worker for Armco Steel. Gregory left high school under the direction of his mother to get a job. He left the twelfth grade leaving only a few credits short of his diploma to become a steel worker for Bethlehem Steel. Although, my grandfather did not continue his education each of his siblings continued their education

This years theme is “Leadership and Legacy in Georgia History.” Our topic is the Bradley-Turner Family. The Bradley-Turner family has been very influential in Columbus and Georgia’s history.

Since we share a common bond, a link to John Huntley, the immigrant, I urge all of you to embrace the family history and learn as much as you can about past stories and legacies. Through these stories, we learn who we are. Fortunate to have access to the work of Virgil Huntley, Royce Huntley, Randy Fuller, and others, we must continue to record our family history.

The interest in genealogy started when African Americans and other Americans soon picked up the now iconic tie to the Civil War (32). People in the south have generations of

Since I have always had such a fascination with genealogy, I thought it an honorable undertaking to research our ancestry. I wish someone had done it fifty years ago so that I might have access to more information on our direct line of ancestors, other than the word of mouth passed down through the generations that I’ve had to rely on and what little I have found digging through dusty courthouse records.”

Avigdor, J. C. (2015). Ontario Genealogical Society. King’s College University An unfulfilled Dream. Retrieved October 31, 2015, from http://torontofamilyhistory.org/simcoesgentry/11/kings-college

History isn’t always the glamorous and fast paced events like war, but sometimes it's just explaining things the average Joe might experience during his time on the Earth. This paper will not have any war or conflicts that are life or death for the delicate system of a community, but it's history nonetheless. The History of my family and how it connects to bring us decades later to where we are today.