MetaChat - I got an email from an aunt

MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.

14 April 2008

I got an email from an aunt with some geneology info.→[More:]

The most interesting piece of information is that my grandmother, on my mother's side had the name "Fannie Luster" as her maiden name. I knew this previously but never took note of it.

(I know this was awhile ago, but wouldn't YOU ask a Fannie Luster out, at least once? Or enough to see if it was true?)

Other than the fact that I am distantly related to the Arctic Explorer Admiral Byrd, nothing much else sticks out.

What are some highlights in your ancestry?

post by: danf at: 09:56 | 29 comments

Aren't we all secretly Fannie Lusters?

My grandfather, Francis (Flop) Hollenbeck, was a folk hero in my home town area. He was, by trade, an "ambulance chaser" -- solicited clients for a lawyer who was suing the local silica sand industry for not protecting its workers from silicosis of the lung. The state legislature at the time prohibited silicosis cases from being prosecuted in Illinois, so my grandfather ran the plaintiffs to Davenport, IA so the lawsuits could proceed. I understand that he may somehow have been responsible for workers' comp eventually paying for silicosis victims.

posted by lleachie 14 April | 10:01

My Dad had an Uncle Wish - short for Aloysius. I always thought that was pretty cool.

posted by rainbaby 14 April | 10:33

What are some highlights in your ancestry?

I think my family lineage peaked about 4 billion years ago with the amoebas. Also one of my great-grandfathers died in Panama of yellow fever. (also, my last name constantly gets me asked 'Are you any relation to the map people, dude?' Um, if I was would I be working here, dumbass?)

posted by jonmc 14 April | 10:39

Apparently I'm somehow related to Ulysses S Grant, which is kind of ironic in a southern family.

posted by BoringPostcards 14 April | 10:43

Didn't you say you were related to somebody from Green Acres, BoPo?

(I also know an MIA mefite (also a gay man) who is a cousin of the guy who played Colonel Klink on Hogan's Heroes. Maybe this is a trend or something. Somebody should do a study.)

posted by jonmc 14 April | 10:45

Yes, Jon! Pat Buttram (Mr. Haney) was my grandfather's cousin.

posted by BoringPostcards 14 April | 10:52

Somewhere down the line I'm related to Rutherford B. Hayes, the second worst U.S. President ever. I've never figured out how to use this information to my advantage, except maybe to contribute to this thread.
Interesting tidbit - post-high school graduation, I found out that my H.S. basketball coach was related to him as well. If only I'd known, maybe I wouldn't have sat on the bench so much.

posted by Hellbient 14 April | 11:20

This is my great-great-great-aunt.

posted by Specklet 14 April | 11:27

This is my great-great-great-aunt.

I had never heard of her. Very cool.

posted by danf 14 April | 11:29

(My memory is a bit hazy so this might not be completely correct) My father's grandmother was one of the first peeps with the Red Cross in Alexandria VA.

posted by sperose 14 April | 11:38

I am descended of witch burners and their ilk. Actually that's not true, he is my great-gazillion uncle something-something removed on my father's side, and he didn't do any burnings himself, he just made recommendations. I am, however, directly descended from his grandpappy.

"If in the midst of the many Dissatisfactions among us, the publication of these Trials may promote such a pious Thankfulness unto God, for Justice being so far executed among us, I shall Re-joyce that God is Glorified."

Sheesh.

posted by disclaimer 14 April | 11:41

Gosh, Mather looks like the John Ashcroft of his day.

posted by danf 14 April | 11:57

My ma's family descends from an old Connecticut line, the Strong family (who were full of Faith's and Constance's and even a Freedom or two). However, our branch was the one that decided to "Go West", yet didn't make it much past Oklahoma until 1970 or so.

My great- or great-great- grandmother was a real pioneer woman. The story I heard the most involved her carrying a giant iron tub filled with water and washing 100 feet from the back yard to the house when she spotted a cougar or a bear outside her fence. The tub must've weighed more than a hundred pounds, but she could carry it easily.

posted by muddgirl 14 April | 12:13

My great-great (great?) grandparents back in poland had the same last name before they were married.

posted by dismas 14 April | 12:19

My great-great-uncle was a French missionary in Africa, until he went missing. When the family inquired about his remains, they were told there was nothing to send back; he had been eaten by cannibals.

My sixteen-year-old self thought Oncle Josef was pretty much the most awesome ancestor a girl could have.

posted by annaramma 14 April | 12:30

According to family legend, my great-grandmother, a homesteader, could shoot the eye out of a bird on the wing.

posted by elizard 14 April | 12:31

or the commas out of that sentence

posted by elizard 14 April | 12:33

Hayes second-worst? No way. Bush II, Hoover, Harding, Buchanan, just for starters.

posted by box 14 April | 12:35

My great-great-great (?) grandfather was John Brown. Not the crazy abolitionist, but the John Brown who founded John Brown College in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, one of those serious-ass Bible schools where students have to sign agreements not to dance or play cards.

posted by jtron 14 April | 13:58

I became our family's genealogist when I inherited all of my dad's research and papers.

My favorite family name was Dionysius Ferry, but he went by Dennis Ferry, Dionysius not being a typical Irish name.

On my dad's side, I'm descended from a long line of women who were strong and did things for themselves. After my great-great-great-great-grandfather died, my g-g-g-g-grandmother bundled the 9 kids onto a ship headed for America, landed in New Orleans and joined a wagon train on the Oregon trail, losing several children to various issues. She successfully built her house, and houses for her children, and never remarried. I have her journal, and it's fascinating to me to see how strong she was, and how each of the women descended from her was super-strong in how they dealt with life. Good role models growing up, to say the least.

posted by Sil 14 April | 14:21

Fannie Luster is an AWESOME name, danf. Did you know her? Did she have the spark to live up to that name?

posted by Sil 14 April | 14:22

According to family legend, my great-grandmother, a homesteader, could shoot the eye out of a bird on the wing.

Well, if we're gonna go there...my paternal grandpa (New York Irish wing of the family) supposedly saw some kind dipping into a lady's purse on the subway and busted his hand for him.

posted by jonmc 14 April | 14:37

My great aunt is Anne Graham, a painter in Australia. She got written up as one of the "Top 10 artists in Australia" and my jealous grandmother asked me and my Dad, "Yeah, but how many artists are in the top ten?"

posted by rmless2 14 April | 15:03

Fannie Luster is an AWESOME name, danf. Did you know her? Did she have the spark to live up to that name?

She was pretty infirm the whole time I knew her. My grandfather was one of the early San Fernando Valley businessmen, conservative (there was a pic of him and Earl Warren around) and opinionated. He opened one of the first JC Penney stores in California and was the mayor of the City of San Fernando during the 50's (damned if I can find much on the net about him, though).

Grandma was always in the background. No spark that I was aware of.

We drove from the beach up to the Valley, every week, to visit. (The house I grew up in was their summer house and they gave it to my mom when she got married.) On one of these visits I saw her fall and break a hip and that was pretty much that. She never walked again, and went downhill and died at home. Grandpa was a Christian Scientist, healthy as a horse till the day at the age of 82, he started feeling ill, and went to bed with a bible and died a few minutes later.

My grandmother died, unaware, I assume, of the great pornstar name that was wasted on her.

posted by danf 14 April | 15:10

Heh, when I saw the title I thought "he's just found out that specklet is actually his long-lost sister". I'm a bad person, I guess.

I am descended from the Macfarlane Clan in Scotland - some of my ancestors sheltered Robert Bruce.

posted by dg 14 April | 16:14

Wait, what? Is it because you think I've got some, er, family highlights?

posted by Specklet 14 April | 16:55

hehe

posted by Sil 14 April | 17:24

I've got two murderers on my father's side. This includes my grandmother. And my great-grandfather.

On my grandmother's side, we have ancestors responsible for the Canadian Railroad.

Quite the mix, I'd say.

posted by redvixen 14 April | 18:36

This is my great great uncle:
≡ Click to see image ≡

If you go to this page and scroll down to "The soldier - priest" you can learn a little about him. (They messed up the link when they redid the website; but you can see the pic in context in the Polish version of that page. I also have the medals they speak of in the article.

I have a copy of that picture here in my genealogy box.

posted by Doohickie 14 April | 19:47

← The best court transcript evah. || Skeets McDonald 'The Tattooed Lady.' →

HOME || REGISTER || LOGIN