Synchronicity

My favorite part of my family quest has been something that has led me to many discoveries.  These have been more important than probate, deeds, vital records, etc..  What I'm talking about is "synchronicity"!  I have found some of the most profound information and spiritual connections through...yes...the guidance of something unexplainable.  What you want to call it is up to you.  Whether to believe me is also up to you.  I know many of my colleagues in the field have had similar experiences.  Have you?

The more I follow these experiences and trust them the greater the reward.  For instance, I have been an avid used bookstore follower for years.  One day I was in a used bookstore looking for ancestors that crossed histories paths as I always do.  I browse the indexes of any book that may be of the right time and place and see if my ancestors are mentioned.  One in particular that I have always identified with is Jean (John) Louis Badollet 1757-1837.  He was the land registrar for the Indiana territory and later for the state of Indiana, being on all the committees that decided the constitution for the state in 1816.  He was also the closest friend of Albert Gallatin (both Swiss and college friends in Geneva).
Long story short, I was unsuccessful in this bookstore in finding anything of interest for Badollet or any other interesting ancestor.  As I was walking out the door something told me to look down.  Weird...below the bottom shelves were curtains.  I slide one curtain down and there before me was the book "Tecumseh A Life" by John Sugden a British author.  I knew that Badollet had been very involved in witnessing Tecumseh speak in Vincennes, IN in the early 1800's.  I also knew Badollet had written about how impressed he was with Tecumseh and how William Henry Harrison was trying to do everything in his power to cheat the "Indians" out of their lands.  When I opened the index I found gold.  No more information that I really already knew, but more validation of his progressive beliefs and attitudes.
Several years later, this synchronetic event led me to search even more for the connection between Badollet and Tecumseh.  In searching for Badollet and Tecumseh's names in old newspapers I was able to find an article in the Indianapolis News dated Tuesday Oct 27, 1874.

     "The 'pipe of peace' used by General Harrison and Tecumseh at Vincennes, is now in the possession of Mr. Badollet in that city.  It is a beautiful red color, mottled with dark and lighter colored spots.  The bowl is about three inches long, and the stem six, both about the same size.  It is probably a mound builder's pipe, and was first smoked thousands of years ago."

I cried.....

Ok...who has that pipe!

My Journey

I have the great pleasure of having an extremely diverse ancestry.  World's collided that should not have and that created me.  What I have been struck by most is I'm the one left at the end of a branch of my family tree.  This happened because I was the only child of my parents, my mother was the only child of her parents, her father was the only child of his parents.  Not all branches are a dead end, but enough to leave this leaf with a lot of responsibility that I take very seriously.
I also have a wife who's genealogy is even more diverse in many respects.  Also, world's colliding.

This all has led me to my calling.  Unfortunately, I have had to take many diversions to get here as I am pretty good at many things, all of which vie for my undying attention.  But, that which connects us all to history is the deepest root of my soul.  I have been swimming upstream and it's now time to follow my bliss!

In this blog my intention is to share my story, hear your stories, connect to the spirit chain of our shared DNA and experiences.  I promise this will be fascinating if you are interested in knowing more about yourself and how we are all connected.

I will begin by sharing the big picture for myself and my wife.
My lineage is deeply rooted in the US all the way back to the 1600's and before (early VA native american), Swiss, French, German, English, Scottish, Irish, covering the states of IN, KY, IA, NE, OK, IL, CT, MA, PA, VA, GA, OH, NC, MD, TN, KS, and also Canada.
My wife's is Vietnamese, French, German, Hungarian, Irish, Norwegian, English.
We have a lot covered.

This leads to why what I do is different.  Most people in the field call themselves experts in certain areas of research.  Most the time this is because that is where their ancestors where from, so they have spend a lot of time researching in those areas, thus where their expertise by default lies.  This always was a dilemma for me when I worked as a full time researcher for the New England Historic Genealogical Society.  My realization was that my dilemma was my strength in offering a wide net of knowledge through many states.  I took on cases from all over the states, cases no other genealogist wanted to tackle.  I learned a tremendous amount about genealogy findings and trends throughout the US.  My life long love of early American history up to 1850 (you got to stop somewhere!) really helped mold my passion.

I have 12 ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War, two that fought directly under George Washington, one that qualifies my membership in the Cincinnati Society as he was an Virginia officer under George Washington.  I descend from 2 of the last Werworances (Chiefs) of the Wicocomino tribe (of the Powhatan Empire) proven through DNA testing.  I have two family descendants that went to West Point, one graduating in 1815 the other 1840 who become a colonel, I descend from several founders of Stratford, CT with my descendants from this line migrating throughout territories in OH, IA, NE, and OK all before becoming states, real trail blazers.

All of this is important to me as I grew up knowing nothing about any of the above, but was strongly drawn to American History from a young age.  I still devour and keep up with all the new non fiction biography and history books coming out.  There has never been a more historically prolific time for actual truth seeking.

This is where my strength and offering lie.  To go even more in depth with my passions, I believe there is a spiritual connection to our biology as well as the physical one.  I follow a path that is guided by not only my knowledge of sources, but my inner guides who have found treasure troves of information that I would not have found otherwise.  Synchronicity!

I will share many crazy stories of how my path has been guided by what I should find, even when I'm looking for something else.

Curious?  Keep following....

Exciting news for Genealogy clients and enthusiast!

I'm happy to announce my return to genealogical writing and research services!  Which it has been some time since I have posted here my life has been very busy with my performing and teaching career in music that hasn't left me with the time needed to keep this blog going for some time now.  There are big changes in the pipeline!  While I can't let the cat out of the bag just yet, I will be revamping this site, starting some business ventures related to the great art of genealogy and history.

So....stay posted for my next update coming VERY soon!!!!  

Can't wait???

Neither can I!!