Ancestor Approved Award

Wow, thank you so much Hummer at Branching Out Through The Years , Cheryl from Heritage Happens , and Patty at Bits of Yesterday for this award. I'm gobsmacked! (as Matthew Broderick would say) And, very honored by this gift.

The Ancestor Approved Award asks that the recipient list ten things you have learned about any of your ancestors that has surprised, humbled, intrigued, or enlightened you and pass the award along to ten other bloggers who you feel are doing their ancestors proud. Here are the 10 things I have learned from my ancestors.

For the last 10 years or so I have been researching his family while pretty much ignoring mine. I've just recently started to remedy that but for my list of 10 I will be using my husband, Mark's, ancestors.

1. I am surprised and frustrated that I can't trace Mark's paternal grandfather John Ellam, past March of 1946 when he disappears and leaves his family behind.

2. I am intrigued by Mark's Great Grand aunt, Margaret Ellam, who at the age of 18 came over from England bringing her little brother to her older brother in Connecticut. One year later Margaret immigrated by herself.

3. I am enlightened regarding the conditions the coal miners in England worked in and saddened by the death of Mark's g-g-g grandfather, Ralph Ellam, in a coal mine at the age of 35. At the time Mark's g-g grandfather was only 10 months old.

4. I am surprised at the depth of estrangment still felt in the Ellam family after so many years. Mark's missing grandfather and his brother had a disagreement of some kind and to this very day the Ellam branch living in Ohio will not answer my telephone calls or letters. And we live just a few hours away in Indiana.

5. I am humbled to think that Mark's great grandfather, John Ellam, Sr., died 19 Jan 1933 in Bridgeport, CT while his mother died around 26 Jan 1933 in Lancashire, England. Did she even get word yet that her son had died before she passed?

6. I am surprised that Mark's maternal grandfather, Edward Baker, was able to marry so many women without obtaining divorces.... without being found out!

7. I am intrigued by Mark's Great Grand Aunt, Elizabeth Ellam Travis, whom I just found out immigrated with her husband and family in 1877 to Pennsylvania. Her husband found work in the coal mine there. Why leave the coal mines in England to come to Pennsylvania? Did she ever visit her family in Connecticut?

8. I am humbled at the level of poverty Mark's ancestors lived with in England. When I obtain their marriage certificates most of them are signed with an X. I am humbled at the sacrifices these ancestors made by immigrating to the US and giving Mark an opportunity for such a great life.

9. I am sure that I am not made of such hearty stock!

10. I am humbled by all the help I have received from message boards in England in researching the Ellam family. The world of genealogy is filled with so many wonderful, giving people. I'm glad to be a part of it all!

I agonized at choosing only 10 other blogs to bestow this award on but here are my choices.

Apple from Apple's Tree
Luckie from Our Georgia Roots
Marian from Climbing My Family Tree
Greta at Greta's Genealogy Blog
Laura at It's All Relative
Lynn at The Armchair Genealogist
Sheri from The Educated Genealogist
Bill at West in New England
Heather at Heather's Genealogy Notes
Cindy at Everything's Relative