Intresting ancestors involved in history (1 Viewer)

[Robert E. Lee]

I thought I would be intresting if the forum could share stories of ancestors that either influenced history or were deeply involved in it.

Here is a story that I think some might find amusing:

My Great Great Grandfather was named Anderson Philpot. He owned a farm near Orange Heights, Florida which main crop was pecans and he had a healthy family of six children that assisted with the farm work. Although this sounds like the ideal deep south farming family there was one catch, he was married to an indian woman which complicated relations with neighbors. They continued to farm the way they always had until Florida left the Union and the War between the States began. He and his only son James J, enlisted in the First Florida cavalry regiment company G filled with enthusiasm to fight the yankees. Anderson's life was shatered a year and a half later when James J was killed by his side fighting in Kentucky and he was given a furlough and allowed to go home to bury his son. after the war ended he turned to alchohal to ease tthe pain which only made the relationship between his surviving family worse. Soon, he was hving an affair with another woman and her husband found out. He confronted Anderson in the middle of the street and shot him multiple times with a six shooter, killing him.

 

[samuel08]

Well, I don't have a story to tell like you did, but I can tell you that I have 2 ancestors that signed the Declaration of Independence and that Robert E. Lee is my 7th cousin. I've always thought that was pretty interesting. My son thinks it really cool about Robert E. Lee because he's really into history and the civil war. I have another ancestor that also fought in the Civil War, but right now I can't think of his name.

Beth

 

[bromhead]

My civil war ancestor John l,11th Illinois cavalry, Grandfather,sgt german army,Russian front ww1, uncles -1 at Normandy,29eng,1 Italy 88th inf div, my father,Rad. op .gunner,2nd bomb grp,15 th af. 48 missions B17. 2nd grandfather army vet ww2 at 40.
One of my grand mothers dated Baby face nelson when they were both 20 yr olds,chicago 1920s.

 

[panda1gen]

My great aunt from Dublin did our lineage and told me that our Irish ancestor was the master gunner on board the Victory at Trafalgar. Hope it was true.

 

[marco55]

My great grandfather was named Charles Turpin and he enlisted in the 1st NJ cavalry in 1864 at the age of 16 and fought in many battles.He was mustered out in 1865.He died in 1933 at the age of 86 in Bridgeton NJ.The older members of the family remembered him talking about the battles and how terrible and bloody they were.
Mark

 

[1879fanatic]

All my uncles left the Irish rowhouses of the Oranges in NJ to fight the Axis powers. Uncle John lost his eye in the Anzio invasion. Uncle Nat flew B-17s out of England(wish I sat down and grilled him on his experiences before he died a couple years ago) I also want to mention my Uncle Mike and best friend from college, Tim, both of whom did nothing more than show up for work on a beautiful morning on the 11th of September '01. May they rest knowing they are not forgotten. Mike

 

[Sahara]

All my uncles left the Irish rowhouses of the Oranges in NJ to fight the Axis powers. Uncle John lost his eye in the Anzio invasion. Uncle Nat flew B-17s out of England(wish I sat down and grilled him on his experiences before he died a couple years ago) I also want to mention my Uncle Mike and best friend from college, Tim, both of whom did nothing more than show up for work on a beautiful morning on the 11th of September '01. May they rest knowing they are not forgotten. Mike

I will always remember what I was doing and where I was on that Sept. 11th 2001. I was on patrol and listening to the radio as everything unfolded. I pulled to the side of the road to grasp what was actually happening and noticed numerous other vehicles do the same. My Lt. got on the Radio and recalled all patrol units to return to the station. While in the station everyone knew what was happening and emotions ran high but I'll never forget the worse feeling of all......a feeling of helplessness. As a nation we cannot forget this event and we must fight Terrorism on whatever front it may be.

As for history I have relatives that fought for both sides during WWII, three uncles who fought in Vietnam, 1 relative who fought for the Union and a great grand father who was a lead detective and a major contributor to the break up of the "Purple Gang" Also I found this to be interesting my uncle who is married into the family told me he had a relative that was a Indian Scout during the "French and Indian War"

 

[trooper]

All my family were army. One ancestor fought with the 12th Light Dragoons in Egypt in 1801, another ran away to America and fought in the Civil War, unfortunately I don't know on which side, one uncle was with the Imperial Yeomanry in the Boer War. He, two other uncles and my father fought in the 1st World War. During the rematch Dad worked all day, rushed home, put on his Home Guard uniform and went out on guard or patrol. God knows when he slept.My brother was with the Queen's Bays in Italy as a gunner/driver on Shermans, my sister was away in the Land Army. Me? In later years I became the black sheep and enlisted in the RAF.

 

[jazzeum]

What happened to the one in the Civil War? Did he survive. Would love to see if you can find anything about his participation, including his motivations for so doing.

 

[trooper]

Don't know very much at all. I was first told about him by my grandmother when I was just a little lad. Since then I have gathered that there was some naughties with a local girl and the Civil War was a good excuse for him to amscray. As far as I know nothing further was heard from him, so whether he survived or even which unit he served with is a mystery. I like to think that he could have been present at some of the great events, maybe in grey marching towards the Angle with Pickett, maybe in blue storming over the Burnside Bridge. Doubt if I shall ever know for sure.