“I Am A Cousin”

Meet Cousin Sasha Martin

Editor’s Note: Sasha is not only an awesome cousin on her own grand adventure, she has also been instrumental in helping us compile The Ultimate Cousin Cookbook which will be for sale at the Reunion and online.  All proceeds will go to our Alzheimer’s partners.  Sasha will be at the Global Family Reunion to talk about her global adventures. You can purchase her book there as well!

11.    Tell us a little about yourself.  Where are you from? What do you do for work? Fun? Married? Kids? You get that idea.

I’m a wife, mother, and lover of peace. My family and I spent nearly four years eating a meal from every country in the world (A-Z, one country per week), all from our tiny kitchen in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a food blogger (Global Table Adventure) and National Geographic author, I enjoy helping other people bring the world into their kitchens. I think rolling homemade sushi with friends is more fun than a night out at the bar.

2.      Do you have a favorite ancestor? Who? Why?

I am fascinated by my Italian and my Hungarian relatives who immigrated to the United States in search of new opportunity. There’s something mythical about the food the created – torta de riso, stuffed artichokes, homemade pasta, chicken paprika – and how these foods kept a bit of their past alive in their new home.

3.      If you could be related to anyone in history, who would you want it to be and why?

I’m a big geek when it comes to Arthurian legend – I spent most of college studying the world of Chretiens de Troyes, the medieval French author who helped solidify Arthurian legend for generations to come. I would love to sit with him, talk books, and eat a traditional medieval French feast. Being related wouldn’t be so bad, either.

4.      What are your thoughts on the Global Family Reunion? Will you be attending?

I’m SO excited about the reunion. I plan to speak in the storytelling tent on Saturday evening and am looking forward to sharing my story and hearing others.

5.      Do you come from a big family? Small family? Do you guys have family reunions and do you have any good family reunion stories?

I don’t have a traditional family history. Though my mother was a creative and eccentric woman, there were numerous challenges in my childhood. I was in and out of foster homes and ultimately raised by family friends a continent away from my mother. Though many people raised me, at times my family felt very small because I never knew if a home or family would be unconditional. In my memoir, Life from Scratch: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Forgiveness, I recount the awkward reunion with my mother. I was 19 years old. We went to a Chinese restaurant and while the food was forgettable, the experience was far from it. Reunions aren’t always what we expect, but showing up is the most important thing.

6.      Favorite color? Favorite food? Left-handed or right-handed? Do you like to have breakfast for dinner? Favorite book? Movie? TV show? Song/band? Quote?

Ice blue. Tabbouleh. Right handed. Yes – especially a good frittata. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. Moulin Rouge. Parenthood or Doctor Who. Tom Petty and Sarah McLaughlin.

“All of us, all over the world, are bodies in the cells of humanity. You are not separate from your fellow humans, and you cannot find harmony for yourself alone. You can only find harmony when you realize the oneness of all and work for the good of all.” Peace Pilgrim (1908-1981)

7.      Do you have any funny quirks that you’ve inherited from your family?

I dab my wrists and behind my earlobes with vanilla extract when baking.

8.      Do you know much about your family history? Where do your ancestors come from? Would you want to visit the lands they hail from?

I know more about my Italian relatives – I would love to visit the small village in Italy where they’re from and chow down at a local restaurant.

9.      If you could get A.J. to invite one person to the Global Family Reunion, who would it be and why?

I would love to meet Jeanette Walls, author of The Glass Castle. She has such an amazing family story and such a brilliant heart.

10.  A.J.’s idea is that if the people of the world could see how interconnected we all are maybe we would be a little nicer to one another.  What do you think about that?

I think he’s right! I think of everyone in the world as my family and global neighbors. In fact, I dream inviting the entire world to an enormous global table where we could all eat together in peace – no food fights, no arguing. It might be idealistic, but eating together in this way is the foundation of a strong family. It builds understanding and compassion, as well as a common bond.

11.  If you could share one message with your 7 billion cousins what would it be?

Love is always the answer. Always.

12. You’ve just had a book come out.  Tell us a little about it and where we can find it.

I had one simple task when I started writing my memoir  – chronicle my adventure to eat a meal from every country in the world with my picky husband and baby girl, all from our small kitchen in Tulsa, Oklahoma. But looming over the simple narrative of how I set out to cook the world, one burning question remained… why.

The more I dug into this question, the more I realized that my four-year, 195-country culinary obsession was rooted in something much deeper. It was about finding a sense of belonging… and I knew I would never find my place in this world if I didn’t make peace with my past. As I wrote, the story quickly took on a life of its own. Life from Scratch: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Forgiveness shares this journey towards belonging, motherhood, and inner peace… with the added indulgence of 29 of my favorite recipes from my family and Global Table Adventure.

13. Do you have a favorite recipe from your book? If so, what is it?

They all have a special place in my heart… especially my mother’s recipes. The German Tree Cake is especially good – all 21 layers of it! No one needs to make a cake this elaborate, but it’s symbolic of my mother’s perseverance as a single mother on a food stamp budget. She used cooking to help us see beyond our circumstances and realize that the world was a magical place full of possibility.  Plus, the cake is delicious!

14.  What’s next for you? Any new projects on the horizon? 

I’m currently searching the globe for delicious ways to enjoy old favorites like carrots and potatoes – I love how a few ingredient tweaks can transport you to another part of the world and spice up dinnertime. But it’s not just about me and my family – I use my blog, Global Table Adventure, to help people bring the world into their kitchens with fun, delicious recipes that are easy enough for a weeknight and elegant enough for the weekend. To date I’ve adapted more than 650 recipes from 195 countries for families, educators, and students. If you’re looking for recipes from your family heritage, this might be a great place to start!

“I Am A Cousin” HomeAway Twitter Contest

The Global Family Reunion (GFR) Team is teaming up with the generous folks at HomeAway for an “I Am A Cousin” Twitter Contest!

How it Works:

It really doesn’t get any easier than this.  You take a picture of yourself (or group shot) holding an “I Am A Cousin” sign. You post it to Twitter with the tags @homeaway, #WholeVacation and #GlobalFamilyReunion.  You’re entered to win! 

The winner will be randomly selected by the GFR Team.

The Prizes:

The winner will receive:

  • Up to $1,500 toward a stay at an amazing apartment in Manhattan courtesy of HomeAway  (See Conditions below for rental requirements.)
  • Two (2) VIP Tickets to the Global Family Reunion
  • Place on the highest priority list for their connection to the Global Family Tree

 

How to Enter:

  1. Take a photo of yourself (or a group) holding an “I Am A Cousin” sign.
  2. Post it to Twitter with the tags @homeaway, #WholeVacation and #GlobalFamilyReunion.

 

Rules:

  • Photos must include a sign that says “I Am A Cousin”.
  • Photos must be tagged with @homeaway, #WholeVacation and #GlobalFamilyReunion
  • Photos must be submitted by 11:59pm EDT, Friday, May 1, 2015 to qualify.
  • Obscene or otherwise inappropriate images will be disqualified.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER THIS CONTEST

TERM: The “I Am A Cousin” Homeaway Twitter Contest will run from April 20, 2015  through 11:59 pm EDT, Friday, May 1, 2015.

SPONSORS: Prizes donated by generous contest sponsors include HomeAway and the Global Family Reunion. HomeAway is not affiliated with the Global Family Reunion in any way other than as a generous sponsor and prize supplier of this contest.

DISQUALIFICATION: Your entry will be disqualified if:

(a) It is received after 11:59pm EDT,  Friday, May 1, 2015.

(b) It does not include an “I Am A Cousin” sign.

(c) It contains obscene or otherwise inappropriate images.

(d) It does not contain the appropriate tags.

SELECTION OF WINNERS: The GFR Team will randomly select a winner from the qualifying entries.

NOTIFICATION: The winner will be notified via Twitter.  The Global Family Reunion is under no obligation to notify winners by any means other than Twitter. The Global Family Reunion is not responsible for notifications that are misdirected or not received. If the potential winner cannot be reached after a reasonable effort has been made during three (3) business days from the first notification attempt, such person may be disqualified, with an alternate winner selected.

REDEMPTION: The GFR Team will deliver the prize as follows: Once a prizewinner responds to the notification from the Team, the Team will contact the winner to arrange for delivery of the prize to the prizewinner.

CONDITIONS: (1)By participating in the Contest, you agree to release and hold the Global Family Reunion and all prize suppliers harmless from any and all losses, damages, rights, claims, and actions of any kind in connection with the Contest or any product purchased, or resulting from acceptance, possession, use or misuse of any prize, including, without limitation, personal injuries, death, and property damage, and claims based on publicity rights, defamation, or invasion of privacy, whether suffered by you or a third party. (2) By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the GFR Team and waive any right to claim ambiguity in the Contest or these Contest Rules. All decisions regarding the Contest, including, but not limited to, selecting winners and usage of submitted photos, will be made by the GFR Team  whose decisions shall be final. (3) For the HomeAway rental apartment, winner will be required to sign a rental agreement and pay the damage deposit.  The deposit will be refunded after the stay provided there has been no damage.

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Winners of the GFR Holiday Photo Throwdown

First, a big THANK YOU to everyone who participated in our first ever Global Family Reunion Holiday Photo Throwdown!  We’re delighted to announce the following winners:

BEST DRESSED

Best Dressed

MOST COUSINS

Most Cousins

FARTHEST AWAY (LATVIAN COUSINS!)

Farthest

MOST HOLIDAY-ISH

Most Holidayish

ODDEST PLACE

Oddest Place

MOST CREATIVE

Most Creative

OVERALL WINNERS

First Place

First Place

Second Place

Second Place

Third Place

Third Place

And the WINNER of the WikiTree Sweatshirt is….

WT

“I Am A Cousin” – Crystal Rafuse

Meet Cousin Crystal

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1. Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for work? Fun? Married? Kids? You get that idea.

I am a stay-at-home mother and full-time Accounting student from Rhode Island. I will have been married 2 years this Halloween, and my husband and I have one daughter, October (born in November, haha!). I have a cat, a dog, a guinea pig, and my daughter’s random fish who won’t die, and my husband calls our house “Animal Planet” for that reason. I love to sing, paint and craft, and am an avid reader (my Kindle currently has 253 books on my “to be read” list!).

2. Do you have a favorite ancestor? Who? Why?

My favorite ancestor that I have found thus far would have to be Charlemagne. Who doesn’t love being descended from French Aristocracy?

3. If you could be related to anyone in history, who would you want it to be and why?

Abraham Lincoln. I am fascinated by all things Civil War (and am currently looking for photos of my own soldier ancestors). What an amazing man he was! Or Mary Todd Lincoln, she was amazing! And so brave and strong, what a tragic couple they were, but so awesome! (Can you tell I’m a little fanatic?)

4. What are your thoughts on the Global Family Reunion? Will you be attending?

Funny enough, I just was mentioning taking a vacation that way, so we could actually attend the Reunion! I think it’s a fantastic idea, and since I grew up not knowing my father’s family at all, and hitting an early brick wall with my mother’s Polish/Russian/Austro-Hungarian line, I never really thought I’d have any luck with tracing my roots, so to know there are SO MANY cousins out there about to gather in one place? And that they’re all (in some way) connected to me? Truly an amazing idea! If I can help it at all, we’ll most definitely be attending!

5. Do you come from a big family? Small family? Do you guys have family reunions and do you have any good family reunion stories?

I come from a fairly isolated family, actually. As I stated above, my mother’s family is from somewhere in the Austro-Hungarian/Polish/Russian area that was just about wiped clean during WWII, so any information we could have gathered has died with my G-Grandmother, who came over to America in 1911(ish). And my Dad wasn’t a part of my life up until about three years ago, so I am just getting into the hang of having an extended family at all, really! But as far as family reunions go, I’m not that lucky (until the big one next year, of course!)

6. Favorite color? Favorite food? Left-handed or right-handed? Do you like to have breakfast for dinner? Favorite book? Movie? TV show? Song/band? Quote?

Favorite colors are purple, silver and sparkly (it IS a color, haha!), favorite food is cheese, I am right-handed, breakfast is an anytime food (and so are banana splits!), my favorite book of all time is Weaveworld by Clive Barker, movie is The Crow (I heart Brandon Lee!!), TV show would be a tie between Ghost Hunters (go RI!!) and Deadliest Catch (I am a reality show junkie!), favorite band of all time is Stabbing Westward (I grew up in the industrial 90’s haha!), and the song I want played at my funeral is “Silent Lucidity” by Queensryche. As far as a favorite quote, I think I would have to quote the great Jim Morrison when I say that “before I sink into the big sleep, I want to hear the scream of the butterfly.” Live for now, baby, because tomorrow’s not guaranteed, and today may be all you’ve got!

7. Do you have any funny quirks that you’ve inherited from your family?

I am OCD to a fault (just check out my alphabetized CD or DVD collection), and I tend to be quite ditzy (which is most definitely inherited straight from my Grandma!)

8. Do you know much about your family history? Where do your ancestors come from? Would you want to visit the lands they hail from?

I am only recently learning about my father’s side of the family. It’s funny, because he likes to tell people we are part Cherokee, but I have since learned that he is sooo wrong! We are so French, it’s not even funny! French Canadian, and straight back to France, all the way! And of course I would love to go to France, but I am going to start small (so to speak) and plan a trip to Quebec first!

9. If you could get AJ to invite one person to the Global Family Reunion, who would it be and why?

Hmm, that’s a good question! I would have to say Linda Lee Cadwell (Bruce Lee’s wife, and Brandon’s mother), and for two reasons: One is purely the fact that I could be in the room with the person who created Brandon Lee (sorry, fangirl moment again), and the second would be just to find out if she is, indeed a cousin in any way! How cool would that be?

10. AJ’s idea is that if the people of the world could see how interconnected we all are maybe we would be a little nicer to one another. What do you think about that?

I think it’s a great idea! I have made some great friends because of WikiTree.com and have found some new relatives that I otherwise would not have ever known. I am not saying I am any nicer to them, but I know them now (at least online), and that instantly makes me want to be nice to them, you know? I think if everyone knew that we all shared a connection, maybe there wouldn’t be so much hate in the world.

Okay, lastly, if you could share one message with your 7 billion cousins what would it be?

Love one another! Live every day like it’s your last! Get out there and FIND MORE COUSINS!!! ☺

“I Am A Cousin”: Lynn Coleman

I Am A Cousin……….don’t hold it against me!

IMG_0410My name is Lynn Coleman (nee Reilly). I was born in San Francisco, CA in 1950. I worked in the medical field for 25 years and retired from it. I have two children, one grandson and 3 granddogs. My husband and I have been together for over 40 years and we’re still talking! We are fortunate to live in a truly beautiful area of northern California.

Genealogy has become a favorite (addiction) I mean hobby of mine and with it, history. I spend time reading about the times some of my relatives lived through and areas they came from. It has helped me have more understanding and appreciation of where I came from and the life I am lucky to have.

As far as having a favorite ancestor well, I wouldn’t be able to pick one. My 7xgrandmother was a British citizen, being raised in New Hampshire and was kidnapped by Indians under the French command. She lived but, most of her family were killed. It was called the Oyster Bay Massacre. They took her to Quebec and was adopted by a French family.

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Image Credit: Wikipedia

If I could be related to anyone in history…I’m not sure who that would be. Would it be a sibling to Ben Franklin, sitting at the kitchen table trading bon mots? That is, if any of his cleverness had rubbed off on me. Maybe, Josephine Bakers sister/ backup dancer…seeing Paris in the 1920’s! Maybe, an artist and brother to the dean of admissions for the art school Adolf Hiltler had applied to and was turned down. I could convince my brother to let him into the school, rewrite history! Instead of an exceptionally horrible person to deal with, we would have just another mediocre artist! OK, that was a little convoluted…..how about, Albert Einsteins’ smart brother, the one with good hair!

No, I’m mostly kidding but, the premise of being able to affect a change not just witness history is a good one…(as long as we’re dreaming)!

I did not come from a large family and my folks are long passed. Recently I met a dna distant cousin and oddly enough we felt a real connection.

If AJ could invite anyone, I would be thrilled to see Michele and Barack Obama!

I love the concept of the Global Family Reunion. I have had my dna done. We really are all related. If we really grasped that maybe we could be more accepting of our differences.

I would like to attend and we are talking about it. We will have to see how 2015 unfolds. Aldous Huxley once said “in large crowds, I scarcely glimmer” but, since we’re all family we’ll all shine!

See you next June, Lynn

“I Am A Cousin”: Ron Norman

Meet Cousin Ron

Ron Norman - GFR

 1.    Tell us a little about yourself.  Where are you from? What do you do for work? Fun? Married? Kids? You get that idea.

I am a native Coloradan and would be lost without the Rocky Mountains (they are always in the West and act as my compass). I have been married to my wife, Christi (my high school sweetheart) for nine years and we have two daughters that are both in elementary school. I have been a nurse for ten years and have worked in the Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Department, Hospital Quality/Patient Safety and now work in an outpatient Dialysis Clinic.

 2.    Do you have a favorite ancestor? Who? Why?

I find all of my ancestors interesting, but I am partial to my great great grandfather, Erick Elliason/Norman (Norman-1078). Erick emigrated to Minnesota from Vilhelmina, Sweden in 1907 with his brother Isak to find a better life for their families. Both Isak and Erick ended up with the last name of Norman since they didn’t have a non-patronymic surname. Erick’s wife, Emerentia joined him the next year with their 4 children including my great-grandfather, Ernest Erick Norman. The middle name Erick has been passed down each generation to include me. We gave my youngest daughter the middle name Ericka to continue this tradition. If it wasn’t for Erick’s courage to make the move to America and his strong work ethic that he passed down, I doubt that my family and I would be here today.

Family in MN 2013 - GFR

 3.    If you could be related to anyone in history, who would you want it to be and why?

My wife and I think it would be interesting to be related to Gandhi as we both find his life inspiring.

 4.    What are your thoughts on the Global Family Reunion? Will you be attending?

I was excited to hear about AJ’s plan to hold the Global Family Reunion. I joined the project almost immediately and have enjoyed finding as many connections as possible. I would love to attend, but may have to check out one of the satellite locations as New York is a little far from here.

5.    Do you come from a big family? Small family? Do you guys have family reunions and do you have any good family reunion stories?

My parents had just me and my brother. My mother came from a family of three (she is a twin) and my father came from a family of 9 children (1 girl and 8 boys!). Holidays are always quite the gathering as many of my father’s siblings remain in Colorado. Also each year the Norman’s have a reunion in Minnesota which can gather quite the crowd. Last summer I took my wife and girls to Minnesota for the first time where we were able to visit some of my ancestors and I was able to discuss my grandmother’s family with her sister who has been involved in genealogy for some time.

 6.    Favorite color? Favorite food? Left-handed or right-handed? Do you like to have breakfast for dinner? Favorite book? Movie? TV show? Song/band? Quote?

Blue. Manicotti. I am a southpaw. Who doesn’t like brinner? As far as books, there are too many to pick one. The Princess Bride or Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Game of Thrones. Weird Al Yankovic. “I think one’s feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions which bring results.” Florence Nightingale

 7.    Do you have any funny quirks that you’ve inherited from your family?

I attribute my sense of humor to my family.

Normans2013 - GFR

 8.    Do you know much about your family history? Where do your ancestors come from? Would you want to visit the lands they hail from?

When I started my journey in genealogy, I only knew of my Swedish roots and that our last name was not Norman when my family was in Sweden. Past that, I had very little knowledge of where my family came from. Nearly two years later, I have connected myself to the Global Family Reunion and the worldwide tree.

My paternal grandfather’s line I have traced back to before 1800 and including my 8x great grandfather Johan Månsson (1661-1728) in Sweden. My paternal grandfather also has Dutch roots with the Doty’s.

My paternal grandmother’s family is also well researched and includes the Schamp’s and Vigne’s who were New Netherlands settlers (also the source of my connection to my cousin Teddy Roosevelt), the Reichert’s German immigrants in the 1800’s, The Rose’s who were Scottish settlers in New York in the 1600’s, the Handy’s/Handee’s/Hendee’s who were early residents of Connecticut in the 1600’s, the Jack’s who were also Scottish immigrants in the 1800’s in Wisconsin, the Kerr’s who were immigrants from Denmark in the 1800’s, and the Odell’s who were settlers of New York in the 1600’s from England.

My maternal grandfather’s family includes the Foiles’ who were in Virginia in the 1700s, the Cloninger’s who were in Maryland in the 1700s, the Wineland’s who settled in Pennsylvania from the Netherlands and Germany in the 1700s, the Strickland’s who were in Connecticut in the early 1700s. His mother’s family has been a bit more mysterious. Her father (my great great grandfather) Roy Johnson (Johnson-17066) was part Cherokee and was adopted by an outlaw named Emmett Dalton (Dalton-1719), otherwise his ancestry is a mystery.

I would love to travel outside of the US to visit many of the countries that my family hails from, especially Sweden as I feel the greatest connection there.

 9.    If you could get AJ to invite one person to the Global Family Reunion, who would it be and why?

I would love to see Sir Patrick Stewart there, I am a fan of his work and he seems like a fun guy. Also he could bring along his pal Sir Ian McKellen. This also would be fitting since I had uncovered AJ’s connection to the current British royal family.

 10.    AJ’s idea is that if the people of the world could see how interconnected we all are maybe we would be a little nicer to one another.  What do you think about that?

I absolutely agree with AJ’s thoughts on this. I know the more I look into the lives of my family and others, I find a deeper appreciation for their struggles and triumphs.

 11.    If you could share one message with your 7 billion cousins what would it be?

I suppose it would be to write on the back of your photos to save the future generations a great deal of headaches. I was reconnected with a photo of my 4x great grandparents because someone wrote on the back of the photo. I know of many “orphaned” photos out there that do not have the same happy ending.

“I Am A Cousin”: Angel Hundley

Meet Cousin Angel

Angel Hundley

Angel is our GFR Branch Party Liaison and we are thrilled to have her as part of our Team.  She is helping people coordinate their own local Branch Parties (satellite events) in conjunction with the Global Family Reunion that will take place in New York City! Stay tuned for more details on those soon.

1. Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do for work? Fun? Married? Kids? You get the idea.

I live in Huntsville, Alabama with my husband and our two incredible, creative daughters. My husband and I own two small businesses: A children’s franchise-The Little Gym of Huntsville and a small engineering firm-Zero Point Frontiers. Full disclosure, I mostly stick to leading the Serious Fun at our gym and let him worry about the rocket science. Divide and conquer you know…

2. What are your thoughts on the Global Family Reunion? Will you be attending?

My thoughts are that it is going to be the most awesome, epic party ever and that you all need to attend. If you can’t make the main party, look for a Branch Party near you. Or host a Branch Party near you. I can even help you with that…
And yes, I will be attending the main Reunion with my 15-year-old niece Allison. We might let some of our other family come too.

3. Favorite color? Favorite food? Left-handed or right-handed? Do you like to have breakfast for dinner? Favorite book? Movie? TV show? Song/band? Quote?

Green. Asian. Right-handed. No, I like to have dinner for breakfast. The Year of Living Biblically. LA Story. Doctor Who. U2. “Let’s face it, a frog without a sense of humor is a green lump.” -Kermit

4. If you could get AJ to invite one person to the Global Family Reunion, who would it be and why?

Joss Whedon. Definitely Joss Whedon. The Cabin in the Woods- best. movie. ending. ever. Deserves an invitation to our party for that effort alone.

Wait, no- Dolly Parton. I would LOVE to hang out with Dolly at a family reunion. Because she is Dolly Parton. No other explanation needed really.

So Dolly Parton or Joss Whedon. Or maybe I could impose on AJ to invite two people for me. I have been putting in a lot of volunteer hours on this project…

5. AJ’s idea is that if the people of the world could see how interconnected we all are maybe we would be a little nicer to one another. What do you think about that?

I’m not sure if it will make everyone nicer, but I hope it makes everyone feel a little more obligated to one another. For me, that’s what family is about ultimately. You help and support your family. Even when you don’t feel like being nice to them. Because they are your family. So I hope when people widen their circles of kinship, they will realize that we are all in this together. I’d like to see our global family have meaningful discussions about what responsibilities we have for one another. What does kinship really require? Since we are all connected, at what point do we need to act for/on others behalf? Even the others who might live on the opposite side of the world. If we don’t take care of our family, who will?

6. If you could share one message with your 7 billion cousins what would it be?

I would share these words by Wayne B. Arnason:
Take courage friends.
The way is often hard, the path is never clear,
and the stakes are very high.
Take courage.
For deep down, there is another truth:
you are not alone.

“I Am A Cousin” – Meet Michael Stills

Michael and AJ are 25 steps apart.
 
1. Tell us a bit about yourself.
Well the short answer I give online is Husband, Father, Son, Digital Explorer.  I am part of that “Sandwich” generation, caring for elderly parents and a 16 year old daughter.  What time I have left, I divide between my wife and myself.  
I dreamed of a career that was a cross between Lewis and Clark and Star Trek, exploring the unknown but with high tech  gadgets.  I was a National Park Ranger before I ended up with a career in Volunteer and Nonprofit Management mostly for outdoor and nature organizations. Recently I started a small business assisting members of my community, an extension of taking care of my parents. And I am dangerously addicted to Genealogy and I like puzzles. When I discovered WikiTree, I had to figure it out and in the process I got hooked.
2. What first interested you in the Global Family Reunion? Are you thinking of attending the shindig in New York next year? 
I think it was through reading the G2G feeds and the curiosity of it played into what I was doing at the time. I was tracking down relationships to the US Presidents.  I find that many famous figures have had their genealogy done for them, usually it is well done.  If I find a connection, often I can push back my own lines or better source them.  Over time I realized that it is not, “Who are we related to?” but “Where are we related?”. The themes of the project resonated with my own. I think that is what Global Family Reunion is built on and what WikiTree is excellent at finding.  Besides, everyone was having so much fun I had to check it out.
I wish I could attend the event in New York.  My wife is from New York so it would be a fun trip for us both.  But alas, my budget is small so the adventures have to be local.  Be sure to say hi to all my cousins for me though, ok?
3. What is an unexpected connection in the links between you and AJ?
Once you realize everyone is connected, finding the connection is not unexpected but it sure is fun. 
 
But what is really unexpected is that AJ’s passion for his project and his relative newness to genealogy has found an outlet that has the potential to be transformative.  It was not some big name genealogist that got the ball rolling but a relative newcomer.  That’s awesome! I feel like we have just explored the proverbial “tip of the iceberg.” It will be interesting to see how this grows until the reunion next year and then to see what comes of it in years to come. Is this just another project for AJ or will the genealogy bug grab him like it has for many of us?  In any event, more fun and adventure ahead.
4. Who are some notable people you were glad to be connected to in the big tree? 
Thomas Jefferson because he was a “Renaissance man”.  I wanted to say John Wayne because my mom is a big fan, but he isn’t connected to the Global Tree yet!
I also love my ancestors in the New Netherlands Project.  New Netherlands history is a sorely neglected part of American History.  Russell Shorto’s book, “Island and the Center of the World” was a great read and very enlightening. Connecting to the supposed pirate, Anthony Jansen Van Salee and his wife, “Manhattan’s first prostitute” is a lot of fun, if a bit suspect.  But I am very glad to be able to find connections to regular folks at WikiTree too!
5. If you get AJ to invite one person to the reunion, who would it be? Who are some other notable people you would like to see connected to the tree?
Me??, …wait, I am invited!
Hmm…I can not think of one person specifically so I am going to say, history teachers.
Once you truly realize that we are all related, then we are back to “Where are we related?”  We need to enlighten those who have not yet discovered this reality and the potential behind it.  Imagine teaching history from the perspective that, “We are all related.” Not as a general platitude, but as if we are teaching about our grandparents.  Genealogy has the potential to make the experience of history real and personal.  We say the words, “Forefathers” but we do not “feel” the words.  If our common understanding of history includes the idea that we are all related (and we know exactly how), how would our relationships in the world change?  If our children understood historical figures as personal ancestors, how might their understanding of history change?
6. Who is someone in your family tree the rest of us would be proud to call “Cousin”?
My first “discovery” was learning about my great grandfather, Smith Alexander Stills. He is my primary focus and I feel a personal connection to him. Even though he was just a farmer from a long line of Tennessee farmers, what little I have about him suggests he was a good man.
Another ancestor I could point you to would be Dr. Chauncey Lee Sheldon.  He served as Surgeon’s Mate during the War of 1812, was County Clerk in Warsaw, New York, where he was also their first doctor and druggist. As County Clerk, he authenticated a lot of Revolutionary War pension applications and was a pillar in his community. He lived a lot of American history, yet he died at the age of 44 after fathering 13 children, of which at least three died very young.

“I Am A Cousin” – Meet Matt!

by Eowyn Langholf

Hi Cousins!  I’d love to introduce you to cousin Matt.  He was nice enough to be my first victim volunteer to answer some questions so the world could get to know him a little better.   Without further ado, meet Matt:

Me: You’re 15.  When did you first get into researching your family history and what sparked your interest?

Matt:  As far as I can remember, I’ve always been into family history.  My earliest memory of it though is talking to my paternal grandfather about his maternal grandfather, Lee Ward Lindow.  I wouldn’t ask him questions, I would overhear things and write them down on random sheets of paper I had and I put them all in a black binder.  Even now I refer to that black binder and every time I look in there I see something I wrote down as a five year old which puts my puzzle pieces together even today!!!

Me: You have some big goals for your future!  Tell us about some of them.

Matt: Well, after high school, I’d like to go Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, majoring in Law and Theology, and minoring in Political Science.  I’d love to move to Kitty Hawk, NC and start my own law firm and my own church, and a genealogy firm on the side.  I’d love to coordinate a family reunion from the descendants of my maternal great-grandfather one day!

Me: Share with us an interesting story you’ve discovered about one of your ancestors.

Matt: My paternal great-great grandfather who I mentioned before was Lee W. Lindow.  His grandfather was a veteran of the United States Civil War named Frederick J. Lindow.  Frederick settled in North Collins, New York and built a lumber mill industry that was worth millions of dollars – in the 1930s, 40s, 50s, and 60s.  Later after Fred’s death, Lee’s uncle Raymond inherited the lumber mill but sold it before his death in 1969.  When he passed away, he must have given Lee’s sister Florence some of the money because when she died, also in the 1960s, she left a huge donation worth millions to a local church.  

Me: Do you have a favorite ancestor? Who? Why?

Matt: My absolute favorite ancestor would have to be Charles W. Goodier, Sr., my maternal great grandfather.  He passed away in November of 2013 after a battle of Alzheimer’s, so I never really got a chance to talk with him.  But after his death I learned about what an amazing life he had.  He served our country in the Air Force and in the process met the Queen Mother and married a model from Ohio, my great grandma Rita, who passed in 1976.  After his service, he became Mayor of Blasdell, New York, a small 1,000 person village outside of Buffalo and served one term, but he stayed very active in Village politics.  He has currently as of August 2014 157 descendants. 

John D. Rockefeller, Sr. (Image Credit: Wikipedia)

Me: If you could be related to anyone in history, who would you want it to be and why?

Matt: If I could be related to anyone in history, I would want to be related to John D. Rockefeller, Sr.  My reasoning for this is because he was a self made man who founded a dynasty of brilliant minded men who went on to become elected Government officials all over the country.  John Sr. lived my dream life!!!

Me: What are your thoughts about the Global Family Reunion?  Will you be attending?

Matt: I think AJ Jacobs is brilliant by coming up with this idea for a Global Family Reunion.  I think everyone is related, and if I had my way, the entire population of Earth would there!!! I will not be able to attend, BUT I plan on watching it live on your “Live Stream” option.

Me:  Do you come from a big family? Small family?   Do you guys have family reunions and do you have any good family reunion stories?

Matt: My paternal family is very small, and it’s like a reunion every holiday!!! There’s usually 7 of us. My paternal grandpa has many first cousins but he never really got the chance to actually meet them.  I have contacted one of them and according to her information, there are a lot more of my paternal family out there than I thought there was!!! On the other hand, my maternal family is gigantic.  My grandma has 47 first cousins, my mom has 39, and I have 25.  The numbers of first cousins are high like that all the way back until the 1600’s!!!  Most of those cousins had 1-10 kids.  That means there’s a lot of relatives out there!!!  Now, the descendants of my maternal great-great grandparents had one family reunion in Cincinnati but I did not go.  Even if I did, I would have been too young to remember. 

Me: Where have you found your ancestors come from?  Would you want to visit the lands they hail from?

Matt:On both sides of my family, my great grandpas’ families come from England and my great grandmas’ families come from Germany.  On my maternal side, in Sale, England, there is a road called Goodier Street after my great-great grandfather, Joseph Goodier, and I’d love to go there and see it!!!

Me: What sort of activities do you participate in at your school?

Matt: In school I stick to more academic extra curricular activities.  I’m the Vice President of the Class of 2017 and I am involved in numerous history related activities.  I’m looking I join the golf team this year…

Me: Favorite color? Favorite food? Left-handed or right-handed? Do you like to have breakfast for dinner? Favorite book? Movie? TV show? Song/band?

Matt: I’ve always liked the color blue, it’s like the only color I ever wear!!!  I’m right handed and I never really got into TV.  I’m one of those kids that read an encyclopedia and if I do watch TV I watch the History Channel or C-SPAN.  I really like classical orchestra / piano music.  I’m a pianist myself!

Me: Do you have any funny quirks that you’ve inherited from your family?

Matt:  Everyone in my family has a certain laugh.  It’s really hard to explain but it’s on my dad’s side. It follows us everywhere!!!

Me: If you could share one message with your 7 billion cousins what would it be?

Matt: My message to my 7 billion cousins would be that Adam and Eve started us out and that we should take time to get to know people better starting with the family that we know, such as first cousins or your siblings.  Treat everyone with severe kindness, because you don’t want your family to have a bad opinion of you! Always stay happy.

AJ and Matt connect through Henry Cook, Matt’s 12 great grandfather and one of the first settlers of Connecticut. 

(If you would like to be featured in an “I Am A Cousin” post please contact me at gfrcousincoordinator@gmail.com!) 

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