Life's story

It's actually quite clear - The first wife of Dad had been married before to a man who already had a daughter ("first wife's first husband") This daughter was a step daughter to the first wife while she was married to the first husband.

This daughter was not a step daughter any more after her father (the first husband) was out of the picture. First wife lost a husband and a step-daughter.

The first wife eventually married Dad, but daughter was not related to first wife any more, so she wasn't related to Dad.

Somewhere along the line, Dad had a second wife (who was, we hope, not related to anyone in this story).

This daughter eventually became the 3rd wife.

This reminds me of a recent sports article about local high school football players who, the article said, were 5th cousins. An analysis of the article revealed that they were 2nd cousins once removed.

-- Teresa in Colorado snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net

Wow! Reminds me of a wedding announcement in the local paper

Susie is marrying Bobby.

Susie is the daughter of Mary Smith, Joe Jones and his new wife Sally Jones.

Bobby is the son of Bill Adams, Sally Jones and her new husband Joe Jones.

I wondered if they grew up together or if they met later though their parents or what. Wondered if the grandkids would be equally confused one day.

marcella

My parents lived down the street from a woman who married a man, divorced him, and then married his brother. She had 2 children by each man.

Were the kids siblings or cousins?

Since they all lived with Mom, they were half-sibs.

Also - I didn't know this but read it in a book. If a set of identical twin girls marries a set of identical twin boys, and they each have a child - genetically, the children are siblings - even though legally, they are cousins. They come form the exact same gene pool.

Merry Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once

Waaaay too bizarre for me to think about!

My sisters are identical twins...I always get a kick out the fact that their kids are genetical half-siblings. One set of kids is fair - blond haired and blue eyed, while the other set of kids is dark - black hair and brown eyes. One sister married a blue eyed, blond american. The other married a man from India.

One of my nephews looks a lot like my son; what is really interesting is that a lot of their facial expressions are alike. Of course, neither of them want to hear this...

lisae

My mother. She deserved better.

We could have a Match, if I could remember important stuff like that. The last time I checked with the (half-)sister-who-counts-offspring, my dad had nearly 100 descendents. That was at least 25 years ago. In this day of divorce, there may be as many step- as blood-kids in the family. (I am the youngest kid, #9; I have NO kids.)

My nephew and my son have such similar facial expressions, body language and just plain personalities that my sister and I just shake our heads. They are

6 years apart. I babysat daily for my nephew when he was 5, so I got to know him pretty well. When my son got to be 5, it was really scary to see my nephew again in my son. It always felt like deja vu.

Stories like this make me think that genetic tendancy are more important than enviroment in determining temperments and personalitites. And the advantage is that I can always blame my parents for my faults... :-)

lisae

Sure, I'll be glad to offer what advice I can!

So, what do you have in 1854, and what are you trying to find out? Inquiring minds want to know!

Neal Baker Vann was born in 1854 and I need to get his father/grandfather/etc....

DH's family is trying to trace their Cherokee ancestry back to Chief Vann...1854 is as far back as they have gotten. DH says that Neal Bakers Vann's father is named Edmond.....but that is all the info that i have right now.

Larisa

Kathy Applebaum wrote:

This reminds me of a guy I once worked with during my mercifully short stint as an advertising saleswoman. Jack was the best salesman you ever met. If there had been any Eskimos in Corpus Christi, he would have sold them refrigerators. Unfortunately, after signing a client, he kind of let him/her dangle with no service to the account. Result? Clients left and went with other agencies. When I found out that his 7th wife was also his first, second, third, fourth, fifth, AND sixth, I was not at all surprised -- except that she kept falling for the same line of BS.

Nell in Austin

Many large cities have genealogical libraries in one branch or another, staffed by volunteer Mormons. The help is free, although they do charge a minimal amount for the forms. I know there are websites to help people research ancestors. From time to time my DH goes online asking something like, "Looking for information on Arphaxad or Arphaxton Dawson, born in 1820 in Williamson County, IL." Sometimes he gets a reply the next week; sometimes it doesn't come for a month or two -- or never.

Nell in Austin

Do you know where he was born? Where/when he died? Where/when he bought/sold property? Whom he married? When, where she (they if more than one --high mortality rate for women then) was born, died? Names, dates of children, place(s) they were born? I know there are specific genealogy websites for African-Americans. It stands to reason there are others for Native Americans. While they are still around, visit, phone, or write the oldest family members and ask them for all info on parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren. Write it down immediately; don't depend on memory alone. Warning: Genealogy is addictive.

Nell in Austin

I have some information on Neal Baker, but not his father.......we have everyone from Nal Baker Vann on down to the latest generation (my son, nieces, nephews, etc.). I suppose what i need to do is try and find books and websites specifically on Cherokee genealogy and go from there, huh?

Larisa, who can answer most of your questi> Do you know where he was born? Where/when he died? Where/when he