Peanuts In My Pocket

I’ve been interested in genealogy since learning I may be related to the famous western lawman, Bat Masterson. Family legend said that many members of the Masterson clan were direct descendants. On the rare occasions I would visit my uncles, most had a photo of Bat on display. My curiosity pushed me to find the truth, so I started my genealogy journey with this mission. I learned early on that Bat did not have kids, so we were not his descendants. Determining if we were related to him is still a challenge. We may share a common ancestor. I’ve found potential links, but proof is hard to come by. It remains an open quest.

What is clear from my research into the Masterson family line is that my 8th great-grandfather immigrated from Ireland at some point after his birth in 1675 and the birth of his first child in 1706. I started looking into a new question about a decade ago: “Where did I come from?”

Ancestry.com DNA testing points to Scotland and Ireland, which makes sense since I’m about as ginger as they come, but when and how? This new question drives me to this day. Although I know about Thomas Edward Masterson (1675 – 1754) and his wife Mary Anne Lane (1688-1754), there are so many other ancestors to find. What many people don’t realize is that with each generation we move up the tree, the number of grandparents doubles. We start with four, but after eight generations, it’s 512. If your family has been in North America a long time, it’s a lifetime of work.

I have managed to find the origin of my grandparents’ lines:

• Masterson – Ireland about 1700
• Shelby – Wales 1735
• Gray – England about 1750
• Quinn – Ireland about 1750

So far, my earliest ancestor appears to be Roger Canterbury (1638 – 1677) of England. He was either born in Richmond, Virginia, or immigrated to Virginia between 1638 and 1650. I’m really confused by this line. Much of what is available is just other people’s guesswork. There is no consensus, and facts are hard to come by. His mother, Edithe Hilliard (1630 – 1710), may have been born in Norfolk, Massachusetts, in 1630.

As a retirement hobby, genealogy is a good match. It requires hours of focused and tedious research, which aligns nicely with lots of free time. Plus, it’s intellectually challenging. One must continually learn new techniques to keep up with technology and solve endless puzzles. I think it helps keep the mind active.

Do any of you share a love for genealogy? I’d love to hear your stories or read your blogs. Please comment below.