What is your most disappointing ancestor?

[Phoenix]

The Follenfants aren't strictly mine. A great aunt's husband was descended, on the female side.

But I have a feeling of attachment: I was given my great aunt's husband's grandmother's tape measure.

She was a French sempstress.

Hmm.

I have no doubt there were French roots. I suspect they may have been Hugenots. But right back into the eighteenth century the family were firmly based in London. Not even the hint of unusual first names.

Anyone else similarly disappointed with reality? ;)

[maggie_4_7]

Are you sure she wasn't a French Temptress- you have to ask yourself has it been transcribed properly :D :D :D

[Phoenix]

lol, lol, lol!

That was what my great aunt told me, not a mistranscription.

Reminds me of the time I was at a family history conference and an elderly man peered hard at my chest, and then said disappointedly "I thought your name label" (it was in gothic script) "said French Hostess"

[maggie_4_7]

lol, lol, lol!

That was what my great aunt told me, not a mistranscription.

Reminds me of the time I was at a family history conference and an elderly man peered hard at my chest, and then said disappointedly "I thought your name label" (it was in gothic script) "said French Hostess"

I don't think he was looking at your label Brenda!

:D

[Phoenix]

:d:d:d

[Olde Crone]

Aside from all the Lawyers who turned out to be Sawyers on closer inspection, my most recent disappointment is finding that the middle name of Seymour (we are related to THE Seymours, you know) is a nod towards a baptismal sponsor Seymour Mead, the Lancashire grocer, pmsl and not Jane Seymour after all.

OC

[marquette]

MY most disappointing ancestor (well, I am still trying to prove he is my first cousin 5 times removed, but thats another story) has to be MASTERS LINN (1787-1827).

Masters, a qualified Bricklayer from Brighthelmstone Sussex, from a well-regarded family apparently, was convicted at the age of 30 of larceny and transported to the colony of New South Wales.

So did he accept his fate and try to build a new life'? He could have done well as tradesmen were in short supply in the early years, (think Francis Greenway, John Cadman, Henry Kable, James Ruse - all convicts made good), made a good living, had a family.

But no, he "absconded", was drunk in church, stole things, lied and was eventually sent to Sarah Island in Macquarie Harbour, Van Diemans Land, one of the most notorious penal colonies of all. Even there, he stole tea from the pharmacy and lied about it, ending up with 100 lashes punishment in April 1827.

The last notation on his record is "Died at Macquarie Harbour".

[Merry]

I've too many disappointing ones to contemplate, but OH's most disappointing ancestor was his 3xg-grandfather who was probably in his coffin on the kitchen table when the enumerator called to take the 1841 census (he'd died the day before and was buried on the Tues after). For several years this let to disputes amongst researchers about his birth county. All resolved now, but originally most inconvenient!

[Kit]

My 2 (or 3)great grandfather. He had 2 daughters in India, the mother when I finally found anything was an Indian. He ended up marrying a British woman (who had to know of my great grandma as her baptism was after the marriage) and returning to England but as far as I can tell he just left the 2 girls there. My great grandma married and had a long (and hopefully happy) life but I have no idea what happened to her sister.

[vita]

Marquette - how could you possibly be disappointed with Masters? OK, so he was a no

good bum (sorry!)who wouldn't know honesty if it hit him in the face, but a disgraceful

character like that is so interesting. At least he was never boring.

[marquette]

Hi Vita, No he was not boring, it was just disappointing that he could not accept his fate and make a good life out here. Its also disappointing that I cannot prove the link to my LINN ancestor !

OH's most disappointing ancestor, is the whole family whose cause of deaths all seem to be "Brights Disease"or Delirum tremens - they seem to have had promising lives ruined by the "demon drink".

[vita]

Hi Marquette - some people are just not cut out for success, are they?

I'm wondering if the dd is the reason g' grandfather lost the family business "due to his

own neglect," so I suppose you could say he's my biggest disappointment as I haven't

been able to confirm this. Fascinating stuff though,isn't it?

[Kit]

Disappointed may not be the right word, as opposed to annoyed. I'd love to trace my 4g grandfather back to England. He was a convict but appears to have arrived on Earth, immediately committed a crime and been transported downunder. He is my most interesting ancestor and I'd love to see what happened to his parents etc

[Nell]

My great-great grandfather, imaginatively named William Williams. He has 5 different birthplaces (all plausible) on 5 different censuses. He also refuses to die or be buried anywhere.