Germantown, Pennsylvania

Some years ago I became interested in my family history. Like so many new interests for me, it ran its course and I moved on. I had researched what early times I could locate for both sides of my family. There was more to find regarding my father's side than Mom's. Then I found a pocket dictionary published in 1904 that belonged to my great grandmother, Mrs. E.T. Roberts. The dictionary was one of many pocket dictionaries that her husband, my great grandfather bought to hand out to customers of his feed, seed, flour and coal store. The front cover was an ad, the back cover was an ad, and inside the back cover, another ad. He wanted to make sure they knew where they got this free dictionary.

The history of my father's side I traced back to the mid 1600's when the first Roberts hooked up with William Penn and took the Quaker craze from England to Pennsylvania. The first Roberts was land granted huge tracts of land to the west of Philadelphia. 

Harsh times befell many of the Quakers before and during the Revolutionary war because of their no violence, we are peace freaks, and will not join you war types. My great, great, great grandfather was hanged for supposed treasonous collusion with the Red Coats. It was odd though. About fifteen years later the Feds gave back some of the seized properties and a annual pension to his widow with a letter apologizing for the mistake. You can read about it Here, and then again Here.. Two differing versions. The fog of war always hides the real truth.

The history I could find on Mom's side started in New England around 1840 or so when a great great grandfather hurriedly left the area under a suspicious cloud of some kind. He ended up in San Francisco and became one of the original "49ers", the nickname given to the early settlers out in the San Francisco area. He became a ship's chandler and ships carver. I have a table carved by him . A ship figurehead he carved that I thought was in the San Francisco Maritime Museum, actually ended up gracing a garden in New Jersey.( Read about that here)

So, it appears that I have long established roots in Pennsylvania; the Germantown area being Ground Zero. I would love to swing by before I croak to check out what still remains of any family connections. I know a house owned by a great, great grandfather is still standing and there are various family graves scattered over southern Pennsylvania. Maybe it is time to actually lay eyes on them.

And it is possible that I am related to the asshole who sold my father the house I live in now. His last name was Lovejoy. My great great grandfather Lovejoy was chased out of this part of New England back in Mid 19th century. I do not care if I am related to the Lovejoy who sold my family this house in the mid - 1960s. He was a class A jerk.

So there it is, another effort to demystify my ancestral past. I do not have proof of much of it, but with the proof I do have, the assumptions made cannot be too far off.

Keep it 'tween the ditches ..............................

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After another frustrating search for an appropriate tune, at the last moment before I just picked a song from my favorites, I stumbled on "Family Tree", by the Crisptones. I have never heard of the Crisptones. It seems I have never heard of many bands. The tune and voice reminds me of James Taylor. Very nice song. Volume? Well for once, loud would be too much I think. Moderate to soft; it's that kind of song.