Where do I come From?

I have had a fascinating morning playing in the family tree. I found some new records for some of the ghosts in my father's branch. I have traced my father's Shirley Roots back to an immigrant named James Shirley, born in 1649. I can't find if he was born in Scotland and went to Ireland to Escape the religious persecution in England or maybe it was his grand parents who left the UK for greener pastures. My Shirley ancestors were strict Puritans, (which if they saw the family now they would be horrified), but must have relaxed a little after a couple hundred years. Now they are a good mix in the Eastern United States.

My father's Mom was from a marriage of Parkers & Westervelts. It's the Westervelts that surprised me this morning. I found a Baptismal record for one of the Westervelt men, who was Christened 19 May 1754 in the Dutch Reformed Church, Schraalenburg, Bergen, New Jersey. I'm not saying that Westervelt is Dutch but I'm thinking it might be.   Gerred Westervelt & Marijtie Brouwer Westervelt's daughter, Dirkie Westervelt was Christened in that same church in 1750. There has to be a good sized population of either Dutch or German citizens in the area of Bergen & Hackensack, New Jersey. I'm still searching. It's a never ending process. One ghost leads to another ghost and more records are to be found.

And I found a record that proves one of the Westervelts fought in the Revolution in 1776. Good for them. I've served 20 years and my father served in Germany during the final days of that nasty war. He got to ride into parts of Germany in a tank! Which I think would be a great experience. I was in the Navy but they didn't allow me on any of the ships. I had the important job of doing the tons of paperwork involved in getting the ships under way, or typing the evaluations of my fellow sailors.

Enough about the ghosts.  here's a picture I made last night of my youngest daughter in 1971 or so when we lived on Guam. She's a cutie.

This second page is my handsome Grandson David in the fall of 2001. This is one of his Graduation pics and his beloved dog Howard. I still have some editing to do before I send it to him but it's good for here.

Everyone have a great day and God Bless you.