Wordless Wednesday (sort of) - Autosomal DNA,cousins and me

In addition to testing my autosomal DNA at 23andme in their 'Relative Finder' and finding out my unknown paternal ethnic background I have had two REMARKABLE cousin matches.We each share a segment of a chromosome, part of a larger segment passed on by our Carrow ancestors all three of whom were siblings born between 1814 and 1830 in Duck Creek Delaware.

Family Tree DNA will also begin a similar testing program called 'Family Finder'. I have been a surname group administrator there for a few years.Instead of words today I will include links to what I am talking about. Carrows please join the Ancestry.com group! Also there is a Faunt, Rementer, Swanson and Norwegian group.

http://groups.ancestry.com/signup/respond.aspx?invid=AHgfBfwdUVd484DebDOSiQ

https://www.familytreedna.com/landing/family-finder.aspx

https://www.23andme.com/

A Treasure from Troms Norway

Bleak and bare in this woodcut, this view of Bjarkoy Troms Norway is from about 1000 AD. It represents a "Peasant Revolution" against the King of Norway King Olaf by the citizenry and in particular one Tore Hund.

Olaf ( also called St.Olaf ) was killed by Hund a native of Bjarkoy on July 29, 1030.I have not yet found Tore in my ancestor file, thank goodness, he looks a bit grumpy.

I am struck by the stark scenery although of course it is stylized.

Tombstone Tuesday - Sadie Kirwan Carrow

My father, mother and I spent hours one Saturday afternoon carrying a pot of geraniums looking for his Grandmother's grave at Old St.Joseph's in Swedesboro NJ.


Sadie adopted and raised my father her grandson and only grandchild after my Grandmother Elizabeth sent him back to Penns Grove from Baltimore MD when he was about 3.

She died during WWII and all Dad knew is that she was buried next to her mother and 'near the fence'. We were told the graves had 'sunk'. Dad always wanted to get her a headstone.

I was able to find Sadie's grave as well as her mother Lizzie Sweeney Kirwan who died when Sadie was about 3. I purchased her a headstone, poor dear soul. A Boy Scouts Eagle project had righted the graves leaving Lizzie's stone after 100 + years.She died in 1890.

Requiescat in pace et lux perpetua luceat, Sadie, Lizzie and baby Maggie

Norwegian Bygdebok, my cousins and Neil

I was able to determine through 23andME that my previously unknown grandfather was in fact my stepgrandfather Sigurd Boe a Norwegian sailor from Bjarkoy Troms Norway.

Norwegian records being astonishingly wonderful I was able to find his family of origin and later his extended paternal family in another Norwegian county. My closest Scandinavian matches at 23and me are both Norwegian but both have an adoption. They both have names and locations.

A wonderful man whose passion is the Bygdebok for Laerdal Sogn og Fjordane Norway sent me his work of art..5 books for Laerdal in a genealogical database that goes back to the 1600s. In that I was able to find the families of my 23andMe cousins and it indicates I am related to their family although distantly. A small miracle.

A definition: " Bygdebøker are basically local history books that contain a wealth of genealogy information. A bygdebok will generally cover a small community, perhaps one or two parishes".

I am amazed, thankful. and grateful. My heartfelt thanks to Neil and whatever ancestors guided our efforts to find one another.

Wordless Wednesday - Faces of America

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/facesofamerica/

Join me in front of your TV on this date. I discovered so much of my heritage via DNA that it almost is unbelievable.