User:Cheryl

My ancestors came to southeastern Logan County, IL, almost all between 1821 and 1843, and conveniently they stayed. If you drew a circle with a radius of about 6 miles centered in rural Mt. Pulaski Township, where I started out, it would include virtually all of their burial places.

The maternal side of my family includes two unrelated Downing lines (update: DNA says they were related - a common ancestor about 1650), Lucas, two unrelated Harding lines, Clark, Wood, Ryan. The paternal side includes Rothwell, a different Wood, Scroggin, Buckles, Copeland, a different Lucas. These are just the main lines. With all of these people in a small location there are a lot of people I am related to in multiple ways.

There's a French Huguenot line that intermarried with some of the New Amsterdam Dutch after arrival in 1710. The rest are from the British Isles. Well, there's an Irish line which may beg to differ on that. On my maternal side the earliest arrival I have found is in 1629 in New England. In addition to the French Huguenots -- that line in my direct ancestry became Dutch Reformed, then Predestinarian Baptist, then (Reformation Movement) Christian -- there are several Quaker lines and some of the earliest Methodist ministers in the heartland. The Irish line was, of course, Catholic, when they arrived in 1831 [my "last in" ancestors] but my line soon joined the Christian Church. Other descendants became Mormons. Ecumenical to say the least. It may explain my fascination with the history of religion.

I am hopeful this project will turn up more information on any or all of my lines and I am looking forward to sharing information with others.

--Cheryl 19:42, 21 August 2007 (EDT)