More family mystery to unravel...

Received a nice, long e-mail from my first cousin

More info came out about my birth father...but it's info I had an inkling of a long time ago.

My first cousin, Debra, doesn't know much about my birth father, but she did mention a few things: he was a lawyer, he was a jerk to my mom (this much I knew because it's why she left him), and he was a witness in a murder trial.

My cousin found it interesting that I have an interest in forensic psychology and said it does make sense given that my father was a lawyer. Like Debra, I do believe many things are encoded into one's DNA, and those things get passed down to future generations. In fact, there have been recent studies on that very subject.

I'm pretty sure I know which trial, because for a small town of fewer than 5,000 people, it was a BIG DEAL. If I'm correct, the trial had to do with a music teacher who was murdered back in the 1960s...mainly because she was a lesbian and that was the reason why she was murdered (how awful is that?!).

If I'm right, my birth father was a witness in that trial. I'll need to confirm that by researching, but I am betting that was the trial she was referring to.

When I first mentioned to my adopted mom, Shirley, that I wanted to find out more about who my birth mother and father were, she strongly advised against it, telling me there were things I might find out that I wouldn't want to know. She used the term 'bad blood,' matter of fact. Naturally, this only intrigued me more.

So, in 1999, it took me all of two weeks to locate my birth mother and birth brothers, and then I began asking questions, trying to piece together who my birth father was and everything about who I was and where I came from. It's been a long journey and it's not over yet, but I'm not giving up. There are more mysteries and unknowns to be solved.

Szeretlek means...

Szeretlek means "I love you" in Hungarian ;-)

Paul is German, Hungarian, and...not sure what else until we do his DNA ancestry test (it may be a while, for obvious reasons). Anyway, when we got married, our talented seamstress, Mari, used Hungarian lace in my dress. 

It's also fortunate that I've always loved paprika, since it's used a lot in Hungarian food. Speaking of which, I LOVE Chicken Paprikash and methinks it's past time to make it again.

But I digress...

I want to take Paul to Europe so he can visit the places where his ancestors came from, including Germany and Hungary. I've found records online showing his great grandparents, Janos (John) Krupla and Zsofia(Sophie) Nagy, were in Bremen, Germany, and they immigrated to the US, arriving in New York City.

Paul has very little info on his birth father, but we know his name was Bill Sykes and he was from the Cleveland, OH area. I am hoping a DNA ancestry test will help him fill in some of the gaps like it did for me.

Paul's birth name was supposed to be Eric Sykes, by the way. Far as I can tell, it's possible that Sykes can be traced to Yorkshire, England. But as I said, we can't pin more down in a definitive way until we get his DNA test done -- hopefully in the near future.

So, in another world and at another time, I would be Star Ferris and Paul would be Eric Sykes. Those were our intended birth names (my birth mother still calls me Star, not Bev). How weird would it be to know us not as Paul & Bev Sninchak, but Eric & Star Sykes? Wouldn't that be strange?!

[Genealogy] Connecting with another cousin

Just made contact with a 3rd or 4th cousin on my birth mother's side, thanks to 23andme. His 7th great-grandfather was Ellis Hughes, who came from Wales. He is also related to the Rays, as I am.

My great-grandmother, Lucy Anetta Ray, is related to William S. Ray. My great-grandmother was Tuckahoe Cherokee, according to Norma Ellis, the family historian/genealogist.

Need to pull out the info my brother, Jan, sent to me years ago as a birthday gift (it was the most important birthday gift anyone's ever given me--I'm so appreciative of him doing that!). Can't remember off the top of my head and haven't memorized nine generations of info on that side of the family, lol. But I'll check into it over the next few days when I get more time.

Edward (the cousin I connected with) has done some technical writing, but said it didn't come easy to him. He doesn't know anyone else in the family who writes. However, my birth mother, Fay, used to write song lyrics and performed/sang when she was younger.

Malcolm Gladwell (bestselling author of The Tipping Point, Outliers, and other books) is a DNA relative along my birth father's (paternal) line. So there's at least one writer/author from that side of the family tree.

I believe a propensity for writing, painting, music, and other types of creativity/artistry may have a genetic component. I'd like to see if that holds true for either side of my family tree. My son works as a technical writer and has a BFA in Dramatic Writing. My daughter is also a natural scribe, though hardly anyone knows that, save for me, Paul, & Jon.

Welsh dreams...

Paul is watching "Penny Dreadful." Timothy Dalton is in the series and I melt every damned time I see him in anything, pretty much. *sigh* Plus, he's Welsh.

In the copy of the genealogical papers I have from the family historian on my birth mother's side, my 9th generation ancestors, William Hughes and (Mary) Molly Daten, married in Surrey, England. Molly Daten was born in Wales and lived to be 87. They had six children: Mary Hughes (1748-1810), Susannah Hughes (1767-1834), Rebecca Hughes (1769-Unknown), Elizabeth Hughes (1774-1870), Moses Hughes (1774-1841), and Milburn Hughes (1776-1867).

I have Scottish ancestors as well (Clan Fergusson and Clan MacNeil of Barra), but I haven't spent as much time investigating my Welsh, Irish, and Northern European ancestry.

After having my DNA test done, there are so many parts that make up the whole. I love this stuff!

Perhaps when I go back to the UK, I can visit Wales and see my friends Gareth Tamplin and Robin James Ganderton.