Tag Archives: austria

I’m related to a snowball.

 

This probably doesn’t surprise most of you..

 

snowball-of-cuteness-W630

 

But perhaps I should explain.

A few years ago my girlfriend infected me with the genealogy bug, and let me tell you…. once you catch it? There is no cure.

Before I knew it I was wandering dusty old libraries and searching moth eaten town halls.

 

archives-are-closed-today

 

Yes, I’ve even stalked a few cemetery custodians.

They’re a font of valuable information.

 

162pl7

 

It’s fair to say I was obsessed for a while and spent hours, days, weeks, months way too much time climbing the old family tree.

Some lines are frustrating and dead end right away.

Other lines like my paternal grandmother’s, I traced back to the year 1134. It helps when you have someone famous… most of the work has been done for you.

One of my semi famous relatives?

 

Jabez B. Snowball

 

The Hon. Jabez B. Snowball.

Yes, dear old 2nd great Uncle Jabez.

Wikipedia page

Lumber baron and Lt. Governor of New Brunswick, Canada.

I actually found this among my father’s papers…

 

Jabez Bunting Snowball0001

 

Although I have no earthly idea who wrote it.

Genealogy is fun.

And fascinating.

And rewarding.

As well as incredibly frustrating.

 

asdfg

 

It’s also surprising.

Like when I started on my mother’s side of Austrian relatives…

And found Franz.

 

kovacs_franz_4__large

 

Damn. That’s disturbing…

Good thing he was only the father in law of my 1rst cousin twice removed.

Genealogy.

Ya never know who will fall out when you shake the family tree.