Ancestor Approved Award

I am pleasantly surprised and very appreciative of receiving the Ancestor Approved Award. The Ancestors Live Here blog began this award.  It was passed on to me by:

 Kelly of Family History Fun

Miriam of AnceStories
Dorene at Graveyard Rabbits of Sandusky Bay
Cheryl at Heritage Happens

The Ancestor Approved Award asks that the recipient list ten things you have learned about any of your ancestors that has surprised, humbled, or enlighted you and pass the award along to ten other bloggers who you feel are doing their ancestors proud.

Surprised

• My great grandfather, John Eugene Roos, established the Cheney Bakery in the young town of Cheney, Washington where my grandfather and father grew up.  I have many fond memories of the time our family spent there on visits during my childhood.
• My great great grandfather, Jean Nicolas Georger, had a saloon in Cheney called Nick's Place.
• My great grandmother, Hulda Haun Mitchell committed suicide in Tum Tum, Washington by throwing herself in the Spokane River when her youngest child was only 10 months old.
• The extended family who settled in Stillwater County, Montana during the late 1800's, is more extensive than I ever could have imagined and I am still discovering more.
• Andrew Jackson's wife, Rachel Donelson is my 1st cousin six times removed. 
• Daniel A. Robinson, my great great grandfather, was an early settler and community leader in Boulder, Colorado.  He continued service to his community when he moved to Columbus, Montana for the last few years of his life.

Humbled

• My grandfather, Richard Roos, served overseas during World War I.  He reported for duty just a few months after the death of his mother.
• Elizabeth Haun, my great great grandmother, emigrated from Germany with her husband and young family which included my great grandmother, Hulda Haun, who was just an infant.  That had to have been a challenging and difficult trip.

Enlightened

• There are so many ancestors in my tree who were farmers. They contributed to the settlement of our great country by moving west and making a living off the land.
• By the same token, there are also quite a few ancestors who were businessmen, leaders and contributors to their communities in a variety of ways.  This includes my parents.  I can't help but feel that they passed on a belief of and commitment to community service to each succeeding generation all the way down to my children.  I tip my hat to them.

There are many who, in my opinion, are incredibly deserving of this award, some of whom I see have already received it.  So I am going to attempt to pass it on to 10 who haven't yet received it.  Here goes:

1.   The Shy Genealogist
2.   Kinnexions
3.   Gene Notes
4.   Kick-Ass Genealogy
5.   Family Matters
6.   Keeper of the Records
7.   Gen Wish List
8.   Elyse's Genealogy Blog
9.   Greta's Genealogy Blog
10. A Tale of Two Ancestors

© 2010, copyright Michelle Goodrum