Introduction
For years, as I was growing up, I knew only of the six generations of Richeys who decided to make Southern Illinois their final destination for raising a family. Try as I might, I could never find out where they came from, or the stories associated with many of their ancestors. My family had plenty of folktales, and I spent as much time as I could with my Grandmother Richey, my Aunt Sara, and my Dad, so that I could find out who those people were in all the of the family photos that would eventually fall into my lap.
There are many ways to start the journey through time, to find out who our ancestors were, but nothing compares to the stories written about those who help make up our DNA. Speaking of DNA, there are many tests that one can take to tell you what part of the World your DNA comes from, but what they don't tell you are the names and stories of the people who lived their lives without the knowledge that you would ever come into being.
To me, the first six generations of your family history are the toughest to research. The further back in time you go, the better chance you have of discovering the research that somebody else has undertaken. I am a direct descendant of Eleanor of Aquitane, 25 generations removed. Born in 1122, she is the only woman in the history of the world to have been both the Queen of France and the Queen of England. There are probably 2 million people who can say the same as me. The further back in time you go, the larger the family tree becomes, and the more people you are related to. The chances are good that someone in your past has already done the work to enlighten you of your family's past.
In my years of research, I have found 4,573 people from my past. These are just the direct descendants that have contributed to my DNA. I haven't counted brothers, sisters, uncles, or aunts. This is just my direct relatives. My oldest relative was born in 715 AD. All of these people were born, lived, loved, and died.
Over the next few years, I will be traveling back to visit many of the places where my ancestors were from. My journey begins in the United Kingdom this Summer. During my travels, I will do my best to share information about my ancestors, the places where they lived, and the accomplishments that they achieved. I will also take this opportunity to visit historical sights, and places that have piqued my interest. I hope that you find enjoyment in my travels, and that you have a chance to share these bucket list trips as I go to places I have never been before. My travels begin on the 6th of July.
