I am mildly obsessed with family history. I think the stories of what my ancestors suffered (whether coming across the plains to escape relgious persecution with the Mormon pioneers, or narrowly escaping a genocide in Armenia, or simply running away from home as a teenager to start a new and better life in America) allow me to better appreciate the blessings in my life today. I'm fascinated at the way their individual stories intertwine, and one of the many results is me.
I spent the night with one of my best friends in Draper and she was working on a talk about pioneers (she's speaking in Church today) so she had all her family stories around and we were trying to find anecdotes about her ancestors' involvement with the pioneers. I noticed my last name mixed in there, more than once, and we realized that we're related! Six generations back, in 1790 in Maryland, a man named Jacob Cloward was born. Two of Jacob's sons, Jacob and Thomas, eventually ended up in Utah. Jacob is my great-great-great-grandfather. Thomas is Melina's. I'm not really sure what that would make our relationship, other than distant cousins, but who cares - we're related!
What are the odds of me becoming friends with a family member? Ok, well, it is Utah, and there are more Clowards here than I ever thought was possible, but still. I love the fact that one of my best friends is actually family.
2 comments:
That's a really cool stroy Janessa, I really need to work on finding more info on my family. I have one pioneer story that is really good though, now I just need to find more.
Okay so I texted you last night to tell u something and realized that sOMEHOW your number was replaced with JEff Hick's number. DONT ASK. SO all those texts I've been sending you have been going to him. Which, is really weird and especially wierd considering he thinks they were all meant fo rhim. Haha Anyway. I need your email and phone number updated.....miss you!
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