Just Found An American War Hero On My Family Tree!

[mawnansmiff]

Major General Alan Giles Sharp married my 6th cousin Gloria Lillian Steffensen 20 Mar 1951. My connection to Gloria is through her Baker family line that originated in Nottinghamshire, England.

Gloria & Alan had four children, all I believe to be still living.

Alan G. Sharp - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

This comes as I'm reading a fascinating book about a British relative who was also a war hero and allegedly the man who Ian Fleming (they worked together) based James Bond on!

Alan Hillgarth - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Regards,

Jay.

 

[ron123]

That's a cool family tie-in...wish I was related to 007.
I've wondered why there isn't the James Bond fanaticism in proportion to what we see surrounding Sherlock Holmes.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"I've wondered why there isn't the James Bond fanaticism in proportion to what we see surrounding Sherlock Holmes."

Perhaps it's a pipe thing?

Regards,

Jay.

 

[BROBS]

That's a cool family tie-in...wish I was related to 007.
I've wondered why there isn't the James Bond fanaticism in proportion to what we see surrounding Sherlock Holmes.

There is! Go to Waltherforum.

 

[mso489]

My family was/is made up of good hard-working middle class folks, but they were quite ancestry proud, and among the treasured predecessors were Colonel Prescott of Bunker Hill fame who said, "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes." We are also are related to Roger Williams, not the contemporary pianist but the founder of Rhode Island. A lot of the previous generations led extremely interesting lives but I have to learn about them through family stories since they didn't generate any fame.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"My family was/is made up of good hard-working middle class folks"

Tom, of the 75,000+ folks in my tree I have everything from waistrells living in the workhouse to the current Marquess of Bath (he of Longleat).

Most however were traditional working folks.

Regards,

Jay.

 

[augiebd]

I have traced my family history to some significant pioneers in both the US and Canada. There is quite a bit of documentation of the role these individuals have played but I don’t have a connection to a single living person who has much knowledge or interest in this history. It is a little sad to me. There are individuals who are somewhat distantly related to me who are interested that I might be able to connect with in the future.

 

[mso489]

Sometimes the paid obits on "ordinary folks" are more surprising and impressive than the big news story obits on celebrated people. Celebrity's no measure. It's a trait of humanity to mostly have little interest in history until you are over fifty or sixty years of age and realize you are now part of history, and destined to be, even if anonymously. It's probably just an attribute of my imagination, but I certainly feel the presence of previous generations in places they have lived and traveled.

 

[mso489]

mawn, wow,General Sharp is still around!

 

[warren]

Two entirely different genres, Bond v. Holmes. Plus Bond is pure fantasy. Holmes, on the other hand is well written mystery, no explosions, car chases, sex, etc. One is pure escapism. The other is more believeable and there is the mystery to solve. None of that in Bond books.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"mawn, wow,General Sharp is still around!"

Tom, alas not, I think he died 2016 but my PC is switched off right now so can't check.

Regards,

Jay.

 

[prndl]

One of my great aunts compiled the family tree decades ago. I remember poring over it as a child.

For years after, I thought "A.K.A." was part of the family name.

 

[anotherbob]

man the weird part of doing the whole genealogy thing is you find out that you can't swing a stick without hitting some distant relative. Like oh I got several thousand fifth cousins.
Still cool to find someone interesting or notable though.

 

[mawnansmiff]

"man the weird part of doing the whole genealogy thing is you find out that you can't swing a stick without hitting some distant relative."

Of course when one thinks about it we all have 2 parents, 4 grandparents, 8 great grandparents.....and so it goes exponentially.

Therefore, somewhere down the line we are all related to each other....no matter how unpleasant that might sound

Regards,

Jay.

 

[adui]

That's pretty cool!! Is it wrong that my first thought was to post a smart alec comment like, "Well did you help the old boy down from the tree or leave him stuck up there?"

 

[mikethompson]

I found an owl on my family tree once but it flew away.