Do any of you have true homesteading ancestors in your history, where you know they came and conquered new land?

I was thinking of this question, because my great Grandmother, great grandfather and great uncle (granddad's brother), all came over from the old country (England). They purchased a section of land and built a home, of which I spent many days in. I didn't meet my ggf because he died before I was born, but granny and uncle continued to homestead for years. It was only in their later years, they moved into a small town of 9,000 people.

I loved going to their home, where they had a woodstove, and very little else. I remember the couch and remembered sitting on it, spending hours with my great grandmother. I only wish now I would have written her story down.

They built their land up to a full scale farm in later years and my grannie's sun now owns it and has recently passed it down to his son. My uncle (grannie's son) built a newer home on the land when I was around 10.

Any homesteading ancestors in your history? How about sharing about their lives.

CJ~
This is a good topic....I'm anxious to hear other posters stories!

I'm not sure if this counts....my relatives must have come across the ocean way farther back than we have record of! This is what we DO have record of though. In 1855, my great great grandfather moved from southern Michigan and bought the 40 acre tract of land across the road from where we live (mid Michigan). In 1888, my great grandfather bought the 60 acre parcel that we now own and lived here with his wife and 2 children. He died young (41) of pneumonia, leaving my great grandmother widowed with 2 young children and a crop to get in at the age of 38. (By comparison, I sure live a cushy life.) She eventually moved into town and her son (my grandpa) took over the farm. Many years later, when his wife (my grandma) passed away, she left the farm to my mom and then DH and I bought the farm from her in 1992.

There have been some sad times here. My great grandfather dying of pneumonia at such a young age, my mother's first husband was killed in our barn in a tractor accident, and my uncle had a heart attack and died in front of our barn. But in that amount of time, there are bound to be sad stories in anyone's history. Ours have all just happened to take place right in the same spot! On the property deed that we now have, it goes back to 1835 (if I remember right) and shows this parcel when it was bought from the United States Government (there was one owner before my great great grandfather). I think that is just awesome - imagine - back in the old days when a great deal of the land was not owned by individuals, but the government. The property deed is so neat to look at...the old style writing with quill pens - all the information about the circumstances of the sales everytime the property changed hands. (One interesting thing was my great grandma had to petition the courts to be able to harvest their own crops and sell them because everything was in her husband's name - and winter was fast approaching!)

Recently, a cousin of my mom's called me and said she found a picture she thought I might like to have - she found it behind another picture in a frame. Turns out this picture is a hand-drawn charcoal portrait of my great great grandfather, done around the 1850's before photography was invented. He would have been in his late 20's when it was drawn. What's remarkable is that we have a photograph of my grandfather (2 generations later) when he was about that same age and the pictures are almost identical. The hair, the eyes, the tall forehead. Talk about strong genetics! I took the portrait to a frame shop and had it put into an old oval tiger-striped bowed glass frame. It's a real treasure that I will always feel lucky to have been given and it hangs in our front hallway. As far as I know, it's the only picture of him that exists. He and his wife, my great grandfather, and my grandparents are all buried just a mile away, and when you stand at the back of this cemetary, you can see our farm. DH and I have decided we both want to be buried there someday too...just so we can keep an eye on things!!! (Hee hee!!)

What a wonderful history you have Farmgirl.

My mom had so much history written down, but when my dad passed away, she threw it away without telling me. :yikes: Now she is too sick to be able to share my great grannie's story with me. She had all the dates when she came over from the old country she use to call it, all the dates when she was married, when grandpa died and relatives that still live in England. Its all gone!!! :yikes:

I remember grannie telling me about the beavers that were on her land. She was petrified of them and had never seen them when she was in England. Grandpa would have to chase them off their land before she would step foot off the wagon. She thought they might eat her. Funny, right up until she died (33 years ago), she was frightened by beavers.

Sshe was also petrified of lightening bugs. When she seen a mouse running through her home, she'd jump up on the table and scream until my great uncle would come running.

I'm sure that her son has much to talk about, but they live so far away and I seldom see him. Maybe I should write him and ask questions.

Oh to have the papers from her homestead.

I've done a search on my dad's parents and the homestead they were on, but again most of the information is lost. They came from Quebec and even my great grandmother on my dad's side came from Quebec. Oh someday to find out all the information I'd love to have.

CJ,
I bet you could cry to have all that information lost! :( Is there a historical society in the area where your ancestors came from? I was amazed recently when I went to our county historical society and learned that they have information waaaay back on EVERYBODY! I never realized that they researched and cataloged so much information. And now everything is on computer so with the touch of a button they can hand you all sorts of information.

The story about your granny being afraid of beavers is funny. I guess they are pretty scary looking - especially to never have seen one before! Even if you can't track down dates and birthplaces and such, write down what you do know and can remember. And while you have older relatives still alive, ask questions!!! My father passed away this summer and I could kick myself to have not written more things down. He told us so many things about his growing up years, and when they are alive you take for granted you can always ask them again if you forget the details of a certain story. No more asking now, and I need to get busy and start writing down what I can remember. My memory gets worse every year, so it's something I need to do...and soon!

I hope you're able to get some of that information back .... somehow! What a shame to have it lost!