Learning My Roots

Since my senior year in high school, I have been wanting to learn more about my ancestry and find out as much as I can on the history that has lead to me. When I first started, all I did was go to Ancestry.com and sign-up for a free trial. During those fourteen days I did my grandmother's family as the base (because they were the only ones I could remember the details about) and went all the way back to Aquila Chase (my 11th great-grandfather), born in 1580 in England. At the time I didn't look much into the people in my tree, that is until this past week. 

Turns out the son of Aquila Chase, Aquila Chase Jr. (my 10th great-grandfather) was one of the first settlers in Newbury, MA. He was a mariner and is credited as the "first Pilot at the mouth of the Merrimack River." His life story is an interesting one!

Fast forward a few generations to Mary Jane Chase (my 3rd great-grandmother). From what I learned, I'm lucky to be here. She was arranged to marry Horace Leeman Hudson but wasn't too keen on the idea due to their age difference. Thankfully she went along with it for her parents wishes, at least that is how the story goes. 

And speaking of Horace Leeman Hudson, turns out he was a Union soldier during the Civil War. Reading through his records and other stories from the war has been quite eye opening. I remember learning about the Civil War in school but never thought I had any family that actually was apart of it.

All of what I have learned about my family has made me so proud to see how far my family has come, and this is just one branch! I cannot wait to see what the other branches have in store!