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Archiver > ONTARIO > 2002-05 > 1022544572


From: "gilchrists" <>
Subject: [Ont] Seven generations of personal knowledge - is this that rare?
Date: Mon, 27 May 2002 20:14:14 -0400


In a recent communication with another searcher on these lists, I just realized that maybe my mother is maybe even more special and unique than I give her credit for.

It is one of those cases that I have always assumed everyone else had a similar story, but now having begun to ask around, I am finding out how wrong that assumption is.

Here is the story: My rather youthful librarian mother has first hand personal knowledge and stories of SEVEN generations of her family, all of whom have lived, died and or been born in Toronto in less than 65 years.

Her sister is a great great grandmother (which give us the five generations - which happened in 72 years!) and then my mom and her sister knew their mother (which makes six), and they both knew their mother's mother (which makes the seven generations).

My mom is therefore currently a great, great, great aunt, and should easily see the next one or two generations on top of that!

Also Mom and her sister had an uncle alive until recently and he was the great, great, great, great uncle.

I should also point out that is not our family tradition to use the term "grand aunt" as it might be in some other family's.

So, can anyone else provide a similiar example of at least seven generations, can anyone go for eight?

For those interested in the math of the knowledge of the seven generations:
The first generation died in 1938 (my aunt was aged 20 at the time, and my mother was much younger - and they both still have toys and jewelry given to them by their grandmother).
The second generation (my mother and my aunt's mother) died in 1979.
The third generation (my aunt) was born in 1918.
Her son, the fourth generation was born in 1937.
His daughter, the fifth generation was born in 1956.
Her daughter, the sixth generation was born in 1973.
and her daughter, the seventh generation was born in 1991.

It is also interesting to note that including the grandsons-in-law, and grand-daughters-in-law, significant others etc., my aunt has almost 100 descendants, about 60 by the blood line.

Cheers - J. Brian Gilchrist


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