Lucky


 

I am so lucky!  I know where I came from, without a doubt.  There were absolutely no surprises in two different DNA tests, The only surprise came from a cancer screening, which said there was a small amount of Jewish ancestry, my paternal family has the breast cancer gene.  Once I knew that, I went to my chart and found that my 4th paternal grandmother was Jewish.  Since there is a high incidence of Askenazi Jewish breast cancer in people from Poznan, it as a surprise, but not really a big one. We already knew there was a multitude of breast cancer, just didn’t know about the Jewish connection.

I am also lucky that while I only knew my maternal grandmother, I knew my maternal great aunts and uncles, cousins, 2nd cousins, 3rd cousins, and even 4th cousins while growing up.  I knew my paternal aunts, uncles’ cousins and 2nd cousins.   I have 90 first cousins alone!  All but 10 of them on the maternal, side.  Most of them still live nearby.

My paternal side was all Polish, they came to Detroit in 1874, had a few children, and then moved to Romulus, Wayne Co MI and have stayed there since 1893.  My maternal great grandfather came with his family from Germany at age 12, they made a brief stop in Pennsylvania, then settled in Ash Township Mi and have been there since 1865. My maternal grandmother’s family came with Cadillac to Detroit in 1703, moved to what is now Monroe County MI and have stayed there since 1710.  We don’t move around very much!  I have the luxury of knowing my place, knowing where generations of my family are buried:  St Patrick’s Carleton MI, St Charles Newport MI, Mt Carmel Wyandotte MI, and Michigan Memorial Park Flat Rock MI.  

When I see genealogy programs in which people are looking for their grandparents or great grandparents, I thank my lucky stars and thank God that I have had such a secure place to call home all my life.


Photo:

Great grand mother Rose Laduke Rivard (Mimi)

Grandmother Lena Rivard Wickenheiser

Mother Clara Wickenheiser Joblinski

Sister and oldest grandchild Rosemary Joblinski

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