This is a space where we seek to understand ourselves better through the echoes of those who came before us. Our identity is not solely formed from within, it is also greatly influenced by our relationships, particularly those we share with our family.
One of my most treasured memories is of my son and my grandfather, born nearly 96 years apart, captivating each other with their shared yet divergent existence. However, my son won't have personal memories of Ben Daku. Like so many of our ancestors, his understanding of his great-grandfather will come from the stories and history we pass down.
This realization was the motivation behind this site, dedicated to the family history of my wife and me - covering the Bakers, Berneggers, Simpsons, and Dakus. Our collective history traverses a wide swath of humanity: from early Colonial Americans, New Jersey Quakers, Virginian Melungeons, and North Carolinian revolutionaries to 19th-century New York Jews, Highland Scots and Northern Irish settlers in Upper Canada, and Hungarian farmers arriving on the Saskatchewan prairies at the dawn of the 20th century.
Our immigrant ancestors were ordinary individuals in their era, carrying the values and biases of their time. Their lives were marked by challenges, often cut short by disease, violence, or brutal labour, yet they strived in an epoch of burgeoning opportunities. Despite their disparate origins, a common thread weaves their stories together - their relentless pursuit of a better life and prosperity. Their journeys, converging in Saskatchewan, shape our shared legacy.
One of my most treasured memories is of my son and my grandfather, born nearly 96 years apart, captivating each other with their shared yet divergent existence. However, my son won't have personal memories of Ben Daku. Like so many of our ancestors, his understanding of his great-grandfather will come from the stories and history we pass down.
This realization was the motivation behind this site, dedicated to the family history of my wife and me - covering the Bakers, Berneggers, Simpsons, and Dakus. Our collective history traverses a wide swath of humanity: from early Colonial Americans, New Jersey Quakers, Virginian Melungeons, and North Carolinian revolutionaries to 19th-century New York Jews, Highland Scots and Northern Irish settlers in Upper Canada, and Hungarian farmers arriving on the Saskatchewan prairies at the dawn of the 20th century.
Our immigrant ancestors were ordinary individuals in their era, carrying the values and biases of their time. Their lives were marked by challenges, often cut short by disease, violence, or brutal labour, yet they strived in an epoch of burgeoning opportunities. Despite their disparate origins, a common thread weaves their stories together - their relentless pursuit of a better life and prosperity. Their journeys, converging in Saskatchewan, shape our shared legacy.
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I've dedicated over ten years to unravelling our family history. Still, gaps persist, making this exploration a continually evolving quest. Consider the information here a work-in-progress: it may be rough around the edges, occasionally inaccurate, and under continuous revision. This dynamic nature of family history research is what keeps it exciting and allows for constant learning.
I invite all cousins, distant relatives, and those interested in our shared heritage to participate in this journey. Please get in touch if you find any discrepancies or have additional information that could enrich our understanding. After all, this venture is more than just understanding our past; it's about collectively shaping the narrative of our shared lineage. |
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Please say hello!
There is a "Say Hello" tab at the bottom of the page. I would love to hear from you!
Where is my family tree?I keep a public family tree on Ancestry.com, but that requires membership to view.
I'm also contributing to a collaborative tree on Wikitree. I use widgets from that site on my site, such as the neat widget here. I have also contributed my tree to Geni.com. This tree is more social than Wikitree. If you're my cousin and I have you in my tree, I can invite you to claim your profile. Please note that all living people's profiles are private and invisible except to people who know them. In both trees, if you're interested in fact-checking data, reviewing privacy settings, or contributing, please let me know, and I'll send you an invite. DNA |
embeddable family tree updated live from WikiTree
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