No I did not rent the delorean from Michael J Fox...
Abby and I took a 45 minute metro ride into DC to the National Archives to do something I have ALWAYS wanted to do.
Find out my family history. Yes, I am a huge nerd, and yes I was obsessed with the show "Who Do You Think Your Are?" on NBC that tracked down celebrities family trees. Did you know Sarah Jessica Parker's ancestor was accused of being a witch in Salem, Massachusets? Hocus Pocus anyone?
Well, for me the part of my family that has been the most mysterious is the one that actually bears my last name, Foringer. You may have guessed that yes, this is a very German name and that yes my roots lie in Pennsylvania.
And so my journey began...
As soon as I logged in at the archives, I found information about Newton. Everything from his marriage license, his WWI draft card to his death certificate. Which led me to his father, Hiram Foringer, born in 1831! I began to slowly creep back through the census records, finding Hiram in different locations almost every 10 years. Can I just tell you there are about 4,000 different ways I have seen the name Hiram Foringer spelled? This was not an easy task...
After 4 hours I had come to a halt. He had disappeared in the 1850 census! Where was he? What was he doing? Abby suggested Aliens, and I almost believed her. I was just about to give up when there he was, listed as Hyram Loringer. #fail.
As of right now, I am trying to confirm my suspicions about Hiram's father and possibly his grandfather, my great, great, great, great, great grandfather...
HOW INSANE IS THAT?!?! AM I THE ONLY WHO THINKS THAT IS AWESOME?
Is that a yes?
Well, anyways, for those interested I am continuing my search to connect my family together and I am so excited to finally check this off my bucket list!
Anyone else out there doing family history research? No? Still the only one?