Thursday, August 7, 2014

My Fascination with Genealogy - First Blog


Genealogy has fascinated me for many years.  From Sunday school lessons about who begat who, to wondering if we have ‘royal blood’; genealogy is all around us.  Traditionally, genealogical research required a trip to the library. Now, with the advent of the Internet, genealogy research can be carried out without leaving home.  Popular websites such as Ancestry.com and Familysearch.org have capitalized on this and today, millions of family history records are accessible with just a click of the mouse. With easy access to these historical records, many a novice genealogist has been created – that includes me!

Keep in mind I am not writer, so bear with me as we document our Burnett ancestors.  It is my intent to blog several times a week, though there will be times I might not be able to keep this schedule. I realize that some of the information will be ‘well known’ and other tid-bits might be new to blog readers. Hopefully, the information will be presented in a way that both the novice and expert family researcher will find it interesting.

Let’s begin.  Alfred Burnett – my great-great grandfather.
Most agree that Alfred Burnett was the first Burnett to settle in Old Imperial Calcasieu Parish.  The Burnett family arrived just before the Civil War, and still today has deep roots in SW Louisiana. It is the era prior to the Burnett’s arriving to Calcasieu Parish that less is known about this family.

Do you know how you are related to Alfred Burnett?
Next – the Mississippi connection

10 comments:

  1. This is fascinating! Thanks Mike. Looking forward to your next post.

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  2. Uh, talk about cliff-hanger!! What happened in Mississippi??

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    1. I am very excited too. I am only married in to the family, but I am the one who does all of the ancestry. My Mother-in law, is Mamie Agness Burnett Gimnich and both families were in the logging business who all migrated to LA . I can't wait for all of us to share stuff and learn from each other!

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  3. I am so excited about this. My husband, Jerry, L Gimnichis originally. His Mother is Mamie Agness Burnett, so that is the connection. There are a LOT of them. I am the wife / of Jerry and the "in-law" of the Burnetts, bur I do all of the genealogy. I have a lot of information or at least records, census data etc. from the Mississippe era. It helped us determine that is how the Burnetts' (the family of my husband Mother , met the Gimnichs' the family of my Mother's Father. before they all migrated to LA in the logging business. A lot of stuff was going on out there in the woods of Mississippi. I look forward to sharing all of the data we each have and fill in the blanks.

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    1. Hello Linda,
      I would love to get in contact with you concerning your husbands Burnett connections. When you have the opportunity please email me.
      Michael Burnett

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  4. Michael what a great idea! So glad you thought of doing a blog about the Burnetts. I am the maternal granddaughter of Roy Allen Burnett who was born and raised in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Alfred Burnett was his great-grandfather. I have Burnetts on both sides of my family, although they came from two different states (Louisiana and Oklahoma). I've often wondered if they are distantly related.

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    1. That should have read I'm the maternal granddaughter of Roy Henry Burnett. Roy Allen Burnett was my uncle. Sorry about that.

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  5. I am not sure how the REPLY finction works, because it seems different that others, so I apologize if some things post twice. Somewhere along the link I believe you asked how we were related to Alfred Burnett. He was my husband's (Jerry L Gimnich) 2nd great grandfather. Jerry's line then comes down through Loren Elbert Burnett, the 7th of 12 children that Alfred and Jane Seaman had.

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  6. Mike, thank you for the fascinating background you are providing on the Burnett family. As noted in your last blog my grandmother was Mary Isabelle (Mollie) Burnett Rollins. Hopefully more "cousins" will join in and provide additional pictures/information. Thank you for your great work! Molly

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    1. Molly, are you a cousin or niece of Arlene? My mom (Roy Burnett's daughter) and Arlene and Bonnie Romero (Sidney Burnett daughter) are big buddies in Lake Charles.

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