Whoz Yo Daddy?

This is an addendum to my column, Genes-R-Us, in The UC Messenger that was published on Oct 12, 2011, #5 The “recent” family tree . 

When in her 70’s my mother, Helen, told me of a conversation that we shared when I was a small child.  I remember her telling me of this conversation, well over 30 years ago, as if it happened yesterday.  Helen was ironing in the utility room, as this was one of the ways she supported our family.  As I stood in the doorway looking into the utility room, I asked, “Who am I?”  My mother told me her heart jumped as she had yet to tell me that I had been adopted as an infant—and that was exactly where her mind went.  She replied, “You are Nancy Miller, that’s who you are!”  My reply was, “No, who am I really?”  I must have been quite young during this conversation because I keenly recall knowing that I was adopted as an infant from my earliest childhood memories. 

After all those years this conversation still troubled my mother, Helen, because she realized, over time, just how hungry and desperate I was for some biological family connection.  She confessed that she did not know what to say in the utility room, but she felt certain that I instinctively knew that she was not my biological mother.  I know that my question hurt her.  When I became old enough to understand that my continued and ever growing curiosity about my ancestry was painful to her, I finally stopped asking questions.  

Although I have no recollection of that conversation as a small child, I do recognize, with a sad twinge, that child’s heart.  Most of you probably take for granted what I desperately coveted as a child, a blood connection to a family history—an umbilical cord through time.  I romanticized the connection to my biological family greatly.  Eventually I located both my birth mother and several years later my birth father.  My adoptive father died when I was 28; my adoptive mother, Helen, when I was 37—only weeks after I located my birth father. 

In the last couple of years DNA testing has verified that both of the people that I call my birth parents are indeed my biological parents.  DNA testing has also been the fairly recent impetus for serious research into my biological family tree. 

Key people in the bible are always identified by their family lineage—often but not exclusively that of their father.  Even Jesus Christ defined Himself by His relationship to His Father.  Only in the last 10 years, did I finally claim my identity as a child of God.   Finally that nagging hole in my heart was plugged by Jesus Christ, my kinsman redeemer.  However, I am still grateful for the gift of biological identify that takes me back through time.  What follows is the family line for one of my grandparents—my birth father’s mother.  It connects to Charlemagne the most famous of the medieval kings.  This is not so far from my many flights of fantasy as to who I really was as a child!

Family really is precious; do not take it for granted.  You have been placed in your family whether biological or adoptive by God, the Father, for a purpose.  

Your earthly family is not the end all.  You have a place in an everlasting Family—but you do have to claim it.  I claim mine fully!

Nancy’s birth father's grandmother’s line (through Mamie Mae Pitre 1901-1991)

Pepin of Landen (c580-640) + Saint Itta (-652)

Ansegisel (c606-bef679) + Saint Begga (615-693)

Duke Pepin II or Pepin of Herstal (c634 - 714)) + Alpaida( concubine) (-)

Charles Martel (c.688 – 741) + Rotrude of Treves, (690–724)

Pepin the Short (or Pepin the Younger or Pepin III) ( -768) + Bertrada of Laon (c. 710:727 – 783)

Charlemagne (742-814) + Regina (concubine) (c.780 - )

Hugh (802-844), Archchancellor of the Empire + unknown

Petronilla (825-845) + Tertullus of Angers (821-921)

Ingelger (845-893), Viscount of Orleans and Angers +Aelinde de Amboise (844-890)

Foulques I the Red (abt 870-abt 941), Viscount ofAngers, Count of Anjou + Roscille De Loches (874-920)

Foulques II the Good (909-11 November 958), Count ofAnjou + Gerberge du Maine (913-952)

Bouchard IV the Old (943-1012), Count of Vendome +Elizabeth

Adèle de Vendome (995-?) + Roger I (985-abt 1015),Seigneur de La Tour

Agnes de La Tour (1015-1092) + Guelduin de Maillé(1010-1067), Seigneur du Petit-Martigny

Gilduin de Maillé (1035-?) + Agnes de Vendome (1055-?)

Hardouin I de Maillé (1075-1110) + Beatrix de Tours(abt 1073-1122)

Jacquelin II (1115-1175), Seigneur de Maillé + Adèle

Hardouin II (abt 1154-?), Seigneur de Maillé + unknown

Hardouin III (abt 1175-?), Baron de Maillé + unknown

Hardouin IV (1200-1252), Baron de Maillé + Jeanne deThouars (1233-1258)

Hardouin V (1234-1306), Baron de Maillé + Jeanne deBauçay (1245-?)

Hardouin VI (abt 1264-1340), Baron de Maillé + Jeannede Montbazon (abt 1305-abt 1352)

Hardouin VII (abt 1300-?), Baron de Maillé + Mahaut deLa Clarté (?-?)

Hardouin VIII (1383-?), Baron de Maillé + Perronelled'Amboise (1400-?)

Hardouin IX (1428-20 February 1473), Baron de Maillé +Antoinette de Chauvigny (1445-20 February 1474)

Hardouin X (1462-25 January 1525), Seigneur deFontenay-Labatu et seigneur de Benais et seigneur de La Forêt d'Estampes +Françoise de La Tour Landry (1470-?)

Jean I (1512-1563), Baron de La Tour Landry & Baronde Saint-Chartier + Anne Chabot (1515-1573)

Francoise (1540-1598), Count of Châteauroux & Baronde La Tour Landry + Diane De Rohan Gie (1541-20 April 1585)

Claude Landry (1570-?) + Jeanne Dugast (1573-1648)

Jean Claude Landry (1593-1671) + Marie Salle(1600-1686)

Antoine Bourg1609-1686 + Antoinette Landry 1618-1686

Piere L’AineComeau 1653-1730 + Marie Jeanne Bourg 1659-1724

Claude Pitre1670-1775 + Marie F Comeau  1678-1707

Jacques Lavergne (1706 - 1759) + Francoise Pitre (1707-)

Etienne Hebert1746-1821 + Marie J Lavergne 1734-1778

Guillaume B Hebert1773-1816 + Marie Anne Dantin 1773-1833

Jean LouisHebert  1797-1850+ Marie Rose Gaudet1800-1859

Ozime Hebert 1845-191 + Marie Adeline Ledet 1843-1929

Mathurin G Pitre1872-1918 + Ernestine M Hebert 1875-1921

Harry F Clew 1897-1984 + Mamie Mae Pitre 1901-1991

William M Clew (1929- ) + Ann Kathryn Gleason c(1933 - )

Nancy (me)