Antiques Roadshow, Robert Carter Desk

[WoodWitch]

A Ten Year Journey Through the Past

I just saw the last 10 minutes of Antiques Roadshow from Dallas.  They showed this stunning small desk full of really old artifacts, some going all the way back to the 1600's. I love old things, antiques, books etc...The gentleman who brought it in for appraisal said it was from his ancestors John and Robert Carter who came from England in 1621.  He was clueless about the family history.  I was floored.  Why you ask?

Ten years ago I started on a journey researching my family tree.  I began with my husband's family because they claimed they were blood decendents from Carter Braxton, signer of the Declaration of Independence.  Seemed like the perfect place to start.  I researched back from him, through Robert Carter back across the ocean to England.  I even know the ship that carried them over.  I actually read the manifest. Robert Carter, known as the King of Virginia, was a decendent of William the Conqueror and the Plantangents (Kings of England).  Wow, I thought ~ my children are decendents of Kings! 

Back stateside, I traced every branch, every little branch.  The leaves included the Washington and the Lee's.  This was one of the most powerful families in our new nation's history.  (Barbara Bush can trace herself through them too!) It took seven years to connect the dots.  But sadly, my husband's dots did not link to the Braxton/Carter family.  It was a different Braxton family from South Carolina.  They were very disappointed to learn this, since the first born boy of each family was given Braxton as their middlename (except mine, whole other story! LOL).  Although this family is not part of mine, I managed to accumulate file drawers full of information.  I should have been a detective ~ I love the hunt.  As I watched Antiques Roadshow I so wanted to tell this guy that I know, I know all of it!

Don't feel bad for my children.  When I traced my mom's family back across the pond it turns out that they are decendents of Kings.  The original Kings of BRITIAN, the Welsh and the Druids.  My greatess claim though is that JRR Tolkien stood upon my ancestors estate in Wales, looked out over the lands and found his Middle Earth.  Anyone who knows me, knows that that is priceless to me!

So as I ramble on, none of this being of any interest to anyone ~ I just wish I could find this guy and tell him all I know!

[meriana]

Nov. 24, 2009 at 9:28 AM

I saw that show too. It amazed me that this guy had all this stuff and apparently had never bothered to read any of it. What a treasure trove he has...to say nothing of the beautiful little desk itself. Isn't it funny that those of us interested in genealogy don't seem to have ancestors who were so careful in preserving documents and information and those who have no real interest in tracking their family history end up with treasure troves of information they never look at.

[WoodWitch]

Nov. 24, 2009 at 12:06 PM

Isn't it true.  And the family that those treasures belonged to, were facinating people.  They shaped the country we live in.  Those things belong in a Museum or even the Smithsonian.  ENVY!  But watching it made me feel like all those years of research meant something! 

(Original Poster)

[lovinallofthem]

Dec. 30, 2009 at 10:57 PM

wow! i just read this journal.. as i was waiting on your doorstep because i failed my 12 step program..

how wonderful to have that info! im jealous because Mexi CANS dont keep such meticulous files so i only trace back to my great grandparents as thats as far back as anyone can actually remember because hardly anyone before kept track..