Until I was like 12 or so, I had a Great-Great-Aunt, and our family was in the news once with all 5 generations listed.
Until 14 or so I had 5 Great-Grandparents alive. Then for a while I had 4, then now I have 2.
Now my sisters’ about to have a kid so there will be 5 generations again.
Most people think my grandma is my mom, and my great-grandpa (who still goes deer hunting at 89) is my grandpa.
I think having more generations around changes things. When you have a great-grandparent, you stay closer to second cousins and Great-aunts and such because of that.
We have 5 generations in our family too, my gran’ma has lots of great-great grandkids! She had 7 children and raised her oldest grand-daughter as her own as well. There may be 6 generations but it’s hard to keep up with all of my cousins/second cousins/cousins once removed etc… I’m not sure how all of that works! I love it that I have been close to my grandparents and their siblings as well as my immediate family. My gran is 83 and going strong, she is the true matriarch of our family.
I’m not closer to any distant relatives, but my great-grandmother is doing all right at 102. It’s pretty neat. I only wish we could add another generation before she goes, but none of us great-grandkids (the youngest being 19) are in a position to do something about that.
wow, I’m the complete opposite…my great great grandparents were all born in the mid 1850s, my great grandparents in the 1870s, my grandparents around 1900. My last grandparent died when I was only 7 at a rather old age (86 I believe)…and I’m not that old, not even 30 yet! My parents aren’t grandparents yet either, and may not be so for quite a long time (until their 70s?)
All of you need to do something important for yourselves and your family, if you haven’t already done so. You need to interview these older family members to find out all you can about the history of your family. I’ve often wished that I had had the opportunity to do just that before my grandparents died, as it would have made my genealogy research so much simpler.
There are many sites on the web that can tell you what questions to ask and how to record the information. You’ll be glad you did this, even if you’re not into genealogy as a hobby. At some point the information will be invaluable to some family member.
When I was born, my great-great grandmother was still alive. We took the ‘5 generation’s’ picture, and my mom still treasures it. She died shortly after I was born. Fast forward about 20 years. When my eldest son was born, my great-grandparents (his great-great) were all still alive and healthy. Again, we took ‘the picture’. I treasure it, because they have since both passed on. We always listened attentively to stories and recollections of times long past. My eldest son still gets a kick out of telling folks his great-grandma was alive when the Titanic sank.
I agree that having so many generations alive in one family promotes the closeness of extended family. At least four times a year (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, 4th of July) and sometimes more, we would all get together for dinner. Now that Mam-maw and Pap-paw have passed away, there have been no plans for a big family holiday. Slowly we have polarized into out smaller immediate family groups. While the large get-togethers were sometimes a logistic hassle, I will definitely miss them. I suppose it will become part of my childhood nostalgia.
I previewed, too. This is what I get for trying to type and explain to my son that I don’t know the first thing about “Tak and the Power of JuJu” at the same time.
My side of the family is pretty small. I no longer have grandparents (never knew my dad’s dad-dies when I was 3, and his mother died when he was 4… my mom’s mom died when I was 4 months old, but I had a step-gramma that I cherished and her dad lived until I was 20- he was my best friend). I have aunts and uncles and great aunts/uncles. My great-grandmother died when I was 9. She was great- whenever I smell Ivory soap, it brings back copious memories of going to the farm.
My ex also has a pretty small family. No father. Distant aunt/uncles.
However, one of the familys cherished photos is of LilMiss, her dad, his mom, her mom, and her mom. Great-great gramma is alive and kicking in southern Minnesota. You’d never know she was pushing 90 by the way she lays out a HUGE spread whenever we go down there. (I’d rather ignore the ex’s mom and her mom. shudder)
Luckily, our family lives on in LilMiss’s mind through memories. She has stated she feels like she knows Grandpa Joe (my mom’s dad) through our talks about him.
In the mid 1960s, my great-grandmother and descendants made the local paper (Salisbury, NC) with the birth of her great-great-great-grandchild. Six generations! She would have been 95 at the time. They published a group photo of my great-grandma and her five succeeding generations.
When my son was born in 2000, he had an odd grandparent setup. He had both grandmothers, but only one grandfather (my father had died in '96), and a full set (4) of great-grandmothers but only one great-grandfather. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone with more great-grandparents alive than grandparents.
