My Sweet 16

Last night, Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings put forth the following challenge for Saturday Night Genealogical Fun:

1) List your 16 great-great-grandparents in pedigree chart order. List their birth and death years and places.

2) Figure out the dominant ethnicity or nationality of each of them.

3) Calculate your ancestral ethnicity or nationality by adding them up for the 16 - 6.25% for each (obviously, this is approximate).

4) If you don't know all 16 of your great-great-grandparents, then do it for the last full generation you have.

5) Write your own blog post, or make a comment on Facebook or in this post.

Here goes:

16. Angelo Merrick ROBBINS, Sr. - born 24 Feb 1874 in Southbrook Twp., Cottonwood Co., Minesota; married 23 Nov 1892 in Hesperia, Denver Twp., Newaygo Co., Michigan; died 16 Jul 1923 in Muskegon, Muskegon Co., Michigan. (English)

17. Mary May KIMBALL (a.k.a. Lula WEAVER as she was "adopted" [raised] by her maternal aunt and her husband) - born 27 Mar 1873 in Newaygo Co., Michigan (probably in Hesperia); died 27 Dec 1950 in Fruitport Twp., Muskegon Co., Michigan. (English)

18. George Emmett LEWIS - born 10 Dec 1868 in St. Johns, Clinton Co., Michigan; married 31 Dec 1891 in Muskegon, Muskegon Co., Michigan; died 16 May 1964 in Whitehall, Muskegon Co., Michigan. (English)

19. Mary J. WILKINSON - born 17 Apr 1872 in Port Hope, Northumberland (now Durham) Co., Ontario; died 25 Oct 1940 in Muskegon Heights, Muskegon Co., Michigan. (English)

20. James L. YORK - born 7 Oct 1867 in Goodrich, Genesee Co., Michigan; married 3 Jul 1893 in St. Johns, Clinton Co., Michigan; died 15 Sep 1933 in Lake Orion, Oakland Co., Michigan. (English)

21. Mary E. "Mae" McARTHUR - born 18 Jan 1875 in Washington Twp., Gratiot Co., Michigan; died 16 Oct 1959 in Alma, Gratiot Co., Michigan. (half Scots, half English)

22. Orlando BARBER - born 22 Mar 1864 in Ontario (probably Owen Sound, Grey Co.); married 31 Mar 1894 in Lapeer, Lapeer Co., Michigan; died 16 Dec 1910 in Lapeer, Lapeer Co., Michigan. (English)

23. Mary Jane FREDENBURG - born 30 Nov 1875 in Chesterfield Twp., Macomb Co., Michigan; died 27 Aug 1962 in Lapeer, Lapeer Co., Michigan. (English)

24. Tjamme Wiegers "James" VALK - born 24 Jun 1860 in Ferwerderadeel Municipality, Friesland, the Netherlands (probably in the village of Marrum); married 21 Jun 1882 in Rock Island Co., Illinois (probably in the city of Rock Island); died 15 May 1922 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan. (Frisian)

25. Berber J. "Barbara" DeJONG - born 9 Apr 1858 in the Netherlands (possibly in the province of Groningen); died 1 Jun 1934 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan. (probably Frisian)

26. Geert Aukes "George" TUINSTRA - born 20 Jan 1851 in Franeker, Friesland, the Netherlands; married 6 Nov 1884 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan; died 14 Sep 1928 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan. (Frisian)

27. Doetje "Dorothy" WIERSMA - born 1 Mar 1854 in Wonseradeel Municipality, Friesland, the Netherlands; died 5 Dec 1916 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan. (Frisian)

28. Martin HOEKSTRA - born 13 Aug 1868 in Holland, Ottawa Co., Michigan; married 27 Nov 1886 in Holland, Ottawa Co., Michigan; died 12 Dec 1944 in Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan. (half Frisian, half Dutch)

29. Janna "Jennie" TON - born 23 Aug 1867 in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio; died 11 Dec 1943 in Allegan, Allegan Co., Michigan. (Dutch)

30. Charles Frisbie STRONG - born 12 Jul 1852 in the Town of Candor, Tioga Co., New York; married 1873 in the Town of Candor, Tioga Co., New York; died 11 Apr 1921 in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon. (English)

31. Mary Lucy WRIGHT - born 22 Feb 1859 in Tioga Co., New York (probably in the Town of Newark); died 14 Sep 1946 in Stanwood, Snohomish Co., Washington. (English)

There you have it: five of my eight great-great-grandmothers were named Mary; two of my great-great-grandfathers were named George, and another two named James. Although not obvious from some of their birth, marriage, and death places, every one of these individuals lived for a major part of their lives in the state of Michigan, as did each of their descendants that I descend from, through my parents' generation.

Using the information here, I can determine that I am 59.375% English, 23.125% Frisian, 3.125% Dutch, and 3.125% Scots. However, I do know that some of the English represented here is actually mixed with a lot of Dutch and Scots, plus a little French. Some of the English and Frisian represented here also has some German as well. I know of no other ancestry; all my heritage appears to come from the British Isles and Western Europe.