My brother, the family genealogist, thought this would be a good one to spring on me for Veterans' Day.

One of my grandfathers from my father's side, however many times great, fought in the French and Indian Wars during the Crown Point campaign. Later on, during the American Revolution, he was requested to participate in Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold's attack on Fort Ticonderoga as a sort of Pathfinder, since he knew the area up there. He agreed and went as a Captain.

At the same operation at Fort Ticonderoga there was a Colonel who happened to be a grandfather however many times great from my mother's side. When it was over, this Colonel, despite the misgivings of George Washington who thought the idea unlikely to succeed, dragged the captured cannons from Fort Ticonderoga back to Boston along a route that is now mostly Route 20 in Massachusetts, and they were positioned around the city, causing British forces to abandon Boston.

One hundred and sixty-seven years later, the Colonel's and the Captain's granddaughter and grandson respectively, however many times great, met and married. That was my mother and father.

By the way, members of my family from both sides have participated in every war or undeclared "conflict" that this country has waged since. We haven't missed a thing.

And as yet another coincidence, last I knew one of my cousins, a retired U. S. Marine Colonel and Marine aviator, was in charge of the Fort Ticonderoga historical site.

It's a small world.

Cheers!

Rick...

Good story Rick! It seems that if most of us can dig far enough back we will find some interesting connections. I have told the story in here before of my wife's ancestors and mine both living in Buck's County, Pennsylvania in 1699 when our families came to America. Is it possible that something unknown is bending our trees to its will?

Great story Rick.


Wheels

I remember my father telling me about one of my ancestors, John Paul, who was a bit of a rogue, he left Scotland and headed to America and changed his name adding a "Jones" to the end of it. Coming from a seafaring family he made a bit of an impression over in the colonies as it was then, he is associated with the new navy that they were just creating and served with distiction with them against England and later with the Russian Navy.
How true it is I don't know, but it is a tale that has been passed down in my family.
Yep, my family name is Paul.