Tracks of My Texas Ancestors: Trimming The Family Tree

May 19, 2013

Trimming The Family Tree

Where did all these folks come from? Who knew there would be so many people to acknowledge on a persons Family Tree? Where does one start picking off leaves or chopping off brances?

And to think, when I first started growing My Family Tree, I never ever would have thought I'd find so many ancestors that I'd have to 'Trim The Tree'.

I've always thought of 'My Tree' as a Mesquite Tree. It's a hardy and prolific plant found in West Texas with deep tap roots and what can be anywhere from two feet scrubby shrubs to thirty foot trees. I've often referred to myself as the 'First Bean' of my Dad's Branch/Twig and my Siblings as Beans Two, Three, Four and Five.

About those Mesquite Beans...they have been known as a food source. Dried and ground beans have been made into flour which adds a sweet, nutty taste to breads or used in jelly or wine. It is unwise to eat these beans raw unless you are a heifer or steer. Yep, they love those green beans and snap them right off the tree. Now you know how they got to be the most prolific plant in Texas.

Now don't misunderstand my 'Prolific Bean Theory' as a comparison to my 'Prolific Production of Ancestors'. It wasn't until the 1890's that they were exposed to the Texas Mesquite Tree, and as you can see from the 'Grandparent Chart', just about any Tree can handle that number of Branches, Twigs and Beans. It's the Great Great's To Infinity that are cluttering up my Tree...not to mention my BeanBrain! Why, there are so many 'GG's2InFin' that I have invented 'TAGS' that say Profile Done....afterall you only need to DigEm Up Once.