My name is Robert C. Johnston, Jr. I live in Wetumpka, AL and have been researching and documenting my family tree for nearly 20 years now. I am a member of the National Society Sons of American Revolution, having proven my lineage to William Cornelius, an Artillery Matross in the Continental Line Army under Gen. Washington. I love researching in courthouses and walking old cemeteries, taking photos and transcribing tombstone inscriptions. I also love hunting down and photographing my ancestor's old homesteads across GA, AL, and MS.My Father's lines are all from MI, OH, and RI. Some of his ancestors have been in Colonies since the 1630's and several of his ancestors were founding fathers of Rhode Island, including Samuel Gorton, John Warner, Stuckley Westcott, and Gov. Benedict Arnold. Many of my Mother's lines can be traced back to 17th Century Virginia. My primary maternal surnames I'm researching are WHITE, OLIVER, NEWMAN, MCCOLLUM, WIMBISH, ALLEN, SHELTON, GOSS, CARTER, WILLIAMSON, HEARD, HAMLET, CORNELIUS, CARLISLE and GILLILAND, mostly migrating from VA>GA>AL>MS. My paternal surnames I'm researching are Johnston, Francis, Wilson, Beckwith, Eddy, Arnold, Westcott, and Woodhead.Dear Ancestor,Your tombstone stands among the rest;Neglected and alone,The name and date are chiseled outOn polished marbled stone.It reaches out to all who careIt is too late to mourn.You did not know that I exist.You died and I was born.Yet each of us are cells of youIn flesh, in blood, in bone.Our blood contracts and beats a pulseEntirely not our own.Dear Ancestor, the place you filledOne hundred years agoSpreads out among the ones you leftWho would have loved you so.I wonder if you lived and love.

My name is Robert C. Johnston, Jr. I live in Wetumpka, AL and have been researching and documenting my family tree for nearly 20 years now. I am a member of the National Society Sons of American Revolution, having proven my lineage to William Cornelius, an Artillery Matross in the Continental Line Army under Gen. Washington. I love researching in courthouses and walking old cemeteries, taking photos and transcribing tombstone inscriptions. I also love hunting down and photographing my ancestor's old homesteads across GA, AL, and MS.My Father's lines are all from MI, OH, and RI. Some of his ancestors have been in Colonies since the 1630's and several of his ancestors were founding fathers of Rhode Island, including Samuel Gorton, John Warner, Stuckley Westcott, and Gov. Benedict Arnold. Many of my Mother's lines can be traced back to 17th Century Virginia. My primary maternal surnames I'm researching are WHITE, OLIVER, NEWMAN, MCCOLLUM, WIMBISH, ALLEN, SHELTON, GOSS, CARTER, WILLIAMSON, HEARD, HAMLET, CORNELIUS, CARLISLE and GILLILAND, mostly migrating from VA>GA>AL>MS. My paternal surnames I'm researching are Johnston, Francis, Wilson, Beckwith, Eddy, Arnold, Westcott, and Woodhead.Dear Ancestor,Your tombstone stands among the rest;Neglected and alone,The name and date are chiseled outOn polished marbled stone.It reaches out to all who careIt is too late to mourn.You did not know that I exist.You died and I was born.Yet each of us are cells of youIn flesh, in blood, in bone.Our blood contracts and beats a pulseEntirely not our own.Dear Ancestor, the place you filledOne hundred years agoSpreads out among the ones you leftWho would have loved you so.I wonder if you lived and love.