Tracing My Family Tree

There is something you may not know about me. Especially if you look at a picture of me. Blond hair, blue eyes, fair skin... But I am Italian!



Last year Dad received a very large book from one of our distant cousins. She did an amazing job researching our family tree - all the way back to the 1400s in Italy! I am the 16th generation from Jacopo di Genova (or Jacob of Genoa). This is the same time frame and region of Italy from which Christopher Columbus hailed.


The other day I Googled old Jacopo and found more relatives! This link will take you to Family Tree Maker, starting with Jacopo. I'll save you the process of clicking through each generation, here are the ones that are directly up my family tree:

1. JACOPO DI GENOVA was born Abt. 1430 in Italy, and died Unknown. He married LENORA DI MEDICI Abt. 1460 in Florence, Italy, daughter of LORENZO DE MEDICI. She was born Abt. 1435 in Florence, Italy, and died Unknown.

Hmm... maybe I'm not so Italian after all. Generation two took a wife from Spain...


2. RICARDO DI GENOVA (JACOPO) was born Abt. 1465 in Italy, and died Unknown. He married DONA CID-RUY-DIAZ Abt. 1490 in Villia Moros, Spain. She was born Abt. 1465 in Villia Moros, Spain, and died Unknown.

3. GIOUANNA DI GENOVA (RICARDO, JACOPO) was born Abt. 1495 in Italy, and died Unknown. He married MARGARITA MARONI CAMPOLO Abt. 1550 in Italy. She was born Abt. 1530 in Italy, and died Unknown.

For unknown reasons, sometime during the third generation the family moved to England and changed the name from Di Genova to Gannaway.


4. JOHN GANNAWAY (GIOUANNA DI GENOVA, RICARDO, JACOPO) was born Abt. 1560 in London, England, and died Unknown. He married LUCY HENSINGHAM Abt. 1580 in London, England. She was born Abt. 1560 in London, England, and died Unknown.

5. ROBERT GANNAWAY (JOHN, GIOUANNA DI GENOVA, RICARDO, JACOPO) was born Abt. 1590 in London, England, and died Unknown. He married SALLIE PADGET Abt. 1610 in London, England. She was born Abt. 1590 in London, England, and died Unknown.

Generation #6 further mixed things up, by marrying Hilda from Holland...


6. EDWARD GANNAWAY (ROBERT, JOHN, GIOUANNA DI GENOVA, RICARDO, JACOPO) was born Abt. 1620 in England, and died Unknown. He married HILDA VAN CAMPEN Abt. 1640. She was born 1620 in Rotterdam, Holland, and died Unknown.

Then there was Henrietta from France...



7. MARMADUKE GANNAWAY (EDWARD, ROBERT, JOHN, GIOUANNA DI GENOVA, RICARDO, JACOPO) was born 1650 in England, and died Unknown. He married HENRIETTA CAMPMARTIN Abt. 1665 in ?. She was born Abt. 1641 in Toulose, France, and died Unknown.

The eighth generation found us moving to America! John Gannaway was born in England, but died in Virginia.

8. JOHN GANNAWAY, SR. (MARMADUKE, EDWARD, ROBERT, JOHN, GIOUANNA DI GENOVA, RICARDO, JACOPO) was born 1667 in Bath, England, and died 1738 in Buckingham Co., Virginia. He married ZADIA LARRIATEGUI January 15, 1702/03 in Buckingham Co., Virginia, daughter of PABLO LARRIATEGUI and LUCIA OREAMUNDO. She was born Abt. 1685 in Villia Moros, Spain, and died Unknown.

After coming to America, we added Mary from Scotland...


9. JOHN GANNAWAY, JR. (JOHN, MARMADUKE, EDWARD, ROBERT, JOHN, GIOUANNA DI GENOVA, RICARDO, JACOPO) was born August 02, 1720 in King William Co., Virginia, and died Abt. February 1771 in Buckingham Co., Virginia. He married MARY MCGREGOR (MACGREGOR) 1746 in Aberdeen, Scotland. She was born 1726 in Aberdeen, Scotland, and died Unknown.

10. WILLIAM GANNAWAY (JOHN, JOHN, MARMADUKE, EDWARD, ROBERT, JOHN, GIOUANNA DI GENOVA, RICARDO, JACOPO) was born April 26, 1747 in Buckingham Co., Virginia, and died 1800 in Wythe Co., Virginia. He married ELIZABETH WRGHT Bet. 1726 - 1791 in Cumberland Co., Virginia, daughter of JOHN WRGHT and ///. She was born Bet. 1733 - 1759, and died 1835 in Wythe Co., Virginia.


11. GREGORY GANNAWAY (JOHN, JOHN, MARMADUKE, EDWARD, ROBERT, JOHN, GIOUANNA DI GENOVA, RICARDO, JACOPO) was born December 1753 in Buckingham Co., Virginia, and died August 24, 1804 in Wythe Co., Virginia. He married RHODA ROBERTSON September 22, 1779 in Cumberland Co., Virginia. She was born March 22, 1761 in Buckingham Co., Virginia, and died August 12, 1852 in St. Charles, Missouri.

It is here that our family tree goes down a different branch from the one on the website. Two generations later we find Great Grandpa George - generation 13, Grandma Ruby was generation 14, Dad is generation 15 and my siblings and I are generation 16.

(Great Grandpa George, Grandma Ruby, Dad and Kim)

I find this so fascinating! I guess I'm not that Italian, but it is cool to see how far back we can trace our roots. And guess what? One of the stops on our cruise is Savona Italy... less than 25 miles from Genoa! We've booked an excursion to Genoa... maybe I'll meet some long lost cousins!

Do you know your family history?