Bill Leslie: Shaking the Family Tree

Thank you for sending me your interesting family stories following my report on genealogy and DNA ancestry tests. Shaking the family tree for information can yield some wild results.

Mary Norris has been digging into her family history going back before the Revolutionary War. She was “quite surprised” to find two new first cousins.   Mary also discovered she really did have a relative who ran off with a teenager and joined the circus, leaving behind a wife and small child and started a new life with a new name.

I haven’t found anything quite that interesting in my family research. However, Mary’s grandmother and I do share a common nickname. My middle name is Augustus and my sisters call me “Willie Gus” and “Gussie.” Mary’s grandmother was Mary Augusta and folks called her “Gussie” as well.

Ken Jones told me about the migration of his Celtic ancestors in 1739. They left the tiny Isle of Gigha in Scotland and sailed directly to the Cross Creek area that became Fayetteville in North Carolina. Ken’s favorite family name is Torquil. His fourth great-grandfather, Torquil McNeill, apparently got his first name from the Norse Vikings.

I was thrilled to hear from Laura Loehr in Durham. Laura is a cousin I’ve never met. She grew up in Concord.  About 25 years ago I met Laura’s parents, Tom and Doris Ross.  They gave me a wonderful portrait of my grandfather and namesake.  I had never seen a picture of William Augustus Leslie, Sr. He was a Morganton pharmacist who died long before I was born.  Laura, her husband and Cindy and I are planning to meet soon over dinner.  That will be a lot of fun!

Finally, I heard from a former WRAL-TV news reporter. Leslie Boney, who grew up in Wilmington, once worked as the Tar Heel Traveler. He was always a great storyteller.

Leslie wrote: “My first name origin is a little harder to romanticize. My great grandfather, who owned a general store in Wallace, NC, named my grandfather after his favorite shoe salesman, Leslie Black!”

I’d love to hear more of your family stories. Feel free to shoot me an email at bleslie@wral.com.