Baisley Family History

    While my first name may not have much family history significance, my middle name and last name are rich with it. The last name Baisley originates from Scotland where my fathers ancestors resided before immigrating to the United States. They were Catholics who immigrated to escape the persecution of Catholisim at the time in Scotland. My father's ancestors on his mother's side immigrated from Ireland around the same time and both families located themselves in New York once arriving. 

Unlike my last name, my middle name originates from my mother's side. My mother made the decision to give middle names to my four sisters and I that honor family matriarchs on both sides. I am named after Catherin Gaffney who was born in 1841 in Meath County, Ireland. She was one of the strongest significant female leaders in my family and one of the first ancestors to immigrate to the United States. Unlike my dads side when they first immigrated they located themselves in Bay City, Michigan. Where my grandmother grew up and where many of my relatives still live. On the other side of my grandmothers family, Emile E. Brysselbout, originated from France and helped grow and create the beet sugar industry in the United States but especially in Michigan. My grandparents on both sides all ended up in Chicago due to work, even though they came from different parts of the United States.

My family doesn’t have many stories that have been passed down through generations, but my parents shared a story of my mother’s grandfather’s ancestors, who immigrated to the United States from Germany around the 1800’s. My grandfather’s great grandfather, Philip Diehl actually helped with the Underground Railroad. He was a pastor who would help hide slaves under the Bible’s in his wagon and help transport them from the South to safe areas in the North. This is a story that has been passed down through generations from my mother's side, all the way down to my sisters and cousins. 

I have always found family history very intriguing, yet never put in the effort to truly dig up information on it. This assignment allowed me to talk to my family and learn more about my past. It is so interesting to think of all the places in the world my family originated from and how we ended up in Chicago. I hope to one day go into even further depth of my family history and possibly travel to meet some relatives located in Ireland or Scotland.