My Heritage

Heritage Essay

While trying to find a family member to write about I learned that I have a lot of family. But they have hardly any information about them. Which makes it more difficult to write this paper. My father had to help me find someone because I know nothing about my family around the assigned time. I think writing about my great great grandfather to help us learn about my past. Through the essay I would like to know more about the life of my grandfather, I would also like to learn about the historical and social environment. To know more about all the history helps you learn why people are the people they are it helps them become a better, stronger person. It also helps people know what made they the person are and who they are and

My grandfather was also known as John P Alford which was stated on heritage quest page but it never stated why he goes under both names. My grandfather was born in 1855 in the state of Texas, in the city of Gonzales. At the time of taking census my grandfather was the age of 55 years old. My grandfather was married to my great great grandmother for 31 years. My grandfather married my grandmother in the year of 1879, .my grandfather was the age of 24 and my grandmother was the age of 20, which is how old I am right now. My grandmother’s name is Mary A Alford. She was also born in Texas, just as my grandfather was. Both grandparents were not immigrants, they were American citizens and they were also traditional English speakers. My grandfather was the head of the household. My grandfather was a worker as a farmer on his own land which he owned. While learning about my grandfather I also learned he lived on land that he never had to pay for which shows the land was previously owned by the family. Since my grandparents were English speakers, they also know how to read and write. There were 5 members of my grandparents households which included them and their children. The ages of household members were the current ages of the people when the census was taken. The first is John O Alford, 55 then his wife Mary A Alford, 51 then follows with their children, James I

At this time it has been only 10 years that Texas has been a state and was known as the Republic of Texas. Texas was owned by Mexico and which Mexico lost ownership in the year of 1845. When Texas entered into the union made the Mexicans and lead and declare to the Mexican War, 1846–48, which Mexicans and Texans fought over and on Texas soil. The Mexican government wanted to retain Texas and their other territories in the southwest, including California, land both countries claimed. The United States was victorious in which they gained Texas as a state and made good its claims to the southwest. By 1850, Mexico lost its total control of Texas. During the time of 1855 the United States had its own States but there was also unorganized territory. There were also four kinds of territory’s during this time period; Oregon, Utah, New Mexico, and Minnesota Territory. All 48 states were finally established in the year of 1912.Though these territories have nothing to do with Texas it was helpful to know because parts of the United States were still owned by other countries. Which if they wanted to they could overthrow if they wanted to so it is helpful to the history of the United States which Texas is the second biggest state ( ancestory