Hi, my name is Rozalynd Roos Merrill. I’m an American artist living in Northern California and in London, England.

I grew up in the Midwest, where my parents divorced when I was only 6 years old. In the1960s, there weren’t many children from“broken”homes and I often felt pitied and different from other kids and their families. Being a creative from the very start, I also felt very different from my academic parents, and would joke about having been left on the doorstep. Despite this, I have always been interested in family history. As a child, I would spend multiple hours in my Grandparent’s attic, going through old photos and memorabilia. We never knew much about my maternal grandfather’s history. But about a decade ago, I started to build my family tree onancestry.com, curious to find out more.

What I’ve learned since has been absolutely fascinating. I’ve traced my grandpa’s roots back to the blue-blood kings and queens of Europe. Later generations were some of the earliest settlers in British Colonial America and the founders of many towns, even states on the Eastern Seaboard and beyond. They fought in the Revolutionary war and the Civil War.There are colorful tales of dangerous sea voyages, of kinship with Indians, but also of surviving and not surviving Indian attacks, of Revolutionary War POWs with standing the horrors of Andersonville Prison, even of a repentant Salem witch trial judge.A common thread I’ve found among their many scintillating stories is a willingness to stand up for their beliefs with courage and conviction, with an innate ability to survive. It’s truly a miracle I’m even here today.

My 7th great grandfather, Lt. Col Abraham Bonnell, served directly under GeorgeWashington and was personally praised by the general for his bravery in battle. He was aMinute Man and a member of the Sons of Liberty... a true patriot. His tavern was a center for patriotic activity before, during and after the war with England. He had taken part in discussions that culminated in the Declaration of Independence... wow! It’s told his tavern, which stayed in the family, was later part of the Underground Railroad that helped move southern slaves to freedom in the northern states in the 1800s.

My 11th great Aunt, Anne Hutchinson, is considered one of the earliestAmerican feminists.She was an influential crusader for religious freedom, an outspoken woman who challenged male authority, gender roles, and the religious doctrines of her time. It was a time when women were to remain silent. This led to her being tried and convicted of heresy, jailed, excommunicated and banished from the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony. Her colorful story has been interpreted and reinterpreted by many throughout the years. Her legacy is considered to be a significant contribution toward developing the constitutional notion of separation of church and state.

These are just a few of many many vibrant stories! My colorful ancestors blend together to create a kaleidoscope of new generations. By studying my family’s arrival to this country...their struggles, their triumphs, their mistakes, their mettle to survive, I have a newly found sense of belonging, pride and patriotism. I no longer feel like the little girl who didn’t have a complete family. I now feel a kinship and a connection, and I see my family, the world and myself through different eyes. With this knowledge and with the wisdom that comes from age, I see how very much ALIKE I am to my family. I am so very thankful to the historians and story tellers who have preserved these amazing tales!