Fearless Females 2013: Day 1: Favourite Female Ancestor

Do you have a favorite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about?

The first female ancestor who really made me want to know more about her was Johanna Murch HAYWOOD (4 Feb 1844-17 Dec 1875). Johanna was my great great grandmother.  For a long time, I did not know of her early death, and imagined her to have become a very old granny - and in fact I wanted to become just like her! I was quite shocked when I learned of her death aged only 31, and it just proved to me how close I had become to someone I never knew, and how it was possible to feel that way about an ancestor

Johanna was also my introduction to nonconformity, as she was married "according to the rites and ceremonies of the Independents".  I have just completed a Pharos short course on nonconformity, and feel that I am getting ever closer to Johanna.


Once again, in honour of National Women’s History Month, Lisa Alzo of The Accidental Genealogist blog presents Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History Month.  I know this is really US-centric - but that's not going to stop me honouring my own Fearless Females...