K is for kindred

John Moxon x2, Zoe, Heather and Margaret

Family  history research is full of delights.  The thrill of adding another generation, the excitement of a new surname to follow and the satisfaction of finding the DNA matches do confirm our paper records.  That yes, we do have the right Tucker or Moxon family.  

We can weave stories around our ancestors, their houses and villages.  We may prove or shatter family stories handed down over generations. We can collect or recognise memorabilia.

But for John and myself, a bonus has been making new friends.

Rediscovering cousins after 40 years of lost contact and making many new friends amongst second or third or first cousins twice removed has been a wonderful experience for John and me.  Meeting face to face, attending organised or spontaneous family reunions and growing those friendships via Facebook, email and The Moxon Society membership has been wonderful, especially for those of us who are retirees.

In recent years, John and I have travelled to Stuart Town where John's grandfather's brother Alfred (Wilson) Moxon settled and met his Orange-based descendants; visited Leura to meet his favourite first cousin, the late Wendy Lou Walker and some of her family; reconnected with his youngest first cousin Denise and her girls; reconnected with his uncle John Peter Moxon for a few years before his recent death at 97; travelled to the Central Coast and Coffs Harbour to meet second cousins descended from George Joshua Moxon and to Lake Macquarie to meet descendants of Arthur Moxon, George Joshua's younger brother.

And we've had two unexpected phone calls from other cousins just exploring their Moxon roots.  The first in 2011 was Shirley, a second cousin, whose father was George Joshua Moxon's oldest son.  We met her later the same year in Coffs Harbour. 

The second phone call resulted from a referral by one of our non-related Moxon friends in our capacity as co-ordinators of Moxons Down Under.  "Margaret will be able to work out what Moxon tree she came from", said Douglas who she found on Facebook.  Her mother, a Moxon had died when she was just four years old after giving birth to twins.

It was Christmas night 2015: I answered the phone and she poured out her story.  I immediately placed her in Joshua Middleton Moxon’s tree and therefore related to us.  Towards the end of a 90 minute conversation, I said Do you know that you have an aunt two years younger than you?  Would you like me to tell her your story and put you in touch?  The two women, both in their 70s met each other within a couple of months when we organised a reunion in Stuart Town in 2016.  Both women are now members of The Moxon Society and have enjoyed a short cruise together.  The niece and her brother have now met many Moxon cousins and they feel warmly welcomed into the family. 

Most of us, young and old stay in touch on Facebook in a private group for members of the Joshua Middleton Moxon family.