My Father’s Fathers

About the Book

Dear Readers, My Father’s Fathers is a composite of historical and archaeological fact, personal oral and written histories. These are woven together with my remembrances and hypotheses to narrate the history of my ancestors as nothing else exists to explain me. That said, combining and establishing theories is the work I put my mind to for the past three years. So please don’t contact me to correct my inaccuracies or blunders. I acknowledge them and have embraced them. The scientific, historical, and archaeological information is all true as far as I can comprehend it. There really have been millions of tribes, thousands of dynasties, mass migrations, and countless wars since the Neolithic period, far too many to cite or explore deeply. I could not have written this book or found many illustrations without using the entries in Wikipedia.org. They are, in my estimation, one of the greatest boons the computer has provided us. I know people say it is not always accurate and I found different versions of events on other websites. When compared, they often offered additional information or a different view of affairs, but for my purposes they hung together. I urge you to support Wikipedia if you use their site because they always seek to upgrade their information and for this they should be rewarded. A list of all the sources I consulted containing information relevant to this paper would be virtually endless, so I have listed some of the principal authors and titles. I am greatly indebted to them all. If you wish to start exploring your genetic history, it will lead you to many exciting places. I recommend you begin your search by consulting Shannon Bennett’s article in Family Tree Magazine entitled “DNA Demystified: Genetic Genealogy for First Timers,” p. 42, December 2012. The magazine is published by F+W Media, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio. My cat Sassy always helped me edit the information I wrote by watching the words appear on the computer screen or lying on my lap and pawing the pages as I tried to make sense of what I was trying to say. What would I have done without her? Keep reading and be well. Sincerely, Barbara Grivna

About the Author

Barbara Grivna enrolled in doctoral studies at the University of Pittsburgh and holds a master’s of public health degree in planning and administration and a bachelor’s in art history. During her entire life, she has been interested in the arts, music, linguistics, archaeology, biology, and especially classical history. Growing up as a child of first-generation Slavic parents she discovered in her twenties that this background brought great richness to her life, one she needed to explore further. It took her many years to accumulate the information and documents presented here. With the assistance of her brother and a great deal of research, she was able to do so. She reacquainted herself with the Orthodox Church, which is filled with beauty and spirituality. Barbara also collaborated with newly discovered relatives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Having served as the director of the Venango Museum of Art, Science and Industry and the West Overholt Museums in Pennsylvania, she was able to indulge her many interests. Upon retirement, Barbara traced her ancestral roots from the prehistoric to the present era. This book narrates her journey through the ages. She invites you to join her on this trip.