While I haven’t traced every ancestor back to “before they were here”, every single immigrant that I have found came to this country prior to 1776. They came from Ireland, Scotland, England, and Germany. They came here, made a life, made a family, and made a great nation.
The migration patterns are pretty interesting as well. My mom’s family (Chamberlain and Brenholts) came into New England and worked their way to Texas via the Northern route, living in the cities.
My dad’s family (Price and Riffle) came into the Southern colonies and worked their way to Texas via the South, living in small towns and on farms.
The lives and labors of each branch supported the other.
I have discovered that my family history is this nation’s history, they are inseparable. And THAT makes me proud, grateful, and humbled, and motivated to continue the quest – to find out more about those folks from the past, to learn of their struggles and achivements, to connect with their descendants, and to learn what kind of legacy we are creating in their honor.
My genealogy research ended up not being a search for my Irish Roots, or German Roots, but truly American Roots.