Our tree, like so many others, is a leeeeeedle bit more complicated below the surface than meets the eye. For instance, my father, Robert “Bob” Cargell, was adopted. Ergo, our “family” name is in itself a misnomer, biologically speaking. I don’t think anyone really knows our paternal roots. For that reason alone, I have chosen my father as the “root” of our family tree, even though we know the adopting parents. Wait, it gets better. So dad was adopted, and when he was about 4 or 5, his parents divorced. His father (in name) gave him a choice: it’s me or your mother, but not both. Dad chose his mother, and never saw or heard from Robert Monroe Cargell until many years later, when we took a family vacation to St. Petersburg. Dad looked up and called RM to ask if he would like to meet his grandchildren. That’s another story, though, we’ll save for later.

Full disclosure: I, at some point long ago, decided that since my dad did not pursue his roots, to dismiss and disregard any further investigation of my own. Do I regret that? No. Well, maybe a little. If I really want to take a crack at that pistachio shell, I can always start with one of those at-home DNA products. For now, I’ve put together my little tree based on what and who I know. There are several “trees” to visit here, based on the roots of my tree members. Like they say, “it’s complicated”; but I invite you to peruse through. I do now think it’s important to understand your family story, and this is my start.

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