Small Town Genetics

The Class of 1963 is so lucky in many ways. We grew up in a small town of about 1400 people. There were 50 in our senior class. We knew nearly everything about our classmates both good and bad. When we walked down the streets of Angier, we rarely saw a stranger.  We lived near most of our cousins and friends so there was always someone to play with and share our experiences.  

When we graduated, we started our life's journey which took us in many different directions. We were mobile. Some of us travelled long distances. Some of us went off to work or off to college or off to war. We met new and interesting people, and even married people that were not from this area or even this country. Many of us have made our lives out of state. We are products of progress, the ability to travel great distances with ease. We think nothing of jumping in a car or an airplane or train or ship and traveling to distant places.

Now think of our parents and grandparents. When my grandfather moved to Angier in the early 1920's, he arrived from Granville county on a horse and wagon. 

Grandfather Eugene Clinton Mangum as a young man  1885-1962

At that time a move of that magnitude would be like moving to Australia today. He had little choice because the Granville Wilt had ruined the tobacco farming in that area and he was a tobacco farmer. When he came to Angier, he brought a wife and six children. 

Now think about your great grandparents and your great great grandparents. They only had walking, horses and a few steam trains for transportation. Many of them probably never left the county before finishing school if they even finished school. The Mangum's genealogy has been traced back to 1670. Everyone of them lived in Granville county. 

Great great grandfather William Clinton Mangum  1828-1913

The young people at that time had a hard time finding someone to marry that they were not related to. I suspect that many of them married not too distant cousins. It is a miracle that we weren't born with three eyes and twelve toes. 

So progress can be a good thing. Five of granddad Mangum's six children married people that were from Angier that had no relations to the Mangum's which helped to expand the Angier gene pool. Even though I am a product one one of those marriages, I am astounded by the number of people in Angier that I am related to. 

It is my contention that a large gene pool impoves the genetics of our children. Both of my daughters came from a larger gene pool than I did. They are both much prettier and infinitely smarter than I am.  One of their husbands is from Mississippi and the other is from Alabama (even a larger gene pool). I have three grandsons from these unions. Like all grandfathers, I am very proud of them and can tell you that they are all destined for greatness. I am sure you feel the same about your progeny.