Ep 1. Connecting to John F. Kennedy

Roots Less Traveled is a show that aims to trace the ancestry of people who are curious about their family history. The first episode of season 1, titled "Connecting to John F. Kennedy," follows a woman named Lauren Wray, who is keen to uncover her family roots and find out if her family is truly connected to one of the most famous American presidents in history.

Lauren is a working mother of two, living in Maryland, USA. She has always been interested in history and has often wondered about her family's heritage. She volunteers at a local historical society and believes that her family may be related to President John F. Kennedy. Lauren has heard stories from her family about a potential connection to the Kennedys, but she is skeptical and wants to find out the truth.

Lauren travels to Boston, Massachusetts, to meet with a genealogist named Mary M. Tedesco. Mary is an expert in tracing family trees and has helped many people discover their family history. Lauren shares her family's stories with Mary and asks her to help her find out if there is a connection between her family and JFK.

Mary starts by asking Lauren about her family's background and any information they have shared about their connection to JFK. Lauren tells Mary that her family comes from Ireland and that her great-grandfather, James Wray, was a musician who played the fiddle. James often performed at social events and was known to have played for JFK's father, Joseph Kennedy.

Mary begins her investigation into Lauren's family tree, starting with James Wray. She discovers that James was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1878, and that his parents, John and Margaret Wray, were also from Ireland. Mary finds a record that indicates that James immigrated to the United States in 1911 and landed in Boston.

Mary then looks for information about Joseph Kennedy to see if there is any connection between him and James Wray. She finds out that Joseph Kennedy was born in Boston in 1888, and his parents were also from Ireland. Mary discovers that Joseph's father, Patrick Kennedy, was a politician who played a significant role in Boston politics in the early 1900s.

Mary learns that James Wray's music career took him to many events in Boston in the early 1900s, including some political rallies. She finds information indicating that James may have played at some of the same events as Patrick Kennedy, Joseph's father. Mary concludes that it is possible that James and Patrick may have crossed paths, but there is no concrete evidence to suggest that they had a close connection.

Mary then decides to dig deeper into Lauren's family history and starts researching John and Margaret Wray, James's parents. She discovers that John Wray was a farmer, and he and Margaret had five children, including James. Mary uncovers records that show that John Wray was involved in a land dispute with a man named Patrick Kennedy in Ireland in the late 1800s. However, Mary finds no evidence to suggest that this Patrick Kennedy was related to Joseph Kennedy.

Despite finding no conclusive evidence of a link between Lauren's family and JFK's family, Mary does find some interesting information about Lauren's ancestors. She discovers that Lauren has relatives who fought in the American Civil War and that her family has a rich history in Ireland. Lauren is thrilled with what she has learned and is grateful for Mary's help in uncovering her family's past.

The episode ends with Lauren returning home and sharing what she's learned about her family with her children. She is excited to pass on this knowledge to future generations and hopes to continue exploring her family history. Roots Less Traveled has started off with a fascinating journey into a family's past, and viewers will undoubtedly be tuning in for more episodes to come.