Maud Newton Found Some Answers and More Questions On Her Ancestral Dig

Content Warning: This episode discusses racism, depression, and sexual abuse. At a young age, author Maud Newton was warned by her grandmother about the mental illness that ran through her family history. She was also told wild stories: an ancestor tried for being a witch, a Marxist in 1900s Texas, a grandfather married 13 times. The stories she uncovered in her best-selling book Ancestor Trouble shed some light on those tales and revealed plenty of complexity and surprises. Meanwhile, Maud has had to deal with her own mental health problems as well as issues among the living: a virulently racist and authoritarian father, a stepfather who molested her, and a mother who persistently looked the other way. She has found a loving and supportive family later in life with a loving husband, his extended family, and a step-sister and step-daughter to whom she is extremely close. It’s a testimony to the power of looking for answers, understanding your roots, and knowing yourself.