This website is about and for my dad, Daniel Richard Posten. The Posten family have lived in  Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wyoming counties, Pennsylvania since the early 1800s.  The original  immigrants are reported to be from England or Germany.   A frequently told story was of ‘two  brothers who came to America, one went south to the Carolinas (or Virginia) and the other went  west to Pennsylvania.’ In 2010, I found a family history:  “A Poston Family of South Carolina:   Its immigrant ancestor and some of his descendents:  A family genealogy”, compiled by Erma Poston  Landers of Atlanta, Georgia, and published in 1965. Some of her information was based on Poston  histories published in 1942 and 1959.  Mrs. Landers related the same story.  Even though the last  name was spelled differently, there could be a relationship.

When Dad and Mom moved to Mannford, Oklahoma, one of their neighbors was George Avery Posten.  He  and Dad swapped family stories and discovered that George was descended from a Carolina Poston.   George had also heard the same story about his family’s origins.  Some researchers believe that  the Poston/ Posten family originated in Shropshire, Wales, England.  Given the rich history of  coal mining in northeastern Pennsylvania, the original immigrants may, therefore, have been Welsh  coal miners.  Oral family tradition also indicates that we may have German roots, ‘Pennsylvania  Dutch.’  I haven't yet found definite proof of either story.

Oral family history reports that we are descended from Jacob Posten of Monroe County, PA, a  Revolutionary War Patriot. However, historical documents do not support this lineage. Thomas  Postens (oldest Posten ancestor identified) could be a cousin or nephew of Jacob. Contact me for  more information.

This project started more than 25 years ago when I was living in Salt Lake City, Utah. As with  many family trees, sources may not be available or a 'best guess' was made based on limited  information. Family tradition may or may not be accurate. I have included my 'best guess' and  reasoning whenever possible.  Please contact me if you find any errors;  include your evidence,  even if the evidence is 'Great-aunt Mary's handwritten notes' or an online family tree without  sources.