When I was unable to sleep (because of the heat?), I got to thinking about how to present all the research I have been doing over the past year/2 decades/since the late 1990s. I have uncovered so many McCrystals (and the derivations of spelling) that I become mind-boggled just keeping the different people straight in my head as well as in the database. I took on of the smaller quantity of a name – Francis. In the various databases I found 8 deaths, 11 births, 12 marriages over the roughly 140 years. Continue reading “Francis McCrystal – Between 1790-1930 in Ireland”
Category: Creative Writing
Irish Genealogy: Questions without many answers
There are few if any ethnicities or countries that have as much information available as the Irish have. Everybody and their uncles and aunts are researching Irish ancestry though it involves a lot of angst along the way. every time I turn around, there is a new website (new to me) for me to explore. But none of them bring me any closer to finding more information about my 2X grandfather, James McCristle. Continue reading “Irish Genealogy: Questions without many answers”
800 McCrystals and counting
When I started this journey of researching my paternal family name, I did not expect to find so many derivations of the spelling nor the number of people with that last name between 1795 and 1930 in Ireland. I also did not expect to find them in the locations I found either. I had been under the (obviously wrong) impression that my ancestor(s) came from what is today called the Republic of Ireland (Co. Cork). As it turns out, they are pretty much completely from today’s Northern Ireland. Of course, back in the day, it was simply Ireland. Most of the time in the census of the United State, they just stated they were from Ireland, if not born in the US. Continue reading “800 McCrystals and counting”
A widow who left 6 children a shilling each
The research and effort I have been putting into this project has been exhausting, and at times depressing. I had decided I needed to review all the tabs in my browsers I have open (dozens!) and get some closure on a few. I happened upon things I evidently found months ago and did not relate to at the time. I am easily distracted by shiny objects in the rearview mirror so anything can happen to my concentration. A few open tabs were enlightening, but this one was moderately entertaining. I can’t decide whether the old lady really was a brat and liked conflict or if she was settling some scores. Her will, to me, was a hoot! Continue reading “A widow who left 6 children a shilling each”
The genealogical journey – McCrystal/McCristle
When I picked up the threads of all my old research, I had no idea the journey I was embarking on. This has been an incredible 11 months. I had the basic DNA tests done from both My Heritage and Ancestry, became a Green Room member, bought a database program (Family Historian7) that I am happy with, found out that my James, in all likelihood, came from Northern Ireland, not Co. Cork as I believed for 3/4 of my life and so much more. Amazing what, after 20 years of ignoring a subject, can be revealed via the search engines and artificial intelligence if one just asks the right questions. Continue reading “The genealogical journey – McCrystal/McCristle”
Breaking down the brick walls – Where did we come from?
A misconception, call it misinformation:
When you absolutely know your ancestor came from a specific area and time of history, why would you (or in this case, “ME”) look anywhere else even when confronted with conflicting information?
Yep. I was completely wrong! Sadly, I was many miles from my hometown when many of the elders related to my family were talking to strangers researching their book about the Rock Fences of the Bluegrass area of Kentucky. Their reminiscing’s were documented as the absolute truth about where my ancestors came from in Ireland and the stories behind those journeys. Continue reading “Breaking down the brick walls – Where did we come from?”
Romance and/or Travel: the journey or the destination?
Travel. The word can bring forth thoughts, memories, feelings. Yet, it is just a word. A six-letter word. Looking up definitions for such a word, I found many variations. As a verb, travel was defined as early as the 1300’s:
travel (v.)
c.1375, “to journey,” from travailen (1300) “to make a journey,” originally “to toil, labor” (see travail). The semantic development may have been via the notion of “go on a difficult journey,” but it may also reflect the difficulty of going anywhere in the Middle Ages. Replaced O.E. faran. Travels “accounts of journeys” is recorded from 1591. Traveled “experienced in travel” is from 1413. Traveling salesman is attested from 1885.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Continue reading “Romance and/or Travel: the journey or the destination?”
Charming
Have you ever thought about the word, “charming”? I recently began ruminating on the word. Dictionary.com describes the word as an adjective:
Charming – adjective
pleasing; delightful.
using charm; exercising magic power.
One of the interesting words of this description is “power“.
Charm: to act upon (someone or something) with or as with a compelling or magical force.
One of the things I was thinking about is how it seems to be a male descriptor. After all, Cinderella, Snow White, what the heck, the wicked Witch of the West, were never described as “charming”. But Prince Charming was most sought after…..
Prince Charming is a fairy tale character who comes to the rescue of a damsel in distress and must engage in a quest to liberate her from an evil spell.
Possessions – positively memorable or evil reminders?
I used to sell our possessions on Ebay when we either grew tired of them or they no longer were useful. I had an excellent online reputation and sold an amazing number of items of technology, tools, clothing, bric-a-brac, nostalgia, antiques – you name it nothing was sacred. If we were tired of a possession, I sold it so we could buy a new item. I won’t say I made a profit but the way we looked at it, we had the use of an item until it no longer was useful. Then someone else got the joy of owning it. Continue reading “Possessions – positively memorable or evil reminders?”
Privilege versus doing the right thing
I have been reflecting a lot on “doing the right thing” (higher moral ground?) versus what one might have the “privilege” of doing as an autocrat or totalitarian. Privilege, from the dictionary sense, as defined as a noun: