Who Are We?

It seems such a simple question but the answer is complicated, even more so because we don't have all the information. Genealogy is a complicated puzzle. It is similar to a difficult jigsaw puzzle... some of the pieces fit but later you learn they didn't go there... some of the pieces are missing and you may never find them. It is a puzzle that may or may not ever be finished but we can gain a partial picture of who we have been, who our family has included. I often fantasize of a complete family reunion, one in which all of our ancestors gather for a picnic, each generation making introductions for their parents, brothers and sisters to the succeeding generation. The concept is interesting as many of our ancestors were enemies in their lifetimes and one wonders if the sins of the past would be forgiven.

Enough of fantasy. Let us move into some idea of who our ancestors were, where they came from and why we are what we are today. The ancestors of Bernard A. Goodwin are very Irish as we already know. The ancestors of Callie G. Patterson are Scottish, Scot-Irish and English and include some royal lines.The ancestors of Clarence W. Kemp are English and through his mother include many Dutch lines along with some German lines. The ancestors of Eva M. McKnight are Scottish as expected, Scot-Irish and include some English lines. The ancestors of James Dee Irwin are Scottish, Scot-Irish English and German but predominantly Scottish, these lines too cross into royal lines. . The ancestors of Ethel E. McCorkle are Scottish, Scot-Irish and English and these lines too cross into Royal lines. The ancestors of Owen E. Forrester are predominantly English but include some Irish and we are unsure of the Forrester line itself; it could be English or Scottish.The Forrester line also includes royal ancestors and the Fulgham/ Foljambe family is phenomenal. The ancestors of Vera M. Kingry are primarily German, Swiss and include some English as well. Scattered in all the lines are some Welsh lines as well.

Any connection with English or Scottish royalty leads to a connection with most all of the European countries including Hungary, Bohemia, Spain, Italy, Austria.

In order to more fully understand the lives and times of our ancestors, we need to appreciate that they were just like us. Whether we are talking about the Picts or the Romans, the Etruscans or the Scots; whether we are talking about kings or farmers, they all have one thing in common with us: they were human. They knew sorrow and joy, pain and frustration, honor and dishonor. They, like us, had children they loved and cared for, oftentimes fought for and defended; they had parents to whom they were eternally bound. They loved and were loved, they were familiar with grief and happiness. Each of them are more like us than we know, for we have inherited from them who we are; our talents and our personality is a gift from our ancestors.

When we can see them clearly, we can see ourselves. When we see their lives, we realize that we, ourselves, face the same stages in our lives. We are born, we live and we die, just like they have. It is what we do in between, the way we live, that determines the quality of our lives. We, like they, have the choice to become a person of faith, a person of greed, a person of honor, a person of shame. It is what we do, during the relatively short time we spend on earth, that determines how we are remembered. How will you be remembered?