Takes all my nice kisses…

This was originally published on my old blog on the 4th of October 2006… On the 13th of January 1928, my Great Uncle Keith was born. Four days after that my Gramma, Ewilda Elizabeth Beyea, celebrated her 6th birthday. For almost 6 years (apart from the 5+ months when little baby Warren Clayton Eldon graced their lives) Gramma had been the youngest child of six, just two years younger than big sister Ruth. So when Keith entered the picture my Gramma, often called Ibby when she was young, was none too thrilled. In jest, her Grandfather, James Henry Beyea, wrote a little poem to reflect Ibby’s feelings: Mother’s got a baby, little bit of a thing. Think I could almost put him thru me rubber ring. Ain’t he awful little, ain’t he awful pink, Just come down from Heaven that’s a fib, I think. Doctor told another great big awful lie, My nose ain’t out of joint that ain’t why I cry. Send me off with Ruthie every single day, “Be a good girl Ibby run away and play”. Takes all my nice kisses takes my place in bed, I think I’ll take the poker stick and hit him over the head.   My Gramma recited this poem to me on what would be my last summer visit with her, in August 2004. My 16 month old daughter, Grace, (Gramma’s first great granddaughter) was also there. I wondered if this was how Grace might feel about a sibling. Later that month I became pregnant with my second child.

Indigenous

Years ago, before I had ever really dappled with genealogy, I came across a little poem.  It captured my attention, mostly because of one little line… something about being born 4 days apart. My Gramma was born on January 17th. I was born on the 21st. I liked the sound of the poem and the connection, so I wrote it down in my book of favourite quotes and poems.

The little book is filled with great words from Victor Hugo, Phil Ochs, Tennyson, Ghandi, Christine de Pisan, the Psalms… a wonderful assortment of inspirational words all sorted out and dazzling with meaning.  Yesterday I pulled out the book again… for some inspiration. Amongst the heavyweights of the poetic world I rediscovered this little poem. I read it in a whole new light… as a genealogist. It seems I was meant to wait this long for it’s true meaning to shine through. Today, it makes more sense than ever to share it with you…

INDIGENOUS

Searching your family tree,

The facts puzzled

in layered pieces.

Relative association;

Our surnames shared,

we were born

four days/one lifetime

apart/together.

Discovery

of her leaf and branch

draws me

to the forest clearing.

Affinity guided;

Each step a brush with life.

Hers.

Mine.

Close enough,

Long enough,

to see my own reflection

in your grandmother’s eyes.

Jill Meriel Fox             

 

 

July birthdays and the boys names list

It’s Canada’s birthday! It’s also time to remember the July birthdays of the following grandparents:

• Elizabeth Hathorne: 5 July 1649
• Sarah Taylor: 6 July 1679
• Martha Curry Sherwood: 12 July 1765
• Annie Elizabeth Barr: 18 July 1887
• Lydia L. Mosher: 19 July 1827
• Samuel Doty: 25 July 1759
• Phoebe Sophia Smith: 25 July 1856
• Richard Ormsby: 28 July 1602
• Bethia Maxon: 31 July 1693

Surprisingly only two men on the July list… both with popular family names. Samuel is #8 on the list & Richard hits the bronze spot with #3. Here’s the rest of the list:

I should mention that these lists include only ancestors from my Gramma’s side. This does not include the Fisher side (because what I have, presently, is so limited). The most popular boys name on the Fisher side, as far as I can tell, is John (John Marshall, in fact)… and the same goes for the following list:

1. John (57)
2. Thomas (32)
3. Richard (25)
4. William (24)
5. Robert (15)
6. Henry & James (13)
7. Joseph (10)
8. Johannes & Samuel (
9. Jan (6)
10. Cornelius, Isaac, Jonathan & Nicholas (5)
11. David, Edward, Michael/Michiel, Peter (4)
12. Nathaniel (3)

Nothing too surprising there. Some people may be surprised to see the high amount of Dutch names. We have a pretty extensive Dutch side and they didn’t get too creative with their names. I personally love alot of those names (is that genetically ingrained in me?). Had our Bridget been a boy, she would have been Samuel… and Kevin has lately said if we were ever to have a boy now, he’d fight for the name Isaac. (Although, please note that we plan on having NO more children!).

With summer in full swing, my busiest time at work begins! So, in the next little while I will be reposting some of my old entries from my old blog site, before it went south. To some it will be a repeat (hopefully worth re-reading), to others it’s a chance to see what you missed. For me it will be a chance to look like I’m doing something without feeling guilty for doing nothing. Such is life.

So let’s hear it agian, “Happy weekend Canada!”… I’m still proud to be a Loyalist!