52 Weeks: Oldest Story, The Cherokee Creation Story

 

this week’s theme is “OLDEST STORY.”   

The cherokee indian story of the beginning of the appalachians.  

Sometimes our oldest story is about where we are from and not about a particular person.  folklore is an important part of our stories.

The Cherokee Creation Story...

The Cherokee creation story tells how the world began as a big ocean, and all the animals lived in a place above the sky called Galun'lati. It was getting crowded there, so the animals wanted more space.

One brave Water Beetle offered to dive down into the water to see what was below. It swam all around but couldn't find any land. Finally, it dove to the bottom and brought up some soft mud. This mud started to grow and spread out in every direction until it became the land we call Earth.

Click on Read More for the rest of the story and a link to the video....

52 Ancestors Week 14: Language

 

this week’s theme is “Language.”   

Not all language issues are with source documents.  

Sometimes language barriers occur with accents and spelling in your own language. 

The Appalachian Dialect...

Appalachian English is American English native to the Appalachian mountain region of the Eastern United States.

The Unique Language of Appalachia: A Living Time Capsule

The Appalachian region, stretching from southern New York to northern Alabama and Georgia, is home to one of the most distinctive dialects in North America. Rooted in the early English, Scots-Irish, and German settlers who arrived in the 18th century, Appalachian English has retained many archaic words and phrases that have disappeared elsewhere.

A Time Capsule of Old English

I, for one, do not subscribe to the theory that Appalachians speak "Old English". 

It's been said that Appalachian speech is its preservation of Elizabethan English. Words like afeared (afraid), reckon (suppose), and britches (pants) date back centuries (and yes, we do say those words). The grammatical structures also reflect older forms of English, such as double modals ("I might could do that") and the use of a- prefixing ("He was a-hunting")—a feature found in Middle English poetry.

But, extensive research has been conducted since the 1930's to determine the origin of the Appalachian dialect.  Most would agree that it's an amalgam of Old English from original settlers, colonial 18th century English from the descendants of the original settlers, and a lot of Ulster-Scot dialect.

Without a doubt, Appalachians have always been taunted for their speech to the point of the Appalachian Dialect inferring poorness, laziness, and lack of education.  All of which is completely false.

Click on Read More to see samples on how Appalachians speak and what common words we use in sentences....

52 Ancestors Week 10: Siblings

 

This week’s theme is “Siblings.”   The DNA surprise when your family tree takes a sharp turn. 

Siblings. They're our first friends, our partners in crime, our biggest rivals, and our lifelong companions. The two brothers that I grew up with, Steve and Tim, were the only siblings that I knew.  They were much older than me.  I was the completely annoying bratty little sister that they didn't want and didn't expect.

The Craig Kids

I was also the one that got mad because they wouldn't let me play with their amazing hot wheel tracks up and down the basement stairs and all around the basement.  Boys can be so mean.

But, when in need, they both came running to help me.  Once, in 9th grade, I was severely bullied by a boy that wanted me to go to a school dance with him.  I just didn't want to go to the dance. I had nothing against the boy.   But, he took it badly, and harrassed me, followed me everywhere, in school and out, would call me horrible names, by yelling, in front of everyone at the lockers or lunch room.  The school administrator and security guard did nothing to stop it.   

So, for a month straight, my brothers picked me up from school.  They waited by this boy's school bus and made sure to say hello to him, every day.  That was it.  Just hello.  The fact that they both rode their Harleys and looked like Hells Angels might have also had something to do with it.

Click on Read More to see my Mom's and Dad's siblings....

52 Ancestors Week 9: Family Secret

this week’s theme is “family secret.”   Tips on sharing the deep dark secret and setting it free.

Every family has its stories, the tales passed down through generations, embellished with each retelling. But what happens when a story isn't told? What happens when a secret, carefully guarded and whispered only in hushed tones, finally comes to light?

You already know mine by reading Surprise, DNA Edition, Letters, and bits from the Migration posts.  But, as a professional genealogist, over the years, I have had my fair share of secrets that I've discovered and discussed with clients.  This is never an easy conversation.  In all my years, when I say I have a secret to tell you about.... it's not that you are directly related to a famous cousin but rather your cousin might be closer than a cousin.

The ethnicity estimate, from the Ancestry.com DNA test, was interesting enough, confirming some family lore and debunking others. But it was the "DNA Relatives" section that truly caught my attention. There, listed alongside distant cousins I'd never heard of, was a name that didn't belong. A name with a significantly higher percentage of shared DNA than a distant relative should have. 

To help understand what to do with a surprise in your DNA Test, I've put together a few tips that worked for me.  There are still times that I get angry or sad or incredibly frustrated because one side of the story is not being told but I always remember:  Let the skelton out of the closet to dance.

Click on Read More to read the tips on sharing your family secret....

52 Ancestors Week 8: Migration

 

This week’s theme is “migration.”   The Hillbilly Highway

I am the product of the Hillbilly Highway.  My Dad decided to move my mom and two brothers out of Weston, West Virginia to Baltimore, Maryland for the chance of a better life.  Jobs were scare in West Virginia.  Families were hungry.  Many left Appalachia for the Steel Towns of the North and the opportunities to the East.  This became known as the Hillbilly Highway.

Some made it back home.  Others never did.   

This video is maternal family's deeply personal story. "Hillbilly Highway: The Out-Migration of Appalachians" features Sandy Patak discussing the migration patterns of people from the Appalachian region to industrial cities. The presentation delves into the reasons behind this migration and examines the cultural impacts on both those who left and those who remained in Appalachia. 

What is the Hillbilly Highway and Why is it so important to Appalachian Genealogy?

Click on Read More to find out....

52 Ancestors Week 7: Letters

This week’s theme is “Letters & Diaries.”
When truth is put in one's own handwriting.

If you read the blog post from last week, Surprise, DNA Version, this is a carry over from that discussion.

Letters?  Oh, I have letters!   I have letters in my biological father's handwriting that he wrote me over a span of two years (after he found out that I was his biological daughter - well, after it was confirmed by DNA).

Oddly, I only have one photo of us together.  This photo was the weekend that we met as adults at his home in Buckhannon, West Virginia.

But, let's get back to the letters.  Do you want to read them???

Click on Read More to see the picture....

52 Ancestors Week 6: Surprise

 

This week’s theme is “Surprise.”   The DNA surprise when your family tree takes a sharp turn. 

We've all heard the stories, the slightly awkward jokes about getting a DNA test and discovering your parent is not your parent.  Here's how I found out...

I'd always been curious about my ancestry. I grew up with such dark brown eyes that they were almost black.  My parents had the bluest of blue eyes.  When Ancestry.com started heavily advertising DNA kits for a reasonable price, I instantly bought one and got DNA tested. 

To say that I DNA tested to find out who my parents were is truly only part of the story though.  I was convinced that I was Italian.  From an early age, I was always told that I had so much Italian "about me".  With my Dad's name as Craig and my Mom's Maiden Name as Bonner.... I was not understanding where any Italian would come from.  But that is a blog post for another time....

Note: I would never have done a DNA test if my dad were still alive. It's also important to state that "my dad" is the man who raised me from birth. "My father" is my biological father, as determined by a DNA test.

So, I had a guess who my biological father was.  I actually had it narrowed down to three people with one being in the lead.   Why?  His picture!

Click on Read More to see the picture....

52 Ancestors Week 5: Challenge

 

This week’s theme is “Challenge.”   One of the most difficult challenges is confirming that an Appalachian Coal Miner died from Black Lung. 

Many doctors didn't write Black Lung as the cause of death on the death certificate because the Coal Company didn't want them to.  A lot, but not all, of the doctors were payed by the Coal Company.

The Challenges of Finding Black Lung Families in Genealogy

Genealogical research can be a fascinating journey, but tracing ancestors who suffered from black lung disease presents unique challenges. Black lung disease, or coal workers' pneumoconiosis, primarily affected coal miners and their families, leaving behind records that are often fragmented or difficult to access.

Changing shifts at the mine portal, Floyd County, Kentucky.  - Russell Lee (Nat Archives)

One of the most common forms is black lung disease, also known as miner's lung. It's caused by breathing in coal dust. Another is brown lung, which comes from working around dust or other fibers. Other types of dusts that can cause pneumoconiosis include silica and asbestos. John Hopkins Medicine.

Click on the Read More link for steps in Finding Black Lung Records.

52 Ancestors Week 4: Overlooked

 

This week’s theme is “Overlooked.”   An ancestor that was hiding in plain sight

Judge Charley aka Charles McClure Dodrill was not only overlooked in my research but his tombstone was hiding in plain sight.  It is unbelieveable the fight and battle I had to find him and get him straightened out on Find A Grave. 

The Cemetery where my grandmother is buried, Point Mountain Church Cemetery, is one that I know extremely well.  I'm related or closely connected to all of the 300+ souls buried there.  I survey it on a yearly basis and have for well over two decades now.

So, when I noticed a Find A Grave "hoarder" place Judge Charley in the Point Mountain Cemetery, I instantly went into research mode.   For decades, Judge Charley's grave location was unknown because it was on private property.  That property was owned by a legacy farmer/family.

52 Ancestors Week 2: Favorite Family Photo

 

This week’s theme is “Favorite Family Photo.”  What is the story behind it??

I am going to be straight up honest with you right from the start:  I do not have a favorite family photo. 

There are way too many memories forever documented in photographs for me to ever pick just one favorite.  I could pick childhood photos, family reunion photos, my wedding photo, photos of adventures and boon doggles with my son, or my many road trips in and around Appalachia with my husband.  I could also pick a photo from the bazillion pet photos that I have.  🐾

So, why did I finally decide on this one photo?  Truthfully, it is probably the only time that myself and my two brothers actually, somewhat, got along.  And, it gives me an opportunity to truly document my Dad's dedication to make sure his family had a family vacation once a year.  Something he never had until he married.

52 Ancestors Week 1: In the Beginning

This week’s theme is “In the Beginning.”  Who was the first person you wanted to find when you started your genealogy journey? 

My Uncle Drex was the family historian on my mom's side. This was back in the days before computers and Post-it notes. Before he passed away, he gave me the notes he had left—most of them were lost during moves with his last wife—and asked that I carry on the family genealogy. I smile as I remember his deep voice saying those words. He had a rich, resonant voice and sang in the family band.

I completely adored him. 

He had the biggest smile and gave the best hugs whenever he saw you.