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 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....

12 Photos: January 2025 Grandparents

 

Janaury 2025

12 Months of Photos - Appalachia Style

"Grandparents"

Ina May Bonner King and Ward Montgomery King, my maternal grandparents.

I have no idea how they met.

Well, that’s not exactly true. I know they met in Webster County, West Virginia, and that a coal mine was involved. My Granddad was working at a nearby coal mine, not far from where my grandmother—“Nanny”—lived on top of Point Mountain, West Virginia.

The courting and dating details left this earth when they did.

I do know that my mom was already born in April 1938. Ina and Ward married on Christmas Eve that same year. Ward was not my mother’s biological father, but that didn’t matter to him.

This picture was likely taken around their 10th or 15th wedding anniversary.

52 Ancestors Week 3: Nicknames

This week’s theme is “Nicknames.”  

It's Appalachia.  Of course, I have many ancestors and family and friends with nicknames. 

My big brother has the nickname, Big City Hillbilly.  Born in Weston, West Virginia and traveled the Hillbilly Highway to Maryland.  Steve is a member of the Patriot Guard and takes the responsibility of seeing a soldier to his final resting place very seriously.



But everytime I tried to think of which ancestor to write about this week, I kept circling back to one of my favorite memories of my beloved grandfather, Ward King.   So, here it is......

At an extremely young age and one of my first memories is hanging outside with my grandfather and the other men while the wives cooked for a picnic later that day.   The men were all sharing stories about their farms and current events.  My grandfather was always known to tell a good joke and I guess it was time to lighten the mood.

He grabbed a stick and drew, in the dirt, a typical four way intersection.

The Story Goes Like This…

Traffic was heavy in town today. Cars crowded the streets, and one main intersection was especially chaotic. Since this is a no-stoplight town, a policeman was called in to direct traffic when things got too busy.

As each car passed by the officer, the drivers tipped their heads and called out, “Scout!” This went on for two hours.

My grandfather, sitting among a group of men—farmers to the core—weaved this story to them. Finally, he asked them, “Why does everyone shout ‘Scout’ at the policeman?”

The men mulled it over.

One of them guessed, “Maybe it’s because he was the first officer to arrive at the intersection.”

“No,” my grandfather replied.

Another chimed in confidently, “He’s probably the leader of a Boy Scout troop.”

“Nope.”

Ward King, Braxton County, WV

The group sat in silence for a moment, pondering. Then, another man offered, “Maybe it’s because he’s a good hunting ‘scout’ and has some Native American bloodlines?”

“No,no” my grandfather said again, shaking his head.

The men, now determined to uncover the truth, continued speculating but came up empty-handed.

At four years old, I sat there, completely confused by what I was witnessing. Why was this such a mystery?

Finally, my grandfather leaned forward and asked, “Do you give up?”

The men, defeated, begrudgingly admitted, “Yes.”

But not me.

“Wait!” I exclaimed, my small voice cutting through the summer air. Shocked that I had spoken up—after being as quiet as a church mouse—the men turned to me, their eyes wide.

My grandfather looked at me with a mischievous grin and said, “All right, Sandy, why do they shout ‘Scout’?”

I simply declared, “Because it’s his name.”

Dead silence amongst the men.

I glanced at my grandfather, and I’ll never forget the spark of pride in his eyes.

Then, with a hearty laugh, he exclaimed, “Gosh darn it, Sandy! You are correct!”

Scout was the policeman's nickname.

My GrandDad, oh how I miss that man so much.  I could not have asked for a better grandfather than him. 💞

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#52Ancestors was started by another WikiTreer, blogger, and professional genealogist, Amy Johnson Crow. Check out her Generations Cafe Facebook group