December 12, 2024
“Who Knit Ya?”
“These
were their settlements. And they kept good family records.”
Don’t
forget to look for the title which is embedded in the chronicle.
GRATITUDE
Thanks Brenda, Cathy, Carolyn, Cindy, Doug,
Eleanor, Emily, Janet, Jeanni, Jolynda,
Julia, Karl, Mary Jane, Missy, Paul, Paula, and
Ralph. Did I miss someone? I hope not.
Thanks for your interest, your contributions,
and your suggestions.
FAMILY ALBUM
This is
Louise E Steeves Preu, daughter of Walter and Villa (Warren) Steeves, and
granddaughter of Alf and Carrie (Holmes) Steeves. She is with two of her
nieces, with their dolls that they received for Christmas c 1945. Credit for
sharing the photo goes to Elizabeth Steeves.
1924 to
1928
Those
are the years that our great or great-great grandparents spent renewing
relationships that had somehow fallen by the wayside but with organization,
letter writing, and challenging travel – by hook or by crook – they managed to
come together again. They reacquainted and rediscovered their family ties. And
then, one by one, they died, and many of those ties died with them.
2024 to 2028
The
first year of centennial remembrances of our family gatherings is quickly
drawing to a close. I have accomplished some genealogy goals. The genealogy of
Daniel and Charlotte’s descendants is about ready to go. Of course, it will
always be updated. I am going to ask that you request it, rather than emailing
it to everyone, so if you want a PDF copy, let me know. I will automatically
send it to those genealogists I work with on a regular basis or who expressed
their appreciation for it. I have already begun, in the evenings, to review and
research the descendants of Samuel Holmes Jr, which I hope to accomplish in
2025. I finished my article on Daniel and Charlotte for “Generations.” It is
now published. I will work on it, probably in a different format, for “A
Colossal Collection of Cousins,” in 2025. I have also started and will complete
a biography of William and Margaret (Holmes) Snider for “Generations.” It has a
windows theme. Daniel’s article had a counterpane theme. Should
your family have a change, please let me know so I can update our family tree.
For the genealogy, this includes things like births, marriages, divorces, and
deaths. As you know, I am careful with your privacy, and children won’t be made
public. Perhaps whoever takes this over for me – someone of a younger
generation – will get it. That person is yet unknown, although I have a busy
someone in mind. In
1925, my great-grandparents did not attend the family reunion that was held in
Maine. Instead, they celebrated their 50th anniversary at home, and
all their children attended, as well as some grandchildren. But, I will look
into the details and share them with you soon.
Congratulations to
Nic Hamilton and Chelsea Parrish McLean on the arrival of their daughter,
Sylvia Ann Beryl Parrish Hamilton, on November 20, 2024. Welcome to the world,
little one. Proud grandparents are Randy and Mary Jane (Holmes) Hamilton, of
the Charles R Holmes line.
Sylvia – Nicholas Hamilton and Chelsea Parish McLean – Randy Hamilton
and Mary Jane Holmes – Bryce Holmes and Inez McVicar – Floyd Holmes and Minnie
Colpitts – Charles R Holmes and Phoebe McMonagle – Daniel Holmes and Charlotte
Hoyt.
MUM’S MEMOIRS
My
Dad would choose a Christmas tree when he would be cutting wood for winter but
it didn’t come home until just before Christmas. We had a stand – a wheel from
some piece of machinery. It had to be rolled into the dining room, after the
floor had been scrubbed and waxed. It stood in the corner away from the stove
and wasn’t put up until the day before. Our stockings were hung on the wood
box. We would write notes to Santa and they would let us burn them (we weren’t
allowed to open the stove door). It would be decorated the afternoon before
Christmas. We didn’t have electric lights until 1928 or 29 so had candles,
little holders held the candles and we could only watch while Dad lighted them
just for a short time. We had some nice ornaments. The Minella’s had brought
them. They were loaned to the school first. After electricity was in we had
electric lights. We
didn’t have a lot of gifts, mostly clothes that we needed. I remember one
Christmas I got a dress. The top part was red flannel trimmed with plaid that
was the skirt. It had been a pleated one Mum had made which I bought with $1
Uncle Cecil had sent me in a roll of funny papers from Boston. When Aunt Tress
and Mum were measuring the dress on me and cutting around my neck I knew I was
getting a dress for Christmas. Still wearing it when I went to High School. I
remember overshoes, always had one toy. A special doll. I remember Bryce and I
cooking peanuts in water over the flame. One year I got a jacket and ski pants,
I thought I had “arrived.” Lots of candy, nuts and we always got an orange in
the toe of our stocking, probably the only one in the year. I remember there
was always a bottle of olives for Grandmother and a pair of overalls for
Grampy. (Phoebe and Charles.) They didn’t have a tree but came over to open
their gifts with us. One year Grandfather took the horse bells that went over
the horses back and rang them under the bedroom window before we were up and we
were so sure we were going to see Santa. Think he had a close call! Another
special Christmas, Lil, Mac, Bob and Sister (Lillian) came for Christmas – oh
the fun, all the gifts, treats etc. I wonder where we all slept. Poor Mum, Lil
would have helped. She was so good to us. As
we grew up and left home, it was still special to take family home, friends
too. During the war, we were encouraged to take the military boys home. Clam
chowder, cold turkey, home made bread, fruit cocktail, sweets etc.
Christmas
Greetings from the Nolte family
Julia sent me this picture from
Thanksgiving in Texas. “Our daughter Mica and her family celebrated with
her husband Matt's family.
Left to right: Austin, Brandi,
Greg, Chandler, Janet, Graham, Brett Santa Claus, Julia
The Nolte - Hall family wishes
everyone a joyous and love-filled holiday season and a healthy New Year.
We are thankful for our family: extended and close and for our friends.
Best wishes to each of you! Christmas begins with Christ - may you feel
surrounded by His love.”
FAMILY HISTORY LESSON
These past two weeks I
have focused on getting the Daniel and Charlotte (Hoyt) Holmes genealogy ready
for you.
Keep in mind that I will work with you on the Holmes et al genealogy, if
you like. I am willing to distribute it to you with another generation added to
it – as long as there are no objections. If there are just a few objections, I
can temporarily remove those individuals from the tree. I’ll look at that early
in the new year. I
inquired about adding a portion of it (The Descendant Chart) to the New
Brunswick Genealogy Society website, and it seems I must also remove the
generation that includes my mother, who passed in 2022. It is too modern for
archives and privacy purposes.
I want to write a
blurb on the second page, to replace the instructions I gave you. Here is the
tentative introduction to the genealogy. Might need a bit more spit and polish.
Introduction
They’re not just
names. It’s important we remember that. We have to remember.[1] This is genealogy –
a list of names, dates, and places. It is the basis, or backbone, of a family
history. It is ever evolving, and will always need updating. Some of the names,
dates, and places, are ambiguous – genealogists try to figure out the most logical
choice from the various records they find. It may need correcting. Genealogists
may find other family members that they missed along the way, or find that the
wrong person made his or her way into the genealogy. The most important thing
to remember, though, is that each person in the genealogy actually lived. If
one of them in your direct line was not born, you (or I) would not have been
born. It can stand alone or it can give rise to a family history. I have not
included sources in this genealogy, as it would take hundreds of pages, but you
can ask me for specific sources. I may have made mistakes. Please let me know
if you find any. I am happy to help, teach, and work with you.
If you travel to
Newfoundland, you might be asked, “who knit ya?” What they want to know is,
“who are your parents?” Most people know that much about their genealogy, but I
find there are those whose names or places state “unknown” on some forms. They
must not have told the informant that information. They may not have known
their biological parents. It is important not to assume anything.
With what were they
knit? I ask. The thread is called DNA. The study of Deoxyribonucleic Acid began
in the 1860s; it came into common use for the study of genetics in the 1940s.
DNA testing for genealogy purposes began in the early 2000s. Personally, I was
tested in the early 2020s, and I still have a lot to learn. DNA “is the
molecule that carries genetic information for the development and functioning
of an organism. DNA is made of two linked strands that wind around each other
to resemble a twisted ladder – a shape known as a double helix.” An experienced
knitter can relate to that. “Is there a more amazing molecule than DNA? It
makes each of us who we are. The more scientists understand it, the more we all
understand ourselves, one another, and the world around us.”[2]
This important research tool is only part of the work you must do; balance it
with records.
Ask yourself, how
did these knitted individuals fare? Family history brings genealogy to life. It
is impossible, timewise, to study every name in a family tree. You might want
to focus only on your own direct line. I am interested, of course, in my direct
line, but I also like to delve into other leaves in our tree. How do I choose?
Sometimes some tidbit of information comes my way and intrigues me; that, I
call, a rabbit trail or hole. I would categorize those I choose to study in
detail as those who fall into these categories: my direct lines; people with a
little known but extraordinary life; people who were childless, leaving no
descendants to keep their memory alive; and people who quietly contributed to
their family or community nonetheless. Whose life would I not research? - people
whose tales are already well known; perhaps published. Most
individual’s lives change course along the way, depending on their place(s),
events, and the influences of others. Lifetimes are like rivers that flow and
redirect as they move on and overcome obstacles. Personally, I am more
interested in the unknown people than the famous. Maybe that’s because I enjoy
the research so much. If it’s already written, it’s harder for me to pare down
the details. Other genealogists are anxious to find their well-known ancestors.
Each of us likely has a different take on what intrigues them. Should genealogy
be a passion of yours, now or in the future, I encourage you to be ever so
careful in your research. I also suggest that you pick and choose a few people
and dig deep into their lives. Build a great love or hate relationship with
them. Bide a wee; visit, if you can, their final resting place. Genealogy sites
are fine resources to build a tree on, as long as you use common sense and back
up every fact with sources. But, for the special few whose story you choose to
discover, you need to go beyond. Go to the resource places where they lived,
virtually or literally. Take those rabbit trails. Learn, without judgement,
what life was like in their time and place. It is not for us to change their
situations to suit our sensibilities, but to know them, learn from them, and
sometimes, carefully, to tell of them.
Feel free to ask
for my help, should you want or need it.
For privacy reasons, this genealogy is for family purposes only, and is
not to be distributed publicly. I will give you a shorter version for archives,
museums, and family history centers, should you want it.
Peg Vasseur
Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday wishes to all of
you.
If you like, share your greetings, stories, and
photos, old or new, on our Facebook group,
or send them to me via email and I will pass them
along.
“God bless us, everyone.” ~ Tiny Tim
Attached, you will
find my Christmas gift to you. It is the article that was just published in
“Generations.” The editor made some of it into two columns, to be consistent
with the rest of the journal. It must have been a horror of a job.
[1] Sisco, Captain Benjamin. Star Trek Episode “The Seige of AR-558.”
1998. (Taken out of context.)
[2] Bates Susan A. Website: National Human Genome Research Institute:
“Deoxyribonucleic Acid.” Accessed December 9, 2024. https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Deoxyribonucleic-Acid-DNA#:~:text=Deoxyribonucleic%20acid%20(abbreviated%20DNA)%20is,known%20as%20a%20double%20helix.
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