Our Clan Drummond through the Mattson - Pierce - Fiddler Lines.

a Drummond clansman from The Clans of the Scottish Highlands published in 1845.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Bitter cold this January night. It was 18 degrees according to the Battlestar's thermomoter. All the more reason to stay home, work on family history, and enjoy the city lights from the Great Room's large windows.

In a recent post I traced our family line to the Drummonds of Scotland. Tonight I'd like to share more information on the Clan that we are now a part of. First, the Relationship Chart:

George Drummond and Agatha Podiebradia Grand Duchess of Bohemia
to
Maurice Drummond
to
Malcolm Drummond 2nd, Seneschal of Lennox
to
Maurice Drummond, 3rd Seneschal of Lennox
to
John Drummond, 4th Seneschal of Lennox
to
Malcolm Drummond, 5th Seneschal of Lennox
to
Malcolm Beg (The Little) Drummond
to
Malcolm Drummond, 7th Seneschal of Lennox
to
Malcolm Drummond, 9th Seneschal of Lennox
to
John of Stobhall Drummond and The Maid of Monfichets.
to
Sir John Drummond and Elizabeth Sinclair
to
William Drummond and Margaret Ruthuen
to
Malcolm Drummond Knight and Isabel Douglas, Countess of Mar.
to
Lord John Drummond and Elizabeth Lindsay
to
Annabel Drummond and William Graham
to
Elizabeth Graham and Sir Walter Drummond
to
Lord David Drummond
to
Mary Drummond and Archibald Sterling
to
James Sterling and Anna Home
to
Mary Stirling and John Steward of Blackhall, the Younger
to
Marie Lady Steward and Alexander Baronet Cunningham
to
Elizabeth Cunningham and William Hunter
to
John Hunter and Frances Mortimer
to
Martha Hunter and William Williams
to
Ann Williams and William Cantwell
to
Martha Cantwell and Jacob George
to
Frances George and Henry Fiddler
to
Eldora Elizabeth Fiddler and Edwin Sherman Pierce
to
Walter Edwin Pierce and Vesta Althea Dennis
to
Violet Mae Pierce and Walter Albert Mattson
to
Luella, Linda, John and Marvin
to
Us

Now that our linage to the Drummond Clan is established, it is time to learn more about our family's history. First the heraldry.

This is the Drummond Coat of Arms

The Drummond Clan Crest. The Motto reads "Go Carefully"

The Drummond Tartan

There are several Clan Drummond castles in Scotland.

Stobhall Castle obtained by the Drummonds in the early 15th century.

Megginch Castle was home of Cherry Drummond, 16th Baroness Strange

Drummond Castle was built in 1491 by Sir John Drummond.

Balmoral Castle was built in 1390 by Sir William Drummond

Drummond Clan History

The Drummonds were loyal to Scotland and her Kings. They served the House of Bruce and then later the House of Stuart. For over 500 years they served, and no better was an ally than a Drummond. The Drummond Chiefs held some of the highest offices in both the government and the military. The Drummond ladies were of such beauty that two were crowned Queen of Scotland. It is even rumored that there may have been a third. Drummonds have also been known for their temper. In Perth in the 17th century, there was a prayer, "From the ire of the Drummonds, Good Lord deliver us!"

According to legend, the Drummonds are descendent from Yorik de Marot. Yorik was the Royal Admiral to Hungary and a grandson of King Andrew of Hungary. It was he who took the perilous journey, in winter, to reach the Scottish shore at Stirling. It was he who delivered unto Malcolm Canmore, St. Margaret, the future queen of Scotland. This was in the early 11th century. The king was grateful and granted lands which were to become the ancestral homeland of the Drummonds. One source states that a Donald of Drymen fought in Malcolm Canmore's army against MacBeth in 1056, and that this was the reason for the grant of lands. It may be that Yorik married into the highlands clan and became its chief.

The earliest ancestor, of unbroken decent, is that of Malcolm Begg, or "Little Malcolm" of Drymen, who in 1225 was the Thane of Lennox. Malcolm received his name due to his stature. He was the Earl of Lennox's Seneschal. It was from this time, and the lands if Drymen, that the Clan Chiefs of Drummond are known as "An Drumanach Mor" - "The Great man of Drymen." It was Malcolm's son, Sir Malcolm, that took the name Drummond.

One of the families residing on the edge of the Highlands, the Drummonds have always played a prominent part in Scottish affairs. The parish of Drymen lies to the west of Stirling and appears to have derived its name from the Gaelic, ‘dromainn’, meaning a ‘ridge’ or ‘high ground’. The traditional legend narrates that the first nobleman to settle at Drymen was Hungarian, having accompanied Edgar the Aetheling and his two sisters to Scotland in 1067 on their flight from William the Conqueror. The royal fugitives were warmly received by Malcolm III, who married one of the royal sisters, Margaret, later to be made a saint. The first chief appearing in written records was Malcolm Beg, Chamberlain of Lennox, who married Ada, the daughter of the Earl of Lennox and who died some time prior to 1260. Gilbert de Dromund of Dumbarton appears on the Ragman Roll of Scottish noblemen submitting to Edward I of England in 1296. Malcolm de Drummond also swore fealty to Edward at this time. Despite this, the Drummonds firmly supported the cause of Bruce and Scottish Independence, and after the Battle of Bannockburn the king bestowed upon them lands in Perthshire. It is supposed that the four-spiked pieces of iron called ‘caltrops’, which form part of the heraldic emblems of the Drummonds, allude to Sir Malcolm’s promotion of the use of these weapons, which were highly destructive of the English cavalry.

In 1357, Annabella Drummond married, John, High Steward of Scotland, later Robert III, and she exercised considerable influence over her husband. Sir John Drummond rose to great power during the reigns of James III and IV. He was created a peer with the title of ‘Lord Drummond’ in 1488, a title borne today by the present chief. In one famous incident he was confined in Blackness Castle for having struck the Lord Lyon, King of Arms, for allegedly slighting his grandson, the Red Earl of Angus, and was only released a year later. His son, David Drummond, also fell foul of royal justice after a feud with another family resulted in his violation of the right of sanctuary. He did not escape with imprisonment, and instead paid with his life.

Around this time the Drummonds built a new castle at Concraig, and named it Drummond Castle. It is now the Scottish seat of the Earls of Ancaster, whose family name is Drummond-Willoughby. James, the fourth Lord Drummond, was created Earl of Perth in 1605. The family were staunch supporters of the Stuart kings, both during their quarrels with Parliament and after the exile of James VII. The third Earl joined the Marquess of Montrose in August 1645 and was taken prisoner at Philiphaugh the following month. James, the fourth Earl, was appointed Lord High Chancellor of Scotland in June 1684. On the accession of James VII he openly declared himself a Catholic, and enjoyed high royal favour. He was one of the founder knights at the revival of the Order of the Thistle in 1687. When James abdicated, the Edinburgh mob plundered the earl’s town house and he himself became a prisoner for nearly four years in Stirling Castle. He was freed in 1693 and went to Rome. He was summoned to France by his king, who bestowed upon him the Order of the Garter and raised him to the rank of Duke of Perth. His brother, the Earl of Melfort, also one of the founder knights of the Order of the Thistle, was with the king during his campaign in Ireland in 1690. The brothers so impressed their French hosts that their duchesses were accorded the jealously guarded right to sit in the royal presence.

James Drummond, later the second Duke, was one of the first to join in the rising of 1715. He formed a daring plan to seize Edinburgh Castle and commanded Jacobite horse at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. He escaped to France and his estates were forfeited. The third Duke joined Bonnie Prince Charlie on his arrival at Perth in September 1745. He followed his prince into England and captured Carlisle. His brother, John, later arrived with troops sent to assist in the rising by the king of France. At the Battle of Culloden, the duke commanded the left flank, and after the defeat of the Jacobite forces he was forced to flee. His escape was a harrowing ordeal and he died on the passage to France in 1746. The estates and titles of the Drummonds were once again declared forfeit. In 1853 George Drummond, Duc de Melfort, Comte de Lussan and Baron de Valrose in the peerage of France, was restored by Act of Parliament to the title of ‘Earl of Perth’, together with various subsidiary titles. The sixteenth Earl of Perth was the first secretary general of the League of Nations and his son was a Minister of State and a member of the Privy Council.

Charles Williamson's Home Movies 1959.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
We have a special treat for our digital family reunion this cold January day. Over the Christmas Holiday I found a few old Super 8 home movies Charles Williamson (my dad) shot in 1959 in the bottom of a box in the back of a closet. Dad was very happy when I showed him my discovery. That next day we braved heavy snow to take the movies to Allen's Camera in Orem to be converted from film to DVD. Today I'm posting them to this family history blog for all to enjoy.

A few things to remember while you watch:

1. The motion is jerky. It is the best I could do at the moment. I'm looking for a way to improve the picture quality. Please remember, these movies have been sitting in a box in the garage for over 50 years. It is a miracle they are even watchable.
2. You can pause the movie at any time to get a better look at the people in the shot. I know everyone in all the shots except for the family Williamson family reunion clips. All you Williamsons out there may recognize these folks. If so, it would be nice to know.
3. I've taken stills from the movie and put them below explaining who is in the shots and where the shots were taken. Please look at the pictures before watching the video. You'll enjoy it much better if you do.

Victor and Kim 1959. Kim was the cute one of course and made sure if there was attention to be given she had to have it. It's OK. I was content as long as I had something to put in my mouth. I wonder if there was lead in that doll hair. Could explain a lot.

Grandma Elda (Charles Williamson's mother), Victor,
Grandpa Emerson (Charles Williamson's step dad), and Kim. And once again Kim understands what to do whenever a camera is pointed in her direction.

The Williamson Reunion, 1959 in Spearfish Park. There are several minutes of footage from the Williamson family reunion of 1959. Charles and Luella remember some of the people but not all. Perhaps you do.

My Grandpa Charlie (Charles Williamson's Dad) pitching horseshoes. Charles explained that horseshoes played an important role at the family reunions. Everyone had to have a go and the loser bought the beer :) (I'm kidding. See the smiley face....)

Luella Williamson pitching a horseshoe at the reunion. If we ever have another large Williamson Family Reunion I think horseshoes must be mandatory.

Grandma Elsie (Charles Williamson's step mom). Grandma Elsie was my Grandpa Charlie's second wife. She was an awesome grandma to all of us. She never forgot a birthday. Kim and I used to spend the night with them in Deadwood when we were small.

Luella Williamson giving horseshoes another go.

Uncle Walt Willamson. Uncle Walt was awesome. We made it a point to stop and visit Walt and Francis whenever we were in Deadwood. I loved running through their grocery store.

Aunt Jo. Who didn't love Aunt Jo?

Charles Williamson. The movie is very dark here. I had to do some photoshopping to try to capture the face.

Charles and Luella Williamson. Charles had his shirt off. Those were the days when he had something to show :)

Uncle Morris Williamson playing a monkey.

A rainbow over our neighborhood on East Signal Drive, Rapid City. 1959. We lived in a duplex on the top of Signal Heights. Ahh, fond memories. It was a magical time, but that is how most people remember their childhoods.

I believe this is me. Luella thinks so. I'm not sure though.

Uncle Billy Williamson, Charles Williamson's brother.

Victor. I'm about to lose my diaper.

Victor and Kim. You'll see in this movie how she loved to torture me. It's a wonder I'm alive today.

Kim and Luella Williamson at our home at 39 East Signal Drive, Rapid City. Luella is 19 years old in this picture with two children.

Grandma Elda holding Kim. Christmas 1959

Uncle John (Luella's brother) at the Mattson home in Spearfish. In this scene you'll see Uncle John with Luella. The last shot of the movie will show baby Kim navigating the steps to the house.

This movie is priceless. We didn't have money in those days, so spending money for home movies was a real luxury. I'm so happy they did. Preserving your family memories may seem a hassle now, but years down the road, your children and grandchildren will be happy you did.

There are a few more movies at the photo store being converted. I'll post them once they are ready.

So, enjoy these scenes from over a half century ago.

Simply,
Victor

Atilla the Hun. Our 48th Great Grandfather. It Explains a Great Deal.

Grandpa Atilla

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
I sensed at an early age we had barbarian blood flowing through our veins. I remember my eight brothers and sisters and I used to watch the National Geographic Specials on television. We cheered for the lions as they hunted the gazelles. We knew even back then that it was all about the survival of the fittest. We were fascinated when the animal was brought down and consumed by the pride. Our eyes glazed over and drool wet the carpet as we watched raw meat being torn from the bone. At such times Mother would quickly turn off the TV, gather the youngest and lock her in the bathroom for her own saftey. Then, to placate our animal instincts, she'd throw cheap Safeway sandwich cookies at us from the kitchen to feed on until we were satiated.

What was it about those scenes on television that pulled such feelings from the very core of our being? Today, I discoverd a possible source - our barbaric ancestor, Atilla the Hun. He was a strong, ruthless, unforgiving Scourge of God. Sounds rather cool wouldn't you say?

Our uncivilized, barbaric behavior is seen even today in the way we interact with each other at our worse times. Remember what happens when our families get together for competitive events (the Mattson / Williamson soft ball game for example). It can be explosive with temper and tears.

I found the line to Atilla while researching our Drummond, Scottish genealogy which means I can add the Hungarian flag to our growing collection in the sidebar. Before we learn about this Scourge of God, let me show you the line as it stands now. Please realize there are some disagreements on a few names, but I'm very confident the direct line is there (or as confident as one can be when relying on medieval historians and their efforts to trace the lines of kings).

I'm thinking it's time for one of our more daring families honor this great ancestor by naming one of their sons Atilla. Imagine the fear of God he would instill in his teacher on his first day of school, and on every teacher thereafter.

So, shall we start with the Relationship Chart?

48th Great Grandfather.
Atilla King of the Huns
to
Chaba Prince of the Huns
to
Edus
to
Kadiah
to
Chazew
to
Kulchug
to
Edur
to
Vegerus
to
Elendus
to
Avarius, King of the Huns
to
Venedobel
to
Ogyek, Prince of Hungary
to
Almos, Prince of Hungary
to
Arpadius of Magyar Prince of Hungary
to
Zoltan, Prince of Magyars of Hungary
to
Taksony, Prince of Hungary and Princess of the Kumans
to
Michael Hungary, Regent of Poland and Adelaide Plast, “The White” Princess of Poland
to
Laszlo Szar Prince of Hungary and Premislava Vladimirovna, Princess of Kiev
to
Andrew, King of Hungary I and Anastasiya Agmunda Yaroslavna, Princess of Kiev
to
George Drummond and Agatha Podiebradia Grand Duchess of Bohemia
to
Maurice Drummond
to
Malcolm Drummond 2nd, Seneschal of Lennox
to
Maurice Drummond, 3rd Seneschal of Lennox
to
John Drummond, 4th Seneschal of Lennox
to
Malcolm Drummond, 5th Seneschal of Lennox
to
Malcolm Beg (The Little) Drummond
to
Malcolm Drummond, 7th Seneschal of Lennox
to
Malcolm Drummond, 9th Seneschal of Lennox
to
John of Stobhall Drummond and The Maid of Monfichets.
to
Sir John Drummond and Elizabeth Sinclair
to
William Drummond and Margaret Ruthuen
to
Malcolm Drummond Knight and Isabel Douglas, Countess of Mar.
to
Lord John Drummond and Elizabeth Lindsay
to
Annabel Drummond and William Graham
to
Elizabeth Graham and Sir Walter Drummond
to
Lord David Drummond
to
Mary Drummond and Archibald Sterling
to
James Sterling and Anna Home
to
Mary Stirling and John Steward of Blackhall, the Younger
to
Marie Lady Steward and Alexander Baronet Cunningham
to
Elizabeth Cunningham and William Hunter
to
John Hunter and Frances Mortimer
to
Martha Hunter and William Williams
to
Ann Williams and William Cantwell
to
Martha Cantwell and Jacob George
to
Frances George and Henry Fiddler
to
Eldora Elizabeth Fiddler and Edwin Sherman Pierce
to
Walter Edwin Pierce and Vesta Althea Dennis
to
Violet Mae Pierce and Walter Albert Mattson
to
Luella, Linda, John and Marvin
to
Us

And now, the history of Atilla.

Atilla the Hun was no yellow coward in the pages of history. Rather he is known as number one in the gallery of ruthless and uncivilized barbarians. Even though there are no photos of the devastation that he delivered upon his enemies, the reports still paint a bloody picture. The sadistic terror that he instilled as he drove cities under the thumb of bondage caused him to become known as "Flagellum Dei" (The Scourge of God). While most people see Atilla as being just a ferocious warrior, the more obscure side of him shows us that as result of his lust for power, he was a great king, possessing passion and organization. He is quoted as saying, "When in a political war, a Hun must always keep an eye to the rear."

Atilla the Hun was born in approximately 406 AD to the ruling Hun family, his uncle being the king over the nomadic people that had already reached the out skirts of the Roman Empire in the late 4th century. Not much is known about Atilla's childhood other than he could shoot a bow while straddling a horse, a leg mounted in each stirrup. (The invention of the stirrup gave the Huns the advantage over those they conquered.) Atilla was obviously a sly hustler who took advantage of his athletic prowess and his political connections.

By his late teens, Atilla was no amateur at leading the Huns in merciless battle against the Visigoths and Rome. About 418 Rome and the Huns negotiated peace terms. To secure peace, important persons, such as the young Atilla, were exchanged as hostages between the Romans and the Huns. During Atilla's two years in Rome, he was awed by the sensual grandeur and wealth of the Empire. Upon his return home, he vowed to someday go back to Rome not as a hostage, but as a conqueror.
He was soon back to pillage towns, snatch young women for sexual pleasure, and cause mayhem and devastation. No one could match him in battle, and by his thirties, he had thrust himself into the most powerful position as the Huns' leading commander despite that his brother Bleda had also succeeded the throne upon the king's death in 433.

War between the Romans and the Huns broke out again in 440 when a Roman bishop was caught desecrating Hun tombs. Atilla and his army proved unbeatable as they swept into the Roman Empire defeating them time after time. The Hun had hard core women in his army who also fought and supported the main body of warriors. (This practice extended into the 12th century Golden Horde of Genghis Khan when he invaded toward the West.) In 445, Atilla murdered his brother and obtained domination over the Hun kingdom. As king, Atilla demanded large amounts of tribute from the Roman Empire and pillaged their villages when his demands were not met. For many years, the Eastern Roman Empire, ruled by Theodosius II, paid Atilla extreme amounts of money and gifts to keep an unsteady state of peace.

Even though he was very rich, Atilla led a very simple life. In the tradition of Mongol warriors, the Hun ate mare's milk, blood, and raw meat if necessary. He wore plain clothes and animal skin layered against the cold central Asian steeps (which is a far cry from the nearly nude depictions in movies like Conan the barbarian and their busty barbarian babes such as Xena the Warrior Princess). His belief system was unknown but he demonstrated little, if any, concern for local religions or Christianity. In contrast to the violent and sexual movies which play with man's temptations, the real Atilla seems to have been motivated by raw power rather than blood lust or erotic orgies. It was reported that it was uncommon for him to be drunk.

There appeared many legends surrounding the life of Atilla. He was said to have found a sword of the war god Mars buried in the ground of a field, with which he was an invincible warrior. Atilla probably did find a sword of some dead warrior and believed it to be a sign that he was destined to rule the world. Another rumor was that he was a cannibal, eating two of his sons. It was believed that one of Atilla's wives killed and prepared the children, for an unapparent reason, and told Atilla the flesh was that of an animal.

Reports of his wicked sins were exaggerated in Christian Rome. The Hun's diabolic reputation spurred fear based revival for the church where the Darkside served to create dreams of hell and anarchy to be avoided. Armageddon was just around the corner given the presence of "The Hun"! The sinful action of the Hun gave rise to virtuous action of Romans who tossed aside that which was forbidden by the church. Yet some renegade pagans claimed the scourge was because the old pagan gods had been abandoned for the Christian God. They advocated a return to temple prostitution and, rather than be appalled at the stories of the Hun's whores, they viewed this as one reason for the Hun's successful exploits.

In 451, Atilla turned his aggression towards the Western Roman Empire in an attempt to expand his kingdom. The Huns organized one of the largest invasions of the time composed of perhaps as many as a half a million men. The Huns spread across Gaul (today's France) and wreaked collateral damage on the great cities of Europe. The aftershock caused the Romans to quickly unite with the Visigoths, enemies of the Huns, to confront the Huns. The Huns were surprisingly halted and forced to retreat a hundred miles. The enemy pursued them and once again attacked. The battle that ensued caused mutual retreat for the loss of men on both sides.
Atilla was not discouraged however, and planned to redirect his invasion into Italy, the heart of the Western Empire. So, in 452 the Yellow Peril struck once again at the Romans. His ultimate goal was Rome itself. The Huns devastated the Roman countryside. However, in Rome, Pope Leo was able to convince him to spare the city. Atilla made peace with the Romans because of a famine and plague that existed in Italy at the time.

Back home, Atilla planned his next campaign on the Romans. However, in 453, his plans were suddenly cut short with his untimely death. Atilla had just married to Ilico, his seventh wife. During the night of the wedding, he got drunk and suffered from a hemorrhage of the nose. Another theory is that he was murdered (Babcock, 2005). He died in his bed that night at the age of about 47.

After his death, the sons of Atilla gained leadership of the Huns. They lacked the qualities and experience to run a kingdom. In fighting over the throne, they divided the empire, which soon led to its crippling. By 469, the Hun Empire was completely dissolved, faded into a mere memory.

Atilla was a fierce, merciless warrior on the battlefield who left behind unmatched devastation. Through his aggression, he posed an extreme threat to the Romans and nearly conquered Rome itself. During his prosperous reign, he was able to transform the nomadic Huns into a sedentary empire by collecting immense riches through plunder and extortion. In many eastern European cultures today, Atilla the Hun is honored as a hero.

Our Grandmother who Couldn't Read or Write

Great Great Great Grandmother Sarah Crippen Dennis Bingham

GGG Grandmother Sarah's headstone. Hot Springs SD

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Today an interesting fact concerning our GGG Grandmother Sarah. She is the closest ancestor to us that, as far as my research shows, was unable to read or write.

She was born in Knox County, Tennessee in 1814 or 16. We know she married our GGG Grandfather Levi Dennis in 1842. He died. She remarried Samuel Bingham in 1847.

According to the census records, Sarah was unable to read or write. Another interesting fact that I haven't quite figured out is why she didn't know where her parents were born when asked the question for the 1880 Census. Did she know her parents? Did the topic never come up as she was growing up? It's not as if families back then had little time to talk. I find it peculiar. She may have been an orphan.

We begin with the Relationship Chart:

Sarah Martha Crippen b. 1814 Knox, Tennessee. married Levi Dennis b. 1812. Tenn.
to
John Mayberry Dennis b. 1844 Knox, Tenn. married Isabel McCrilles b. 1851 Vt.
to
Vesta Althea Dennis b. 1892. Hot Springs SD married Walter Edwin Pierce b. 1885 SD.
to
Violet Mae Pierce b. 1918 married Walter Albert Mattson b. 1912
to their children
Luella, Linda, John, Marvin
to
Us

Next we take a look at the census information (Click to enlarge):



1850 Census. Notice the mark in box 13 stating that she could not read and write. This was reconfirmed in the 1880 Census.

In the 1880 Census (above) the two II marks in the first two columns are to indicated the inability to read and write. It then marks her birth state as Tennessee. Notice that Sarah didn't know where her parents were born. Both of her parents birth places are marked 'unknown'.

I was curious as to why this Great Grandmother of ours was illiterate and did some research on the history of education in Tennessee at the time she was born.

I discovered that the first settlers in Tennessee had little time or use for book-learning, but they did have a wide and thorough education in the lore of rifle, plow, and broadaxe - learning which cleared and peopled a wilderness.

Such schooling as there was lay in the hands of a few clergymen, usually Presbyterians who had joined their Scotch-Irish congregations from North Carolina and Virginia. In summer, when children could be spared from farm work, the local preacher kept school in the community church-courthouse, a rough one-room log cabin with a packed clay floor and slab benches. Here for a few weeks the children struggled with ciphering, writing, and learning to read from a great leather-covered Bible.

A departure from this sketchy between-planting-and-harvest schooling was made by the Reverend Samuel Doak in 1780, when he began conducting graded classes in a log outbuilding on his farm near Jonesboro. The first regular school west of the Alleghenies, it was chartered three years later by North Carolina as Martin Academy, in honor of Governor Alexander Martin. In 1785 the charter was confirmed by the legislature of the short-lived State of Franklin. About the same time the North Carolina Assembly chartered, as Davidson Academy, the meeting house near Nashville where the Reverend Thomas Craighead had gathered a class of boys.

The Constitutional Convention of 1796 made no provisions for public education, and for a decade the small academies that a dozen or so ministers had set up, after the example of Doak and Craighead, were the only schools in Tennessee. In these "literary institutions" matters of conduct and morals were stressed as much as familiarity with the English classics, Latin, Greek, and oratory: the prized hallmarks of a gentleman's education. They ranged in quality from little backwoods establishments with almost illiterate teachers - who accepted payment in food, wood, or help about the place - to expensive town schools conducted by the most pontifical and flowery of scholars. The best of these prepared the sons of the land-holding gentry for Harvard and Yale, and for politics; the worst gave doubtful prestige and rather muddled minds to the sons of solvent small farmers. So strongly did the system of private academies entrench itself that by 1889 more than 500 had received charters from the State, and nearly a third of these were actually operating.

In 1806 the United States Congress had directed that 600 acres of good land in each Tennessee township should be reserved and sold for the support of public schools. This requirement was largely ignored. Of the 6,500,000 acres which should have been set aside, only 23,000 - and these so poor that they sold for as little as one cent an acre - were actually converted into school funds. Money realized from land sales was insufficient to establish a single school. A tentative effort toward the establishment of common schools was made in 1815, when the State legislature passed an act "to provide for the education of orphans of those persons who have died in the service of their country." In 1823 a few thousand dollars were appropriated for pauper schools, and five years later half the proceeds from the sale of public lands between the Hiwassee and Little Tennessee Rivers was allotted to a common school fund. The scant income from the Hiwassee lands supported only a handful of extremely ill-equipped schools. They were taught by political appointees, minor bandwagon followers who often were barely able to sign their names.

Simply,
Victor

Are our Younger Williamsons and Mattsons Dreading the Return to School? A Post for Them.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,

I spoke to a few former students as I left the school today (yes, it may come as a shock, but some of us have to work for a living). They were hanging out on the playground. They were having a good time until I asked if they were ready to go back to school. Wow, talk about a mood changer. The air suddenly got dark. They described what seemed to be a concentration camp where their freedoms were suspended and they had to 'tow the mark' or else. Of course everything they said was exaggerated but it did get me thinking, and when I start thinking you'd better expect a post.

So, in the spirit of good fun, I wrote this letter to those students from the exaggerated school they described to me. Perhaps the young people in our own families feel the same way. If so, here is someone with a somewhat sympathetic ear.

Simply,
Victor

P.S. Thanks to thepeoplescube.com for a few of the pictures below.

This message was brought to you by
The Ministry of Truth, Education and Propaganda (Minitrue).
We Think, So You Don't Have To.

A Message from

Silas T. Sludge
Minister of Truth, Education and Propaganda
Pleasant Grove

Attention All Students:

School vacation is coming to an end. As the Minister of Education I urge to put away your newly acquired distractions (given to you for no apparent reason other than you were born) and reacquaint yourselves with your textbooks and school schedules.

All students are ordered to return to our schools Monday morning displaying happy and cheerful dispositions. Of course, once the bell rings, you will immediately take your learning positions as displayed in the photograph above, taken from your Good Student Handbook issued at the start of the school year.

Any student caught in any state of semiconsciousness will be dealt with according to the rules and regulations outlined on pages 10 through 15 in your handbook. Discussions of what you did during the holiday are permitted in the common areas and cafeteria only.

Remember the sacrifice society has made to ensure you have a good school to attend. Think of your parents working day in and day out without complaining so you have this opportunity. An opportunity many children do not have. Look how tired they are at the end of their work day - all for you.

How will you thank them for this sacrifice? Will you toil forward, always forward, toward the end goal of graduation and finding a meaningful role to fill in our society? It is expected.


This is Albert Slipple. He exemplifies the Ministry's idea of a proper student. He rises early and fixes breakfast for himself, his brothers and sisters and his working parents. He does the dishes before leaving his modest apartment for the six mile walk to school. He keeps himself company on the long arduous trek by singing songs of courage and steadfastness. His grades are always top of the class. He sings in the school choir. He helps the school custodians. He works with the school's headmaster by reporting on students that have forgotten the rules as outlined in his well worn and memorized Good Student Handbook.

Delma Dropsley, on the other hand, is a student recommended for special care as outlined in your Good Student Handbook. She is often late for school and becomes distracted easily. She has been known to question the rules and has used unapproved colors in her science notebook. She has also been found on numerous occasions loitering outside one of the city's schools after school hours instead of working at home on her homework. Such behavior cannot be tolerated.

Remember, school is a happy place. It is your home away from home. It is a place deserving your love and complete and undivided attention. It is a place where you can forget who you are and focus instead on what is expected of you. It is a place where the confusion of free thinking is shackled and replaced the knowledge that we will do the thinking for you.

If you find yourself questioning this, please report your disturbing thoughts to a teacher, headmaster, custodian or lunch lady. We are here to help you be happy and have ways to help clear your thoughts from distractions. You must trust us.

Welcome Back to Where you Belong!

Signed,
Silas T. Sludge

ALERT....... ALERT...... ALERT.......

You were caught snickering during the reading of this letter. This is a violation of the Good Student Handbook. You have been reported. Your misconduct number is below:


Follow the instructions as given in your certificate of misconduct. And shame on you.
_________________________________________________________________

And finally, we have many family lines stretching back to England, Scotland and Wales. So, that means we should really enjoy sarcastic English humor. Since this post is dedicated to our younger family members, how about a spot of Young English Humor to tidy things up?

Victor

The Crippen Family. New Clues in the Search for Ancestors.

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Our Great Great Great Grandmother Sarah Martha Crippen, who married Levi Dennis is the last of the Crippens on our family line. She was born in 1814 in Knox, County Tennessee. After her the Crippen line comes to an abrupt end.

Today I spent several hours working on this line hoping to make a breakthrough. The result of that work (which isn't much, but in tracing family lines anything to show for a day's work must be considered a victory or you can really become discouraged) is given below.

First, a few explanations.

1. There are no records of Sarah's parents. Period.
2. Without records, one broadens the search for the family name. I found a few Crippens living in Knox County Tennessee in 1814. They are all in the same Crippen line. I'm taking into account that the population of Knox County was relatively small in 1814. Tennessee was considered, the Far West. It was Indian country and not always safe. Here are the population facts from the Census of 1810. Knox County. Population: 10,171. Land area: 526 square miles. The population of the county seat (Knoxville) was 810. That meant the other 9,300 people were spread out over 500+ square miles meaning about 18 people per square mile.
3. Knowing that Tennessee was made a state in 1796, and knowing that back then if you had the same last name as someone else living in your "neck of the woods" then you were related to some degree or another.
4. Therefore, the chances that our Grandmother Sarah Martha Crippen being related to the Crippens showing up on the county records for that time period is likely.

I list other pieces of evidence in the Relationship Chart given below. So, knowing all of this - here is a strongest contender yet for the origin of our Crippen line. Our link to the line comes with with one of not both of the couples colored 'red'.

Proposed Crippen Relationship Chart

John Crippen b. 1720 Conn. married Elizabeth James
John and Elizabeth moved to Knox County, Tennessee. Both died there.
Their Children were:

John Crippen. .

Margaret Crippen

Elizabeth Crippen

James Osborn Crippen. married. Martha Patsy Hall.
Interesting side notes. Our grandmother’s middle name was Martha (Sara Martha Crippen). We also know that Sara Martha named one of her daughters Nancy Jane. James Osborn Crippen and Martha Patsy Hall had a daughter also named Nancy Jane. If our Sara Martha Crippen was not a member of this family, then this Nancy Jane may have been an cousin.

George Crippen b. 1792.
Possible parent of Sarah Martha. We know he married. Spouse unknown

From this line of Crippens, Living in Knox County Tennessee at the time our Great Grandmother Sarah Martha Crippen was born (1814) I believe we can then trace our line.....
to
Sarah Martha Crippen b. 1814 Knox, Tennessee. married Levi Dennis b. 1812. Tenn.
to
John Mayberry Dennis b. 1844 Knox, Tenn. married Isabel McCrilles b. 1851 Vt.
to
Vesta Althea Dennis b. 1892. Hot Springs SD married Walter Edwin Pierce b. 1885 SD.
to
Violet Mae Pierce married Walter Albert Mattson
to
Luella, Linda, John, Marvin
to
Us

I will continue to search, but until concrete evidence of Sarah's parentage emerges, then this Crippen line, in my opinion, will stand as the strongest possible candidate.

Simply,
Victor

Charles Williamson's Baby Book

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
Winter has us in its grasp today. The weather hasn't quite figured out whether it wants to snow or rain so we have a bit of both. The snow on the driveway is heavy with slush making shoveling difficult.

On days like this it is good to be sitting in one's easy chair with a Coke Zero to my right looking out on the cold and wet. The clock above me is ticking away the day. Its 4:44 P.M. and growing dark prematurely. The sun doesn't want to stay up in this dreary sky. Who can blame it?

I'm thinking I should go out and shovel the drive. But the thinking hasn't evolved into action so until I'm feeling more enthusiastic about moving mountains of slush I think I'll finish this project.

A few days ago Charles Williamson (my dad) found his old baby book of pictures. He gave the book to me for the family history blog and today I send it all to you in the form of a slide show.

Some of the people you'll see in the pictures are:

1. Charles Ray Williamson (my dad).
2. Charles Williamson (his dad).
3. Elda Vercellino Williamson (his mother).
4. Uncle Ed Vercellino (Elda's brother).
5. Uncle Maurice (Charles Williamson's brother).
6. Gail is Gail Williamson. She was the oldest daughter of Walt and Francis Williamson. She is one month younger than Charles Ray.
7. Buddy, Hallie and Darleen Williams were neighbors from down the hill.
8. Jimmy Oates was the son of the Sanato's. The Sanato family were friends of the Vercellinos.
9. Jessie was another friend. Dad stayed three weeks with her in Hot Springs on summer.
   

Dad wanted me to point out that the people you see in the pictures were mostly dressed up.

"In the 1930's you never went down town unless you were dressed up," Charles said. "My dad wore 3 piece suits with spats over his shoes. Spats were felt coverings you wore over your shoes to keep the leather from getting dirty. They were a fashion statement of the 30's and 40's. The men always wore a hat when they went downtown also. My dad was always dressed to the 9's. He prided himself in his appearance."

In one of dad's five year old pictures you'll see him standing in front a 1934 Plymouth Coupe. It was the family two door car with no back seat. The roof of the car leaked so they couldn't drive it when it rained. When dad was 5 years old he slammed the door on his pinkie finger as he was getting out of the car. His parents thought his screaming was him goofing off but quickly realized he wasn't. They took him to the Homestake Hospital in Lead. The whole top bone of his finger was smashed so badly all the doctor could do was removed the small section of protruding bone, apply a bandage and sent the family home. Ask him to see the scar the next time you see him.
"We were tough in those days. Not like kids today," Dad said.

And now, the pictures from Dad's baby photo book.

Simply,
Victor

Our 6th Great Grandfather's Signature. Hans Georg Friedrich Phlegar (Pfluger)

The Signature of Hans Georg Pluger
August 17, 1731

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello Williamsons,
Tonight we see the actual signature of our 6th Great Grandfather Hans Georg Friedrich Phlegar. He was required to sign a register and swear allegiance to the United States when he arrived in Pennsylvania in 1731. This was done when they disembarked from the ship Samuel.

Relationship Chart

Hans George Frederick Pfluger (6th Great Grandparent)
to
George Frederick Plieger
to
Abraham Pfleger married Margaretha Goodykoontz
to
Anabella Phlegar married Jonathan Willis
to
Margaret Ann Willis married George Matthew Williamson
to
William Jonathan Williamson married Effie Helen Victor
to
Vennie, Ima Della, Inez, Lillie Ethel, Josie, Emmett, Walt, Charles, Maurice.
to
Their children, Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren


The Samuel's Register, dated August 17, 1731. Pennsylvania

Our Grandfather's signature is the last of the passengers on page two.

Simply,
Victor

Christmas 2010. Video and Slides

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
The Fortress is shrouded in fog today. The gazebo's dark wood comes through the white but that's about as far as you can see. What better day than to spend putting together the photos and video shot during Christmas.

We begin with a slide show of the still pictures, followed by all the short video clips I captured with my regular photo camera. I didn't use my video camera because hauling two cameras around is a pain in the neck, leaving you little time to eat massive quantities of delicious holiday cuisine and pepper the air with clever and witty comments. So, the video quality is poor but I'm not bothered. At least it was captured for posterity's sake. Besides, nobody watches those feature length videos people shoot with their expensive video cameras anyway. They sit in a drawer somewhere for decades, unwatched and unloved. Having short 5 to 30 seconds clips, edited together with the latest in iMovie technology (for 2007) with skillful transitions applied between each clip will do the job.

So, enjoy these memories of our latest Christmas past. Or don't enjoy them. I'm really not bothered one way or the other at this point. I'm just glad the editing and uploading are complete so I can move along with other projects.

Yes there was a bit of bah humbug in that last paragraph. I'm in one of those "boy I'm glad Christmas is over" moods. Time to get to work because some of us have to work for a living........

First the slides, accompanied by Libera singing that holiday song some claim to be their favorite. It isn't mine, but it goes well with the slides - so one does what one must do to get the job done.



Secondly, the poor quality video. If you wanted something nicer then you should have brought a camera and done in yourself :)
Oh and pay close attention the Bodily's dancing to their new XBox game. Brock wants you to admire his skill.

And let me be the first to wish you all a Happy New Year 2011 (2012 is next and you know what that means so ....... eat, drink and be merry for next year we may die!)

Simply,
Victor

Come by the Hills to the Land which is Fancy and Free. Family Culture. Celtic

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Today a moment to enjoy a Celtic song about the old country. This is another post to the family history blog which celebrates the culture of the land our ancestors left behind.

I like to think that a bit of that old culture still exists deep within each of us as a shared memory.

Simply,
Victor