My growing up was all about "being a Watson". Yes, I'm a REID (and I'm VERY proud of my Father's family history, and you'll see why in later blogs), but I'm a Watson, thru and thru.
That being said, my interest in family history all started because of my Maternal Grandmother's family. I remember my Grandmother speaking a wee bit about her parents, about her sadness regarding her Mother passing just weeks before my Mum was born (I couldnt even consider my Mum not watching my daughter growing up and being part of her life !!!), and about her Uncle Alex (her Mother's Brother). I remember her sister from when I was young, and my Grandmother mentioning that there was a sibling (sister Hazel) that died at birth (or very young). BUT, the stories that really got me interested in family history were:
- her Maternal Grandmother was a Tallman. The Tallmans were United Empire Loyalists who settled in the Beamsville area, and "some how" we were related to Tallman Brass/Bronze. Unfortunately she had lost contact with the Tallman side of the family.
- her Father was Samuel Ira Elliott, and thru his side ... apparently our Elliotts wer connected to (in some way) Pierre Elliott Trudeau's Mother (a rumour that I have yet to prove)
- Samuel Ira Elliott's mother was Sarah Urquhart .... I was always told that her family were connected (in some way) to Urquhart Castle in Scotland (a rumour that I have yet to prove)
- AND thru the Elliott side of the family .... we were related to Laura Secord !!!! OMG, as a child that was AWESOME (not that as a child I really cared and her and the cow hiking thru the forest to save the British troops from the hords of "un-Godly Americans" .... but she had an ICE CREAM Shoppe !!!!)
Laura Secord ... my how-ever-many-times great Aunt/Cousin! Now, the kicker was, my Grandmother had absolutely NO idea HOW we were related to her, just that we were. This was confirmed to me when we had a couple of Elliott reunions in Smithville (where my Grandmother's Father was born & raised).
One of my favourite memories of growing up was meeting and the many times I got to just sit and listen to my Great-Aunt Bertie talk about her life. OMG, what a pip !!!! Aunt Bertie, was my Great-Grandfather's "baby" sister, born in 1882. I remember her 90th birthday party, that was held in the house that she was born in !!! (which, unfortunately is no longer in the family). She was amazing!! She told me about the "secret passage" and told me to go find it (it came out in a TV room where many of us kids ended up hanging out). I remember Aunt Bertie coming into the kitchen where all the Ladies were preparing lunch, she looked at me and said "do you know this is where I was born?". "Yes, Aunt Bertie, I know", I said. "NO", said Aunt Bertie, "THIS is where I was born! This room used to be my Mum's bedroom". my first thought was "ICK", LOL. Aunt Bertie then took me upstairs, where we sat together on a window seat of a bedroom. She sat me down, patted my hand and told me how this was her bedroom, and as a girl she would sit on this same window seat doing her homework, watching the carriages drive up and down the street. She would watch for her Dad to come home from work. I swear, I could see it all in my mind when I sat there with her !! Aunt Bertie was an amazing person to talk to, I could listen to her stories for ever. I think she knew that I was truly interested in listening to her, and I had a special place in her heart (as she will always have in mine)
The one thing Aunt Bertie did do, was confirm that there was REALLY a connection to Laura Secord ! BANG, there it was !!! (unfortunately, I never thought to ask HOW .... aww, the sharp mind of a child). One day, an Elliott cousin and her husband stopped by to visit with my parents. They brought with them a few "Secord" items, that Aunt Bertie wanted me to have. it was a pair of candle sticks, a candle snuffer and a tray to put the snuffer on. the one candle stick had been damage/repaired at one time (I've always pictured "Great-Aunt Laura" bashing some Yankee Soldier over the head as she makes her escape with the cow ..... but it probably just fell off a mantle or shelf at some point, but either way, these family items will ALWAYS be cherrished by me). The last time I saw Aunt Bertie, she had moved in with her Daughter, and her GrandDaughter, as she was over 100 and needed a wee bit more supervision. it was an amazing visit, as frail as she may have been, and maybe even a wee bit forgetful (but who isn't, for heaven's sake, dont ever ask me what I had for breakfast today !!), she was still filled with amzaing stories of her life !! Just before leaving she took me into to her bedroom and gave me a mantle clock. It was very plain/simple, but I thought it was the most beatiful clock I had ever seen. At the time I was playing the violin, which Aunt Bertie also played when she was young. She told me, she wished she had her violin to give me, but wanted me to have the clock instead ...... OMG, I was walking on air !! Unfortunately, my Parents didn't seem to agree, and wouldnt let me accept the clock from Aunt Bertie. Aunt Bertie was the top of 5 living generations, I wasn't even a "grandchild", I was her brother's g-granddaughter .... there were so many other ahead of me. Also, as my parents explained at the time, she was getting very "generous" with visitors, and there was the concern that she's was going to give everything away (and not to those that were truly in line for them). As much as I understood, I was still devistated, and will always carry this wee bit of sadness and hurt with me. I know that as many family members were ahead of me, part of me wonders if the person that finally ended up with this little clock really appreciated it (and where is it now).
The good news:
- we have a definitely link, on our family tree, from "us" --> Laura Secord
- to say there's no blood relationship would be an understatment !!!
so, basically .... my Great-Aunt married a man, who's Great-Grandfather's BROTHER Married Laura Ingersoll-Secord. GOOD, now we all see how I'm (not) related to Laura Ingersoll-Secord ... but it made a good story growing up and it got my Mum, myself and my Daughter hooked on family tree research and "cemetery stomping" :-) The rest as they say .... is history.
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