Who Are We ?
Many Americans at one time or another in their life wonder who they are and where their ancestors came from. They wish to relate to some ancestor or another.
Ardis Whitman has said "To know where I come from is one of the greatest longings of the human heart."
We go in search for our ancestors through genealogy.
Were my ancestors famous, how far back do they go, is there any native American Indians among them, any kings, queens from foreign lands, we often wish and hope there is. Why?? Is a question that is not easy to answer. We search for a belonging.
Genealogy according to the dictionary is a Greek word genea, (family) and logos, (knowledge). The study and tracing of family pedigrees. Genealogy is often said to be a Family History but the actual study of Genealogy is the Lineage of your Ancestors. When you start searching for your ancestors, History comes leaping out and you gain a certain knowledge of Early American and European History as you research.
In searching for my ancestors I find that they are varied
and many many different cultures.
Most of us that have in American came from the same area's and are of Celtic heritage.
Many Instances surnames changed several times during the process of becoming the
American surname we now have.
On my mothers side is the Chaney Family and May Families, The Chaney and May families originally came from England. The Chaney Family is a good Example of how surnames changed. Cheney was the original spelling of my family name. People themselves that wrote the name down for one reason or another put it to paper differently. Transcribers of documents often got the written name wrong. Census takers in America have a lot to answer for, they often wrote the name differently sometimes how it sounded and sometimes using nicknames. If a person wasn’t home when they visited, they would ask the neighbors or a relative for the information. One Census year to another the name would change. Sarah would be Sally ( a nickname for Sarah) Becky for Rebecca etc.
The surname Cheney became Cheyne, Cheyney, Chiena, China, Chene, Chessney and other variations.
Richard Cheney immigrated to Anne Arundel County Maryland Early in our American History.
On my mothers maternal side was also Belchers. The Belcher families came early on in our history. Some cousins came to Massachusetts and Jonathan Belcher became governor.
My line of Thomas Belcher came in the early 1600’s to Virginia and in 1792 when Kentucky
Was made out of Virginia they found themselves living in Kentucky. They were originally of French Descent of the name Belshire coming into England during the Norman invasion as many of our ancestors did.
My Fathers name was Ramey, his ancestry is a long, ancient, and documented one.
The Remi were a Celtic Tribe of people in Ancient Egypt. They descended from
Benjamin, son of Jacob. They immigrated to Gaul (France) where they lived many years and many still do in Lorraine France today. Many Clergy of early France were named Remy, Remi, Rame. etc.
So who am I??
I have lived in Oklahoma, Nebraska, Ohio, Maryland, England, and born in Tennessee. My parents were born in Kentucky, Virginia was the original American colony my ancestors immigrated to from England, some coming through Holland, some from France, some with the Norman Invasion of England, and Gaul in northern France. Most came on ships from England and Holland to come to America.
(Northern France) and the Celts is the oldest traced.
Many, Many Americans have Celtic Descent and don’t realize it. You don’t have to be Irish or Scottish to be of Celtic Descent.
They, as many did became Christians along the way. Most were catholic until they wanted to start reading the bible themselves an not going through a priest to intepret the bible for them, they became protestants through a very rugged trial and the Remy were among those Huguenots from France.
To read more about Huguenots just type the word Huguenot in the Search Engines.
Who Are We???
We are American, with red white and blue blood running through our veins.
Red for the blood shed by our people gaining our freedom.
Blue for the Sea that was crossed to get away from tyranny.
White for the Christianity that our country is based on.
