The Legends of Our Lives Bring Geneology to Life!
He was very proud of his uncle, so I was gentle when I told him that that couldn't be true. In the first place even Nazis didn't shrink heads and certainly not of their own soldiers. Unless his uncle had the knowledge and the time to do it himself, this 'keepsake' was not real. He got one of those eureka moments, where he suddenly realized that his uncle was playing with him, kindly, and this was just a family legend. At 40 he got over it pretty quickly.
Many of us have these family legends. When we are told something as a child, we don't question it, often for the rest of our lives. The dark side is that this is how prejudices develop.
However, most are pretty harmless; some maybe even helpful; most are entertaining.
But all of them, no matter how outrageous or false, still tell us something about the family.
The story below, about my great great grandmother is probably not true, no definitely isn't true, but it does tell a truth about the respect, admiration and high esteem that Sarah Palmer Arrowsmith was held in by her family.
This lens is a tribute to the family story, the legends that we may or may not question. I invite you all to share yours with me.
Please share your best ones. I hope I will have so many that I won't be able to publish them all, I hope that after you think about these it will encourage you to make lenses about your ancestors, we can do all that wonder cross pollination that makes Squidoo so great.
Lets have some fun with this while still honoring our family histories.
My Great Great Grandmother Arrowsmith Was a Stong Woman
That We Know Is True
My father's mother was unable to raise him, so when he was born he was taken in by his great grand mother, the 69 year old Sarah Palmer Arrowsmith. She was already taking care of his infant cousin, Irene. Suddenly she had two infants to feed, with barely the resources to feed herself. Being a resourceful Pennsylvania Dutch (German) woman who had raised 9 kids through hard times, she made a plan to solve the problem. Here is the version I was told by someone at least once, but it stuck.In 1917 she walked from Bayard, Iowa to South Dakota to her son's farm. Got a cow and walked back, knowing she would have the ability to feed her great grand infants.
Well, I only heard that story once or twice, but as a child I was pretty impressed. Impressed enough that it stuck with me unquestioned. So much so that I occasionally told the story.
Then one day someone looked at me, laughed and said, "Do you really believe that!" Well, yes, as the matter of fact! But that was enough to break the spell. I figured out that even if great great grandma Sarah actually could have walked the 1000 miles, the cow certainly wouldn't have survived the trip back, certainly not and give milk to two infants.
Look at the picture and you can see the strength of spirit that is why I believed that she could have done it, that combined with real stories and I didn't question. But, no folks, no cow was going to do that and still give enough milk for two infants.
My Brother Knows This May Not Be Real
But Its The Truth for Him
Above is a picture of my Great Great something Uncle John. I don't know exactly when he was born, but he was a veteran of the Civil War, Union Army. Its hard to tell how old he was in that picture, people aged earlier then, but well, in 1935 he was no spring chicken.
My brother, who was born in 1941, remembers meeting and touching this man. One of his favorite stories.
Put all the pieces together and what do you think? Is this a great memory, or a personal legend?
Remember how much this means to my brother, so be kind.
Some Family Legends Are True.
Well, mostly.
There was an interesting story about how my Grandfather Byrd's family got to Iowa. Briefly, his Grandfather Charles escaped Virginia with his brother Martin. It seems they had been stealing horses and were running for their lives. His brother stopped in Missouri while he went on to Iowa.When I was 16 I had a slumber party. In one of those serendipitous 'fate' things, I invited a girl named Carla. We hadn't been getting along (gym class rivalries) but occasionally associated.
I don't remember how it came up, but I told her the story of Great Grandfather Charles. Shrieking, screaming, general teenage girl carrying ons ensued. Then Carla told her family legend about how her family ended up in Missouri.
Briefly, an ancestor Martin escaped Virginia with his brother Charles. It seems they had been working the underground railroad and were running for their lives. He stayed in Missouri while his brother went on to Iowa.
Having discovered we were cousins however distantly we bonded, however briefly, then remembered our rivalry. I wondered if this meant I couldn't date her cute older brother, but not for long as he didn't pay attention to me anyway.
Then and now I assume that two stories so similar told by families with no connections had to be true. Heck, even the brothers' names corresponded! This one is true, but which version?
The only difference was the horse stealing /underground railroad issue. However, in antebellum
Virgina, stealing horses and helping slaves escape to freedom were both issues of property, and frankly in Virginia I doubt they hung people for horse stealing. Wasn't that the old West?
The horse stealing had a certain romance to it, but the underground railroad makes me proud.
I confess that when I tell the story, it changes depending on whether I want my family to sound noble or notorious. Little white lie, but either could be true.
Above is the picture of my great grand parents Lulu and Andrew Byrd. You can see some sternness, the kind people displayed for picture taking then, but I hope you also see the history. Whatever the story, there is resolve there.
Must Do Today!
Call Cousin Bobby,
Make sure he won't tell his kids the story of when we...
And Some Are Simply Ambiguous
Who Knows
One of my earliest memories is my grandmother talking about her father, William Parr. He had immigrated from Canada to Los Angeles (when she could walk from one end to the other) and then moved his family to Winslow, Arizona. There he was the town carpenter/undertaker (a common combination in the day) and rose to prominence as a member of the first Arizona legislature. This is all true.(BTW, Great Grandpa Parr was a great man. However, selling his land in 1900 in Los Angeles to move to Winslow, Arizona tells us that he was not a genius at real estate. But, however rich his progeny may have become had he stayed in Los Angeles, had he not made that decision Grandma would not have met Grandpa and you wouldn't be reading this lens, as I wouldn't be here.
Those are the ins and outs of family history)
When I went to visit once my great aunt took me out out town to a huge willow tree, the only one in the barren area. She said that William Parr, planted it to give shelter to travelers. That one I am going to believe, no matter what. I tell people who visit the area.
Grandma's favorite story was that he liked to brag that he was "six foot two in his stocking feet". That was more unusual in the 19th century than today.
In my 30's I was interested in family tree work. Mom's cousin put me in contact with another cousin who shared a lot of pictures and information with me.
He said, "My grandfather was the tallest of the brothers". I joked that there must be some rivalry because that is what my great grandfather claimed. I don't recall a friendly answer.
Not a big deal, but well, they weren't both right and it seems that I had uncovered was the rivalry.
You can see in the picture (with his mother in law) that he was an imposing character, tall, but was he the tallest or was it his brother?
This brings up another kind of ambiguity. Alberta Parr's mother died when she was young. A couple of years later her father remarried Frona Phillips, an enterprising young woman who had gone to Arizona, alone, to make her fortune. Very brave for a single woman in the 19th century.
When Alberta was 19 her step mother took her back to Iowa to visit her family. There she met her stepmother's nephew (son of Lulu Phillips and Andrew Byrd) fell in love and married. The rest is (my) history.
However, the family legend, sometimes joke, is that my Uncle Dorwin loved to tell lots of people that his grandmothers were sisters, thus his parents were first cousins. Ha Ha Lots of shocked looks all around. It was his favorite tease, technically true, but giving a very false impression.
So we have a subcategory of the ambiguous. One that is half true and well, not really true at all.
Legend Are Tributes and So Are Poems
I recently came into contact with a high school class mate through Face Page. We are discovering that we should have been better friends 42 years ago as we have a lot in common. A published poet, he wrote this poem in honor of his grandmother:Heaven's Rocker
by Curt L. Sytsma
Dedicated to Anna Barbara Schmidt (1852-1939)
There was labor, long and dreary,
In the working of the soil,
And a grandma's eyes grew weary
From the endless days of toil.
But life was graceful once a week,
If she but stood the test,
And, on a Sunday afternoon,
Her rocker gave her rest.
A pioneer in fact and soul,
Log cabin born and bred,
She learned too well the meaning of
"To earn our daily bread."
So this is what I wish for her,
So far beyond our shore:
May she rest in Heaven's rocker
For now and ever more.
"The world awaits your family legends, yours are worth hearing..."
I Want to Hear Your Family Legend
And Any Other Comments You Have.
Share your legends in a thumbnail sketch here, I will print them all, but will look for some to add to this lens! We can make a
squidoo family scrap book. I hope it will also result in many more lenses from all of you!
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Reply
- grandmasandy grandmasandy Oct 11, 2009 @ 11:14 am
- There was a legend in our family that my g g grandfather stowed away on ship from Germany because he didn't want to fight against the Americans. It was my g grandfather that told this story about his wife's father.
I imagined my wonderful gg grandfather with such loyalty to a country he was not a native to.
It was only early this year (2009) when I began researching my family that I learned, my gg grandfather was not a stow away. He was on the passenger list of the ship Ernestine. He did come to America at the age of 17 leaving his entire family behind. But it was a long time before any conflict between Germany and America.
I have also never found any truth to his story about a relationship with a large Indian woman who weighed around 3oo pounds.
One story he didn't tell, but is actually true is that I am a close cousin to Cher Bono. Her g grandmother and mine were sisters.
grandma Sandy
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Reply
- Beautiful_GreenBeans Beautiful_GreenBeans Apr 19, 2009 @ 12:18 am
- I didn't want it to end! Great lens! My grandma used to talk about how Mel Brooks would come over for my great-grandma's potato salad...and how my great-great grandfather installed the first indoor toilet in their neighborhood (Brooklyn?) I'll have to find out about that recipe, thanks for the invite!
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Reply
- naturegirl7 naturegirl7 Nov 29, 2008 @ 2:14 pm
- This lens makes me remember all of our family stories and how I haven't written a lens about any of them yet. Gosh, where to begin, there are so many. My great grandfather, Juan (Jean in French) Bardou invented packs of cigarette papers for his customers on his carriage (transportation) line. Later he and his son founded the JOB cigarette paper company.
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Reply
- familystorykeeper familystorykeeper Nov 11, 2008 @ 11:17 pm
- I really enjoyed reading your family's stories. Family stories are a glimpse into the past that gives us real insight into our lives now. Thanks for inviting us to share our stories on your lens. I'll have to come back to check your lens often to see what new stories are added.
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Reply
- Family-Legacy-Mom Family-Legacy-Mom Oct 29, 2008 @ 2:12 pm
- What a great lens! I enjoyed reading about the legends of your family. They were ideal examples of whether a family story is legend or not. Visit my site on Family Legacy at http://www.squidoo.com/family-legacy. It's about writing your family stories. Thanks for sharing your stories. I giggled and smiled at your stories and loved the whole site.
- Load More
Call for Stories
The Different Kinds of Legends
Remember, while this is fun, these are really a clue for other characteristics of your family and its history.
ENJOY!
Please put a thumbnail in the comments column. If your legend is included I will ask for a picture and video if at all possible. I will stick to 10.
Don't forget to make a lens expanding your family stories.
- 1. The clearly not true
- 2. The true ones
- 3. The ambiguous ones
The True Story of the Family Business
Put your feet up and enjoy.I got the idea for this while reading the comments on this lens about my parents' business and reading the stories of other peoples' families. I realized that you can't begin to say it all in one page.
Additionally, each lens has its own themes, its own personality. The tributes are wonderful, keep them coming. However, there is room for fun also.
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My Dad: The Gold Standard
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When I was little, and got sick, my Dad made me this drink with mashed bananas and milk. I remember watching him do this. He was so careful to mash the banana up so well, that it was almost liquid, mixing in the milk a little at a time making a perfe...
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"A" is for "Arrowsmith"
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I began this journey as a lens master on June 21, 2008. I started with the story of how my parents began their first small business. That first lens reached a top rank of 188 overall and 14 in business, and then started back down, getting as low as...
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Arrowsmith Printing: Entreprenuership in Small Town Iowa in Mid /Century
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In 1948 Fritz and Marjorie Arrowsmith took their 2 children Micheal 7 years and Margo 6 months and moved half way across Iowa with no car, $100 in the bank and $6500 in debt. The printer and former high school journalism student took on the job of re...
New Discovery!
Great lenses to help record family history and legends!-
How to Write Your Personal History
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A personal history is one of the nicest gifts we can leave our children and grandchildren. Telling your story allows your grandchildren and even your great-great-great grandchildren a glimpse into your life. Write your story! One of the items I trea...
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Write Your Family Legacy
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The importance of family legacy can never be over emphasized. Do your children know their heritage? Who are your ancestors? What were their traditions? What religion were they? What beliefs did they have? Did they fight for a cause and what was it ab...
Research The Possiblities
Did The People of These Legends Really Exist?
These aids will get you there, enjoy the journey.
The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy: A complete resource to using the Web to trace your family history (Everything Series)
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 12/07/2009) 
Family Tree Maker 2010 Platinum
Amazon Price: $89.99 (as of 12/07/2009)
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy, 2nd Edition
Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 12/07/2009)
Record Those Family Stories with This Amazing Digital Recorder
I have used this so often, See the videos at my Arrowsmith Printing lens.
Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (Black)
Amazon Price: Too low to display (as of 12/07/2009)
Flip Video Power Adapter
Amazon Price: $17.54 (as of 12/07/2009)
Flip Tripod for Flip Ultra and Mino Camcorders
Amazon Price: $9.88 (as of 12/07/2009)
Flip Ultra Camcorder 2nd Generation, 120 Minutes (Black)
Amazon Price: Too low to display (as of 12/07/2009)
Flip MinoHD Camcorder 2nd Generation, 120 Minutes (Brushed Metal) NEWEST MODEL
Amazon Price: Too low to display (as of 12/07/2009)
Any Purchase Here Will Contribute to Heifer International: The Pay It Forward Entrepreneurial Charity
How to Outline a Family Tree
When You Want to Get Some More of the Story
- Learn the Easy Way to Do Geneologies.
- Quote from this helpful lens:
Genealogy
Genealogy begins as an interest,
Becomes a hobby,
Continues as an avocation,
Takes over as an obsession,
And in its last stages,
Is an incurable disease!
-Author Unknown
Bill Engval Shares Some Family Stories
Proving Families are Very Funny
We Dont Do That - The Casino Family Story pt. 4 - Tha Joker & Nation (DOWNLOAD LINK INCLUDED)
DOWNLOAD THE CASINO FAMILY VOL.1 NOW: www.zshare.net or: www.megaupload.com or: rapidshare.com Available on iTunes Text FTEMUSIC TO 69937 For RingTones Twitter.com/FTEJOKER Myspace.com/JOKER2COLD Twitter.com/NATIONSAIDIT Myspace.com/NATIONSAIDIT
Runtime: 5:59 | 5608 views | 27 Comments
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Feed Your Cells Pure Food
Passionate About Small Business and Social Conscienceness
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byAbout Margo Arrowsmith
Lensmaster Margo_Arrowsmith has been a member since June 21 2008, has rated 2,026 lenses, favorited 120, and has created 129 lenses from scratch. Margo Arrowsmith donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund. This member's top-ranked page is "My Dad: The Gold Standard". See all my lenses
My Bio
For Arrowsmith Printing 9/22/08
I was born into a small business, I believe that small business and entrepreneurs are the backbone of America and what has made us great. They are what made us great and will save us in these unsure times. I have never wanted to have a great job. Well, better a great one, than a boring dead end one, and I have had both. But I have never really wanted a job at all.
Don't get me wrong, I am a hard worker. I have worked a full-time job, a part time job and a private practice all at the same time for a lot of years in my past. It isn't the work, its the working for someone else. Never wanted to do that, and I don't understand those who want to do that.
When I was six months old my parents bought their first small town weekly newspaper in Iowa. This was back in the day, back when small town newspapers were not just advertising sheets. Perhaps there are still some of them that are real, I hope so.
So I came by this perverse nature naturally. My path to self employment has been different than theirs, but it has always been my path, my direction.
Growing up in Iowa, in the fifties, I also grew up politically conservative. By the time I was 30 I was radically left. Today? I am proudly liberal and what that means will be clearer as we progress.
However, I have had conflicts about 'taking advantage of people'. I now know that employing people is not automatically taking advantage of them, but it took a while for me to learn that nothing is intrinsically good or bad. Well, almost nothing.
I have educated myself in business, I have a small business and I have used EFT and other energy clearing methods to help me clarify the old conflicts and move forward.
My mission here is to provide a forum for people who want to work independently through one person businesses or through employing others and for whom the betterment of human kind is an important value. My lenses are about offering good products, teaching people about betting their lives, and using the money they make for their pleasure and the benefit of others.
That is how I see business and if you have a similar vision I invite you to my blog www.creatingbusinessenergy.com
Margo Arrowsmith
Raleigh, North Carolina
Mother and Grandmother
Clinincal Social Worker, Coach and Internet Marketer
Interfaith Contemplative Minister
Student of life, business, the human spirit that motivates us to be our best in all circumstances.
Check out these great lenses...
by Margo_Arrowsmith
For Arrowsmith Printing 9/22/08
I was born into a small business, I believe that small business and entrepreneurs are the backbone of America and w... (more)
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