One of the aspects of my life which truly defines who I am is my heritage. It's my roots in this mass of humanity that I live and breathe among. I am privileged as the oldest daughter of the oldest son to be the keeper of the Hamilton family Bible (my father's side of our family tree). This is the birth record of my great, great, great great grandfather, William Hamilton, who was born in Hamilton, Scotland. I do hope that someday I will be able to visit this beautiful country and see the place where my ancestors came from before settling here in the USA.
It's quite a privilege to be the keeper of this documentation. the only piece of record I have dates back to my fathers death in 1993..he was going on 93.
Wow, that is a great privilege! My ancestors (from my father's side) came from Nedersakse in Germany. :) Johannes Pretorius (ancestor of Pretorius family in South Africa) came to South Africa on 9 December 1669.
@anazad511@bruni
Thank you Bruni and Ana! I have to be so careful when I open it because it is quite fragile. I've always wanted to take it to someone who can restore it, but I'm afraid to let it out of my sight!
Love the history here and the beautiful "handwriting" that they had back then. Love your pov and great capture, Ann. I see Minnesota on there ... my home of birth also. Yay!
@boogie Thank you Mags! @wenbow Thank you Wendy! @steeler Thank you Howard! I'm hoping to get there someday. I see pictures here and just dream! @karenann Thanks Karenann! Yes, it looks like one branch of the family ended up there. I find it exciting that the record actually says "Minnesota Territory"! So, it hadn't reached statehood yet. I think the woman listed there was a sister of my great, great grandfather- but I don't really know how or why they were in Minnesota because there seem to be just as many relatives born in New York City as well. That's something I'll have to ask my cousin the next time I see her. She has done a great deal of research on our family. And, me too- Scotland and The Netherlands are the two places I'd like to see- both on my father's side. My mother's family is harder to trace, but I'm told they were Welsh and German. @httpgeffed Thank you Colleen! @salza Thank you Sally! @kimmistephens Thank you Kimmi!
@automaticslim Hmmmm....perhaps it has to do with personality type. I have heard (and read but I don't remember where) that certain kinds of people write their letters in certain ways (i.e. adventurous people have bold handwriting- or something like that).
Well, my dad learned to write in the early 30s and by his account it was more or less beaten into him so I suppose that was the approved style at the time. He says that the teacher used to walk behind the pupils and try to snatch the pens from their hands - any boy who was holding the pen too tightly got a clip around the ear. He writes with a light touch!
@automaticslim Wow- that's a rough way to learn handwriting! My mother was left-handed. She was made to learn to eat using her right hand but thankfully they didn't impose that on her handwriting too.
@woot Thank you Davide! @sarasdadandmom Thank you Terry! @mrssmith Thank you Carla! @maggiemae Wouldn't that be something Maggiemae! There are actually a couple John Hamiltons in my family- all named after one or another, and when reading your comment I realized I'd typed in the wrong name in my commentary. There was a John Hamilton in my line- he was the son of William, whose name appears at the top of this page and who was born in Hamilton, Scotland. Although it's quite possible that someone in our family line could have gone to NZ, this particular branch ended up in NYC. I have a copy of the ship's manifest listing William, his wife, and several of their children as passengers. They sailed to America in June of 1820 and at the time, his son John was 1 year old! Can you imagine?!
That is so neat Ann. I have often wished my grandparents would have kept better records over the years. It takes so much time to research all that. I have friends who have been to Scotland several times, and they say it is absolutely beautiful.
fantastic - history and photo. the handwriting looks very much like partner's mother, whose ancestors also came from scotland. in the olden times, this was the kind of handwriting instilled in students, and they did learn to write ever so lightly.
you have been handed the rather honourable task of being the family's bible keeper, as well as history custodian. be proud, ann. not everyone gets to have that privilege. and scotland will be a reality if you really wish it.
@digitalrn Thank you Rick! I am also grateful that one of my cousins has really researched quite a bit about our family. She's a wealth of stories and information! @prttblues Thanks Bev- I know. My aunt (Dad's older sister) was the one who insisted I get it when Dad was wondering what to do with it. Sometimes the first born has its privileges! @summerfield Thanks Vikki! Yes, this and several other papers we have, have the most exquisite handwriting. I don't know if financially I'll ever be able to get there, but it has been wonderful to see and learn from my Scottish friends here. @vposey Thanks Vickie! I'll look forward to that shot!
How lucky that you having something so beautiful in your possession. We forget how documents were crafted all those years ago. Lovely photo to share with us Ann.
@nicolecampbell Thank you Nicole! There are several pages in this Bible recording births, deaths and marriages, all written by hand in this lovely script. What is amazing to me is that it was written by one of my ancestors! @bkbinthecity Thank you Brian! It is a fascinating hobby. My cousin has done a lot of research on our family tree. I am glad she's done that.
This is wonderful! So interesting to have this record. We also have a family bible which starts later, in 1821. I do hope you make it to
Scotland one day! When you do come I hope you have weather like we did last weekend, then surely it must be one of the most beautiful countries in the world but I am biased!
As an amateur genealogist I really appreciate this photo. Walt's parents visited Scotland, Wales and Great Britain many years ago and we have so many nice memoirs. How wonderful to have a family bible that old. My late in-laws had one going back to 1800 but another family member has it now. I do have a copy though.
@ulpiphotos thank you Ulpi! @louisefrance Thank you Louise! I do too- I know I would love it rain or shine- thanks to your beautiful photos for me at least "partially" being there already! @ellimae Thanks Ellen! I was trying to think of something that represents a large part of "who I am" and my eyes landed on the Bible and I thought "That'll work!" @sangwann Thank you Dione! Lucky you! @alia_801 Thank you Alia! @cimes1 Thank you Carole! You'd enjoy looking through many of the things we've collected over the years- especially my cousin who has done most of the research. The Hamiltons did quite well settling here. My father's mother's side (the Conovers who were Dutch) came earlier and there are some sad stories there, but they managed and eventually their combined lines led to me!
That really is lovely. What a rare and beautiful keepsake. I hope you will get to Scotland one of these days. Visiting a place always makes the gap between the generations seem less distant.
This brought tears to my eyes. . .I, too, have a Scottish heritage being of the Ferguson clan and have had the great privilege of visiting one much too short time.
@sharritta Thanks Sharon! What gets me about this is that someone from my family wrote it- there's such a great connection with my personal history through this.
Thank you Bruni and Ana! I have to be so careful when I open it because it is quite fragile. I've always wanted to take it to someone who can restore it, but I'm afraid to let it out of my sight!
@wenbow Thank you Wendy!
@steeler Thank you Howard! I'm hoping to get there someday. I see pictures here and just dream!
@karenann Thanks Karenann! Yes, it looks like one branch of the family ended up there. I find it exciting that the record actually says "Minnesota Territory"! So, it hadn't reached statehood yet. I think the woman listed there was a sister of my great, great grandfather- but I don't really know how or why they were in Minnesota because there seem to be just as many relatives born in New York City as well. That's something I'll have to ask my cousin the next time I see her. She has done a great deal of research on our family. And, me too- Scotland and The Netherlands are the two places I'd like to see- both on my father's side. My mother's family is harder to trace, but I'm told they were Welsh and German.
@httpgeffed Thank you Colleen!
@salza Thank you Sally!
@kimmistephens Thank you Kimmi!
@sarasdadandmom Thank you Terry!
@mrssmith Thank you Carla!
@maggiemae Wouldn't that be something Maggiemae! There are actually a couple John Hamiltons in my family- all named after one or another, and when reading your comment I realized I'd typed in the wrong name in my commentary. There was a John Hamilton in my line- he was the son of William, whose name appears at the top of this page and who was born in Hamilton, Scotland. Although it's quite possible that someone in our family line could have gone to NZ, this particular branch ended up in NYC. I have a copy of the ship's manifest listing William, his wife, and several of their children as passengers. They sailed to America in June of 1820 and at the time, his son John was 1 year old! Can you imagine?!
you have been handed the rather honourable task of being the family's bible keeper, as well as history custodian. be proud, ann. not everyone gets to have that privilege. and scotland will be a reality if you really wish it.
great shot!
@prttblues Thanks Bev- I know. My aunt (Dad's older sister) was the one who insisted I get it when Dad was wondering what to do with it. Sometimes the first born has its privileges!
@summerfield Thanks Vikki! Yes, this and several other papers we have, have the most exquisite handwriting. I don't know if financially I'll ever be able to get there, but it has been wonderful to see and learn from my Scottish friends here.
@vposey Thanks Vickie! I'll look forward to that shot!
@bkbinthecity Thank you Brian! It is a fascinating hobby. My cousin has done a lot of research on our family tree. I am glad she's done that.
Scotland one day! When you do come I hope you have weather like we did last weekend, then surely it must be one of the most beautiful countries in the world but I am biased!
@louisefrance Thank you Louise! I do too- I know I would love it rain or shine- thanks to your beautiful photos for me at least "partially" being there already!
@ellimae Thanks Ellen! I was trying to think of something that represents a large part of "who I am" and my eyes landed on the Bible and I thought "That'll work!"
@sangwann Thank you Dione! Lucky you!
@alia_801 Thank you Alia!
@cimes1 Thank you Carole! You'd enjoy looking through many of the things we've collected over the years- especially my cousin who has done most of the research. The Hamiltons did quite well settling here. My father's mother's side (the Conovers who were Dutch) came earlier and there are some sad stories there, but they managed and eventually their combined lines led to me!
@carmel Thank you Ariel! I appreciate your view and comment on my picture.