The Ultimate Sacrifice

Today is Memorial Day in the United States, a day to spend with your family and for remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their county.

Early this morning, as I was preparing my homemade potato salad and cole slaw for tonight’s picnic, I gave thanks for our ancestors who have taken up arms through the centuries, particularly those who have perished while serving their country or cause, including:

Advertisements

Llywelyn ap Iorwerth

On this day, 11 April 1240, Llywelyn “Fawr” ap Iorwerth (Llywelyn the Great), the longest reigning ruler of Welsh principalities, died in Aberconwy, Gwynedd, Wales. (He was my 23rd and 24th great-grandfather.)

Born circa 1173, Llywelyn ap Iorwerth was the only child of Iorwerth “Drwyndwn” ap Owain and Marared ferch Madog. Llywelyn’s father was the eldest surviving son of Owain Gwynedd, prince of Gwynedd. In 1174, Iorwerth ap Owain died in at the Battle at Pennant Melangell. His mother was the daughter of Madog ap Maredudd, Prince of Powys. Through her, Llywelyn is descended from Rhodri Mawr, king of Wales.

And Still She Rose

Some people break under pressure, crumbling when faced with adversity. Then, there are those who walk tall under the weight of the world and rise above the strife. My grandmother was one of the latter.

ABCs & Our Family Trees: Letter M

I have always been fascinated by language, specifically where it originates and how it adapts, mutates, and relates to other languages. That is why I found the recent series of blogs by Andrew’s Kindred so intriguing. It combined my love of etymology with my love of genealogy. I was so inspired, in fact, that I decided to try my to try my hand at chronicling the origins of our families’ surnames.

---

This is the twelfth installment of a series of posts documenting the etymology of many of our families’ surnames (recent and distant, direct and indirect.)

Well, since I already covered the L names, let’s now address the letter M:

Hannah Anna (Layton) Marriner

On this date, 23 February 1952, Hannah Anna (Layton) Marriner James, passed away. She was my 2nd great-grandmother.

Born on 10 October 1874, Shrewsbury, Monmouth County, New Jersey, Hannah was the daughter of Augustus Layton and Rebecca Ann Moore. She joined older brother, George Augustus, who was born earlier that year.