ABCs & Our Family Trees: Letters N & O

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 hand at chronicling the origins of our families’ surnames.

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This is the thirteenth 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 M names, let’s now address the letters N and O:

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Tombstone

It is week 21 in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge. For this week, the writing prompt is Tombstone.

Marking the places where the dead are buried is a human practice older than recorded history with some of the oldest known stone markers dating back to 3,000 to 4,000 B.C. Known as dolmens or chamber tombs, they were megalithic monuments. The earliest tombstones, like the dolmen, were a stone or stones covering the entire grave. Unlike earlier tombstones, today’s headstones are much smaller, serving as memorials for the deceased. While some headstones are simple, carved only with the deceased’s initials or name, others are elaborately carved or decorated, with each symbol representing a theme or feeling. Some of my favorite family headstones contain these symbols (with these meanings):

• Anchor: Steadfast hope
• Book: Faith, wisdom
• Dove: Holy Spirit, purity
• Garland: Victory over death
• Hands: Relationship, affection
• Heart: Devotion, love
• Ivy: Faithfulness, memory
• Lamb: Innocence, youth
• Lily: Purity, resurrection
• Oak: Strength, resilience
• Skeleton or skull: Life’s brevity
• Weeping willow: Mourning, grief

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Service

It is Week 19 in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks’ writing challenge. This week’s writing prompt, Service, is timely because in a couple of weeks is Memorial Day, a day we remember our fallen soldiers and sailors, those who gave everything to protect others and our country.

During this time of tribute, I would like to acknowledge our direct ancestors who have served in the wars fought on American soil. “All gave some; some gave all.”

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Favorite Discovery

For more than 20 years, I have been actively researching and documenting our families’ histories. Over the course of two decades, I have learned lots of interesting historical facts and made quite a few interesting and/or noteworthy discoveries.

So many, in fact, that this week’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks’ writing prompt, Favorite Discovery, has proved more difficult for me than I thought. With so many from which to choose, how am I supposed to select just one favorite discovery?

From Our Families to Yours…

On behalf of my Cole-Marriner family, some of the original 1600s settlers of New Jersey’s Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties, I would like to wish you Happy Holidays!

Speaking for my Watts-Stark family, early settlers of Virginia and South Carolina who, generations later, joined other pioneers venturing west, eventually settling in Cole, Moniteau, and Miller Counties, Missouri, I say Season’s Greetings!