ABCs & Our Family Trees: Letters I & J

  

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

Now that the H names have been discussed, next up are the letters I and J:

James William “J.W.” Kenney

On 25 April 1941, James William “J.W.” Kenney, died. He was my spouse’s 2nd great-grandfather.

James William Kenney was born on 6 November 1866, in Botetourt County, Virginia. He was the first-born child of Charles T. Kenney and Mary Frances Broughman, who were married on 17 January 1866, in Botetourt County, Virginia. His father was a farmer, and his mother was a housewife.

Family Food History

When I was a child, I loved television. Of course, we only had three channels, if the antenna was working properly that day. (Move the rabbit ears a bit more, a bit more… stop… now, don’t move!) Our family would congregate around the TV set almost every evening.  My favorite shows were All in the Family, Andy Griffith Show, The Beverly Hillbillies, Bewitched, The Dukes of Hazzard, Gilligan’s Island, Happy Days, I Dream of Jeannie, Laverne and Shirley, Little House on the Prairie, The Waltons, and Welcome Back, Kotter.  And Saturday mornings?  Those cartoons/kids’ shows were the best!  My siblings and I loved The Bugs Bunny Show, Captain Kangaroo, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, The Flintstones, Hong Kong Phooey, H.R. Pufnstuf, Josie and the Pussycats, and Scooby Doo.

This days, however, I do not watch much television. (I guess I am too busy writing blog entries.) When I do turn on the tube, I tend to prefer:

• Genealogically related (pun intended) shows (As if you couldn’t surmise that already!)
• Sappy love stories (What can I say? I have a thing for happily ever after.)
• Home repair shows
• And My Grandmother’s Ravioli

ABCs & Our Family Trees: Letter H

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

Now that the G names have been discussed, next up is the letter H:

ABCs & Our Family Trees: Letter F

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

Now that the E names have been discussed, next up is the letter F: