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Virginia Military Institute

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PAUL161

PAUL161

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I never knew that 9 of my past relatives were candidates in the Virginia Military Institute from the 1860s to 1924. Found out searching the Civil War archives. Also found that over 55 Jennings died in the war. Amazing what you will come across when researching your family's past history. Didn't find any horse theives yet, but there had to be a couple of them somewhere!:highly_amused: PJ
 
PAUL161 said:
Amazing what you will come across when researching your family's past history. Didn't find any horse theives yet, but there had to be a couple of them somewhere!:highly_amused: PJ
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I know better not to poke around. :wink:

If I'm as good as it gets...I can only imagine how bad things used to be...:laugh:
 
I did some poking around, and discovered one of my ancestors was a Tory loyalist, who escaped to Canada after the Revolution. And another decided (in the late 1700s) that he didn't like his wife and children. He disappeared and turned up in French Louisiana, found another woman, and married. Minor detail that he was still married here in New England.

Black sheep and skeletons the lot of 'em.

Tom
 
Since I'm a last-generation European, most of my relative are not in the US.
My history follows the story of many emigrants: by the time I was 13, and we finally settled in the southern New Jersey Pine Barrens, I had lived in nine cities in four countries.

But my in-laws had a house in Fork Union, Va next to the Fork Union Military Academy. A lot of their friends had kids in Fork Union who went on to VMI. As a result, I know they went to a lot of VMI graduations and even got to know some of the faculty there.

Most of my direct relatives live in Ireland and Britain with others in South Africa, Australia, France, Argentina and the USA.

One of my Dad's sisters became a Catholic nun and taught Aboriginy children in rural Australia.
I have a cousin who owns a vineyard in France.
One of my Argentine cousins became a very well-known radio DJ in Chicago.

On my father's side, we started out as fishermen and gallowglass (mercenary soldiers) but, in time, became landed gentry. This didn't work out so well when the Brits took over Eire and confiscated all the land in 1691. They lost everything and many moved to France. One of my early relatives became a general in the French army fighting the British.
Many believe the name (McCabe) comes from "cape" (or "caba" in Gaelic) relating to the capes these people wore as fishermen.

On my Mom's side we had a fellow just like Tom's (above): left his family in Ireland and took up with another gal in England.
My Mom's next-door neighbours in Kilkenny (whom I knew well) were the Clooneys. They were related to Rosemary Clooney who came to visit them once (obviously also related to George, I guess).
My Mom had a great-uncle named Patrick Dowling who had emigrated to American in the 1800s and died at the Battle of Little Big Horn.
 
My grandmother was a Friant, so we have a lot of Friants in the family and one interesting part is, Ephraim Friant was in the fife and drum corps during the civil war and I have his fife, which was given to me by my dad before he passed away. Ephraim was 14 years old at the time and was wounded, but survived and served the rest of his life in Medford New Jersey. His brother Mathias, 16 years old who signed up the same day, Sept, 16th 1862 we have no record of what happened to him. Ephraims cousin John Friant 19, died at Baltimore hospital from a sickness. They all signed up the same day. All my relatives that I know of fought for the North, even one Lieutenant from North Carolina. PJ
 
Amazing how this sort of thing becomes more important to each of us as we age. I had a great great aunt who passed away before I was born who did this research for a living for 40 some years of her life. And considering that she died in the 1950s, it was all done the hard slow way writing letters, visiting government and church archives, and tracking down living names to get personal and oral records.

So on my mother's side I know the first arrival in the new world was 1609 in Jamestwon VA. By the mid 1600s another member was collecot of ports, basically the Kings tax collector. and we've been on Ohio since the 1790s. Overal history goes back to the mid 800s.
 
NutmegCT said:
I did some poking around, and discovered one of my ancestors was a Tory loyalist, who escaped to Canada after the Revolution.

Black sheep and skeletons the lot of 'em.

Tom
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black sheep? Here we prefer the ter patriots. :smile:
 
A friend of mine does Revolutionary War re-enacting.
Some years back, we went up to Ontario to participate in a re-enacting event.

He was surprised when he suddenly realized that the crowds were cheering for the other guys. :highly_amused:

Canada is different!
 
aeronca65t said:
A friend of mine does Revolutionary War re-enacting.
Some years back, we went up to Ontario to participate in a re-enacting event.

He was surprised when he suddenly realized that the crowds were cheering for the other guys. :highly_amused:

Canada is different!
Click to expand...

Nial, should we tell 'em who won the "War of 1812"?
 
Our history goes back a ways here in the US, even much further back in the UK. PJ
Excerpt from Wikipedia;

Samuel Jennings or Samuel Jenings was born in England and died in Burlington New Jersey, in 1708.

Jennings and his family arrived in West Jersey in September 1680. Governor Edward Byllynge in 1682 appointed Jennings to the position of deputy-governor of West Jersey. At the instigation of William Penn, Jennings allowed himself to be popularly elected as governor, causing a falling out with Byllynge, who believed this to be an illegal usurpation of his authority. In 1684, Byllyng removed him from his position of deputy.

Jennings later became involved in the controversy started by George Keith and Thomas Budd, siding with the Quakers. As a result, he was tried and convicted. In 1694, Jennings was sent to London for his six day trial. He ably defended his position and published The Case Stated while in London.

After the late 1690s the government of East and West Jersey became increasingly dysfunctional. This ultimately resulted in the surrender by the Proprietors of West Jersey and those of East Jersey of the right of government to Queen Anne. Annes government united two colonies as the Provence of New Jersey, a royal colony, establishing a new system of government. This reorganization and the period leading up to it saw many New Jersey politicians jocking for power and influence in the new government. By 1701 he was speaker of the West New Jersey General Free Assembly, and was recommended as a potential member of the New Jersey Provincial Council for the Western division; he was appointed by the crown on July 29, 1703.He remained of the council until his resignation in 1706.

After leaving the council, Jennings was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly for the city of Burlington, and served as Speaker during 1707. He died in 1708.

A large group of our family was started from Samuels family and some who came from England later and two who came from Ireland!
 
PAUL161 said:
......Samuel Jennings or Samuel Jenings was born in England and died in Burlington New Jersey, in 1708.....
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My older daughter lives in Burlingston, NJ. Her house was built circa 1750 and they have documents to prove that General Mercer (one of George Washington's closest friends) slept there.

If she can't say "Washington Slept Here", at least she can say one of his buddies did! :highly_amused:
 
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