bcagle on Family Tree Circles
Journals and Posts
History divides the early Aryan peoples info five groups - one of these groups, the Celtic, was made up of Gauls, Britons, Scots-Irish, and Picts. The Irish, Welsh, Scotch-Highlanders and the Britons of Brittany, in France, are the present-day representatives of the ancient Celts.
The name McALPIN is Celtic; the prefix Mac, Mc, or M signifies 'of' or 'son of' so the name, originally "ALPINE" means Son of Alpine, Alpine of course, meaning 'of the hills' - or Alps.
Genealogists say that the progenitor of the McALPIN clan crossed over from Ireland to the Highlands of Scotland with the Dalriadic Scots. Authorities generally agree that the clan was one of the oldest in the Highlands, and that out of it grew a number of other clans that had their origin in fiven names: as McGREGOR, "Son of Gregor" , who was a son of Kenneth Mc Alpin: McKINNON (with variations McKINNEY, McKINNING, McKINVEN, and others) , founded by a chieftain named FIGNON, who was a grandson of GREGOR.
The Gaelic form of the modern name McKINNON, was "MHIC FHIONGHAIN"; the variations, McKINNEY and McKINNING developed in the Lowlands, among members of the clan who settled there.The traditional home of the McALPINS waws Dunstaffnage, near Oban, Argyllshire.
The ancient crest was a boar's head, (a crowned head became the crest after the Clan was made the royal one).
The emblem was a pine tree, the Gaelic motto and war-cry , "Cuimhnich Bas Ailpein," meant "Remember the death of Alpine." The Alpine alluded to was a chieftain or "king" of the Clan, and who was murdered by Brudus, after the dereat of the Scots by the Picts,near Dundee in 834.
Description of Tartan: The Clan plaid was a combination of inconspicuous colors, against a background of greenish-grey and was probably chosen in the days of Clan warfare for reasons of strategy and safety. It is said that the colors blend perfectly with the colors of teh hearther and this made it easy for the warriors to hide themselves in the hearther on the hill-sides almost under the feet of the enemy. Sir Walter Scott mentions this in foot-notes to "The Lady of the Lake," used as a text-book.
In the eighth century, the Picts were the chief power in Scotland, but thier political organization resembled a rude confederacy rather than a regularly constituted governmane. They were a number of Celtic tribes which, sometimes, in great emergencies, combined for the common defense of the country. Besides the feuds incidental to tribal communities, the Picts, the Scots, the Britons and eventually, the Saxons and the Danes, or Norsemen, carried on intermittent warfare with one another. The struggle among the clans continued until a complete nationality was formed.
In 839 the Danes invaded the territory of the Picts and defeated them. Two years later, the first centralized government was organized, by the Scots, in Argyle, under Kenneth McALPIN, as king.
---There is more which includes a list of rulers. This passage is from a very small book on the McAlpin family written by Annie Hutchison, no date found but it appears to be quite old, circa early 1920's I would estimate.
If you find, or inherit, a box full of old letters and snippits of papers, don't rush threw them. They may contain some interesting tidbits about family members that can lead you up a new limb or out to the tip of existing ones. Below is a jewel I almost tossed because it was so yellow you could barely read it. But, I took many hours and transcribed it. When I come back to read it, I am surprised at how much information it actually contains. Enjoy this little piece of my family's history.
Note: The Rounder was a letter that was sent out and passed from one family to the next. Each family would add their news and send it on.
"Birds" was the pet name my ggrandfather used for his children's families (my grandmother)and likewise "ducks". Interesting that this farm family used animals as 'pet names' quite often.
Dodgeville, Wis. May 13, 1917
The Rounder came yesterday and Charley brought it
home just as I got home from a twenty mile ride over
rough roads, so tired that I could hardly sit up. But I
did sit up and take notice of every letter in the pack.
I sat down by my fire and read and read and when I
finished I found my face wet with tears. This rounder
has been a long time on its toad and has hatched several
chickens on its route. I vote tha Lethe and Irene beat
us all to a stand still, when it comes to writing an
interesting letter. Father's letter sent me back to old
times. Uncle John LeVake and I used to go over there to
see the girls and there is where he got acquainted with
the girl he afterwards married. We used to walk down
the river on the ice. It was only twelve or fifteen
miles and as far back again, but what did we care for
that. Maybe none of you ducks son't know where that
It was at old Richland City. The Old Academy was
afterwards moved to Spring Green and it is now a
dwelling house. Professor Silsby that father speaks of
afterwards went into the Army as Captain of heavy
artillery, and after the war published a newspaper at
Selma Alabama and I believe died there. I went to that
school the next year with the girls. Nearly all my
class went into the army and some of them distinguished
themselves, and many of them lie now in soldier's
graves. Uncle John LeVake was the last one of the old
settlers of the valley and the last old soldier there
out of 37 who went from the town of Wyoming. Some are
still alive but they live now in other places. *****Well
I had to stop just now to take Bobby a ride down the
walk as Rob is dressing for church. She takes him over
to his grandmother's while she goes to church. Lethe's
boy is somne smart boy, but you all must remember thathe
is a whole lot older than our Bob and don't weigh as
much by 2 or 3 pounds. So don/t run away with the idea
that he is the whole cheese in the baby show. Ask Andy.
He has seen them both lately and if he don't say that
considerin' all the circumstances and the chance he had
that our Bob is in the show to stay yet awhile. Oh i
could spin yarns for an hour yarn about with her but
postage is going to be raised soon and I do not want to
break the bunch. One thing I will say and nobody can
prove to the contrary, our Bob knows O and can point it
out on a Quaker Oats boc. That Sawyer county kid can't
tell O from a pig's tail. Ajiamo has it about right
about women folks finding a hob for a man around the
house. I never was out of a job since I got married.
The kid's round robin get around about twice to your
once and keeps me busy guessing riddles and doing the
stunts that Helen Hones thinks up. I hope she does not
run away with the idea she is a poet. There is no money
in that and it does not help mother much. Poetry is all
right in its place but I would rather be able to write
such a letter as Lethe or Irene can write that be able
to write all the poetry in the world. As father says in
his letter, a good conversationalist is the rarest thing
in the world. My last stry in the Chronical got micxed
up in the mill some way and the printers made hash of
it. I have to take a lot of kidding about it. People
that have been reading them ask me what kind of dope I
smoke. I son't wonder. The printers make my story that
was all paged and arranged so I thought they could not
get it mixed,sound like the ravings of delirium I am
going to tell the editor that when he gets over his
drunk I will lwt him have another, and not before. They
don't cost the paper anything snd the trouble to keep
them straight should be raken. A short story is as much
a work of art as a building, and to put the windows
where the door should be and the roof in the cellar
would be as sensible as to cut a story in the wrong
place and print it hindside before.
My garden is all up but corn and potaotes. My tomatoe
plants in the box in my window are turning yellow from
some cause after all my care of them. I guess I
willhave to buy some after all. I have soil in my
garden and my neighbor's garden as fine as dust. The
neighbor is complaining that he can find nothing to hoe.
I don't intend he shall unless he hoes plain dirt. I
would like to get a whack at Beula's garden with my
garden plow. Several of the neighbors have bought themn
a plow like mine and threw away their old planet Juniors
hoes and rakes. So I won't find so much to do as usual,
and I'm afraid I will run out of work which would be a
calamity. Some times when I see those old differs
sitting around on boxes down town I envy them their
ability to take it easy, and then when I see the
expression on their faces and listen afor a moment to
their whining pessimistic talk I thank my lucky stars
that I am not built that way, and glory in my tasks even
if they weary me. I am well and as contented as can be
besides having all my real want supplied.
The ancient Gander, (mistakes are as copied from copy
of original letter.)
First, let me apologize for my infrequent visits to this forum. I have been up to my eyeballs in genealogy as well as maintaining several other websites and writing books. BUT, as we have some new information I have re-registered at Ancestry.com and am updating my files. Look for Millerfull2011 (tree/31758862/family) for the most recent updates there.
Richard F. Scott (my eldest son) and his wife Leah Noem Scott, now have a new daughter, Livia Scott. She was born in mid-June and is an absolute baby-doll. Growing like the leaves on a young tree. LOL.
We now have word that my nephew, Brandon Jones, son of my 2nd sister, Cynthia and Wayne Jones (div) is expecting his first child in August 2012. We wish them well.
Martha Jane 'Peter" Miller Wesley McArther is still with us and holding to her promise to reach 90. However, we said goodbye to my mother, Anne Elschner Miller on 12 Dec 2008, My Uncle Jack Miller on 10 Oct 2009, and my cousin, Peter's son, Doug Wesley, in Feb 2009.
I think that about updates most of what was missing (I hope). I have also begun researching Cindy's ex-husband's "Jones" family at his request so his information is now included. Additionally, the Cagle line is growing as well as I research my husband's family.
Have a wonderful Christmas season everyone. I'll be back in January with more info, I hope.
Do you have a bunch of old (35mm) photo negatives that you have discovered in the course of your research? The cost to have those old negatives printed can mount up very quickly, as I'm sure anyone who has begun to have some printed, will attest. So, what is the alternative?
I discovered that with a relatively inexpensive scanner and photo editing program, you can make digital "prints" that you can save and share. While these are not of the quality of a professionally produced print, they allow you to decide which negatives are viable or desirable for reproduction.
Here is the process:
1.Place the negative on the scanner bed and cover with a clean sheet of white paper. I like to use a glossy cardstock as it seems to give a better 'read' of the images on the film.
2.Scan the film to your computer and open in your photo editor. A really good one for under $100 is Paint Shop Pro. It is easy to use and has all the features of most of the more expensive software.
3. Now you have the image you want to do a reverse. Basically you do a negative image of the negative, which gives you a dark positive. (This process depends on your software but is usually a one or two click operation)
You should save the negative before commiting the changes, just in case.
4. Lighten the photo by adjusting contrast and brightness until you have an image that you can easily recognize. Save it as a copy of the original file. I use a -b appended to the original filename.You can now print or post the image.
This process, while not a replacement for standard print, allows you to send a copy to others for identification, or share copies for fun and info. My aunt was thrilled to get some copies of her family that she had thought wer long lost, and offered to have real prints made, in addition to offering invaluable identificaiton of people in the photo.
I hope this gives some of you a chance to "see what you've got" without the added expense. After all, these days it is imperative that we put our money to our research, especially when on tight budgets.
In today's uncertain world, when a disaster could strike at any time, those of us who have amassed a collection of notes, documents, photos, and perhaps even recordings and historical items, must take steps to insure their safe survival.
I learned this lesson the hard way a couple of years after I began my genealogical journey.
My uncle who, at the time, was dying of cancer, agreed to tape record as much info about the family as he could remember. He dutifully sent me a cassett tape about once a week for several months. I soon had quite a collection. David Miller (my uncle) had been a prize winning journalist, so he was very good at including trackable details and often included substantiating documents.
Oh, I was very careful to store the tapes in a cool, dry place and to preserve all the documents. But....
One day a tornado came through and it left a muddy, tumble of destroyed tapes (and a lot of ruined photos) behind. Imagine my horror and distress. A lifetime of memories gone, irreplacable as Uncle David was now gone. But...
The genealogy gods smiled because I had dilligently transcribed each and every tape and stored the transcriptions in a different form and in a seperate place. Although I can no longer listen to my Uncle tell his stories, at least I still have the stories, written down and ready to share.
That tornado taught me the importance of planning and copy. I hope none of you ever faces loosing your priceless records, but to insure the information they contain continues on, PLEASE, make backup copies of notes, digital copies of photos and tapes, and store them somewhere other than with the originals. Your research is priceless and future generations will applaude you for passing down the family traditions.
For help and information on preserving paper documents go to
Preserving my Heritage
For information on preserving photos see Expert Give Tips for preserving photos
You can also find out about preserving sounds from
Library of Congress-Preservation
Good luck with your research
Allycat mentioned the importance of recording source information, in one of her journal articles. This is vital for the serious genealogy researcher.
One of the systems I have found useful is a database of index cards.
I sort by type of record. On each card I list where the record is located in my files (I give each record a number), any identifying numbers or stamps on the document, WHO the document refers to and the number of that person in the database, and notes which include cause of death (if given) parents,places, or anything else such as internet location (if it is a scan of a document, etc.)
I also have a file box of large index cards on which I list names under locations, and by year. This is great help when you begin to traverse through centuries and across countries.
I also scan all documents to my computer and once a month I make a backup CD with all images. (Never know what might happen. I had a flood once and lost several albums and file folders of info. Thank the Lord I had scanned copies).
Hope this helps someone.
During the early days of my research, like any new genealogist, I bombarded all family members with requests for information. I was quite lucky. Most responded with more than I ever could have asked for in a Q & A session. It appears I am not the only family member with a penchant for family memories. Here is an excerpt from a very long missive I received from my uncle, Jack Miller (27 June 1930 - 10 October 2009). While Jack msy be gone, his memories will live on through this and his other letters, stories, and of course his life's work and the many publications he produced.
I have added additional details within the [brackets]
I(Jack) entered the service on July 25th, 1947, about six weeks after leaving high school, and a month after turning 17.
I met D.D. [Dorothy Dora Sundin 1932 -2004] on March 18th, 1953 and nine days later was whisked away to Pilot Training in San Antonio, Texas from New Jersey.
Meanwhile, we’d become engaged, and kept up a whirlwind romance by mail until I was transferred to Kinston Air Base in North Carolina. I had four days to drive the trip, so naturally took the ‘short route’ from Texas via New Jersey, driving all night, spending two days there, and driving all night to make it just in time. We met one more time over Labor Day weekend in Richmond, VA where her parents and sister, Joan, drove down and I drove up.
We decided to get married after the Air force started to transfer me to West Texas to finish up my pilot training in Bombers. We married in secret (at least from the service). Ninety two guests were at the New Jersey wedding including Mrs. Maiden from Vermont, Mother from Valdosta, Pete and Frank from Marietta.
I returned from our honeymoon at the NJ shore (in December yet), only to pass out on my first solo acrobatic flight. D.D. had relocated to Kinston where she shared a room with another girl whose husband also had to live on base. We sang in the choir to get Saturday nights off (until 10pm) and formed a drum & bugle corps to get Wednesday nights in town to see our brides.
During that time I made $59 per month , and lived on it! I first met your [Barbara] mom (Anne Elschner, Miller [1927 - 2008]) at Kinston where she and Tad [Frank Miller 1929 - 1973] came to visit in his 1936 Mercedes Benz when they first came back to the USA from Germany. I spent the remainder of my time in service as an enlisted man, 20 years, 2 months and 11 days in all.
I left as a Senior Master Sergeant (E-8 pay grade) and retired from Italy. Went through basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas where I also trained as a Cadet. I was on the ground crew of the first airplane that ever went completely around the world non-stop. I spent seven years living overseas out of 20, and 11 years in schools, graduating from the University of Omaha with a bachelor’s degree in 1965.
I’m the only one of my generation in the family who actually graduated from college even though both mother and dad had graduated together with most of my uncles and aunt Fern.
Learn more about our family at MY Family Genealogy Site
Uncle David was a noted journalist and a priceless asset in my research. His memory was phenomenal and his journalistic expertise was inspirational. He became my mentor in those early days and I learned so much from him. His encouragement spurred me to embrace writing and genealogy research in a way I probably would not have had he not been involved. David Miller 1926 - 1988.
David was really the bright one in the family. About 180 IQ. Total recall.
He knew it and it showed. Breezed through school.
Had a bevy of kooky cronies who did all sorts of intellectual things. When he was 12 he made his own nitrogen gas, inflated about 100 balloons and was charting weather patterns and prevailing winds all over the nation just out of curiosity.
By the time he was 15 he quit high school, having aced all the courses he needed. Without a diploma (they refused to give him one) he sneaked into a private college (Emory at Oxford, GA) for a semester, then transferred his credits to the University of Ga which he also quit at the age of 17 for the same reason (and because Wayne died that year).
He was a sigma Chi. At the age of 18, after 11 months service, he returned to Albany (at the same time as I was working as a Bell Hop at Radium Springs).
He met Merri Hall at the Albany Herald. He was a Telegraph Editor – handling all wire service information, but because she was 25, he convinced her he was the same age. She was a proof reader. They were married on July 5th 1947.
Mother and I attended, and they had a party at Radium Springs after the ceremony. It was a home wedding. Mother was miffed because Merri was a divorcee, and said so. Irene was ‘persona non grata’ with Merri thereafter. Merri had a five year old precious son, George.
His two uncles, Billy and Norton were his idols, having returned from the war with impressive combat records. David and Merri had little influence on him. He joined the army and spent 20 years in it.
He and Merri visited us in Italy in 1966. At that time he was stationed in Germany at a base called Dortmund Gemund. He was in the missile field. Returning from service, he relocated in West Texas near his Uncles. He was fond of guns. David adopted him as a child, but they never did get along well as adults.
POSTSCTIPT: I was able to meet George as an adult. He was married and worked as a corrections officer. He was friendly and seemed genuinely happy to reunite with his Miller family.
Here are some more of the 'memories' my uncle Jack shared through his letters. Tad, was my father, Frank MILLER (1927 - 1973). These stories are especially precious as we lost our father so early in life. My gratitude to Jack and my other aunts and uncles is endless.
Tad and I were only 10 months apart. I was born on June 27, 1930 and Tad on August 18 1929. Mother had five children in 4 months(June, September, August )in only 5 years.
Go-Go (Ruth Josephine) was born in early September 1926. There were ten months between Tad (1929)and me (Jack - 1930), twelve months from him to Pete (1928), eleven months from Pete to David (1927), ten months from David to Go- Go (1926). (ascending order) It was competitive to say the least.
The week that Pete was born, Go-Go died of some rare disease. David never contracted it, and mother had Pete.
She was quite a gal when it came to tough going. So we never had more than four kids at one time in the family. We were quite well off when we lived in New York and Connecticut. We had live-in servants, first William and Mary, and elderly couple who lived in servant’s quarters on the grounds of what we call the O’Niel house. (It is still standing and in good shape. I visited it last November on the old Norwalk Road just outside of New Canaan)
As Tad and I grew up, we found ourselves dating the same girls. In fact, we had a schedule on the back of our door when Tad first lived in Ashley St. in 1946-47. He was out of school, but I was still in High School. We both dated high school seniors and college freshmen and made up a chart so we weren’t competing over the same girl at the same time.
Learn more about the adventures of our family at FamilyGenealogy, My family site
Irene Rogers [1900 - 1978] was my father's [Frank miller 1929 - 1973] mother and my grandmother. She was a unique individual and one we were fortunate to be able to know. From flapper to church leader, her life was full and her memory is with us all. Here are some of Jack's [1930 - 2009]memories of his mother.
Irene Rogers Miller Went to William Woods College somewhere in Missouri.
Summers she went to a summer camp where Wayne Miller [1896 -1945] met her at Lake Geneva, near Delaven, Wisconsin, where there are still lots of far-removed cousins.
I think she was a liberal arts major, but can’t be certain. She was a flapper. Pictures make her look like a plump Clara Bow.
She graduated with a BA – must have been around 1922 or so. Married Wayne on June 10th 1926. It was his second marriage after leaving his first wife and two children.
She and Wayne had spent several years prior to WWI as a team of Evangelists (Methodists). He was an ordained Minister, but lost the way as a result of four months service in the army from about June to November 1918.
After Wayne died, Irene got a job as a secretary connected with the new Boys’ Club in Valdosta, working in the old city hall building on Hill Avenue, south of Ashley St. Then she got involved in fund raising for the new Boys Club. She worked there until about 1952 or so.
Meanwhile, she took in boarders overflowing from the Pines Camp Motel next door to our house at 1510 N. Ashley Street. She’d bought it with Dan’s insurance money in 1945 for about $4500.00 total. It had been built in 1942 for $2500.00 as part of the early GI housing for people on Moody Field Air Base. It was only 2 blocks from our old house at 306 E. College St. which we’d been renting since Dec 4, 1941, but were forced to buy during the war.
When Wayne died, we had a 1941 four door Chevy Master Deluxe which we’d bought for $1200.00 from Lee and Laura Maiden, a couple of Vermonters stationed at the base during the war. Laura is now 82(1990) and visits her son, Norman, in Ocala. I saw her in November. Irene had to sell the car to stay afloat, but chanced on about the only 1950 Ford Anglia in the USA.
That was that funky little old black car in which the head liner in the roof kept coming down on everyone. It was a menace – almost matching her lack of driving ability. [I , Barbara, remember that car as a playhouse' parked under the grape arbor in Irene's back yard. It was used as a 'green house' during the spring and summer months]
Then she bought a 1965 Chevelle – her green car. Which lasted the rest of her life. In 1955 Irene made a trade of the Land Beneath Her House on Ashley St. in return for a Duplex and a separate house on Alden Avenue, just off Ashley St. plus a vacant lot at 2425 University Drive, plus she made the developer who traded her out of her house, move her old house onto the new lot.
By that time we’d all left home. I was just about the only person who lived any length of time in the Ashley St. house.
Tad and I (Jack) spent the school year, 1945-46, at Gordon Military College in Barnesville near Atlanta.
Pete went off to college in the dorm at Georgia State College for Women (GSWC) about four blocks from the house on Patterson St.
David went into the Navy, landing at Quonset Point, RI as Editor of the Quonset Point NAS base paper.
I spent my junior year in that house.
Tad returned for brief periods, but couldn’t stand taking orders from Mother, so lived with Botie Chitty in a rented room much of the time.
Pete was married to Frank on June 29, 1946 so was soon gone.
I left on June 9th, 1947 for a job at Raduim Springs in Albany. I was 16. I worked the prior summer in Atlanta at 15.
Read more about our family at My Family Genealogy Si8te