Going home

(Author's note: They say you can't go home, but genealogically speaking, it's one of the first things you should do. I mean, who hasn't driven past their childhood home and wondered what memories still survive within?)

As always, unabashedly unedited.

People often say, "You can't go home." The funny thing is, that's not always true. I think you can, at least in terms of researching not only the house your ancestors lived in, but where that house leads you in terms of your family history. I'm always curious about our ancestral homes, not that the subject of them really matters, but they're a curious thing in that they "house" who we once were.

I'm fascinated (Granted, I am a geek...) when I discover that the house my ancestor lived in still exists. I want to see it. I want to walk in its hallways and sit in its living room. In my mind, I think it couldn't possibly still be there; that it should have been raised to dust like my ancestors long ago. I'm amazed that a simple house, an homage to my ancestors, has stood the test of time.

For me, it's about the house my five times great grandfather Elias Sprague built. This house connects me to my paternal Mayflower ancestry. It's very simple and direct; its decor and elevations are still inhabited by a couple of very friendly but private present-day owners. For me, it's also about the house that Isaac Lawrence built. This house connects me to my maternal ancestry, and a home that is reputed to have once been a tavern that also housed the Earl of Morris in his travels through pre-RW Connecticut.

 So yeah, I guess in a way I am a Big Time House Geek. In my mind, I see these houses, these homes of our ancestors, as connecting us further back into the branches of the family tree. 

I keep asking myself: If these were the houses that "built us," who were the houses from which they sprang?  

I guess it's kind of a "chicken or the egg" thing. lol.  

Above: The somewhat dark and mysterious home of my fifth great-grandfather, Elias Sprague. From what I have read about Elias, he would have given Ebenezer Scrooge a run for his money. Yeah, I wouldn't let my kids play in that yard either. Creepy as ...

And, no, I am not completely nuts - only a wee bit.

So yes, when I found the image of the house below, I thought it was uber cool that I'd stumbled upon a house that belonged to one of my new acquaintances, Kevin O'Neal's ancestors. As I look at it, I keep thinking to myself: 

Kevin must have visited here. Does Kevin know that the home of his third great-grandfather still exists?                               

 

Above: The house of Zachariah O'Neal, Trenton, Dade County, Georgia, built 1834-1835. The top image is a watercolor image painted about six years ago by Larry Dodson. Copies were sold to help fund the restoration. It is the oldest structure in Trenton, Georgia.

And then, once I'd stumbled upon the house, the information just started pouring in:

Now, I have not gone overboard here in terms of pedigree charts. (I will explain why later) Unless there is some major flaw, Kevin's connection to Zachariah O'Neal is way too recent to be much of an issue. Anyway, here is the rudimentary look at the direct line:

          

So, just who was Zachariah O'Neal? The pieces are just now starting to take shape. For me, he will turn out to play (with any luck and easy researching) a supporting role in a larger story I hope to uncover. In the meantime, to help cement his connection to Kevin, here is a transcription of Zach's LW&T. (Still looking for an original) Zach's will specifically names Kevin's great-great-grandfather in it. (Image below)

I did find this "missive" also attached to the transcript of Zach's LW&T. Believe me, this is not me passing judgment on anyone in the storyline here. It just sucks though that everyone had to live (and die) through all this.                                    

Zachariah O'Neal is also mentioned briefly in the book above on page 419 as a founder of Dade County

Okay, I'm outta here. I just wanted to geek out about how the places our ancestors lived, and the homes they lived in, help us connect to and tell the story - our story.

                          

In the next couple of days, I think Zachariah's wife, Katherine Perry, is going to take us to some new and interesting places.

Enjoy.

☮