#genealogy

Remembering my 4x-great-grandfather Robert Butler Johnson who, 155 years ago today, left behind a wife and infant daughter when he was killed assaulting the Peach Orchard in Gettysburg with the 13th Mississippi Infantry.

When my 7th-great-grandfather George McCullough died early in 1791 in his mid-thirties, his family moved onto land owned by James Daugharty who--like George--had come from Ireland prior to the American Revolution. Daugharty charged George's widow and young children "pepper corn rent", an evidently traditional means of giving someone a place to live for a nominal amount--a single pepper corn per annum. Came across a very brief summary of Daugharty's life which struck me as amusing: "At or near this place once lived James Daugherty. He was a character, and if I could transfer him to paper, it would well repay that trouble; but the hope is vain! He was an Irishman; he always kept bar, as it was called, for Major Nance, in time of court; that is he sold spirits for cash; he never gave change; he always made it his rule that the change should be taken in drink. He was also the Sexton of the burying ground of Friends at Bush Biver. He dug a grave for a female acquaintance; by mistake, he put the head where the feet should have been. Her sister complained and said "Jamie, how could thee serve her so?" "Done it on purpose: she never was like any body else, if you were to die, I'll dig your grave cross ways,'' was the reply. He was a thriving farmer, always had corn to sell or give away: a poor man, Robin Perkins, came to Jamie for a grist; it was freely given, and while shelling it, dinner came on; Robin was invited in to take "pot luck." When seated, he said to Jamie, "May I say grace ?" "Yes, say grace, poor soul." He began and continued, until Jamie's stock of patience was exhausted; he broke in upon Robin's lengthened petitions, by saying, "Hoot toot, man cut it short!" Jamie's wit and love of liquor brought him to poverty before life closed. He died an old man, full of years, near to the plantation of his friend, John Kelly."

The most soul-crushing part of doing family research via South Carolina's awesome digitized archive (these are all the variations I've thus far been able to get hits on) MCULLOCH MCULLOCK MCULLOGTOR MCULLOUGH MCULLY MCULLEY MCOLLOUGH MCOLLU MCKOLLOCK MCKOLOUGH MACCOLLOCK MACCOLLUGH MACCULLOH MCALLA MCCALLOCH MCCALLOUGH MCCULLA MCCULLAH MCCULLAK MCCULLAN MCCULLAR MCCULLARS MCCULOCK MCCULOUGH MCCULOW MCCULLUCH MCCULLUCK MCCULLUCKS MCCULLUGH MCCULLUM MCCOLLACK MCCOLLAM MCCOLLOCH MCCOLLOCK MCCOLLOUGH

Been interested in the Mayflower of late as I (as self-appointed family genealogist) have been proofing all of the missus' descent from Elder Brewster, so I picked up a book on the Mayflower for my vacation reading and was struck by this direct admonition to my sons, here addressed by Bradford. A latter day testament.

RIP to my GGGG-grandfather, dead 108 years today.

McCULLOUGHs!