Right now most of you are wrapping gifts, putting together the
things that must be assembled in less than a week, or cooking
fruit cake. You don't have much time for genealogy! However, if
you are like me, thoughts of those by-gone relatives drift
through your mind occasionally while you are preparing for
"family times" with your current family. You wonder just how
they celebrated Christmas.
I have a suggestion for you to think about and share with us if
you wish and you have the time! Think of your earliest known
CARROLL ancestor (or one of the earliest) and then decide on a
gift you would like to give him or a member of his family.
Right now, my earliest ancestor is Dempsey Carrol/Carrell (?)
Senior. I see him the first time in 1752 living in Halifax
County, NC before his move to Duplin, which became Sampson
County, NC.
I would like to give Dempsey, Sr. a family BIBLE - one with lots
of pages for recording births, marriages, and deaths. I would
also give him a pen and an ink well. I know that he could write
at least a little, because he signed his name on his son
Alexander's marriage bond on April 7, 1783. He also may have
taught his son how to write, because Alexander apparently wrote
his own will in 1827.
I read one interesting story about a young couple (not my family)
in those very early days preparing to move on their covered wagon
to land newly opened for settlement. The young wife was to give
birth soon to their first child. She became very angry at her
husband, because he had spent the almost last 50 cents they had.
They had many needs, but he had spent the money on a BIBLE. He
said when his son was born, he deserved to have his name written
down. I wish more of my ancestors had felt that way.
Merry Christmas to all,
Lura