04 Jul Genealogist for hire July 04 , 2020
Contents
- 1 Happy Independence Day!
- 2 History Does Repeat Itself!
- 3 If Genealogists were in charge of headstone carvings…
- 4 Have a safe and sane 4th of July. My 7th Great Grandfather Dirck “Wooden Leg” Van Vliet got in the way of some New Year’s merriment, but at least he got a nickname out of the deal.
- 5 Here’s another story of a bad day at a celebration.
Happy Independence Day!
History Does Repeat Itself!
The 4th of July and the pulling down of objectionable statues in protest have coincided before!
The Declaration had thrust all blame onto the king, and its public proclamation set off an open, symbolic murder, and funeral, for the king—an inversion of a King’s Birthday celebration. People in New York City tore down the equestrian statue of George III and hacked it to pieces. A legend was that metal bits from the figure became bullets. In other places, the crowds burned and cut at the monarch’s picture and royal arms.
You can read more here:
https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/invention-fourth-july
You can find tremendous fulfillment in capturing your family’s history. Let’s ensure your family’s legacy isn’t lost. Reach out to Dan at 214-914-3598 or click on the red button to go to the website. We can create a beautiful heirloom book for your family to enjoy together!
If Genealogists were in charge of headstone carvings…
They would all be as thorough as Bezeal Haye’s headstone.
In case your family’s history is a little less documented, reach out to Dancestors by going to the red website button below or calling me at 214-914-3598.
Have a safe and sane 4th of July. My 7th Great Grandfather Dirck “Wooden Leg” Van Vliet got in the way of some New Year’s merriment, but at least he got a nickname out of the deal.
Circumstantial evidence points to Dirck Van Vliet as the elusive Dirrick “Wootin Legg.” The reasons for this conclusion are as follows:
(1) His first name was Dirrick (Dirck is another form of the given name).
(2) Dirck Van Vliet had one leg. A brother-in-law, Gysbert Krom, accidentally shot off Dirck’s left leg at a New Year’s Eve Party in 1678. A wooden or “peg” leg was the usual artificial limb for the time.
(3) “Wooden Leg” is not a proper Dutch surname. The derivation of Dutch surnames at this time was either from the father’s given name or their hometown back in the low countries. Wooden leg, therefore, was a kind of nickname, possibly a cruel pejorative nickname.
Reach out to Dancestors by clicking the red button below, and let’s see what I can find out about your ancestors. Call or text me @ 214-914-3598.
Here’s another story of a bad day at a celebration.
A.J. Cotton wrote this in his book Cotton’s Keepsake “At the jollification of the erection of the toll-bridge over Tanner’s Creek here, a cannon exploded, mangling and killing my neighbor and friend, John Rounds.”
