Journey into the Past

“People say you’re born innocent, but it’s not true. You inherit all kinds of things that you can do nothing about. You inherit your identity, your history, like a birthmark that you can’t wash off…”   Erik Pevernagie

We all hope to learn more about who we are and how did we get this way.  For me, I have assumed that my first 18 years laid the foundation forming my personality, interests, values, temperament, and view on society. The major architects that shaped this foundation were my parents and other forces around me: in my small Braidwood community, the schools I attended, and the historical events of 1940’s and ‘50’s. 

But weren’t my parents formed by the same process?  And my grandparents? And my great grandparents? In other words, who and what made them the way they were? What were the historical and societal circumstances that shaped them, and ultimately me?  

Seeking answers to these questions became the driving force to seek more about my ancestors and to provide living testimony for my descendants. Part of that testimonial is in a binder and the other on a blog.

My initial quest was to dive into the quagmire maze of genealogy and to find relatives in Ireland.  

Scrapbooks filled with old black and white pictures had piqued my interest as I was growingup, but these images were amusing at best and boring at worst.  That is, until I reached my 30’s and we had moved from Joliet to Wilmington, Illinois in 1972

“In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage – to know who we are and where we came from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness.” — Alex Haley, Roots

A writer from the Wilmington Advocate weekly paper, Elmo O. Barnes, had quizzed me about my ancestors and lineages.  She asked me how much I was aware of near and distant cousins and it turned out that I was crudely informed except for the more immediate relatives. I was actually encircled by people who shared my DNA… and I was clueless and failed the quiz.

At that point, I began my research, starting with my mother.  Although I have always seen myself as a “Braidwood guy,” both of my parents were born and raised a few miles away, in the Wilmington area including Elwood, Symerton, and Peotone. I began to document stories and roughly sketch family trees populated with aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and great grandparents.

Mom, although German, also was well aware of dad’s Irish and Dutch family history.  Dad rarely talked much about his family history and I later found out why.  Mom, on the other hand, had a remarkable talent for remembering names, nicknames, and connections going back decades.  

Those old black and white pictures in scrapbooks started to become more human to me. 

Within a short period of time, genealogy became a passionate journey which included consultations with Alice Kennedy and Loretta Kennedy Tully, and research of old newspapers and Will County history.  Mom could recall her family, the Ginter’s, with relative ease, going back to the 1850’s. But dad’s side, the Kennedy’s, would require more work.

Genealogy can be as frustrating as it is time consuming.  For anyone who needs closure, let me assure you that there is no end to the research. Any new discovery of a relative will beg for more questions and further research. As a fan of Henry Louis Gates who has conducted many studies on African-American ancestry, I can only imagine the plight of Black Americans who are in quest of their ancestors. European research and records are minimally accessible, but slave ships and U.S. Customs agents were not concerned about African family records.

Luckily, my research landed on two documents that had extensive information on my German and Dutch ancestors. August “Gus” Ginter III conducted thorough studies on his own and had secured the services of a German agent. Gus provided documents that went back to 1700 and even included pictures.  This was a real godsend.

On the Dutch side, Frannie Van Duyne had compiled documents that overlapped my ancestors, the Klaver’s (Klover) with the Van Duin’s (Van Duyne).

Without these two major documents, I would not have been able to compile a comprehensive family history and am extremely grateful for having been in contact with Gus and Frannie. 

The Irish research was more of a challenge and would necessitate several trips to Ireland. The Will County History book helped identify the regions where my Kennedy, Barrett, and Corcoran ancestors came from.  The most vital information pointed to a small village in County Tipperary, and that became my focus.

On a trip to Ireland in 1995, son John and I finally found a living, distant relative, Eileen Stapleton Hogan, whose mother was a Kennedy. Eileen then showed us some pictures and introduced us to several relatives in the region. We established a friendship and kinship that lasts even today. Success at last! 

You might see similarities between Sean Hogan, young son of Eileen, and an early picture of my father.

My extensive travel journals document our search process and the itinerary that established the connection with my American Kennedy’s with these Irish Kennedy’s. 

Although we found some success, one of my major regrets is the fact that I didn’t have the wisdom to interview more or my older relatives when they were still alive.  I am sure that this same regret has plagued many amateur genealogists.“When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground.” (African proverb.)

I encourage everyone to consider researching family histories.  Your descendants will appreciate your efforts.  

“We are the children of many sires, and every drop of blood in us in its turn … betrays its ancestor.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson