My Family - 18 Jun 2012

I don't know if you remember me telling you about researching my family ancestry, well if I did, it would be just like a review of what was and what is now.

I began my family tree back in 2001 with only my maternal grandmothers name. Didn't know anything about my maternal grandfather, or my paternal grandparents. I grew up with nobody in my family (mother, father, brothers, and sisters) mentioning any relatives on my mom or dad's side. The only reason I knew my maternal grandmother was that she was still alive when I was born. My family was located in a township of Springfield, Illinois and that was the world we knew and accepted it. After eleven years, I can proudly say that I have traced my family tree back to 1183 on the paternal side, and 1469 on the maternal side consisting of over 14,000 family members, over 4500 surnames, spanning 24 generations of 763 years.

The Jack Family fled France to escape the persecution who were opposed to Roman Catholic beliefs and triuals by the adherents to the teachings of John Calvin on through to the poloicies of Louis XIV makingProtestantism Illegal to County Antrim, Belfast Ireland. About four million acres in the northermost province of Ireland was devided into estates and granted to the fleeing protestants. They thrived until the British Crown leases to the settlers expired and the rents increased with nothing being allowed for imporovements. Also the British Crown began to persecute the Presbytarian Protestants enforcing the law making Anglican Chuch the Church of State. This began to cause unrest and they began emigrating to America. It wasn't until their emigration to the New Colonies did they stood their ground to fight for what they believed it, which was the beginning of the Revolution.

I am building a website to tell the story of how my family played a major role in the history of the United States.

More to come later.

This is amazing! Congratulations on such great work.

wow AJ that is amazing as I dont know much about my family history excepts bits and pieces and know very few relatives outside the immediate family.my mom was following it and died unexpectactly at the end of 2009 and I have no idea what she did find where she put it.Mabey i better try to do this as none of my kids nor husband has any idea of much of our history so NOW you have started me on a mission.good work AJ(more time at the computer)LOL....

Hi,


Aj that must have been a lot of work but a labour of love..I can't wait to read more..


SC

Story of Captain James Jack from "Sketches of Western North Carolina, Historical and Biographical" by C. L. Hunter
Personal Note: It has been written in history that Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, but historical records, actual accounts, and a public hearing indicates that the Delegates of Charlotte, NC wrote the original document, and thanks to the Ride of Captain Jack (My 6th generation Great Grand Uncle) history could have been written differently. Here is part one of their history.

"At the Convention of Delegates in Charlotte on the 19th and 20th of May, 1775, Capt. James Jack was one of the deeply interested spectators, and shared in the patriotic feelings of that ever memorable occasion. He was then about forty-three years of age--brave, energetic and ready to engage in any duty having for its object the welfare and independence of his country. After the passage of the patriotic resolutions, elsewhere given in this volume, constituting the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, Capt. Jack, for his well-known energy, bravery and determination of character, was selected to be the bearer of them to Congress, then in session in Philadelphia. Accordingly, as soon as the necessary preparations for traveling could be made, he set out from Charlotte on that long, lonesome and periolous journey, on horseback. There were then nowhere in the American colonies, stages or hacks to facilitate and expedite the weary traveler. Express messengers were alone employed for the rapid transmission of all important intelligence. On the evening of the first day he reached Salisbury, forty miles from Charlotte, before the General Court, then in session, had adjourned. Upon his arrival, Colonel Kennon, an influential member of the Court, who knew the object of Captain Jack's mission, procured from him the copy of the Mecklenburg resolutions of independence he had in charge, and read them aloud in open court. All was silence, and all apparent approval (intentique ora tenebant) as these earliest key-notes of freedom resounded through the hall of the old court house in Salisbury. There sat around, in sympathizing composure, those sterling patriots, Moses Winslow, Waightstill Avery, John Brevard, William Sharpe, Griffith Rutherford, Matthew Locke, Samuel Young, Adlai Osborne, James Brandon, and many others, either members of the court, or of the county "Committee of Safety." The only marked opposition proceeded from two lawyers, John Dunn and Benjamin Booth Boote, who pronounced the resolutions treasonable, and said Captain Jack ought to be detained. These individuals had previously expressed sentiments "inimical to the American cause." As soon as knowledge of their avowed sentiments and proposed detention of Captain Jack reached Charlotte, the patriotic vigilance of the friends of liberty was actively aroused, and a party of ten or twelve armed horsemen promptly volunteered to proceed to Salisbury, arrest said Dunn and Boote, and bring them before the Committee of Safety of Mecklenburg for trial. This was accordingly done (George Graham, living near Charlotte, being one of the number), and both being found guilty of conduct inimical to the cause of American freedom, were transported, first to Camden, and afterward, to Charleston, S.C. They never returned to North Carolina, but after the war, it is reported, settled in Florida, and died there, it is hoped not only repentant of their sins, as all should be, but with chastened notions of the reality and benefits of American independence.

Part Two (The Ride continues into Philadelphia)

I think this is a perfect story as we celebrate the Fourth Of July

The Ride to Philadelphia:

Previously Captain Jack was almost thwarted by two lawyers aimed to prevent him from reaching Philadelphia, but were soon whisked away and never seen again, so on the next morning, Captain Jack resumed his journey from Salisbury, occasionally passing through neighborhoods, in and beyond the limits of North Carolina, infested with enraged Tories, but, intent on his appointed mission, he faced all dangers, and finally reached Philadelphia in safety.
Upon his arrival he immediately obtained an interview with the North Carolina delegates (Caswell, Hooper and Hewes), and, after a little conversation on the state of the country, then agitating all minds, Captain Jack drew from his pocket the Mecklenburg resolutions of the 20th of May, 1775, with the remark:
'Here, gentlemen, is a paper that I have been instructed to deliver to you, with the request that you should lay the same before Congress.'
After the North Carolina delegates had carefully read the Mecklenburg resolutions, and approved of their patriotic sentiments so forcibly expressed, they informed Captain Jack they would keep the paper, and show it to several of their friends, remarking, at the same time, they did not think Congress was then prepared to act upon so important a measure as absolute independence.
On the next day, Captain Jack had another interview with the North Carolina delegates. They informed him that they had consulted with several members of Congress, (including Hancock, Jay and Jefferson), and that all agreed, while they approved of the patriotic spirit of the Mecklenburg resolutions, it would be prematuare to lay them officially before the House, as they still entertained some hopes of reconciliation with England. It was clearly perceived by the North Carolina delegates and other members whom they consulted, that the citizens of Mecklenburg county were in advance of the general sentiment of Congress on the subject of independence; the phantasy of 'reconciliation' still held forth its seductive allurements in 1775, and even during a portion of 1776; and hence, no record was made, or vote taken on the patriotic resolutions of Mecklenburg, and they became concealed from view in the blaze of the National Declaration bursting forth on the 4th of July, 1776, which only re-echoed and reaffirmed the truth and potency of sentiments proclaimed in Charlotte on the 20th of May, 1775.
Captain Jack finding the darling object of his long and toilsome journey could not be then accomplished, and that Congress was not prepared to vote on so bold a measure as absolute independence, just before leaving Philadelphia for home, somewhat excited, addressed the North Carolina delegates, and several other members of Congress, in the following patriotic words:
'Gentlemen, you may debate here about 'reconciliation,' and memorialize your king, but, bear it in mind, Mecklenburg owes no allegiance to, and is separated from the crown of Great Britain forever.'

Next Chapter: The call for Arms and the fight for Independence.