Our Somers Family Heritage

I've recently been reading of the Dutch Reformation and learned of the part Prince William of Orange (aka William the Silent) played in establishing freedom of religion and liberty of conscience in the Netherlands. This video is excellent, and I whole-heartedly recommend it to you. While I have no indication that we are related to Dutch nobility, I do know we have a long history of Protestantism. So, for this reason, I think it is important for us to know a bit of our Dutch Protestant history.   -  Angela Somers Wittman  Direct Link:   The Rebel Prince Who Became The Father Of Dutch Independence? | William the Silent Description:  William the Silent - or William of Orange, as he is known in the Netherlands - started out life as a loyal subject of the Hapsburg empire, the son of a minor noble. Inheriting the principality of Orange at a young age catapulted him into the rich and dangerous politics and schemes of Europe. He would eventually turn against the su...

Grandmother Lillian Mae Weaver/Somers Grandmother Lillian Mae Weaver/Somers told me as a child our ancestry was "Black Welsh" and "Blackfoot Indian."  I remember asking her what is a "Black Welsh"? And Grandma replied that it simply meant we had dark hair and dark eyes. Here are my notes regarding Grandma's family surnames and their origin: Weaver - English origin. (Father's surname) Wright (Mother's surname) - English or Scottish origin. Casteal or Casteel (paternal Grandmother) - Dutch or Spanish origin. Jones (maternal Grandmother) - Welsh origin. Burdett (paternal Great Grandmother) - French or English origin. The Jones name certainly points to our Welsh ancestry, but what does "Black Welsh" mean?  Wikipedia has a stub article which says: Black Welsh people are inhabitants of Wales who have an African or a Caribbean background. Wales is home to one of the United Kingdom's oldest Afro communities, an...

Alfred Green Chance Weaver (Photo is from the private family collection of Harlen and Janice Buhler) Family Tree Source:  Alfred S. Weaver/Emily Little (ronulrich.com) Husband: Alfred S. Weaver Born: 14 OCT 1809 at: Tennessee Married: 2 OCT 1834 at: Died: 26 FEB 1848 at: Tennessee Father: Mother: Other Spouses: NOTES Wife: Emily Little Born: 19 SEP 1816 at: Rowan Co., North Carolina Died: 17 JUN 1889 at: Tennessee Father: Samuel Little Mother: Elizabeth Boone Other Spouses: Alfred L. Little CHILDREN Name: Winnie Jane Weaver Born: 22 MAY 1839 at: Rover, Bedford Co., Tennessee Married: at: Died: at: Spouses: Name: Margaret Caroline Weaver Born: 16 OCT 1840 at: Tennessee Married: at: Died: 28 NOV 1904 at: Spouses: Name: Alfred Green Chance Weaver Born: 6 MAR 1845 at: Tennessee Married:...