Our Somers Family Heritage

A Rare List of Covenanter Baptisms #History #Scotland #genealogy By Dr. Mark Jardine - Posted March 30, 2016 Image from Jardine's Book of Martyrs Excerpt: A remarkable document survives from the field preachings of the late 1670s. It is a list of baptisms conducted ‘in Fields and other places’ in Torphichen parish, Linlithgowshire, between 1675 and 1679.  One of the things that makes individual Covenanters of the 1680s and their children hard to trace is their withdrawal from the established church that produced records of births and marriages.  Among those who had children baptised were two individuals of particular significance, Edward Marshall , who was hanged in 1685, and George Hill , one of the leaders of the United Societies. A third name, Patrick Walker in Slamannan parish is probably Patrick Walker ‘in Drumcria’, aka. Drumclair. He may be the Patrick Walker who wrote the lives of Cameron, Cargill etc. Walker did know people in Torphichen parish and ...

3rd Great Grandmother Mary Ann Jones, 2nd Great Grandmother Nancy Jones Wright, Great Grandmother Maggie Lenoa Wright Weaver, Grandmother Lillian Mae Weaver Somers with oldest daughter Mamie Irene. Taken in the 1920's, Clay Co, Arkansas By Angela Wittman Some of my earliest memories are of my parents talking about our native ancestry, and I grew up with stories of being part Cherokee and how my Grandfather lied about his native ancestry to avoid discrimination. It was always taken for granted by my cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. on the Somers side that we are part Native American. So, when a cousin (now deceased) and I began looking for a “paper trail” of the Cherokee ancestry approximately 25 years ago and we couldn’t find documentation, I continued the research. I believe there is evidence that will lead to our native ancestry and I hope to present some of that evidence here. Henry Francis Somers I’ll begin with physical appearance: My Great Grandfather, Hen...

Grandfather William Henry Somers (43 yrs. old) with my father, Jesse Cecil, (2 yrs. old) riding his horse named "Sunday." This photo was taken in May or June of 1937 at their farm in Neelyville, Missouri.

I know very little of my Grandmother Somers family, except what she recorded in her Family Bible and the tidbits of information I've found scouring the internet. But, I am curious to learn more as I believe there might be a Scots Irish connection through the Wright family. From what I've been able to discern, my GG Grandfather is the son of George Washington Wright as documented at:  http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ajobebrown/wright/phil/gw.html George Washington Wright Jr.  --b. June 22, 1857 Paragould, Greene Co., AR --d. April 29, 1937 Corning, Clay Co., AR ----buried Williams Cemetery, Corning, Clay Co., Arkansas -- m. Nancy Elizabeth JONES --February 18, 1875 Little Black Twp, Randolph Co., AR ----b. February 7, 1860 Mill Spring, Wayne Co., MO ----d. August 18, 1934 Corning, Clay Co., AR ------buried Williams Cemetery, Corning, Clay Co., Arkansas This is their headstone where they are buried at Williams Cemetery (image courtesy of...

In the mid 1970's my dad traveled to Scotland while serving in the Air National Guard. When he returned home, I remember him telling me that while he was there, he visited Edinburgh Castle and found a book that contained the names of those who had served in the Scottish military hundreds of years ago... And much to his surprise, there were many named "Somers" listed in the book. Dad also tells the story of a bed and breakfast owner who spelled the Somers name correctly when he first checked in.  He was surprised because most folks want to add an extra "m" or spell it like the season. He complimented her for getting the spelling correct, to which she replied "Is there any other way to spell it?" These two events prompted him to do some family research while in Scotland and when he returned home, he was convinced the Somers family had roots there. Yesterday while researching the Somers family from Caswell, County, NC, I came across information ...

Amazon  A friend and I have been discussing the book " Cracker Culture " by author Grady McWhiney which has some controversy surrounding it, mostly due to his theory that the Southern states culture before the Civil War was based on the Celtic culture of it's settlers and the Northern states of the English Puritan founders and that these differences were destined to collide. According to some reviews I've read, the author reportedly states the Southerners were more pastoral and did not have the same Protestant work ethic as the Northerners: "According to Grady McWhiney, the North and the South were destined to develop incompatible lifestyles because of each regions’ unique ethnic roots. Whereas the North came from the stock of industrious hard working Englishmen, the South spawned from the pastoral and primitive society of the British Isle’s Celtic people. Written in 1988, Cracker Culture presented the broadest attempt at surveying the common white man o...

"The Beekmans were steadfast Protestants from the time that Martin Luther protested against the corruptions of the Church of Rome in 1521."  ( History of the Beekman Family , Rootsweb )   Wilhelmus Beekman is reported to be my 7th Great Grandfather on the Somers side of the family. His  Great Granddaughter, Catherine Arden, married Capt. John Somers (Rev. War – my 4th Great Grandfather) in 1780 and they settled in Caswell County, NC. After John died, she married an officer named Lemmon. (I live near Fort Lemmon in Monroe County, Illinois, but haven't yet determined if it is named after Catherine's second husband.) Wilhelmus Beekman's grandfather, Rev. Gerardus Beekman (1558-1625) was active in promoting the Reformed religion and "was one of the distinguished scholars who translated the King James Bible from the original manuscripts into English for James I and for his services received special honors from the King. [12] " ( Wikipedia ) He...

Editor's Note: Our branch of the Somers family tree has native American ancestors, and while I haven't found documented proof of which ancestor (or ancestors) were native, the legend is it was of the Cherokee tribe. My father and grandfather tell the story of twin Cherokee boys on the Trail of Tears being orphaned and adopted by white settlers. Grandma Somers told me we were Blackfoot - not Cherokee. So, while I haven't found the trail of paper to prove our family story, I suspect there is an element of truth and our branch has Native American blood. Please be blessed by reading this bit of Christian His-Story regarding Presbyterian missionaries and the Cherokee as posted at This Day In Presbyterian History : An Injustice Which Found No Excuse  Related here is a brief account of Presbyterian missions among the Cherokee and Choctaw Indians, just prior to and immediately following the grave injustice of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The Removal Act resulted in...

Image is from the Clay County Courier, Corning, Arkansas, March 28, 1968 * The article states that a strong family resemblance is noted, and the strong family resemblance continues today in 2015 (90+ yrs. since this photo was taken) for the descendants of these lovely women. ** This article states the mother of Nancy (Jones) Wright as Nancy Jones, but the Somers Family Bible, as recorded by Lillian Mae (Weaver) Somers, states Mary Ann Jones as the mother of Nancy Wright.  I have found that Lillian's records in the Family Bible are accurate in other matters and believe the name used in this article for the 85 year old Mrs. Jones may be a misprint.

By Angela Wittman For my dear friend Dee Galyon who recently reminded me the importance of keeping our loved ones memories alive and my dad who patiently cultivated a love of family history in me. My soon to be 80 year-old father called me yesterday and while his reason was to relay some family news, he soon began reminiscing about his years in the Air Force and travels to England and Scotland while in the service. And even though I was right in the middle of preparing dinner, I didn't mind the call or the stories. You see, I love my dad and my earliest memories are of him telling me family stories. I cannot help but think that the stories of my grandfather and his family helped shape my character. My grandfather was the "black sheep" of his family due to a tragic divorce between his parents and the circumstances of his father's accidental death. My grandfather blamed his mother, (a strong, independent woman), for both the divorce and death of his dad. S...

I'm reblogging this bit of Christian His-Story in honor of the Somers family heritage which began with Capt. John Somers of Caswell County, NC in the 1700's, and continued with his son in Tennessee and eventually my Great Grandfather settling in Butler County, Missouri... and to my Native American Cherokee ancestry which was hidden for many years to avoid racial persecution. - AW The original Burnt Swamp Baptist Church hosted meetings that led to the formation of the Burnt Swamp Baptist Association in 1881. The association moved the structure, which has its original floor joists, to the current association office property in Pembroke, N.C. (Photo by Alan Oxendine) By Jim Burton - Posted at Baptist Press: PEMBROKE, N.C. (BP) -- In 1881, Burnt Swamp Baptist Association, an association of Native American Baptist churches, was established. From its humble beginnings of three churches in Robeson County, N.C. -- two of which still exist -- the association now includes 70 ch...

William Henry Somers My grandfather entered the Army at the young age of 23 years. He had been born in Tuckerman, Arkansas in 1894 and spent his childhood on the family farm in Stringtown, Butler County, Missouri. He was the oldest child of Henry Francis and Cotna Lisbeth (Cole) Somers. World War I Montage from Wikipedia One can only imagine the feelings of excitement mixed with loneliness for family and loved ones he felt as he left his small hometown for military service in Europe. But Grandfather was already a man, one who had matured at a young age when his father was killed in a work accident. He knew how to shoot, hunt for food and possessed a good amount of common sense. He was used to rough conditions and hard work from the years spent on the family farm. Little did he know when he joined the Army and was sent to the frontline of the conflict in Europe that those skills would prove to be valuable and help...