Our Somers Family Heritage

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 save his life. After being deployed to France