Volume I - Number 1- Section 2 Beth’s Newfangled Family Tree June 2007 Do you know about The Clan MacAthair Society? The Clan MacAthair (pronounced MacAhur) was founded 30 November 1991. Both the birthday of the Clan and the feast of St. Andrew, The Patron Saint of Scotland are celebrated that day! Dues are ten dollars a year...with septs ranging from Aaronson to Yeakel (and your editor’s folks - the Mullins’.) Contact them for full information at The Clan MacAthair Society, 495 Grantham Drive, Owings, MD 20736. Let’s all write Sgt. Paul Mehaffie Sgt. Paul Mehaffie is currently serving in Iraq and welcomes cards and letters from Clansmen from Clan Macfie or members of the Scottish-American community. Write him at: Sgt. Paul Mehaffie, 258th RAOC, APO, AE 09331. May 27 is Clan Macfie Day! Colorful Buchanan reinactor Hendersonville, May 27 has been named Clan Macfie Day since Clan Macfie was formally recognized by the Lord NC Highland Games 2006 th Just one of a group of beautifully dressed Scot- Lyon as an active Clan on 27 May 1981. Macfie’s tish reinactors who participated in last year’s all over the world are encouraged to celebrate on their Hendersonville Highland Games near day...and to mark it on next year’s calendars! If you Hendersonville, North Carolina. The group camped do something fun, be sure and let the editor of the authentically for the event and added much color to Continued on page 48 the proceedings. Beth‘s Newfangled Family Tree Page 27 Page 28 Beth‘s Newfangled Family Tree - June 2007 , Vol. I No. 1 Culture of the Heart, Part I Maria E. Fiebelkorn <[email protected]> he culture of my heart was centered cramped quarters of a uterus, especially when the around the safe surroundings of my carrier had been bending over for a couple of hours family Many years ago, the customs in the vineyard. passedT down through the generations of my grand- That was my humble beginning of experiencing parents and the memories of the entry into this place known their childhood easily as the world I was to learn all adapted to the needs of my about during my formative family when I entered the years. First of all, I was never world. As my mother was hungry. There were two sides trying to finish the work in to choose from, and my the row of my grandfather’s mother made sure that if I vineyard, the call of nature emptied one side, the other let her know that it was time would be available for me. for me to be born. Every- Nursing was a practical way of thing she needed and the as- culture in those days. The sistance to give birth was un- practice served multiple pur- fortunately at the house. It poses. No bottles to wash, or was a blessing that my sterilize. In our part of the grandmother had stayed a world, they were not invented few minutes for my mother yet. My part of this vast world to finish her row, and one was a farm in a small rural part look at my mother’s face of Croatia (Yugoslavia). At rang the alarm that it was that time, I did not know that time. ”Oh, Bozje moi, neces any other part of the world doci do kuce!” My grand- existed. My life was full of mother blurted out. The translation was simply: “Oh, smiling faces of family, relatives, friends, and neigh- my God, you can’t make it to the house!” bors. That was probably the last word spoken, except If I could remember that far back, I would prob- to yell for help, by either of the women. Quickly my ably have enjoyed the part where the women would grandmother took off her apron, which was an ample get together and knit. At the time, most clothing was piece of material, and spread it out on the ground. hand made, even socks. The ladies would tell sto- My mother, with difficulty, dragged her heavy body ries and laugh at each one and sometimes try to outdo and laid down on the patch of grass covered by the each other. When the story became serious, it would apron. My grandmother related how she had given be about someone in town who needed help and a up calling out for help and began to put her full ef- plan would be made of how best to help. All during forts into birthing the cutest little bundle of joy. My the work session, the cradle was rocked I (being in mother quickly interjected how she had done her part. the cradle) would have enjoyed the motion and been Knowing now how it feels to carry a “bundle of joy” lulled to sleep. Too bad I personally do not remem- for nine months, I can relate how probably “the ber that experience, but as I grew to an age where I bundle of joy" was as anxious to be relieved of the Continued on page 31 Beth‘s Newfangled Family Tree Page 29 Queries! Queries! Queries! AA QueryQuery We need queries for Beth’s Newfangled Family Tree!â Seeking information on MARY CANNON who married JAMES MADISON McDONALD ca 1843 somewhere along the Savannah River. I have extensive information to share about him...but know nothing more about her except she may be buried somewhere near Live Oak, Florida. MARY and JAMES had a big family and I know lots about them from then on and am glad to share all information. Please contact Beth Gay, [email protected] or write 347 Rocky Knoll Rd., Walhalla, SC 29691. Most everyone who is working on genealogy has a few queries tucked away in their papers. Now is the time to pull them out and submit them to Beth’s Newfangled Family Tree! It’s FREE to have them on these pages although it would be appreciated if you didn’t go over 100 words. We’ll have up to four pages of queries in each publication. Be sure that you give contact information along with the query and be sure all names are in capital letters. Just email - with “query” in the subject line - your queries to: <[email protected]> FREE!FREE! Page 30 Beth‘s Newfangled Family Tree - June 2007 , Vol. I No. 1 Culture of the Heart, Part 1, Continued from page 29 was old enough to fetch a ball of yarn, or pull up a bowl of cut up apples, another bucket of water from the nearby well, I became aware large bowl of walnuts, and of what role each age group and gender played. It cloves of garlic. In the middle seemed that the men did the hard farm labor and of all these was another bowl women stepped in to help where needed. The rest of of honey. I still marvel at how the time the women made garments for the family we all fit around the table at and made sure no one went hungry. By the time I this meal, but no one was left became even more aware of my surroundings and out. Also, the point of interest was that no one left began to want to do more than just fetch a ball of the table hungry. Contentment seemed to be on all yarn, my world was turned upside down by the inva- our faces. Everyone worked together to clear the table sion of war. for the next meal, and bundling up the children for All those treasures of the heart I was beginning church was a pleasant experience. It appeared no to store in my memory were being disrupted by out- one wanted to miss any event of family Christmas â side forces. Unwelcome, I might add. The treasured that co-operation was in full force. Christmas customs of family times together, with The next step to the Christmas Eve celebration relatives driving to our home by horse and buggy to was that everyone, no one was excused, began to spend Christmas, became family reunions. We be- form a line to walk to church for midnight service. came reacquainted with uncles, aunts, and cousins On the way we met friends and neighbors. This is we had not seen for almost a whole year. We would the one time of the year where the church had no celebrate Christmas for three or four days during that reserved seats, and it was first come, first to get a special time. Christmas Eve day was a busy time to seat. The children were all sent to the front as close prepare the food for all the meals. Then the floors to the communion railing as possible. I donâ™t were covered with layers of straw on which the chil- know how the pastor liked that. He seemed to be all dren and sometimes adults would sleep if there were right with the seating arrangements, as he appeared not enough beds. Everyone was put to work to pre- to be smiling throughout the whole time we watched pare for the Christmas feasts. him in childlike awe. It was just to amazing how all The table settings were very interesting. There that worked. Everyone was able to be inside and no would be straw under a white table cloth, made spe- one was left out in the cold. The smiles on cial for the occasion. The straw was symbolic of the everybody’s faces must have been transposed by the Christ child laying in a manger of straw.