My brother Walt (Walter Ross Conner, Jr.) was born 8 March 1926, a week before St. Patrick’s Day. He was so proud of his name CONNER and his Irish heritage! In my other brother Bob's baby book, their mother, Bertha Jane Hancock Conner, wrote that his great-grandfather had come from Ireland. She then added the common story of how the name had been O'Conner but someone had fallen overboard and another passenger named O'Conner had thrown the O overboard as a lifesaver to the drowning man—so our name was now Conner—without the O.
Back in 1994, following the death of Mom, Arlene Noyes Conner, and my inheriting soo-o much family information, I began my genealogy research. Walt was really excited—I could find out more about our Irish heritage! At that time I knew nothing beyond William and Sarah, our grandparents! Grandpa William had died 28 Jan 1926, only about 5 weeks before Walt was born. Grandma Sarah died 2 Jan 1937, just before Walt turned 11 years old. Walt said he did remember Grandma, though they lived five states apart (Wisconsin to Pennsylvania), Grandma came to stay with Dad and the boys following the death of Bob and Walt's mother, Bertha Jane Hancock Conner, on 17 Feb 1929. Walt would have been just short of three years old. Grandma even shows up as living with them in the 1930 census! Grandma stayed with them until Dad married my Mom, Arlene Noyes, on 14 June 1931.
In 1994, Walt was still under the impression that it was his great-grandfather who had come from Ireland! How disappointed he was when I was able to push our Conner line one generation back and learned Grandpa Conner's father, John J Conner (24 Sept 1821 - 16 Nov 1899) had been born in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia! His wife, Elizabeth Walter, was of German descent. More research—another generation, James Conner—(birthdate is questionable - 8 April 1854). He married Ann Margaret "Peggy" Huddle whose grandfather had probably come from Germany or Switzerland. Poor Walt! Even less "Irish!" At one point, he kiddingly told me to "Quit researching!" But I plodded on...William Conner (birth place and date unconfirmed - < 12 July 1841 when his will was proved). The earliest I have found for him was his purchase of 50 acres of land in the Northern Neck in the Shenandoah Valley in 1803.
So, just how IRISH are we? Well, it’s a matter of timing, really! Do we ask, “Where were my ancestors living in 1900? 1800? 1700? 1600? 1500? …? Since my most recent immigrant ancestor arrived on American soil in about 1842, if I ask, “Where were my ancestors living in 1850?” I’m 100% “American.” If I ask, “Where were my ancestors living in 1600?” I’m mostly English and German—and Irish!—after all, the name Conner has to come from Ireland doesn’t it?
Dad always referred to us as being “Scots-Irish.” “Scots-Irish” has as many definitions as it does authors writing about them! Researcher Linda Mele says on her web page:
(http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~merle
Who are these people? "Scotch-Irish" are people who emigrated from the province of Ulster [Northern Ireland] in Ireland to what was to become the United States of America. Here they were one of four groups who defined "American." "Ulster Scots" are people of presumed Scottish origins living in Ulster, Canada, Australia, England and elsewhere. Generally they were Presbyterian in religion though you find Methodists, Quakers, and Baptists among them as well. It has been said of them that the Scots-Irish were:
Brewed in Scotland
Bottled in Ireland
Uncorked in America
I find it very difficult though to believe that any hardcore Presbyterian, Methodist, Quaker, or Baptist would thusly describe themselves!
Wikipedia describes the Scots-Irish as “American descendants of Ulster Protestants who immigrated from northern Ireland to America during the 18th and 19th centuries, whose ancestors had originally migrated mainly from the Scottish Lowlands and Northern England (and sometimes from the Anglo-Scottish border.)
The term Scots-Irish is never used in Ireland.
What makes an Irishman an Irishman? CriGenetics Cellular Research Institute posted on its blog, crigenetics.com, and on FaceBook this past week five reminders that affect the definition of an Irishman. (1) King Henry VIII of England conquered Ireland and established the Kingdom of Ireland resulting in much intermingling between the Irish and the English (1540 - 1690). Therefore, British Isles will likely show up as a DNA ancestry result for anyone claiming Irish heritage. (2) In 1160 CE, the Normans, whose ethnic roots originated in the north of France, invaded Ireland, and DNA results often show France along with the Ireland. (3) The Vikings first invaded Ireland in 795 CE. The vikings were Germanic people who had settled in Scandinavia during the Viking Age, diluting the “pure Irish.” (4) Around 400 CE the Romans overtook
Britain, then the British conquered the Irish in the 16th century—don’t be surprised to find some Italian in your DNA! (5) Back in the 500 BCE - 400 CE period the Gaels/Celts who had Germanic roots made their way into current Ireland. So, the people we think of as “Irish” may be a combination of: German, Italian, Norwegian, French, and English! And the post doesn’t even mention the great influx of Scotsmen who migrated to Ireland in the 18th and 19th centuries.
AND, current theory is that all homo sapiens began in Africa!
Sorry, Walt! I know your DNA wouldn’t show you’re all Irish—BUT, we know you’re certainly an Irishman at heart! AND you certainly made the final statement. You passed into your heavenly reward on MARCH 17, in the year 2002! We all love you, Walt, and are sure you’re up there floating on green clouds!
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