Part 3.1 Confirming the Herrick DNA Links and some amazing co-incidences
Some Amazing Co-incidences
In 1944, another ship "The Isle de France" visited New York, and collected eight servicemen. She left for "ports unknown" in the Southern Pacific. The rest was "secret", one of the eight, was a young Scot, Iain MacCraine.
Why was he in New York? He enlisted aged 16, in the Merchant Navy, and he was mentioned as AWOL in Gibraltar, before returning to Glasgow and joining the British Army, aged 18.
He was young, injured and in a New York hospital, and fell in love with Muriel, a young American girl. He wanted to marry her, but her father did not approve of a Presbyterian marrying his Catholic daughter.
Perhaps when Henry DeGraw visited Glasgow, he may have been impressed with the young Scots ladies of Glasgow. There was no shortage of interest in the ships entered port in 1942[1].
When his ship left, was it surrounded in secrecy? Perhaps it was, as records are hard to source.
Except for Henry's name on the shipping log, showing the destination to be New York.
The young American later went to the South Pacific, was injured and sent to an Australian hospital. The same happened to the young Scots. He was also injured and sent to an Australian hospital.
Had both these men served in the Merchant Navy, when every voyage was fraught with danger in those times, and if they were, it is very fortunate that both men survived?
One returned to Scotland, and made his way to Australia, where his daughter was born a few years later. The other went home to America, where his son was born, and then 30 or so years ago, that son also made his way to Australia.
Co-incidence or was it meant to happen? You see, their respective children became in-laws.
Henry's son Randy DeGraw, married Iain's daughter Kristine's sister-in-law, Maree Herron.
One of them had an interest in Family History Research, that became a passion.
The other wanted to know about his Family History. Who better to help, than his in-law?
Initial research on the ancestors of Henry Irvin DeGraw family was based on the family historical notes written by Almon DeGraw, Henry's brother, in 1979.
Both served in World War 2. One thing noticeably missing was any reference to their service in the war. Perhaps Almon wrote his experiences in the War for his family, as did Henry.
However, when reading his version of the events he was involved in, during the period 1941 - 1945, one thing became abundantly clear.
Henry was an unsung hero.
And weren't they all?
Each of our parents served in the South Pacific, at places generally unknown. War records in Australia provide an extensive account of the lives of Dale Herron, Maree's father, and his brothers.
The English records are not so. Huge gaps. Hardly any information at all, and to piece together exactly where my own father served, it was a case of following the medical records. Unfortunately my father was not part of my life, after the age of 4, and it took 60 years to find his.
The system for obtaining the American War Records, may possibly be different, and may shed some further light on exactly what those who served really faced.
Henry DeGraw, like no doubt the others, perhaps for so many reasons, has "glossed over" the dangers and difficulties that he was part of. His family are fortunate that he survived, or this story would not be told.
Along with the struggles and lives of their ancestors, those who served in any War, have experienced horrors and dangers that none of us ever wish to see again.
Generations of people who were never afraid to step outside their "comfort zone", and face their struggles head on, without complaint.
"You Did What You Had To Do"
There is a common theme amongst those of our family,
who served in the Military, from its beginning, and more recently, during the
past World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and all other conflicts,
that, for most, they remained silent about those dark days. Rather
like an unwritten law. We are Military, we can cope.
While it is very easy to understand why, given the horrors of
which they became part, they just preferred not to speak about those
experiences and share some of the load which they carried.
Attitudes in society have changed, and it is now recognised just
how important it is to talk about or write about some of the worst experiences
they encountered.
Because of this, and it was a reflection on the way of life 100
years ago, you just "got on" with life, and in the words of my
mother-in-law, "You did what you had to do".
But so often, because of the reluctance to revive old memories,
that might carry with them, unnecessary stress or grief, their contributions
went unnoticed, or were severely downplayed.
Randy's father Henry Irvin DeGraw was a young man, just finding
his way in life. Released from the constraints of the classroom, and
the unpaid labour on the family farm.
As an American, his father was not called upon to fight in World
War I, and while many of his great grandparents and great uncles fought in the
Civil War in 1861, and the King Phillips War, 1675, or the Revolutionary War,
one hundred years later, as a young man, the opportunity to "serve"
their country, was attractive.
Join the Navy and see the World! With posters promising
exotic adventures around the Globe. What young impressionable man would not be
tempted? Henry followed his peers and signed on the dotted
line at the recruitment office. His trip of a lifetime was under way.
The only trouble is that, the lifetime dream, was
just that, a dream. A dream that surely tested the strength, courage
and conviction of those who played a role. Dreaming of his friends
who remained where they fell, in a land far distant from the shores of
home. Remembered forever by a white cross.
Far too many white crosses. But Henry
escaped the dream, only just, and did return to tell his children some moments
of the 4 years he served, his country. Henry was a very modest man.
There is a common theme amongst those of
our family, who served in the Military during the past World Wars, Korea,
Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and all other conflicts, that, for most, they
remained silent about those dark days. Rather like an unwritten
law. We are Military, we can cope.
While it is very easy to understand why, given the
horrors of which they became part, they just preferred not to speak about those
experiences and share some of the load which they carried.
Attitudes in society have changed, and it is now
recognised just how important it is to talk about or write about some of the
worst experiences they encountered.
Because of this, and it was a reflection on the way
of life 100 years ago, you just "got on" with life, and in the words
of my mother-in-law, "You did what you had to do".
But so often, because of the reluctance to revive
old memories, that might carry with them, unnecessary stress or grief, their
contributions went unnoticed, or were severely downplayed.
Randy's father Henry Irvin DeGraw was a young man,
just finding his way in life. Released from the constraints of the
classroom, and the unpaid labour on the family farm.
As an American, his father was not called upon to
fight in World War I, and while many of his great grandparents and great uncles
fought in the Civil War in 1861, and the King Phillips War, 1675, or the
Revolutionary War, one hundred years later, as a young man, the opportunity to
"serve" their country, was attractive.
Join the Navy and see the World! With
posters promising exotic adventures around the Globe. What young impressionable
man would not be tempted? Henry followed his peers and signed
on the dotted line at the recruitment office. His trip of a lifetime
was under way.
The only trouble is that, the
lifetime dream, was just that, a dream. A dream that surely tested
the strength, courage and conviction of those who played a
role. Dreaming of his friends who remained where they fell, in a land
far distant from the shores of home. Remembered forever by a white
cross.
Far too many white
crosses. But Henry escaped the dream, only just, and did
return to tell his children some moments of the 4 years he served, his
country. Henry was a very modest man.
However, the co-incidences did
not end there.
That young Scot, also found his way
to the South Pacific.
Typical of War Time Secrets - his
destination was Ports unknown
Lest We Forget
"The Ancestors of Henry Irvin DeGraw - Part 1 "A Very Modest Man" is the first of a series of family histories relative to the family of my brother in law Randy DeGraw.
There
are ten parts in all, each in a chronological order, and each introducing the
DeGraw family with ancestors they may never have known.
All
family histories are best told by those who lived in the period of time, and
searching for those antidotes and stories plays an important part in order to
bring "life" into our forebears.
This
project however became a lot more "personal" as the research
progressed.
From
so many co-incidences in relation to our father's in World War II.
Both
were men who served in the Navy, of different countries. Both were
involved in such dangerous missions, in the cold, windy conditions of the
Arctic Sea.
Henry
Irvin DeGraw was very humble when relating his part in the Navy, the underlying
stories that have been discovered, make one realise just how brave a person he,
and his fellow servicemen were.
The
family history stories are a compilation of established and researched facts
regarding the ancestor in question. Sourced material from Wikipedia is
included.
With the DeGraw Family
History, all lines have, were possible, been taken to their lives before
arrival in America, where ever they came from.
My initial reasoning for this, was
simply to establish the lineages, and to ensure that the correct family lines
were being followed. While researching though, that changed.
It is also the role of a family
historian, to include additional research about the events of life in the
periods being researched.
There
are so many interesting stories to be told, of these ancestors, quite
remarkable stories.
But
when researching family history, one has to come with an open mind. Old
family stories, are just that. They are told and retold over generations,
and get embellished along the way.
My
own family was guilty of this. Maree's family was very guilty of
this, her grandfather denied his son the right to know who his ancestors
were.
And
the DeGraw family is no different. It is a work of
Non-fiction, based on factual information.
A
Family Historian works purely on fact, to prove the findings. Today's Family
Historian can best be described as telling "Social History", by
including history from the past.
Confirming DNA Links.
When Mary Bond married John Herrick, one wonders what they would have thought, if some 600 years after they were born, two of their descendants who were connected by marriage, would have been able, with the assistance of very advanced technology, prove they both share Mary and John as their great grandparents.
This is Mary Bond, painted when she was 90, and housed in a Gallery. Not long ago an art expert from Germany enlisted my help in authenticating Mary. How nice, and also rather special that they were able to find me in order to ask the questions.
Mary Bond was the mother of my 11th Great Grandmother. She herself was a direct descendant of King William. My lineage is then through the marriage Herrick and Rogers. This then becomes my Isaacson line, and that is just so interesting, and earns itself a place in history.
While my Isaacson research found all these connections a few years ago, for Randy DeGraw it was a total shock.
Well perhaps for both of us it was a shock, but quite exciting as well.
For the DeGraws, the introduction to these great grandparents, also becomes a story with very modern day connotations.
It all began when some archaeologists decided to dig up a car park in the town of Leicester in England. They were on a mission to find the burial place of a King.
Armed with all sorts of information, they began to dig, and low and behold the excavation revealed a coffin, and the bones of King Richard III.
The world was stunned. How could they find a body in a carpark? Well the truth is that they knew exactly where to dig, and they have never publicly mentioned that the spot had been marked by a family who lived on the land in 1660's.
Nor did they mention that the spot was recorded in the diaries of Sir Christopher Wren's father, who was a friend of the Herricks, and who taught the children.
That same Christopher Wren is also mentioned within the diaries of John Herrick. The exact same diaries that can be downloaded and read.
My initial research of the Herrick grandparents, was rather sparse with information. That all changed when we travelled to England and spent 3 months touring the places our different great grandparents lived or worked. The exact same places that Randy's great grandparents worked.
In Chester, a lovely old town, I sat in the chairs that Mary Bond's father and grandfather used, when they were Lord Mayors, and treasurers of the city coffers.
To be able to discover what an impact our ancestors had on history, was simply amazing.
There is no better way of learning history, than by learning it through the eyes of those whose DNA contributes to our being.
It is not possible to tell the history of the first settlers to America, without including some of the historical aspects associated with the different settlements.
One cannot imagine what it would be like to risk your life, that of your children, and leave your homeland behind, to spend weeks on a ships, and to set foot on a foreign land, and then to set about re-establishing your whole life.
A story which follows the lives of the original settlers of the DeGraw Family to America, and the lives of their descendants.
Researching the early settlers, is often a lot easier than that of future generations due to limited population. Establishing whose who, becomes much more difficult as the generations become closer.
Over the last eight years, since finding that researching one's family history was very rewarding, and provided an endless non- stop lesson in history , one that would never be taught in a classroom, my research has virtually centered on my English, Scottish and Irish family. To discover so much valuable history, and at some times, some very confronting stories about how the came about their death. Thrown into the Tower of London, was quite common.
One of the most difficult families to research, was that of my husband, and my sister in law, Maree Herron's English family. Their grandfather was a rather naughty boy, who at 19 was made a Lieutenant, by purchase, and sent to South Africa to serve in the Boer War.
He certainly served, he was with the Army Pay Office and he served himself to the soldiers pays. More than £2000 was the tally that he stole, and was charged in a Court Martial. Huge lesson for the British Army, do not give a 19 year old that sort of responsibility, and be expected to lead men into battle. Inexperienced soldiers formed a huge part of the Army, of Queen Victoria.
He was imprisoned in Natal , then sent back to England. Then he was either forcibly or reluctantly banished over the sea to begin a new life, with a different name, in a land down under. Being able to locate him, and then to prove to his family what he had done, who he was, and that really they were not who they thought they were, was quite challenging.
He was not the first Herron grandfather to be banished for a crime, and would not be the last. Convicts and First Fleeters feature heavily in Maree's family tree. Banished for stealing a handkerchief! But these sons and daughters of convicts prospered, and became very successful graziers. They moved sheep, 12,000 at a time, over the bush tracks of Australia, delivered them to market and turned around and did the same thing again. All their stories have been written, and most have found a place in the State Government Libraries.
My own family connections to the Zulu War of 1879, written to prove a point, is told in two volumes. The fact that it was completed two years before the deadline, had been rather frustrating. But to fill in the time, many other histories have been researched, all except Randy's.
We talked about it, and then finally we began. Randy provided some excellent background information about his family, they came from France, with La Fayette. That did sound a little exaggerated, however it didn't take very long for him to see, that was not the case. He was quite disappointed. Had he not seen the progression of his ancestors, he would have been rather difficult to convince.
But he reluctantly understood. There is always a beginning point to a family history. For this one, it is Henry Irvin DeGraw.
Randy and his siblings provided some "recollections" that their father had, of the time when he served in the US Navy. Those memories centered around his luck as "all his ships sunk."
Those memories have provided one small clue, into the life of Henry Irvine DeGraw.
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