After 40+ years of research on my Irish ancestors, I have learned that some were Native Irish, some were Anglo-Irish, some were Ulster Scots, and some may even be Vikings (or Norsemen). Some of them were Roman Catholic, some were Church of Ireland, some were Presbyterians, and some, in the distant past, were Celtic pagans. Some were Loyalists, some were Rebels, some were Scotch Covenanters, … Continue reading More Irish Than The Irish

 I found something that I think is interesting – an ancestor who was martyred during the Marian Persecution in the 1550s. My mother’s mother’s mother’s mother’s mother was named Sophia Anne Rogers. A member of the Protestant Ascendancy, she lived in Northern Ireland in the 19th C. Her grandfather was Rev. George Rogers (1695-1769). George Rogers was born on December 27, 1695, in Lisburn, Antrim, … Continue reading Martyr for a Cause

Unraveling the Mysteries of Irish Knoxes Welcome back to the Knox Chronicles, where we continue our quest to unravel the complexities surrounding the origins of the Irish Knoxes. In our previous installment, we explored the genealogical memoirs of John Knox, as detailed by Charles Rogers. We encountered a plethora of names, dates, and contradictions that left us with more questions than answers. Today, we delve … Continue reading The Knox Chronicles – Part V

{In this fourth installment of a multi-part series, I delve deeper into exploring my mother’s Scottish ancestry, uncovering both what I know and what I have yet to discover.} How Romantic! Here is a history of the Knox family as told by someone in the 1920s. This is quoted from “Minor Sketches of Major Folk” by Dora C Jett, 1928, Richmond, Virginia. All I can … Continue reading The Knox Chronicles – Part IV

{In this third installment of my multi-part series, I offer additional clues in my quest to unravel the Mystery of John Knox of that Ilk and, ultimately, to uncover the secrets of my Scottish maternal lineage.} Begin the Beguine Every storyteller, whether a bard or barrister, is tasked with deciding where to start their story. The Knox family saga has multiple potential starting points, and … Continue reading The Knox Chronicles – Part III

{In this second installment of a multi-part series, I delve deeper into exploring my mother’s Scottish ancestry, uncovering both what I know and what I have yet to discover.} What Does DNA say? According to the ethnicity estimate at Ancestry.com, my DNA sample shows that I am 41% Irish and 29% Scottish. That pretty much lines up with the fact that my father’s mother was … Continue reading The Knox Chronicles – Part II

A House of Cards Shortly after writing a post discussing how all people of European descent are related to Charlemagne, I stumbled upon a strange discovery when I realized I could trace a branch of my mother’s lineage back to a 13th-century queen who died 777 years ago. This revelation freaked me out because I had previously traced my father’s ancestry back to the same … Continue reading The Knox Chronicles – Part I