Most of America since the 50’s has grown up with a background sound of TV, the decades of stereotypical Cowboys and Indians background, the police show backgrounds punctuating dinner and homework hours with sirens and whistles. There are all the jingles of commercials we still know, just to prove we heard them too often. Test; can you hum or sing the Brady Bunch tune?

There was a time when many families had a Tall Case Clock or Grandfather’s Clock as they came to be known. They were a metronome to daily lives ticking away the hours and chiming to greet the new. There was a steady rhythm in those households and you can imagine the sound echoing through rooms.

When you tell a family story, don’t forget to add what your family sounded like! What was the constant hum in your house? Was it the whir of a fan you remember, the piano lessons, the radio? Were you raised on Top 40 or Classical, were you raised in earshot of Green Acres and Gilligan’s Island or  did the whir of a busy street act as the score to your childhood?

My recent family research for a storytelling performance showed me an amazing bit of family history. I didn’t even get the connection to sound at first, I was so overwhelmed with getting to know the people through the fragments they left behind. I have been researching my ancestors around an event from 1779-1782. I met with the archaeologist who did a dig at the home site. There were some 60,000 artifacts from their lives that brought them to life for me.  You can read about the dig here:

https://www.carolynstearnsstoryteller.com/archaeology-and-family-stories/

One back ground sound they had was the anvils of the blacksmiths working in their shipyard. The second sound they had was a Jaw Harp as evidenced by the one found in the archaeological dig. Was it theirs, one of the children’s, a customer in the tavern?  The rhythmic twanging of the jaw harp was a sound their family was accustomed to, it was on the playlist along with the anvils and saw and the river rushing by.

Well that got me thinking what carries my new family story from start to finish what threads are common denominators? The river is one common thread and the ships and Revolution. Another thread is sound, the sounds from a shipyard and ship and the little jaw harp. I have seen them before, but I went and looked on you – tube to have a fresh listen.

I decided I should try the Jaw Harp, I looked online at a couple big box stores, but I like to buy local. I stopped at a store in town and ran into a friend who told me the local music shop had them. She even called to check for certain and see how long he was open! So off I went and sure enough I got myself a Jaw Harp at Local Music!

I wonder if the family will appreciate the new soundtrack to our lives while I learn to play Jaw Harp! Thanks to The Local Music Shop 888 Main St. Willimantic CT 06226

Now write down or tell someone some of the soundtracks in your family stories and ask the elders and children what sound tracks play in theirs!

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She came to the United States as a young teen to work in the Amoskeag Mills in Manchester, NH.

Allen is an old surname in Canada and the United States. Some of our nation’s earliest settlers were the Allen clan. They are recorded in our history from Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Those who were loyal to the King of England during the Revolution moved north to Canada. In this genealogy line it is Miner Allen born at Kingston, RI in 1765 and died in Windsor, Hants, Nova Scotia in1836.

In tracing the family name back I came to the Fitzalan family of England and Wales and ties to the British crown. ( no wonder some were Loyalists) The first Allan / Allen I find in this country in the family tree is William Allan 1646-1685, born at Salem, Essex, MA and died at Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island.

To read more about the Allen family history and name origin look here:

http://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=allen

This would tie in well on a family story about searching roots, visiting England, playing chess or other courtly tied tales. Is there an Allen in your family tree? Do you have an Allen family story? Leave a comment on Allen family, shipyards or whatever this post inspires for you!

My curiosity was piqued to create a story about my connection to a shipyard or several, The inspiration came by this photo and memorabilia of my father’s.

My family story would be about visiting the Port Greville Shipyard as a child, the place where this Great Grandfather built ships! He is the one standing on some wood in Fox River Shipyard 1905, (he is a head taller than the others because of that. George Sancton  Allen, born 1834 and died 1910. Now there is a story to tell and one I hope to learn more of. I can develop more of his story by visiting the Age of Sail Museum in Port Greville, Nova Scotia someday. When I do get there I will be sure to share some storytelling in memory of all my ancestors and their ties to the sea!

http://www.ageofsailmuseum.ca/

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Digging through the reams of family tree material for a perfect story could be a needle in a haystack, but is more like a diamond in the rough.  From the start I had an idea that Uncle George would have a story to tell. He was eccentric – maybe, artistic – for certain, and lived over 100 years ago – perfect! Geneology can be a treasure to a storyteller! Now that I had a place to begin, the search narrowed to a singular branch in the family tree that was  vibrant in the times when our nation was struggling through the Civil War. It is part Connecticut history as well since Uncle George was born and raised in New Haven. The son of a sea Captain, George was raised on the docks of New Haven with the world at his front door. Early on he was allowed the benefit of the old sea salts stories as they gathered evenings  in the store near a crackling wood stove.  He had fishing pole, a small sailboat of his own, and free range of a world class harbor town. This boy, began his own life adventure when at 16 he set out to become his own man. Thrust from a carefree childhood into the need to make and pay his own way he began his story wandering the streets of New Haven in search of the inspiration that would seize his imagination and provide apprenticeship and keep. George lived a story that came down through time and left behind reminders of his talent and his determination. Like the lives of characters in books his father brought from ports all over the world he crafted a life worth remembering and sharing. I am working on several short pieces from his childhood right now. Preliminary tellings to try out a surprise entrance and a  twist at the end which I love to add to my storytelling have been done and the tweaking of George’s story continues. Research continues of New Haven in his lifetime, and a comparative to today where Starbucks marks the corner of Church and Chapel street where his life was forever changed. My stories have a goal performance, the first is the Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival  with storytelling stage. I plan to share these Connecticut gems on that stage June 10 between 12 and 4.

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   Through storytelling, lecture, web promotion and sharing in conversation I am slowly spreading the word about the brave farm boy from Ashford and his heroic record in the Civil War.  His story like so many thousands of Civil War era stories is about a farm boy turned soldier, many of whom did not go home after the war. Edward Whitaker was indeed one of the lucky ones. His story is not his alone to share though. His is a family story, of how this family raised their children and the deep sense of duty and honor in them all.  Four Whitaker brothers enlisted  Edward and Daniel here in Hartford,Ct. for  three months as privates in the Infantry( Edward was 19 at the time). Older brother William was  in New Hampshire when President Lincoln’s call for troops went out, he enlisted in the Infantry in New Hampshire. George, another brother was in California and served his time in the Civil War between California and New Mexico.

                                                                              
After the three month tour was over the Whitaker brothers knew the war was to last a very long time, they re-enlisted to see it through. Edward and Daniel decided they were not going to walk the rest of this war, they enlisted in the CT. Cavalry and their unit was attached to the Union, Harris Light Cavalry of New York.  The unit fought in most of the major conflicts all the way to  the end at Appomattox Court House. In telling the story of a hometown hero to school students and historical groups I paint a vivid picture of Edward riding  through the enemy lines with a small unit to capture the renowned Confederate spy Harry Gilmore. You would wince to hear the telling of his horse being shot out from under him as he charged and leaped over the Confederate lines at the battle of Five Forks.
    There is no way you can escape the pain of hearing how he escorted his brother Daniel’s body home for burial after he was shot and died in the battle at Aldie, Virginia. How hard it must have been to return to battle without that brother at his side. How hard to be brave and know the toll it would take on his mother back in Ashford if he should lose his life in this seemingly eternal war.

                                                                                 
    Four sisters were as heroic as the men of the Whitaker family. Four sisters who packed bags right at the end of the war. Four sisters who went beyond what was so recently enemy lines to open schools for freed slaves. The Civil War is rich with the tales of heroism and sacrifice, courage and resolve.  Sharing a family story of all these noble traits is a not a gift, it is what we owe!
     150 years since the Civil War ripped this nation into bloodied halves and 150 years for healing the gaping wound. Sharing the stories is the best way to insure we never never take these advantages, passions, courage and freedom for granted. General Edward Whitaker rode out onto the field at Appomattox with allguns aimed, galloped across under the white flag of surrender carried by a single Confederate soldier. Edward, the once farm boy of Ashford CT., accepted the unconditional surrender of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia from General Longstreet and went  on to be forgotten by history.
    Please visit our page on FACEBOOK  “Family Tree of General Edward Whitaker”. We will be adding more info and items and looking for descnedents of any of the Whitaker family lines. Edward was one of 16 children raised here in Ashford. Descended from the Whitakers of Rhode Island and his mother’s family, the Colegrove’s whose family line goes back to Roger Williams founder of Rhode Island. This is a family of Old New England as I researched the geneology I even found members of the Allen family which are also my ancestors. All the more reason to honor the memory of these family members thrust onto the field of battle from a humble begining along Horse Hill in Ashford, CT.

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