“The mark of a Scot is that he remembers and cherishes the memories of his forebears, good or bad; and there burns alive in him a sense of identity with the dead even to the twentieth generation.”
— Robert Louis Stevenson –
I hear the voice of my mother delightfully recite “My Shadow” by the Scottish poet Robert Louis Stevenson when I ask her if she remembers it.
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.
The Scottish tradition on my mother’s side echoes long in the past. The names include Mitchell, Pickard, Christy, McPherson, McKeen, Campbell and Coburn and more. As she recites these verses from memory, it occurs to me she didn’t learn them from a book but they were spoken to her many times playfully. The rhythmical quality of her recitation doesn’t come from Scotland. It comes from growing up in a family of Scottish descendents.
With all the hub-bub of the vote for or against Scottish independence from Great Britain on Thursday, September 18, I wanted to do a little research, so I contacted my mother and stayed with her for the weekend with the purpose of finding out even more about our Scottish roots. I looked up the Act of Union dating back to 1707. We both followed stories on the news, the NY Times and Vox regarding “the vote,” which by the way was defeated.
The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For years I have concentrated on learning the history of my father’s Dutch family and only recently have I become more curious about my mother’s side of the family.
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all.
In 1827 my mother’s great-great-great grandparents Alexander and Mary Mitchell and their nine children sailed from Inverkip on the coast of Scotland to the Saint John River of New Brunswick. They reached New Brunswick shores in a record 21 days my mother’s great Aunt Jenny tells in a handwritten summary of what she knows of her family. Four days later they arrived in Fredericton aboard a wooden boat, then continued up the Saint John in small boats to the Mouth of Keswick. Their journey didn’t end there. The family traveled a further five miles by ox team and sleds to Scotch Settlement. They located in a thick wooded area on a farm.
He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
I remember discovering about Harvey Mitchell. We were in College Station, TX, the home of Texas A&M driving on Harvey Mitchell Boulevard when she brought it up. “I had a distant cousin named Harvey Mitchell,” she mentioned. I wondered out loud if perhaps there could be a connection.
He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;
I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!
Not wanting to let go of my theory that there was a connection between Harvey Mitchell a professor of Agriculture at the University of New Brunswick and wanting to investigate the origin of the College Station Harvey Mitchell, I looked up the man for whom a boulevard is named in daughter’s college town. I found the answer to my question. The Texas Harvey Mitchell wasn’t my mother’s cousin from Scotch Settlement, New Brunswick. But I was able to confirm with her help that her distant cousin Harvey Mitchell, grandchild of William Mitchell and Ann Dobie (great grandson of Alexander and Mary Mitchell), that his proper title was Commissioner of Agriculture of the province of New Brunswick from 1920 to 1933!
Neither my mother nor I have ever traveled to Scotland, although we’ve traveled to England and my mother has traveled several times to Fredericton, New Brunswick to visit a cousin who still lives there, and to visit the Ridge and Scotch Settlement.
One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
My mother showed me some charcoal drawings, portraits of her family. “That is James Mitchell, my great uncle, Premier of New Brunswick from 1896 to 1897. His term was brief because he died before he could finish out his office.”
“Isn’t the premier of a province like the governor of a state?” I ask.
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.
Then after hours of pouring over old photos, the family Bible, old letters, hand written narratives and newspaper clippings, Mom announced she was tired. “Let’s go out for Mexican food!” she suggested.
This past weekend I focused on learning about the Alexander and Mary Mitchell and the William Mitchell and Anne Dobie Mitchell families from Scotch Settlement, New Brunswick and if you’ve done such geneaological research, you probably know there are still more shadows to meet.
Very neat that you are discovering more of your roots with your mom’s help.. The “I have a little shadow” poem is very familiar to me but I usually recite it when I have been gone for a few days and my cat Buddy will not leave my side. 🙂
It’s a wonderful poem and I spent an interesting few days with my mother tracing the families. ooo–there’s so much to learn and piece together.
hmmm…I’ve been away a few days and yes, T-Bob like your Buddy (cute name) is right under my feet as I sit at the computer.
They crack me up—–Buddy is really the lover of my two cats. I can not go anywhere without him under my feet when I get home from being gone. It goes on at least 2 days and then he settles in a bit. I suspect I might have spoiled him a bit.
You probably have spoiled him. As soon as I get home I reach for the treats and then turn on the water from the sink where he prefers to get his water from. Oh brother…what did I do in showing him that?
The same thing with me!!! But I turn the shower on—they both come running from wherever they are in the house to drink from the floor of the shower because–well you know–the water is better in there than in their flowing water fountain dish. And treats—yes–they wait by the lazy susan for me to retrieve them when I come in. I think “we” are trained.
Oh, they have us trained. 🙂
how neat. i cannot imagine the journey that large family made! wow!
It was a journey. They set out with 10 children and the youngest Lili died at sea and was buried at sea.
How fun to discover more of your roots. I often think of those folk who landed on what became Canada’s shores. They were a tough lot! Had to be to survive here. That poem is one I, too, know by heart and it remains a favourite to this day.
My mother has always presented Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses to her grandchildren. I love the rhythm of them.
Welcome back!
My mother’s family originated in the Americas in Canada and ultimately settled in the Pacific Northwest.
How interesting, Georgette. I wish I knew more about my family background, but no one would talk about it.
And absolutely go to Scotland — it is a magical place filled with some of the friendliest people in the world. New Year’s Eve is an especially great time to go: http://fiftyfourandahalf.com/2014/01/26/when-i-became-famous-sort-of/
My father’s info is complete. No questions there, but it’s addicting piecing my mother’s family together going through the family Bible, letters, photographs, scrapbooks of newspaper clippings and artwork. Her cousins have also, filled in here and there.
I need to stop by and catch your January post.
Get all the information your mother knows while you can. Unfortunately, I waited too long so it’s much harder to fill in holes.
I feel so responsible to be sure I learn all I can right now. Forgive me if I record such detail on the blog, but I figure it won’t get lost there. 🙂 Thank you for reading.
I find it interesting. I don’t know much about Scotland at all.
I’ve learned so much just recently. I don’t know why, but “the vote” captured my interest. The notion that from “Land’s End to John o’ Groats” would no longer be a unifying phrase like our phrase “coast to coast” really caught my attention. Here in TX we will occasionally see a bumper sticker with the call to “Secede.” I just can’t see Scotland doing that…then it would no longer be the United Kingdom, but then I don’t live there to weigh in.
What an adventure! *Loved the little poem throughout …
My Paternal Grandmother’s family, the McPhersons, came west from Prince Edward Island 🙂 and Mom’s side is McDonald — there’s lots of sturdy Scottish in our legacy. It explains an abundance of red hair and fair skin and an affinity for buttery shortbread 🙂
MJ
It was interesting to note that 15% of the Canadian population is of Scottish ancestry, and I love the name of where they settled “Scotch Settlement.” Very straightforward. Not only is the Scotch history interesting, but the influence of the French on the northern coast of NB. Researching this along side my mother has explained a lot. It’s a relief just “to know.” Somehow it seemed appropriate, although it may sound awkward to readers, to quote R.L. Stevenson’s poem recording the journey. Thank you for reading. 🙂
My mother taught me that little poem; it was always one of my favorites. My maiden name was McGuriman, and my father’s genealogy was traced (not by me) to Glasgow, 1752. I probably won’t attempt to trace it any further than that!
Clever title for your post today, Georgette!
My mother has always presented a copy of A Child’s Garden of Verses to her grandchildren, once they graduate from Mother Goose. She seems to do that around age 2 or 3. The rhyming, meter, vocabulary and joy in reciting leave a rich literary legacy. I’m not sure any one of us siblings or grandchildren know an entire verse, but it’s fun to start reciting around the table and see how far we can go. We have traced things back to Renfrew and Berwickshire which is not far from Glasgow. My brother has done a lot, thank goodness.
It must be fun piecing together your mother’s family history with her and other family members. You will be so pleased you did. Sounds like you had some important people in your family. I can’t wait to hear more.
James Mitchell and Harvey Mitchell both started out as teachers. Other family members also were. Isn’t that interesting? Most of us are educators, so that made relating to them all the more transparent. Thank you for reading this piece that probably from a reader’s perspective may or may not be interesting in the details. And thank you for your encouraging comment. The search is fascinating.
How nice you and your mom can work on this project together. My brother is the genealogist of our family.
My brother, too, has done a tremendous amount. Truly I’m standing on his shoulders with Mom driving us through the names, dates and places.
I have an aunt & a cousin who have both been very interested in out family’s ancestral history and it is fascinating to hear what they’ve learned over the years. My dad’s mom was the first American born from Ireland & his dad was from a line of Ellis brothers who left England in different directions. Don’t know as much about my mother’s side – she was an only child & all I know is both of her parents were from AL!! Our Ellis line ended up in MS & thus … here we are!! I love family histories – know it’s a lengthy & involved journey of digging & research … maybe one take I’ll take up the reigns. Thank you for sharing – love the Shadow poem.
ooo…you need to write down what you remember from your aunt and cousin including their names so you all remember the sources. Your dad’s family tree is young here in the States. I can relate because I am first generation born here on his side, and third generation on my mother’s side. I understand about only children. For years we did not explore my mother’s side because she was the only child of only children, but then when we found the Mitchells and Christys had so many children, we found great aunts, great uncles and distant cousins! I’m glad the poem did not confuse. 🙂
I have never heard of the shadow poem! I don’t know much about my family history. I know my Mom’s family was definitely Irish and my Dad’s was Scottish. It would be hard for me to track it now. Sounds like a very nice weekend with your Mom. Commissioner of Agriculture, that’s pretty interesting!
Pix, you must read “The Swing,” “My Shadow” and others by Robert Louis Stevenson. You can’t help but get carried away with the meter and rhyme. It was a wonderful time my mom and I spent together. We asked each other question after question about how to proceed and rehash what we had found. I meet classrooms of students every semester, but oh lordy–these were family members whose names and stories I felt compelled to learn asap. 🙂 No wonder Mom got tired at the end of an afternoon.
“A Child’s Garden of Verses” was one of my favorites. I still remember many of hte poems, at least in part.
One thing I’ve learned about researching families is how time-consuming it can be. I know a good bit about my mother’s mother, and that side of the family, but almost nothing about my dad’s side. There’s information there — I have found them on passenger manifests, in census records and such — but I just feel like I don’t have the time (or the interest, actually) to do more work. Part of it’s that I have no children, I’m sure. And, I’m the last of the line. There’s no one to profit my any work I did, beyond satisfying my own curiosity.
My mother’s story is similar to yours. We are wading through lots of material that stems from her mother on both sides, maternal grandparents and paternal grandparents. However, we know little about her father’s side which of course bestowed upon her, her maiden name. Right now, I’m doing this because it means so much to her to share all she can with the four of us siblings. She has loved sharing her side, especially since on retrospect I think my dad’s side eclipsed her side for a long time.
Hi. I stumbled upon your article about the Mitchell family from Scotch Settlement. My family, father & mother Randolph & Pearl Wiggins, & children lived on what was once the Mitchell farm. I would love to have seen it in its early days. It had a large house with a summer kitchen, wood shed, 2 hen houses, a grainery and a large barn. The property was 160 acres including a wood lot where my father cut pulp in the winter. I didn’t know that James Mitchell was premier of New Brunswick and was probably born in the house we called home.
I am long overdue in replying. I shared your information with my mother now 93 and she loved hearing what you reported. Thank you for taking the time to write.