Searching for those Irish roots

Published 12:00 am Saturday, March 18, 2000

As we all — be we Irish or not! — don a bit of green this week and join in the celebration of all things Irish, RootsWeb, the Internet’s oldest and largest genealogy and family research site, is doing its part as well!

Beginning this week, RootsWeb combines a guide to tracing roots to the Emerald Isle with a salute to Irish heritage that includes a look at history, music, poetry. linguistics, recipes and more. What a feast for Irish eyes!

Located at www.rootsweb.com/~rwquide/notable/stpatrick.htm, the presentation alone is worth the visit! But the actual information provided will amaze the researcher, the historian and the just plain curious alike.

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As always you can place queries and search for those Irish cousins in the more than 500 pages of &uot;The Guide to Irish Research&uot; with its ship passenger lists and church records. But you can also explore Irish surnames in depth. Did you know that &uot;Mac&uot; is the Gaelic word for &uot;son&uot; and is sometimes written &uot;Mc&uot; despite the widely held notion that &uot;Mac&uot; is Irish and &uot;Mc&uot; is Scottish?

Did you know the &uot;O&uot; means &uot;grandson&uot; and the apostrophe that now usually appears after it is the result of a misunderstanding by English-speaking clerks during the Elizabethan time, who took it to be a form of the word &uot;of&uot;?

Learn about the origins of St. Patrick’s Day parade and how Ireland celebrates St. Patrick’s day…a very different version of our celebration. Do you know the REAL legend of St. Patrick? One historian’s view may surprise you. You may improve your Irish Brogue by listening to actual audio files and tap you foot to Irish folk songs as well. Need a good Irish recipe to tantalize the taste buds? They are all here.

While we are all still feeling a bit green drop by and check out this delightful site. It will be well worth your time.

DOES ANYONE KNOW…

Brenda Frost Willis (713 Tennessee Avenue, Ferriday, La 71334, e-mail frostyw47@

yahoo.com) is searching for information on the FROST family. Her grandparents were EDWARD BUTLER FROST from Water Valley, Miss., and DAISY M. SHEPARD from Ann’s Bottom, Miss. They were married 3 September 1901 in Adams County, Mississippi, which was verified with their marriage license. They couple had nine children all born in Anna’s Bottoms.

The first child was born on 4 October 1902 and the last on 27 March 1923. Edward worked on the railroad and had a big plantation house in or around Brookhaven, Miss. Does any reader have information about this family? Brenda will appreciate any and all help!

Jeannie Sanderson (211 Road 1351, Saltillo, Miss., 38866, email JSande2677@aol.com) needs help with her research on the SANDERSON family.

It is believed that Thomas Sanderson started out in Jones County, N. C., moved to Smith County, Tenn.; then to Courtland Ala. It is believed family members ended up in Amory, Miss. The line she is currently following is John Forrest Sanderson, son of Luther Noah Sanderson, son of Luther B. (Dick) Sanderson, son of Thomas Sanderson (2), son of Thomas Sanderson (1). Can anyone add information on this line?

Kay Mason (1791 East Peace Street, Canton, Miss. 39046) wishes to correspond with anyone having information on the family of JOHN F. MEEK and his wife, JOSEPHINE BROWN MEEK. They were found on the 1920 Census in Beat One in the City of Canton, Madison County, Miss., with children: Joseph W., Susie May, and John, Jr. John F. Meek died 18 October 1927 and is buried in the Canton Cemetery. Josephine Brown Meek died 9 December 1933 and is buried in the Stump Bridge Cemetery. Any information of the rest of this family would be greatly appreciated.

Please send your announcements and queries to FAMILY TREES, 900 Main Street, Natchez, Miss., 39120 or e-mail FamTree316@aol.com. All queries printed free of charge and don’t forget to include your snail mail addresses.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Family Trees is a weekly column written by Nancianne Parkes Suber of Natchez.