Tuesday 4

 

Pioneer Spirit

 Howdy Partners and Buckaroos... Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4

Hosted by Ann!

 Americans are descended from truly intrepid stock. 

In Utah, the Days of '47 are starting.  This was 1847 when the first Mormon pioneers came into the state with the great handcart movement. The celebration is huge in Utah with fireworks, rodeos, picnics, fairs and all manner of things.   In America everyone, including the American Indians are immigrants having come from elsewhere, such as Mongolia, as well.   There really are no "native" Americans at all!   

 Let's talk about pioneering.  When we think Pioneer we think the Old West.. but the Pilgrims were pioneers.  The Spanish were pioneers too.

1.  All our ancestors are pioneers who came to America from someplace else.  Where did your people come from?  I am scotch, English, Germany, mainly. According  to my DNA through Ancestry.com I am 40% Scottish, and 30% each, English and German…German mainly on Dad’s side. My first Scottish  ancestor that I know  for sure was a Quaker who came for religious freedom during the early 1700’s.  He originally landed in Connecticut then migrated to SW Virginia. My first English  ancestor was Richard Higgins who first arrived in Plymouth,Ma. in 1621.. one of the first boat load of immigrants to come to America. He was a single young man of some import. Soon he married , bought a cabin with a bit of land for 20 bushels of corn and  became Constable of the township Barnstable very near Plymouth.  On my dad’s side two brothers came to America for a better life 9 generations ago. They originally came from Braunsweg, Germany then lived in Randolph County, NC. 

2.  Do you know when and why they came to America?  My family has always been very interested in genealogy.  There have been yearly reunions ever year since I can remember where family history is shared and somewhat revered. I believe the family goal was to live up to the courage, fortitude and perseverance shown in the lives of our forebears. 

3.  Have you been a bit of a pioneer in some way?    Does that spirit live in you?    Perhaps moving on to a new job, new home, new state, 

I believe that even though I was a very timid child and youth, the fact that I fly off alone to Germany to join my military husband at age 21 in 1971 shows a bit of spirit in me that had laid dormant .  Upon returning to the states the next year, I was much more prepared to begin the teaching profession  dealing with people from all walks of life . 

4.   Do you enjoy Western movies or TV programs?    They don't make many now but there are re-runs available?   Which do you watch? I have mentioned this before, but  I dearly loved western series, I suppose because daddy loved them and that was mainly what we watched.  Of course, I’ve said, I dearly fell in love with Jess Harper of Laramie! But I loved Bonanza, Palladin , and Wanted Dead or  Alive, and the Virginian. I  loved the movie, The Big Country, with Gregory Peck . And gravitated to many Clint Eastwood movies.