Family History and the love of writing

I love the fact that I have famous writers in my family tree! And strangely enough all from the same side of the family, my grandmother, Vivia Maria Dearborn Barron. She is descended from of one the founding fathers of New England, Godfrey Dearborn and from his line came a great uncle, no pun intended, Judge Samuel Sewell of Salem Witch Trial fame, he wrote an essay, The Selling of Joseph, which criticized slavery, he kept a journal from 1673 to 1729, describing his life as a Puritan against the changing tide of colonial life. In 1725 his essay, Talitha Cumi refers to the rights of women. From all appearance Samuel was a fairly liberal thinker for a puritan. He was also the only judge from the witch trials to apologize for his part in trials. Also from this Sewell branch of the family came Louisa May Alcott, her grandmother, Dorothy Sewell was the great-granddaughter of Samuel. What a glorious writer this lady was, Little Women, Little Men, The Inheritance-written in 1849 and unpublished until 1997 and A Long Fatal Love Chase written in 1866, first published in 1995, the list is long and her life was noteworthy, she even served as a nurse during the Civil War. Another famous writer “cousin” is Henry Wadsworth Longfellow of Paul Revere’s Ride, The Song of Hiawatha and Evangeline fame.


Another note of interest, our family has also been written about, yes, there are the historical references, “The Lawry’s of Friendship Island and even articles published in the New England Historical Register (a fifth cousin works there). The most famous thing written about a family member is “(The Ballad of) Annie Laurie”

Maxwelton's braes are bonnie,

Where early fa's the dew,

'Twas there that Annie Laurie

Gi'ed me her promise true.

Gi'ed me her promise true -

Which ne'er forgot will be,

And for bonnie Annie Laurie

I'd lay me down and dee.

Her brow is like the snaw-drift,

Her neck is like the swan,

Her face it is the fairest,

That 'er the sun shone on.

That 'er the sun shone on -

And dark blue is her e'e,

And for bonnie Annie Laurie

I'd lay me down and dee.

Like dew on gowans lying,

Is the fa' o' her fairy feet,

And like winds, in simmer sighing,

Her voice is low and sweet.

Her voice is low and sweet -

And she's a' the world to me;

And for bonnie Annie Laurie

I'd lay me down and dee.

I have come to discover that the writers in my family tree are not limited to the past, my cousin Judy also writes; recently I had the pleasure of reading a short story she penned about her mother, my aunt Judith; I loved learning their favorite book when Judy was growing up was “Little Women” and Jo (aka Louisa) was her favorite character!

I also learned today that my cousin Neal has written a book as well!

A side branch of my family tree has also been published, my wonderful un-natural father aka Pops aka Gordon. His book, A Cracker Legacy…Subdivide This...it was published 4 years ago. From the publisher, David Clarke….Hurricanes and economic conditions have forced many Florida ranchers to sell out to unscrupulous developers. But not fourth generation Cracker Rancher, Claude Barnhill. With the help of a gorgeous blonde, a Wild Turkey poacher, three outlaw Miccosukees and a dead Cuban feral cat hunter. Barnhill fights the good fight…


I'll keeping writing, blogging and sharing....it's in my blood!