Ancestry

Marriage Certificate of Archibald Kring and Geraldine Rendell October 4th, 1920

Thinking a lot lately about my ancestry.

When both my parents recently entered a nursing home, I became the proprietor of what seems like a mountain of photographs, documents and family bibles dating back to the turn of the last century.

In sorting thought these I am piecing together the relationships that resulted in the existence of my parents, my siblings, my children and grandchildren...mapping the family names and DNA that has combined to form this family.

And I admit, it is fascinating labyrinth.

In a way we are all products of chance.  On my father's  side - in the town of Aughton, Lancashire England, Dorothy Woods met John Hearsnep. They married and produced 3 daughters: Dorothy, Mary and Margaret. The family emigrated to Canada in 1906.  Margaret married young -- at 18 - to Archie Simpson. That in turn produced Dorothy and Bernard (my father). This side was Catholic.

On my mother's side, Geraldine Rendell wed Archie Kring in York County Ontario. Three children resulted, George, Gordon and Iva - Methodists. 

In her early 20's my mother accompanied a friend to a Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) dance (not her usual venue) -- where she happened to meet one Bernard Simpson -- my future parents. At a time when marrying outside you religion was a bit scandalous, they somehow met and forged a future together.

Just one of millions and millions of convergences that result in families and lineages that we can trace back -- in some cases centuries.

As I said, a fascinating labyrinth.