Visiting the Ancestors
" A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu Day 1: We're visiting the ancestors! I leaned over the bed. “Jack, it’s time to get moving. What’s the time?” “It’s 6:30, and we’ve got to get on the road.” “Coffee down the road?” Good plan! We were up and out of the house by 7. We set an early start so we could arrive in Guernsey County, Ohio, by midday and then tromp around a cemetery or two before checking into the hotel. For years, I’ve wanted to visit the cemeteries where my father’s Scotch-Irish immigrant ancestors are buried. Like Jacki and me, their journey of leaving Ireland for America began with their first step. William Stranathan, his wife Martha Parker, and their toddler son, also named William, left Ireland around 1801. From there, they arrived in Canada and entered the United States via Erie, Pennsylvania. Tragedy struck in 1802 when young William was accidentally killed by a falling tree. We know that Wi...