Our family's story starts with my father's long-ago Roman ancestors, and continues to this day. It's a story of mostly ordinary people doing some extraordinary things. My favorite ancestor was Provided Southwick Gaskill, who refused to obey the Puritan rules because she was a Quaker, and was imprisoned, beaten and nearly sold into slavery for her religious beliefs. Learning about Provided led me to research the Puritan's rule in Salem, the witch trials, the taking of property, the general unfairness of this early American government which was based upon particular religion. It makes it very understandable why our Founding Fathers wanted to separate religion and government.
In the following pages you will meet Meghan, my granddaughter. Meghan was pretty, smart and outgoing. I miss her. You will also be able to view the family trees of the Beckners, Gaskills, Luthers, Conners, Kirwins and Shanahans, as well as see what some of them looked like, and read about the way they lived. There's even a little bit of Swansea, Massachusetts history.
It is my hope that you will enjoy browsing through the following pages. I have included a vacation in beautiful County Kerry to raise your spirits. Surely there is no place more beautiful than the Southwest Coast of the Emerald Isle. Although most of my ancestors came from Northern Europe and England, my heart is firmly rooted in Ireland's green, green hillls.
