WE'RE ALL HUMAN
I think I’ve come to terms with Great-grandpa Elliott. Here’s my reasoning:
• George Elliott was a product of his times and his culture: born in the county of Fermanagh, Ireland, of Scottish descent, he was raised, I’m sure, with passionate political feelings. That passion, however, was most probably tempered by the struggle to survive in pioneer Canada – everyone, Scots-Irish Protestant, Irish Catholic, French, and every other group had to work together just to keep their heads above water.
• He actually married a Catholic! WOW!! Of course, she was the one who gave up home and family for him; but . . . to brave the stigma of marrying a Catholic took a determined man – and possibly one who was very much in love.
• Yes, he was pretty strict. Jane had to give up her religion, the children must be raised Protestant, no Catholic priest was ever allowed in the home, but . . . his wife was allowed to attend Mass once a year at Easter! (I’m thinking that little great-grandmother of ours was an amazing lady with a fair amount of spunk!)
• I spent a lot of time reading about the Ulster-Scots and watching videos of their history up to the present time. It was after watching several documentaries of the “Troubles” in Ireland – 1970's mostly – that I quit trying to decide who was right and who was wrong. Every group of people has at some time been oppressed; and given the opportunity, that same group of people will turn around and become the oppressors faster than you can blink. I got disgusted with the whole bunch of them!
• Look at the children who came from the union of that stern Scots-Irish man and the
spunky French Catholic woman. Every one of them has a twinkle in their eyes, a look of knowing how to enjoy themselves. I think they would be fun relatives to get acquainted with.
• George Elliott was a product of his times and his culture: born in the county of Fermanagh, Ireland, of Scottish descent, he was raised, I’m sure, with passionate political feelings. That passion, however, was most probably tempered by the struggle to survive in pioneer Canada – everyone, Scots-Irish Protestant, Irish Catholic, French, and every other group had to work together just to keep their heads above water.
• He actually married a Catholic! WOW!! Of course, she was the one who gave up home and family for him; but . . . to brave the stigma of marrying a Catholic took a determined man – and possibly one who was very much in love.
• Yes, he was pretty strict. Jane had to give up her religion, the children must be raised Protestant, no Catholic priest was ever allowed in the home, but . . . his wife was allowed to attend Mass once a year at Easter! (I’m thinking that little great-grandmother of ours was an amazing lady with a fair amount of spunk!)
• I spent a lot of time reading about the Ulster-Scots and watching videos of their history up to the present time. It was after watching several documentaries of the “Troubles” in Ireland – 1970's mostly – that I quit trying to decide who was right and who was wrong. Every group of people has at some time been oppressed; and given the opportunity, that same group of people will turn around and become the oppressors faster than you can blink. I got disgusted with the whole bunch of them!
• Look at the children who came from the union of that stern Scots-Irish man and the
spunky French Catholic woman. Every one of them has a twinkle in their eyes, a look of knowing how to enjoy themselves. I think they would be fun relatives to get acquainted with.
posted by Martha | 12:37 PM
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