Another month goes by and here we are 1/3 of the year into 2017.
This month several of the DNA companies placed their kits on sale for several days in honor of National DNA Day on April 25. There was a new site created by Thomas MacEntee at nationalDNAday.com that has great information to check out. It was a great opportunity to learn more about DNA and jump in to order a test for you or a family member. If you missed the sale this time around just keep checking the company sites as they tend to go on sale from time to time.
I have received several DNA results for family members this past month and my workload has suddenly increased exponentially... need I say more. :) It is all about studying my DNA books, videos and working on comparison spreadsheets for the next several months, at least.
This month PBS aired a presentation on the Brontë sisters, English novelists and poets
whose novels became classics of English literature. One of my favorites, of long ago, was 'Wuthering Heights', which I saw as a movie and of course, 'Jane Eyre'.
Charlotte first published her works under the pen name Currer Bell, as the mindset in that era was that it was more difficult for a woman to have a work published than a man.
I was struck at the amount of creativity and gifting of writing in this Yorkshire family.
1Their were six children born to Patrick Bronte and Maria Branwell.
How sad that tragically two of the sisters, Emily and Anne contracted tuberculosis in 1848 and 1949 at the ages of 30 and 29, just months after the death of their older brother, Patrick.
Charlotte, was actually the third child born to the family became the eldest, after the death of the family's two older sisters, in 1825, of tuberculosis. Their mother, Maria died in 1821. However, Charlotte survived Patrick, Emily and Anne for only a few years, when she died in 1855. Sadly, all six children and their mother Maria died before the age of 40.
Oh, what a contribution to the literary world they had despite the short amount of time on this earth.
In further reading, I found it rather interesting to say the least, that the Brontë family name, which is actually 'Prunty or Brunty', has been traced to the Irish, O Pronntaigh, meaning / descendant of Pronntach. It is written that they were a family of hereditary scribes and literary men in Fermanagh. Once again, I take note, of how genetics plays a role in our lives. As I always say, "It's in the genes".
It is said that the Brontë sisters novels and poems were amongst the greatest works ever written in the English language. In my continual attempt at perfecting my writing, I will read 'Wuthering Heights' or 'Jane Eyre', with new perspective and insight.
As for my research.. you will recall, last month I began a project on my Matos-Guerra and Medina-Navarro family. I am currently working through the first items on my research plan which includes some correspondence that I am waiting on and will hopefully have more to write about next month on the subject.
May your journey of family history continue to progress and unfold before you.
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