Saturday, December 31, 2016
Friday, December 30, 2016
Men of the Nocks Family - Photos
Going back several generations, these are the male members of the Nocks family:
My first cousins, Glenn and Francis Nocks
My cousin Glenn and his father, Uncle Elmer Nocks
My father, Charles Nocks
Brothers Charles and Elmer Nocks
Grandfather Emery Ebin and father Charles Nocks
Grandfather Emery Ebin and Uncle Elmer Nocks
Grandfather Emery Ebin Nocks
He married Grace Pauline Lancaster
Great-grandfather James Loren Nocks
He married Martha Elizabeth Busey.
Great-great-grandfather Benjamin Nocks is seated left of center
Climena Cleveland was his wife (right of center)
Great-great-great-grandfather Ebenezer Nocks is seated right of center
Lucy Hall was his wife (left of center)
My Ancestor, Thomas Nock, 1617 - 1666
Yesterday, just for the heck of it, I decided to see if any information had appeared on the man who is the "end" of of my father's male ancestry. Tracing my Dad back, father to father, I end up with Thomas Nock, who was born in 1617 in England and died in 1666 in Dover, New Hampshire. The church has the recording of his birth date, as he told his wife (Rebecca Tibbetts) and the minister recorded his death date.
This is what I know of Thomas Nock, from multiple years of research: he was born in England according to his wife. He married his wife, Rebecca Tibbetts, in Dover. Thomas had an established home in Dover in 1652, and was recognized as a free man. Thomas and Rebecca's first child was born in 1654; as she was born about July 1636, it is posited that they were married in 1652 or 1653 in Dover. They had five documented children, and the last, Henry, was born four months after his father's death in October 1666. Thomas and Rebecca's second son, Sylvanus, married Elizabeth Emery, and their third child, daughter Rebecca, married William Willey. (Less than two years after the death of Thomas Nock, his widow, Rebecca, married Philip Benmore.)
I searched long and hard to find out about the the surname "Nock" in England. Both the Tibbetts and the Emery families, who married into the family, have stated that the name is from the old "atten Oakes" name, meaning the family originally lived near oak trees. In England, that name has been changed by time to several variations - Knock, Knocke, Noake, Noakes, Nock, Nocks. But there is another possibility - old English also contains the word "nock" which means a small round hill; and a person with that last name would have lived near such a hill.
There were, and are, a lot of Nock and Nocks families in Shropshire, England. There are small pockets of families with the same names in almost every area of England; there are some in Scotland (not spelled Knox); and there are some in Wales, Ireland, and Northern Ireland. Both the Emery and the Tibbetts families have declared that the Thomas Nock family is from Shropshire - but there is no solid proof that has yet been discovered.
The whole reason I'm writing this particular blog is due to a visit to Rootsweb, a part of Ancestry.com. Anyone can fill out a family tree and send it in, and get it posted there. That is one of the reasons I've been recently writing a lot about checking sources, research and facts. I looked up Thomas Nock, to see if anyone had any factual information that might have turned up regarding his parentage and place of birth.
I really laughed out loud, and startled Rosie, the elderly dog I'm currently caring for... First were the listings that said that "my" Thomas Nock was born in 1654 (that was actually his first son, Thomas, with Rebecca Tibbetts) and that the son had married the mother (said Rebecca Tibbetts), and had died in 1666, having had 5 children with his mother). I know that it's confusing when first sons are always named the same - but... really!
And then I saw a new listing that said that "my" Thomas Nock was the son of Thomas Knox and Jayne Marie Cristy of Shropshire, England. I began to investigate that, and it immediately fell apart. Jayne Marie Cristy was the wife of Harold Thomas Knox, Jr (1932 - 1987); and Jayne herself was born in Illinois in 1931 and passed away in 2003. How someone decided that Jayne was born in Romney Marsh in England in 1609, and was the mother of a man born in 1617 is a thing that has me scratching my head in puzzlement...
The family surname was Nock when Thomas arrived in colonial America; in several generations, the "s" was added, and became Nocks. Then we had the large wave of Scots immigrants in the northeast, and the learned people who could write decided the name was Scots and changed the spelling to Knox. Some of my grandfather's aunts and uncles spelled the name Knox, some spelled it Nock, and Great-grandpa James Loren spelled his last name Nocks.... A part of the family came from England with the surname Waterhouse; after eight generations in Maine, they became Watrous....
Check your facts, if you are doing genealogy!!! Just flat out copying can lead to huge mistakes.
This is what I know of Thomas Nock, from multiple years of research: he was born in England according to his wife. He married his wife, Rebecca Tibbetts, in Dover. Thomas had an established home in Dover in 1652, and was recognized as a free man. Thomas and Rebecca's first child was born in 1654; as she was born about July 1636, it is posited that they were married in 1652 or 1653 in Dover. They had five documented children, and the last, Henry, was born four months after his father's death in October 1666. Thomas and Rebecca's second son, Sylvanus, married Elizabeth Emery, and their third child, daughter Rebecca, married William Willey. (Less than two years after the death of Thomas Nock, his widow, Rebecca, married Philip Benmore.)
I searched long and hard to find out about the the surname "Nock" in England. Both the Tibbetts and the Emery families, who married into the family, have stated that the name is from the old "atten Oakes" name, meaning the family originally lived near oak trees. In England, that name has been changed by time to several variations - Knock, Knocke, Noake, Noakes, Nock, Nocks. But there is another possibility - old English also contains the word "nock" which means a small round hill; and a person with that last name would have lived near such a hill.
There were, and are, a lot of Nock and Nocks families in Shropshire, England. There are small pockets of families with the same names in almost every area of England; there are some in Scotland (not spelled Knox); and there are some in Wales, Ireland, and Northern Ireland. Both the Emery and the Tibbetts families have declared that the Thomas Nock family is from Shropshire - but there is no solid proof that has yet been discovered.
The whole reason I'm writing this particular blog is due to a visit to Rootsweb, a part of Ancestry.com. Anyone can fill out a family tree and send it in, and get it posted there. That is one of the reasons I've been recently writing a lot about checking sources, research and facts. I looked up Thomas Nock, to see if anyone had any factual information that might have turned up regarding his parentage and place of birth.
I really laughed out loud, and startled Rosie, the elderly dog I'm currently caring for... First were the listings that said that "my" Thomas Nock was born in 1654 (that was actually his first son, Thomas, with Rebecca Tibbetts) and that the son had married the mother (said Rebecca Tibbetts), and had died in 1666, having had 5 children with his mother). I know that it's confusing when first sons are always named the same - but... really!
And then I saw a new listing that said that "my" Thomas Nock was the son of Thomas Knox and Jayne Marie Cristy of Shropshire, England. I began to investigate that, and it immediately fell apart. Jayne Marie Cristy was the wife of Harold Thomas Knox, Jr (1932 - 1987); and Jayne herself was born in Illinois in 1931 and passed away in 2003. How someone decided that Jayne was born in Romney Marsh in England in 1609, and was the mother of a man born in 1617 is a thing that has me scratching my head in puzzlement...
The family surname was Nock when Thomas arrived in colonial America; in several generations, the "s" was added, and became Nocks. Then we had the large wave of Scots immigrants in the northeast, and the learned people who could write decided the name was Scots and changed the spelling to Knox. Some of my grandfather's aunts and uncles spelled the name Knox, some spelled it Nock, and Great-grandpa James Loren spelled his last name Nocks.... A part of the family came from England with the surname Waterhouse; after eight generations in Maine, they became Watrous....
Check your facts, if you are doing genealogy!!! Just flat out copying can lead to huge mistakes.
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Cheetahs Near Extinction - Images
Cheetahs are suddenly on the brink of extinction due to
habitat loss and poaching...
All could be gone within 25 years.
Ancient Genealogy
I need to check records to see if the family branch genealogy I just followed is actually recorded somewhere, or if someone just copied down oral traditions and guessed at other things, such as dates and places. It will be interesting to check - and I will check.
I laughed last night, as I was following a blood line back, and found that a man had lived from 310 to 390, and that his supposed wife, who had bourne him eight recognized children, was born in 130 and died in 278. - So the wife lived for 148 years, but died 33 years before her husband was born, and managed to provide him with 8 living children more than 55 years after her death. - I thought, at first, that the wife's birth and death years were miscopied - but NO - her father was supposedly born in the year 95 AD. I scrubbed that line back for two generations and made a note to do careful research... I know we're an odd family, but necrophilia and giving birth after death is not a known habit.
I am currently awaiting the housecleaners arrival at Rosie's. They normally come around 11, but Nancy asked them to do the house first today, since I'm an early riser. The leader and supervisor of the cleaning squad was given my number, and told to call me to agree on the time. My phone has yet to ring, and it's 8:57 - Nancy asked them to come over at 9... I have the dishwasher running, and Rosie had an accident early this morning, so her bedding is in the washing machine. All other traces of her boo-boo are tied up in a plastic bag in the trash outside. The cleaners are to clean the atrium/TV room first, then Rosie and I will stay in there, while they clean the rest of the house. I need to tell them not to clean under the Christmas tree, nor inside the railroad tracks in the den.
I've taken care of the Jack Russells - fed, medicated and walked - and the hens and Victor and Xena - released, fed and walked - plus running home to feed my kits and clean their potties. Rosie and I have had breakfast, and she has been outside three times this morning.
I laughed last night, as I was following a blood line back, and found that a man had lived from 310 to 390, and that his supposed wife, who had bourne him eight recognized children, was born in 130 and died in 278. - So the wife lived for 148 years, but died 33 years before her husband was born, and managed to provide him with 8 living children more than 55 years after her death. - I thought, at first, that the wife's birth and death years were miscopied - but NO - her father was supposedly born in the year 95 AD. I scrubbed that line back for two generations and made a note to do careful research... I know we're an odd family, but necrophilia and giving birth after death is not a known habit.
I am currently awaiting the housecleaners arrival at Rosie's. They normally come around 11, but Nancy asked them to do the house first today, since I'm an early riser. The leader and supervisor of the cleaning squad was given my number, and told to call me to agree on the time. My phone has yet to ring, and it's 8:57 - Nancy asked them to come over at 9... I have the dishwasher running, and Rosie had an accident early this morning, so her bedding is in the washing machine. All other traces of her boo-boo are tied up in a plastic bag in the trash outside. The cleaners are to clean the atrium/TV room first, then Rosie and I will stay in there, while they clean the rest of the house. I need to tell them not to clean under the Christmas tree, nor inside the railroad tracks in the den.
I've taken care of the Jack Russells - fed, medicated and walked - and the hens and Victor and Xena - released, fed and walked - plus running home to feed my kits and clean their potties. Rosie and I have had breakfast, and she has been outside three times this morning.
*********
I am so sorry about the death of Carrie Fisher on Tuesday, and then the passing of her mother, Debbie Reynolds on Wednesday. They were very close, and both became "over-night stars" at the age of 19. They both had great talent and meaningful lives. Both of these great ladies will be missed.
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Pangolins - Images
There are several different kinds of pangolins, or scaly anteaters,
but all are now on the endangered species list,
because people believe their scales are a cure for everything.
Their scales are made of the same protein as human nails.
An adult with a youngster
A protective ball is the pangolin's only defense - just like an armadillo
The underside of a nursing female
A baby tree pangolin
Pangolins and Cheetahs
I love almost every single living thing on this planet - everything that is here has a special niche in the ecology and biology of this world. (I will admit there are two types of reptiles that I have, and will, kill without compunction - the first is the rattlesnake, if it's anywhere near a dwelling or livestock; the second is the blue-tailed skink - its' tail, which will break off when caught, contains a powerful neurotoxin that generally kills cats.) Having seen horses, cats and dogs die from rattlesnake bites, and having one cat who was a special needs kitty after a skink's poison, I don't feel too badly when I remove one of those critters from my personal space. - I don't go looking for these two creatures, but if it's near my living space, that poor creature is dead.
Having said that, I was very saddened to read that the beautiful, lithe, and extremely speedy cheetah is on the edge of extinction. Watching a cheetah move in it's natural habitat is a wonderful sight - the grace and speed of the big cat is amazing. Sadly, the cheetah population is disappearing; the main reason is loss of habitat due to increasing human population and the expansion of farming and civilization in it's natural areas. Cheetahs range across a huge area in their normal travels. We humans thought the areas protected for the cheetahs to live in and hunt were adequate - but the cheetahs range over an area that is 77% greater than the reserves. Cheetahs are extinct now in Asia. In the Middle East, a thriving group of over 7,000 is now down to about 170 over 10 years time. There are massive die-offs and much less reproduction due to the loss of food sources. The same is happening in the six countries that have a cheetah population in southern Africa. There is one other reason, though, that must be considered: cheetahs as pets. A pet cheetah is a huge status symbol in the Gulf countries of the Middle East. Kittens are sold for a minimum of $10,000 apiece - and more than 85% of those kittens die before they reach the age of 3 months, once they are stolen from their mothers. This is horrendous.
Another animal in imminent extinction mode is the pangolin, or the scaly anteater. This month, an illegal shipment of more than three tons - 6,000 pounds - of the scales of these gentle animals were confiscated in China. It is estimated that from 5,000 to 7,500 were killed to produce this number of scales - and they have a street value of more than $2 million. The scaly anteater has horny scale all over it's body; the scales of made of keratin, a protein that makes the nails of humans, and the hooves and horns of many animals. But in the Far East, the scales of the pangolin are believed to be a curative for just about everything, as well as an aphrodisiac. For this reason, the gentle quiet animals are killed in great numbers. Now, every type of scaled anteater, or pangolin, is on the rare animal watch list - and every kind is threatened with extinction.
Can't we humans learn to leave well enough alone?
Having said that, I was very saddened to read that the beautiful, lithe, and extremely speedy cheetah is on the edge of extinction. Watching a cheetah move in it's natural habitat is a wonderful sight - the grace and speed of the big cat is amazing. Sadly, the cheetah population is disappearing; the main reason is loss of habitat due to increasing human population and the expansion of farming and civilization in it's natural areas. Cheetahs range across a huge area in their normal travels. We humans thought the areas protected for the cheetahs to live in and hunt were adequate - but the cheetahs range over an area that is 77% greater than the reserves. Cheetahs are extinct now in Asia. In the Middle East, a thriving group of over 7,000 is now down to about 170 over 10 years time. There are massive die-offs and much less reproduction due to the loss of food sources. The same is happening in the six countries that have a cheetah population in southern Africa. There is one other reason, though, that must be considered: cheetahs as pets. A pet cheetah is a huge status symbol in the Gulf countries of the Middle East. Kittens are sold for a minimum of $10,000 apiece - and more than 85% of those kittens die before they reach the age of 3 months, once they are stolen from their mothers. This is horrendous.
Another animal in imminent extinction mode is the pangolin, or the scaly anteater. This month, an illegal shipment of more than three tons - 6,000 pounds - of the scales of these gentle animals were confiscated in China. It is estimated that from 5,000 to 7,500 were killed to produce this number of scales - and they have a street value of more than $2 million. The scaly anteater has horny scale all over it's body; the scales of made of keratin, a protein that makes the nails of humans, and the hooves and horns of many animals. But in the Far East, the scales of the pangolin are believed to be a curative for just about everything, as well as an aphrodisiac. For this reason, the gentle quiet animals are killed in great numbers. Now, every type of scaled anteater, or pangolin, is on the rare animal watch list - and every kind is threatened with extinction.
Can't we humans learn to leave well enough alone?
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Holiday Lights on the Water
I love the mountains, but I grew up near lots of water - rivers, lakes, and oceans.
I miss some of those light displays during the holidays -
so, here are a few of my favorites:
Local Wildlife
Since I've been out early and late for the past week, I've been surprised at the amount of early morning wildlife I've encountered. It's been in the teens and single digits for temperatures overnight, so I really didn't expect to see a lot of critters out and about before sunrise. The number of birds, squirrels, rabbits and mule deer out and about was mind-boggling.
This morning, I was driving down a residential street - two driving lanes, and parking lanes on both sides - when I met a herd of mule deer does (no buck) who were strolling, shoulder to shoulder, lined up almost evenly, from curb to curb. I had to stop and wait for them to part and walk around the car before I could drive on.
The other morning, just as the first rays of light were spreading in the east, I stepped out of the car, closed the door, and heard the hoot of an owl. Looking around, I saw the pair of great horned owls that are usually in the neighborhood during the winter. Then I heard the "neeep, neeep" of several nut hatches, followed by the calls of chickadees. Then a flock of more than 20 magpies flew over, making comments. At the next house, I encountered several rufous-sided towhees, and a huge flock of sparrows.
The cottontail rabbits are still greatly in evidence. My brother-in-law was amazed to see the local bobcat stalk, attack, kill, and eat a rabbit in his back yard garden. The few times I've seen the foxes this fall and winter, they, too, have been chowing down on the surplus rabbits. The mink is spotted about once a week around the neighborhood, too.
One of our previous neighbors, who moved away, contacted me yesterday and told me that a friend of hers had purchased a home on Tamarack recently, and was very surprised to see the bobcat cross her yard two nights ago. Risa told Tracey about my Wildlife Watch newsletter, and Tracey wanted to be signed up. I contacted her last night, and added her to the e-mail group this morning. I hope she appreciates the area's natural wildlife as much as I do!
This morning, I was driving down a residential street - two driving lanes, and parking lanes on both sides - when I met a herd of mule deer does (no buck) who were strolling, shoulder to shoulder, lined up almost evenly, from curb to curb. I had to stop and wait for them to part and walk around the car before I could drive on.
The other morning, just as the first rays of light were spreading in the east, I stepped out of the car, closed the door, and heard the hoot of an owl. Looking around, I saw the pair of great horned owls that are usually in the neighborhood during the winter. Then I heard the "neeep, neeep" of several nut hatches, followed by the calls of chickadees. Then a flock of more than 20 magpies flew over, making comments. At the next house, I encountered several rufous-sided towhees, and a huge flock of sparrows.
The cottontail rabbits are still greatly in evidence. My brother-in-law was amazed to see the local bobcat stalk, attack, kill, and eat a rabbit in his back yard garden. The few times I've seen the foxes this fall and winter, they, too, have been chowing down on the surplus rabbits. The mink is spotted about once a week around the neighborhood, too.
One of our previous neighbors, who moved away, contacted me yesterday and told me that a friend of hers had purchased a home on Tamarack recently, and was very surprised to see the bobcat cross her yard two nights ago. Risa told Tracey about my Wildlife Watch newsletter, and Tracey wanted to be signed up. I contacted her last night, and added her to the e-mail group this morning. I hope she appreciates the area's natural wildlife as much as I do!
Monday, December 26, 2016
The Newly Elected President
As with General Cornwallis and his men at Yorktown, Virginia at the end of America's Revolutionary War, we have seen "the world turned upside down." I'm speaking of the unbelievable Presidential election win by the Republican Party candidate. I fear to find Armageddon will arrive on 21 January 2017, the first full day of his Presidency. The man still scares the beJesus out of me.
My roommate and I have decided not to refer to this man by name. We refer to him as either "the Circus Peanut" or "Trumplethinskin." The first choice is because (a) he looks orange - don't know if it's a bad spray-tan, or a horrible reaction to a tanning bed or just outrageously poor make-up; (b) too many of them will make you ill; (c) they are pretty cheap; (d) they are not unique - you can buy them by the bag almost anywhere; and (e) his head carries a peanut-sized brain. The second name, does, unfortunately, contain his surname, but we just can't help but feel that it's extremely accurate - he most definitely does have a thin skin. All of his Tweets indicate a person who has an astronomically huge ego, but is still very much an immature boy, who speaks before thinking, and thrives on planning revenge for any perceived personal snub. Rumplestiltskin kept the maiden a captive in the tower to spin straw into gold to make him rich. Trumplethinskin believes that he can do anything he pleases to any female - all he has to do is pay them enough, or threaten them enough, to keep them quiet.
This person has zero respect for anyone who disagrees with him, or who can get the better of him in any type of contest. He is a sore loser, and a sore winner. Nothing satisfies him. He won't listen to intelligence briefings before becoming the sworn-in, actual, legal President - he says he already knows that stuff and he doesn't believe what's being reported anyway. "Let's have an arms race," he says. Russia is the only country that has more nuclear devices than the United States has - what is he thinking? Is that how he plans to bring new jobs to the country? Is he going to try to have a draft for the Armed Services - and, if so, will his children and grandchildren be included?
This person has no political background. Yes, he has been a "businessman" for quite some time. I can't call his businesses successful - he owes more than 90% of his much-touted wealth in investment and other business deals; he's declared bankruptcy multiple times to re-organize, or kill, businesses that are not turning a profit. The man has broken the law and paid 'inconsequential' government fines for breaking the law, and he continues to do so. (I say 'inconsequential' fines because he pays tiny fines in proportion to the illegally made monies.)
His chosen Cabinet members, so far, also scare me. They seem to represent people with great racial hatreds, with ties to the Ku Klux Klan, to white supremacists, to Neo-Nazis, and to armed militia groups. He's still talking about a ban on Muslims and other religious beliefs. It seems as if he's a little boy, poking an ant-hill with a stick, just to see how roiled he can make the entire colony....
He truly frightens me. He is trying to side-step Constitutional laws - seemingly because he doesn't believe they could possibly apply to himself. He wants to run the United States of America, and run his own businesses as well, make deals with foreign countries, and have his sons and daughters help him decide what to do when, and with whom. It is illegal, as the duly elected President of the United States, to do any of these things. May the Gods above have mercy upon us Americans once President Obama leaves office.
My roommate and I have decided not to refer to this man by name. We refer to him as either "the Circus Peanut" or "Trumplethinskin." The first choice is because (a) he looks orange - don't know if it's a bad spray-tan, or a horrible reaction to a tanning bed or just outrageously poor make-up; (b) too many of them will make you ill; (c) they are pretty cheap; (d) they are not unique - you can buy them by the bag almost anywhere; and (e) his head carries a peanut-sized brain. The second name, does, unfortunately, contain his surname, but we just can't help but feel that it's extremely accurate - he most definitely does have a thin skin. All of his Tweets indicate a person who has an astronomically huge ego, but is still very much an immature boy, who speaks before thinking, and thrives on planning revenge for any perceived personal snub. Rumplestiltskin kept the maiden a captive in the tower to spin straw into gold to make him rich. Trumplethinskin believes that he can do anything he pleases to any female - all he has to do is pay them enough, or threaten them enough, to keep them quiet.
This person has zero respect for anyone who disagrees with him, or who can get the better of him in any type of contest. He is a sore loser, and a sore winner. Nothing satisfies him. He won't listen to intelligence briefings before becoming the sworn-in, actual, legal President - he says he already knows that stuff and he doesn't believe what's being reported anyway. "Let's have an arms race," he says. Russia is the only country that has more nuclear devices than the United States has - what is he thinking? Is that how he plans to bring new jobs to the country? Is he going to try to have a draft for the Armed Services - and, if so, will his children and grandchildren be included?
This person has no political background. Yes, he has been a "businessman" for quite some time. I can't call his businesses successful - he owes more than 90% of his much-touted wealth in investment and other business deals; he's declared bankruptcy multiple times to re-organize, or kill, businesses that are not turning a profit. The man has broken the law and paid 'inconsequential' government fines for breaking the law, and he continues to do so. (I say 'inconsequential' fines because he pays tiny fines in proportion to the illegally made monies.)
His chosen Cabinet members, so far, also scare me. They seem to represent people with great racial hatreds, with ties to the Ku Klux Klan, to white supremacists, to Neo-Nazis, and to armed militia groups. He's still talking about a ban on Muslims and other religious beliefs. It seems as if he's a little boy, poking an ant-hill with a stick, just to see how roiled he can make the entire colony....
He truly frightens me. He is trying to side-step Constitutional laws - seemingly because he doesn't believe they could possibly apply to himself. He wants to run the United States of America, and run his own businesses as well, make deals with foreign countries, and have his sons and daughters help him decide what to do when, and with whom. It is illegal, as the duly elected President of the United States, to do any of these things. May the Gods above have mercy upon us Americans once President Obama leaves office.
