Posted on 03/07/2006 5:06:07 PM PST by Pharmboy
If you're Irish, you're familiar with the following words: shamrocks, claddagh and trinity designs, merino wool, Dresden and Belleek porcelain, Celtic music and crosses, bogwood, the Book of Cels, connemara marble, new grange spirals, “Erin Go Braugh” (Ireland forever) and “Cead Mile Failte” (one hundred thousand welcomes).
As it is March and we Irish from the town of Victory are a proud lot, we would like to honor and remember one Irish family - the Martin/Wood/Houghtaling family.
John Martin (future Revolutionary War veteran) left county Sligo, in the northern part Ireland in the 1700s and sailed to America to New York City. There he worked as a coachman for a year or two. Mary McLaughlin, also from Ireland, came to New York City and worked as a servant girl.
They left New York City and came to Cayuga County, first in the township of Scipio and later John went on foot alone to the township of Cato (later Victory) with only a knapsack, ax, gun and kettle on his back. Mary's father, James McLaughlin, bought a grant of land in the military township of Cato, (later Townline Road in the very southern part of the town of Victory), from a Revolutionary war soldier in exchange for a horse and saddle in 1800. John and Mary were married Oct. 28, 1802 and moved to 100 acres on Lot 65 given to them by her father as a wedding gift and for proving up the land.
Jane Martin was their first child, and the first white child born in the town on July 19, 1804. Samuel Campbell Wood, coming from Sciolo County, Ohio, but born in now Tompkins County, married Jane Martin Oct. 28, 1825 and kept the family farm until their deaths.
Jane's father, John, died in 1809 at the age of 42 and her mother, Mary died in 1818 at the age of 39. The farm then passed to Smith D. Wood, son of Samuel and Jane, then to Smith's son Clarence, then to Clarence's son Paul, then to Paul's son, Paul Jr. who still owns and operates the farm today. The fact that the farm has been in the family for more than 200 years now and still operates as a prosperous farm is remarkable.
Thanks to Marian Wood Houghtaling of Cato, Clarence Wood's daughter, for this information and for her preserving our Irish heritage and history in the town of Victory.
Sam Martin, brother of John lived in the northern part of the town and was an assessor appointed at that first town meeting in March 1821, when the Town of Victory separated from the town of Cato. Other Irish families coming in the early 1800s were the Campbells, Colemans, Kelleys, Maroneys and Murphys. We have a rich Celtic tradition which contributed much to the town's music, arts and history.
We also proudly claim a relatively new family, the Michael and Debra Marinelli family in Victory, who have a family band, “Repercussion,” along with their son, Lee, and daughter, Krista.
The family, definitely Irish in spirit, has created a very pleasing, enjoyable musical sound and each plays many instruments. They have a new Celtic CD, “Traditions,” to be released in the next few weeks. They also had a Christmas CD, “Seasonings,” out this past fall. They donate a percentage of their CD sales to the Golisano Children's Hospital of Central New York at University Hospital in Syracuse. They will perform their Irish music at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 12, at the Baldwinsville Library and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at the Carousel Center. We wish them much success.
More than 70 million people worldwide claim Irish ancestry, so Happy St. Patrick's Day to all those Irish and Irish in spirit. In the spirit of St. Patrick, “may the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be always at your back, the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of His hand.”
Beverly Sayles lives and writes from Victory
A Celtic RevWar ping--Freepmail me to get ON or OFF this RevWar/Colonial History/General Washington ping list...
Ping!
Okay, how do you pronounce Cead Mile Failte? Or Erin go braugh? Braw? Broff? Brawk?
Mrs VS
Happy St. Patrick's Day.
Thank you...a a happy St Paddy's to you too. Although I am an American of Jewish ancestry, my Y-chromosome haplotype is Rb1 M343 and the details of the haplotype place me firmly in Ireland. Who knew?? LOL!! Perhaps that is why I enjoy my whiskey...
But I always liked the Lass better when she did without. ;~))
I knew someone would do that.
Mrs VS
Better me than someone like pissant. At least I posted an empty (only because there might be kids watching. ;~))
Nice article. My family has only lived in the same spot for 155 years, and has been renting out the fields for 50 or so.
SC, I don't think I've ever said this to you before...but you are a Great American.
One of the greatest songs ever sung...and mysterious lyrics that have provoked much comment.
Hey, just doin' my job. ;')
I could be wrong, but I've pronounced it: "K Mill-lay fall-tah."
And "Erin go bra" (which leads to the jokes).
I used to march every year in NYC with Sligo county. I once (as a teenager) held a guideline to the Sligo banner. I marched right behind the 4 officials from Sligo who preceded the county's procession.
TS
Pronounced like Kaid Mee-la fall-che
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