About the book
PRO-GEN-I-TORS, noun. Definition: Direct ancestors, precursors in line
of descent, bloodline, biological predecessors, line of forefathers and
foremothers, forbearers, primogenitors, preceding kinfolk, DNA-matching
individuals.
"Take time to absorb and enjoy the lovely world in which you live,
and come to know its inhabitants, present and past, with affectionate
amusement. You would do well to budget your time as follows: one half in
work of your choice, one fourth in social pastimes with both young and
old, especially family, and one fourth as an interested, historical
observer of life."
–William B Terhune
The following is a brief introduction to the origins of the Scottish
kingdom, including the roots of our Kennedys from Lenoir County, North
Carolina. Unless otherwise noted, all dates are CE (Common Era). CE
is equivalent to AD (Anno Domini) and is more universal. Similarly,
BCE (Before Common Era) is equivalent to BC (Before Christ). Numbers
in parentheses which follow persons’ names indicate the reverse order of
our family lineage, hopefully adding immediacy and personal relevance to
the narrative. For example, my generation is level 2, and my children and
grandchildren, level 1. This reverse lineage is explained in greater
detail in later chapters.
This information has been confirmed by Ms. Debbie Camp, historian for
the Kennedy family at Culzean Castle near Ayr, Scotland, in several
meetings with me, first in June 1999 and later by correspondence over the
ensuing years. Paul Pomfret, manager of the Culzean estate owned by the
Scottish National Trust, has reconfirmed our connection during my visits
to Culzean over the past several years. He confirmed that all histories of
Scotland and England show the Scotland Kennedys’ connection to the
present Queen Elizabeth II of England and to practically all the preceding
kings of England and Scotland. The Kennedy line was established through
Scandinavian intermarrying with the Ayrshire Scots of the 1100s. After
that, when our Kennedys married into the family of Robert the Bruce in
1405, we could trace the Bruce and Stewart peerage lines well back to show
how far our bloodline exists. There are many directions—English, Irish,
Pict, French, Roman, Arabic, and others—in which we could trace the
Kennedy family. This book shows what we think is the best Kennedy
bloodline to pursue.
The badge of the Kennedy family in Scotland is the oak. That seems very
appropriate since the Vikings who intermarried with the Picts in western
Scotland both lived under a canopy of oaks for thousands of years. The
Scot Kennedys who came to North Carolina still live as citizens of the
United States under a canopy of oaks similar to those in both Scotland and
Scandinavia. Living with varieties of oaks must have been a very
comforting common denominator for all those sojourners and living areas of
the Kennedy family over millennia.
I have enjoyed collecting the information from hundreds of sources in
Scotland, England, the United States of America, and other places. I
intend to continue my pursuit of any unanswered questions. I hope my
genealogy to be an information superhighway. If you are eager to know more
about your Kennedy-related family, there are many roads exhibited where
your family can enter or exit. I truly hope you enjoy and learn from my
genealogy.
About the Author
K. D. Kennedy Jr. has published four (4)
books of poetry, short stories, and essays: Our Place In Time, Waiting
Out In The Yard, For Rhyme Of Reason, and Progenitors: A Kennedy
Genealogy. He has also published works in over twenty anthologies and
periodicals. He has served as Chairman of the following: The Board of
Trustees of Barton College, the North Carolina Board of Ethics, the North
Carolina Theatre, and the Building Committee of the Duke Power Performing
Arts Center.
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