Sorbie Castle

My DNA tingling, I couldn't let this week's Theme Thursday subject
"castle" pass, without mentioning Sorbie Castle, my ancestral home.

Although I've never visited, I feel a strong kinship with this place and

it's at the very top of my bucket list. Located one mile east of the

village of Sorbie in Wigtownshire, southwestern Scotland, Sorbie

Castle, or Tower, is a late 16th Century L-plan tower house which

was built for the Hannay family and is now held by the Clan Hanna

Society.

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The castle was most likely built by Alexander A'Hanna of Sorbie, who

succeeded his father, Patrick, after the latter's murder in 1543. At

the time the castle was built, the A'Hannas were at the height of

power, as Lords of the Manor. Their land stretched across the

Machars of Galloway, to such an extent, that it was known as

Machars Hannay. It certainly appears that the Hannay and Sorbie

family histories are intertwined. The big question is whether the

Sorbies were a family in their own right, with their own distinct

history, or an offshoot of the Hannay or some other family, who took

the name Sorbie to denote their place of origin.

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In its day, Sorbie Castle was a structure of considerable importance
and may have actually been preceded by an earlier wooden castle,
since there is a nearby mound, which MacGibbon and Ross mention
in their work, The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of
Scotland. In 1993, the Archaeological Department of Glasgow
University carried out a dig on the mound, finding shards of pottery,
identified as coming from Bordeau around 1250. They also found
pieces of coins of Henry III of France and traces of the base of a
flying bridge, like appear in the Bayeux tapestry.

For more photos of Sorbie Castle, click on a tour by Scott Hanna.
[HERE] Although, I've not met Scott personally, he is a fellow Hanna

descendant.

Looking east from Sorbie Village.

Map showing Sorbie Village, including Sorbie Tower, center

This just in...

FireLight just pointed out how much Sorbie Castle looks like the
ruins of Moy Castle, pictured below, used in the filming of one of
my favorite movies of all time, Powell and Pressburger's 1945
film, I Know Where I'm Going. She is so right. I've gotta watch it
tonight. Now, where'd I put those woolly socks?

Moy Castle

the genome bug

Jen brought up an interesting topic for further discussion on genetics

and illness, in our comment conversation in the last post on Patrick

Tracey's book, Stalking Irish Madness. There are those of you out

there who are not as thrilled with the idea of genealogical research,

as I am. I know, it can be a tad dry. But take a minute to play it

forward, on a more personal level.

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There is now a do-it-yourself DNA test, that can detect major

inherited genetic risk factors for diseases. It's what you might call

a genetic health scan. They can scan our genomes and tell us what

diseases are likely in our future. It is amazing that our DNA, once a

mystery, is suddenly a hot commodity. There are over two dozen

companies competing for it in cyberspace. This hot new technology

is fascinating, whether it's to find our illusive roots or chart our

future. Why wouldn't we want to have a peep in the crystal ball of

our future health?

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But, what if the test showed your risks for heart disease to be

genetically low? Would this talk you out of taking care of yourself?

Granted, most testing companies don't take lifestyle issues, like

smoking, or family history into account, even though both can

bump the odds up or down. What if your genetic DNA shows the

odds of developing Alzheimer's is high? Would you rather be

blissfully unaware?

.

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Be careful about reading health books.

You may die of a misprint.

~

Mark Twain

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photo: wisteria vine at willlow manor

Genetic Genealogy

After hitting a brick wall in the ancestral search for the lineage of
WT's great-great-great-grandfather, Andrew, we submitted a
sample of his DNA to Family Tree DNA. When the results were
obtained, they were given over to his surname project. Compared to
over one hundred other DNA samples, from the same surname, we
were able to rule out several possible lineages. It was also amazing
to see what his geographic ancestral origins were. Hopefully, as
more participate in the project, we will be able to make an exact
match and trace Grandpa Andrew's family tree back to Ireland or
Scotland.

DNA testing can show if two people are related, suggested geographic

origins, if you are of African, Jewish, Native American heritage, or

even if you match Thomas Jefferson. In the field of genetic genealogy,

testing can help, through the surname projects, find documents for

that elusive ancester, his homeland, or if you are related to another

family with the same surname.

Family Tree DNA is a commercial genetic genealogy company based
in Houston, Texas with its partner laboratory, Arizona Research
Labs, housed at the University of Arizona. They offers analysis of
YDNA, mtDNA, and autosomal DNA to individuals for genealogical
purposes based on DNA samples collected using a cheek swab
method with a kit. All samples once submitted are stored at Arizona
Research Labs for future testing and archiving of DNA samples
collected from family members. In February 2009, Family Tree
DNA announced that they, in partnership with the National
Geographic Genographic Project, have tested over 500,000 kits.

My sister and I recently submitted our own DNA samples to Family
Tree DNA, just to see if we have a match.

The Genealogy Bug

As I mentioned recently, I've been bitten by the genealogy bug and have spent the last five or six years researching and logging over 6000 of ancestors and their statistics into my family file. Several of you asked for tips on how to get started. There is such a wealth of information available online today, formerly only accessible from county courthouses and libraries.

If I could choose just one site, it would have to be Ancestry. Thousands of searchable databases are readily available; census, old newspapers, social security death records, state records and thousands of personal family genealogical files, just to name a few. It is a little pricey, but compared to traveling to specific locations to research, it is a great deal. You can purchase an annual subscription, which is the most economical, or you can pay for access for just three months. Some other great sites are Find a Grave, Rootsweb, (Ancestry's free site) and the Bureau of Land Management. Also, many states now have searchable archive databases online.

Don't be afraid to get into Rootsweb and some of the other sites and leave stats for the ancestors you are searching for on their bulletin boards. Many times other distant cousins are looking for the same family. I connected with several unknown cousins this way and plugged into a wealth of family info and the priceless pleasure of their friendship.

Another valuable and worthwhile avenue is The National Archives. Military service records and pension files are available to purchase. I paid around $40 for WT's great-great grandfather's complete Civil War file. I was absolutely thrilled when they mailed a packet of photo copies of over 80 pages; a treasure trove of info

and well worth the investment.

WT has participated in his family surname DNA project, through Family Tree DNA. After requesting a packet, swab the inside of your cheek and mail it in. When the testing is complete, you are

linked with others with matching DNA . It's another wonderful way to trace your lineage and connect with other descendants.

I use Family Tree Maker genealogy software available to purchase from Ancestry. It has lots of great features, simple to install and very user friendly. So, hey hey, there you have it, my bloggy friends. Hope this gives you a little helpful info if you're interested in researching and documenting your roots. Let me warn you, it's very addictive, but persistence does pay off. Happy hunting!

By the way, the above photo is the oldest in my personal family collection. It is a tin type, self portrait of my great-great-great grandfather Joseph Lorenzo Dow Hanna, county surveyor for Howard County, Indiana in the 1860's. On the back of the tin type, is written in pencil, "executed by J. Hanna, artist". I come from a long line of photographers, so it's definitely in my blood. My camera is broken and I'm about to jump out of my skin without it!