mermaidcamp
Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water
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Robert Davis, Ulster to South Carolina
July 27, 2013
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coat of arms Davis
My 7th great-grandfather was born in Northern Ireland and came to South Carolina with Presbyterians. He first settled in Virginia, then traveled south.
is my 7th great grandfather
daughter of Robert Davis
daughter of Nancy Ann Davis
daughter of Jean PICKENS
son of Margaret Miller
daughter of Philip Oscar Hughes
daughter of Sarah E Hughes
son of Lucinda Jane Armer
daughter of George Harvey Taylor
I am the daughter of Ruby Lee Taylor
Tradition states that Robert Davis was born in North Ireland, where he was married to Anne Pickens. Some of their children were born in Ireland, and they are said to have come to America about 1735 or a bit earlier. The know facts in America about them from Kegley’S Virginia Frontier records are as follows: Robert Davis first received 400 acres in 1735 in South Garden, among the mountains of the Branches of Hardware River in Virginia. At that time all this territory was in Goochland County, and is located in what became the extreme southern end of Augusta county. The same year he received an additional 400 agres in the same location. This section is actually in the Branches of James and Roanoke Rivers. Kegley shows that in 1746 Robert Davis received a grant of 300 acres on the west side of the Blue Ridge. On Nov. 22, 1746, one James Davis, received a grant of 626 acres part of a larger grant of 8,100 acres on Catawaba river. Kegley shows that in 1748 the Clerk’s fee book in Augusta County,Va. shows that Robert Davis, along with many others, is “not found”. This,says Kegley, is an indication of how restless the pioneers were on the frontier, moving from place to place and the county officials unable, or unwilling to keep up with them. Robert Davis seems to have lived a fairly quiet life while in Augusta as there are relatively few records of him. Hedid not trade lands, but witnessed a good many deeds for other eople showing who his friedds and neighbors were. Most other records of Robert Davis in Augusta are in connection with the settlement of the estate of Robert Crockett. North Carolina list of applications for land grants, show that on 1 October 1751, the following applied for land: Robert Davis-for 600 acres, William Davis-for 300 acres Robert Caldwell-for 600 acres, Andrew Pickens-for 800 acres. North Carolina had a law granting land only to people who came into the colony to live on the land. Applicatons,howerever were received in advance of actual removal. In 1753 Robert Davis made the statement in Augusta county that he planned to leave the colony. It was about this date or the next year at the latest that he arrived in the Waxhaw Section, along with others from the same ara in Augusta County. The land when granted was in the then constituted county of Anson which included most of western North Carolina. Source: THE DAVIS FAMILY ** With Crockett and Pickens connections. ** compiled by E. M. Sharp From research done by Mr. D. L. McWhorter of Bethel, North Carolina, in the Archives of the State of North Carolina, and in Mecklenburg Co. North Carolina. and Researched on the Pickens family by E. M. Sharp of Memphis, Tenn.
He served in the militia with his father-in law and brother:
Early Anson county records show the follow ANSON COUNTY, MILITIA COMPANY: Year 1755. Had 61 officers and men. Among those listed were: Captain – Andrew PickensLieutenant – Robert Ramsey Ensin – John Crockett Sgt. – Thomas Wright, Sgt. – William Geard, Sgt. – William King. Corporal – Alexander Crockett. Archibald Crockett, Andrew Nutt, George Davis, John Davis, Joh Pickens, John Linn, Joseph Pickens, Moses Davis, Robert Davis, Robert Crockett, Robert McClelland, Robert Caldwell, Robert Montgomery, William Davis, William Pickens and others.
Protagoras, the Gods, and You
July 17, 2013
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Writing twenty-five hundred years ago, the Greek philosopher Protagoras (c. 490-420 BCE) might provide wise counsel to our troubled, conflicted age, and offer some hope: “Concerning the gods,” he wrote, “I have no means of knowing whether they exist or not, nor of what form they are; for there are many obstacles to such knowledge, including the obscurity of the subject and the shortness of human life.”
When a pantheon ruled many dramatic events took place between gods and goddesses, as well as between the immortals and the mortals; life was more exciting. The potential for anything to happen was greater in the collective consciousness before pesky science invaded religious belief. Philosophy turned a corner when Protagoras, a sophist who died when Plato was young, brought forth his teachings. He wrote and taught from 490-420 BC, and is reputed to be the first Greek to make money in higher education. His fees were reputedly very steep. He wrote, but none of his written work survived. He was itinerant, traveling all over Greece to find students. The new ideas he fostered and taught were:
- Relativism- there are two sides to every story
- Orthoepeia- it is possible to convince the majority that the the lesser choice is the better one with rhetoric
- Agnosticism-there is no way to have direct knowledge of any of the gods
This has meaning today as we see those who defend absolute truth of any kind. Modern courts of law have their foundations in these three ideas. Law schools teach orthoepeia as part of trial training. Reasonable doubt is relativism. Before Protagoras all earthly events were explained by relating nature to the gods’ whims. Once there was reasonable doubt of that, the world started to look more controllable. Justice, however, is not served when these valuable teachings are not spread equally and given to all citizens. We still have giant problems with democracy and education. What would Protagoras teach the Congress of the US???
The Catalyst is not Consumed
July 16, 2013
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The catalyst archetype is rare in human personalities. Intuition plays a key role in the transformative power of this person. Intense scrutiny and focus is the special realm of the human catalyst. Rebels can be catalysts, but there are a few different kinds. The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word:
- Chemistry. A substance, usually used in small amounts relative to the reactants, that modifies and increases the rate of a reaction without being consumed in the process.
- One that precipitates a process or event, especially without being involved in or changed by the consequences: “A free press … has remained … a vital catalyst to an informed and responsible electorate” (Robert O’Neal).
To modify or increase rate of reaction without being consumed is no small feat. Most folks who go out intentionally to make big change in the world burn out and are consumed in the process. I am not such a person. I am a true catalyst. My view is basically not in line with the views of those who surround me; often it is diametrically opposed. Infiltration is the key to changing anything. The only time I sincerely burned out and quit as an agent of change was when I infiltrated the VA as a volunteer to improve health care for vets. That was just too much for me. My specialty as a catalyst is as a mendacity meter. People lie all the time, and I am very sensitive to the common practice. I am gifted with a very accurate sensor that detects dishonesty of all kinds. This is neither a blessing nor a curse. It is my unique talent that I am somehow obligated to use for the betterment of mankind. We catalysts have a moral obligation to avoid snark because, tempting as it may be, outing people is not usually beneficial to anyone.
People lie for many reasons. I find that usually they fail to tell the truth because they have no knowledge or training in the truth. If brainwashing works, then the victim believes what has been inculcated. As I review my life I clearly notice a strong tendency to spy/rebel/teach, as a cycle. I love infiltration for no reason:I enjoy the feeling of being a foreign object in a strange culture, incognito…I almost never go for status quo ….and I fill my teaching with subversive messages I hope will be released into the students’ brains as a constant reminder to do due diligence and individuate. I have a mission to tell the truth, but in a helpful way. Not everything that is true needs to be said, but when it does I am ready to say it. This blog is my channel to put this gift to the highest and best use. Thanks to all the gentle readers who give me this opportunity.
Healer Archetype
July 15, 2013
Healers have obstacles to overcome in learning to practice their arts. Today many must endure heavy hazing in the hospital residency period to become an MD. The apparent cruelty is set up to show the prospect what to expect when entering a medical career. Overworked and tired, those who survive will become the next generation of MD’s. The training may not include any advise on self care or setting a healthy example. Empathy is not taught, but acquired. The mythical Chrion represents the fortitude and wisdom required to heal the bodies or souls of others. The positive healer uses energy and talents wisely to benefit everyone. The shadow healer harms others, sometimes unwittingly. The present system of health care in the United States qualifies, in my opinion, as a wounded healer that has yet to acquire empathy for the patient.
Floating
July 13, 2013
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raft floating
floatation devices
deep end with supervision
experimenting
free time
safe and fun
Floating is a pleasant sensation that requires letting go of the edge. Floating has a lot to do with breathing;if you think about it it is obvious. Inflation of the lungs floats the thoracic cavity. Body fat floats very nicely, so having the right distribution is helpful to effortless floatation. Tension will sink the body, so this effort to attain emptiness and nothingness is impossible to fake. Most people reflexively hold their breath in water, and are unaware of their breathing altogether. Athletic muscular people often can’t swim very far because they exchange very little oxygen with shallow breathing. Tension and fatigue set in quickly when you have no air to use during an aerobic activity. Fully exhaling underwater is the first step to doing everything else you ever want to do in water for the rest of your life. Once you know you can exhale, and have changed your reflex by blowing bubbles each time your face is in the water you have begun to take control of the situation. Since there is a natural fear factor, this is not so much an intellectual practice as a physical one.
Teaching a young child to float, blow bubbles, and eventually swim is a chance to instill confidence and self esteem. Both parent and child develop confidence and build trust during this important introduction to a dangerous environment in which they can easily drown. Fear is entirely appropriate for non swimmers around water, no matter how old they may be. A parent or teacher’s job in showing young children the pleasures of swimming and water sports is to draw clear safety guidelines. Adults must set boundaries, define rules, and perhaps for the first time in a kid’s young life, assign appropriate punishment for violating pool or lesson rules. Even if kids are good strong swimmers they can potentially be injured or injure others if left without any supervision or guidelines. In order to preserve the joy and fun in visiting the pool or lake use common sense:
- Never assume another adult is watching the kids.
- Balance practice time with free play time.
- Teach games that challenge level of skill with risk (boundaries clearly set).
- Encourage stroke or diving practice early in the session, not when the student is tired.
- Understand you are modeling risk assessment more than anything.
- End before dehydration and mayhem ensue.
- Use all kinds of floatation devices to stay safe as well as comfortable
The same rules apply for adult swimmers. Pace yourself and stay safe. Doing nothing but floating on your back in the water taking deep breaths can become easy, but it requires complete focus. Start in shallow water and work up to going deeper. Like the backbend in yoga, the trust fall into water requires a level of confidence that can only be acquired through practice.
Triberr Rules
July 11, 2013
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I value my Triberr membership very highly, and love the opportunity to invite the world to join us. I invite artistic Tumblrs to come on over to see how I Tumble in the Artistic Expressions tribe. I have not promoted this arty little place in the world, but hope other expressive folks will drop by with some art to share. The benefits of Triberr compound themselves daily. Deep appreciation goes out to Dino, Dan, and Andres for both getting this party started, and improving it all the time. Thanks for the t shirt. I wear it with pride.
Middle Class as History Lesson
July 10, 2013
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The vanishing middle class in America is the subject of much discussion. In fact, tonight some of the internet’s finest minds will tweet brilliant ideas in a twitter chat on this subject. How the advent of technology has reduced the need for big workforces that manufacturing employed in the past is part of our political history and our new economy. Pros and cons can be weighed, but there is nobody who believes our economic policies have not grown a very wealthy upper class with extrme privilege at the expense of the rest of the population. Our great divide grows larger each minute providing tax breaks, and a dream environment for big business while poverty grips our children and our elderly. The new fat cat is fat indeed. A generation of wealth has been wiped out and shifted to the wealthiest and most powerful of our citizens.
I had the pleasure of meeting Bill Moyers several times when I worked at fancy spas. He was a spa bunny. He is more charming in person than I ever imagined, quickly running to the top of my favorite celebrity list. I learned one time talking with him down in Mexico that his mother was from Texas, like mine. They both had the same first name, Ruby. His mom, however, was named Ruby Jewel. Wow. Last night on Charlie Rose his interview reminded me of all the reasons I love him, but it also taught me that we were both in Austin when he was working for LBJ and I was protesting LBJ. It’s like we’re connected.
Free Freedom
July 9, 2013
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amaryllis
sunflower
cactus
sunflwoer
ice plant
iris
sunflower
hollyhock
bee balm
sunflowers
Our relative freedom is under our control. We are sometimes the prisoners in our very own jail of procrastination, judgment, and something we call, running around. We often choose running around our decisions rather than making them, which, by default, makes them. If we can send armies to fight for freedom in harsh conditions what is stopping us from personally liberating ourselves to feel happy and free? Here are some places to look for or create more freedom in your life:
- Decide – No need to be rash, and you can change your mind later, but just do it when you have decisions to make
- Create – Any act of creation from cooking to sculpture to poetry writing gives us a sense of freedom. We have made our own. We do not have to settle for what everyone else has.
- Move – Sometimes a tragic byproduct of depression or physical discomfort is reluctance to move. Moving is freedom itself;the more you move and use your body in different ways, the more freedom you feel. The body responds with greater flexibility and range of motion, which itself feels really good.
- Choose – Make choices in your daily life to expand the horizon. If you have eaten the same breakfast for years, try something else. Small changes and personal touches are the essence of freedom. Allow yourself to make new choices for no particular reason. Find your own favorites you have not yet experienced.
- Allow – Free time is rare and fleeting with the electronic gadgets in hand all day and all night. Free up some concentrated personal time to be spontaneous and discover new worlds. Start small and build on this practice.
- Garden – We may not all be able to grow our own, but visiting gardens and other botanical spaces give us an expansive feeling of being part of nature. If you put in the hard work it takes to grow some food you like to eat you will be rewarded for those efforts. Picking your dinner is liberating and empowering.
Flunking Personal Branding, Scribe Archetype
July 5, 2013
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I have been advised by Vizify that I am failing personal branding by not using my key words. I could not be more thrilled to hear this news. If there is one thing I want to avoid it is personal branding. This word counting cousin of Klout wants to publish yet another profile and share it all over the place. I have had other analytics of my public content which arrived at the conclusion that I was an expert in mangos. I am an expert in swimming and aquatic exercise, but am not intending to make all of my content prove that point.
I wanted to be a travel writer long ago when one had to actually get published by someone else. Now that I can say and do what I like when I like, I prefer to take up more than one subject. Travel still interests me, but I stay home more than I did when I was an agent in the good old days. I am a scribe, an historian, a reporter with my own beat. I sometimes write political opinions, but think it would be boring to do that regularly. I feature my ancestors, one at a time, to show my direct relationship to history. Botany is a passion, so I often photograph plants to share in this blog. I try not to create a diary of my life, but to share what I think others want to know. I am scribe at large.
I appreciate the chance to meet others and exchange thoughts and information. I have been very lucky to make the acquaintance of other family members here who have offered data about our common ancestors. That has been a happy unintended consequence of writing in public. Triberr has introduced me to a world of bloggers I enjoy reading as well as posting in my twitter stream. Our system allows us to syndicate each other through Triberr. It facilitates the flow of ideas, art, and information. I am pleased to live in a time that gives us this access to the previously closed world of publishing. I appreciate every gentle reader who reads, shares, and comments here. Thank you all for helping me fail personal branding.
My American History, Plymouth to Tucson
July 4, 2013
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My single Wampanoag ancestor, Quadequina is the only true American in my tribe. My DNA tests out at 96% from the British Isles. My pedigree is what is known in the US as blue blooded. My ancestors almost all left Europe in the early 1600’s to colonize America. They had a religious problem with the locals who were freaking out all over Europe in different religious ways. Suffice it to say the move to Plymouth or Jamestown was done with more than a little religious arrogance. The locals here had a perfectly adequate religious practice, but the Pilgrims and Virginians were bound to convert and enslave them in an exciting new monotheistic way. The God who sailed over with the Pilgrims was that angry, vengeful ,all by himself God who just had no patience or tolerance for the beliefs of others. This God provided for the English on American soil by making sure the king back home had power to scare the beJesus out of any non-believer.
Imagine the dismay of the locals in Massachusetts when they learned that the colonists not only sucked down their erstwhile property and hunting rights, but planned to take more of the same. King Philip , AKA my great uncle, planned and executed a revolution against the colonists, which is when things got ugly quickly and forever. When I visited Mashpee, the land that was given by the English to the tribe, by arrangement with the King in 1655, I thought I would see the graves of the elders who started Thanksgiving. I was mighty upset with my Pilgrim ancestors, even though one of them married into the tribe, the group in general was highly rude and creepy. I saw the graves of the Mayflower passengers, and their church….but not a clue as to the location of Quadequina’s resting place. Bury my heart at Mashpee.
I learned much about the way American history has been reconstructed, but I also got to meet some young Wampanoag people who have great pride and are reviving the language. I became very angry again when I found out the wampum belts that document this history are in England…and the tribe asked them to return the property to Mashpee. Wampum is a shell currency used to create agreements and make purchases. The belt was a form of contract used to define, for instance, real estate deals made with Brits. The state of Rhode Island was purchased with wampum. I have no power to get the wampum artifacts returned, or change the facts of history. I just wear the wampum I got on Cape Cod as a reminder of by beloved American tribe. On behalf of 96% of my blood, I apologize.
