This is a very personal post and will be atypical of my usual blogging regimen but I decided to share with family and friends and anyone else who might have an interest. For some reason my thoughts often turn to this very subject on Thanksgiving holidays, both present and past. It’s near the top of my list of things to be thankful for and my list is a long one.
I’ll be forever grateful for the nomadic tendencies of my Dudley ancestors and I’ll explain why at the conclusion of this post. First a little history,
Image copyright Jim Dudley, used by permission
The Dudley clan is English and several of my direct paternal ancestors were among the Baron’s Dudley of Dudley Castle in the town of Dudley, West Midlands, England. One of those Dudleys was John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, who was beheaded for his attempt to set Lady Jane Grey on the throne of England. This image of part of the castle was taken by my cousin Jim Dudley several years ago. There’s not a lot left of the castle itself – some of it was destroyed by order of Parliament in 1646 and some destroyed by fire in 1750. But what is left provides some visible evidence of the historic roots of my family.
My great (x8) grandfather was Governor Thomas Dudley (1576-1653). Thomas was a Puritan who because of religious persecution in England sailed with his family to the new world in 1630. He was second in command of 11 ships and about 700 puritans who established the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He and Simon Bradstreet were chief founders of Cambridge, Massachusetts and Thomas was governor of Massachusetts four times. He was a founder of Harvard College and as governor signed its charter in 1650. He had 8 children and I am descended through his son, Reverend Samuel Dudley.
Thomas was a nomad (by my definition at least) and is the reason my family is in North America.
Most of the Dudley’s lived in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont for the next several generations. Among them was my great great grandfather Oliver Hunt Dudley who was living in Boston in the early 1830’s when he and his family were converted by early Mormon missionaries. They almost immediately moved to Nauvoo, Illinois to be with Joseph Smith and most of the rest of the Mormons but due to persecution and mob violence they left Illinois when Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were murdered at the Carthage Jail and eventually followed Brigham Young to Utah in 1850. Another nomadic Dudley.
Oliver’s son, Joseph Smith Dudley (1851-1928), was my great grandfather. Apparently due to a tragic killing (more about that event here if you have the interest) Joseph traded his Utah farm for one in Hillspring, Alberta, Canada and moved his family there in about 1912. Yep, another Dudley nomad.
Joseph’s son, Devere Snow Dudley, was my grandfather. During his life DeVere lived throughout much of the west including (and in chronological order) Utah, Alberta, Montana, Colorado, Washington State and California. Here he is on the left, with his brother Joe on a river trip in Colorado in about 1920. DeVere and Joe were devoted brothers though they were very different from each other. My mother told me that in this photo DeVere has a bottle of whiskey in his hand while Joe has a Bible in his vest pocket. My father Wayne was born in Colorado this same year.
Are you beginning to see the nomadic trend with the Dudley’s?
This is my dad, Wayne. The photo was taken in 1944 as he was about to ship overseas to take part in the invasion of Okinawa toward the end of World War ll (dad was a radioman and operated a flame thrower). While I was growing up we lived in Cut Bank, Montana, Escondido and Poway California and Grant’s Pass, Oregon. The nomadic trend continues.
Which leads me to, well… me. As an adult I have been significantly less nomadic than my ancestors and from my early 20’s have lived my entire life in Utah. Here I’m on a bird photography trip a couple of years ago at the base of Utah’s Oquirrh Mountains.
Ok, here’s the point of all this. I’m a westerner at heart – I can’t say that strongly enough. I love, crave, the wide open spaces of the American West. I’m a bit of a loner and don’t like crowds (that is likely an understatement). I spend enormous amounts of time camping, exploring and photographing in the western wilds. In me I swear it’s something innate. I’d be like a fish out of water if I didn’t have convenient access to such wild and open places. If Thomas hadn’t emigrated to the New World and if Oliver hadn’t moved to Utah I’d likely be living in England or somewhere back east. That’s just not for me. If Joseph hadn’t moved to Alberta my dad would never have met my mother. And the list goes on…
My mind often wanders to these vagaries of circumstance and makes me thankful that things turned out the way they did. And I always have those thoughts on Thanksgiving especially. I have many, many things to be thankful for but the nomadic lifestyle chosen by my Dudley ancestors is near the top of that list.
So, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope that all of you have at least as many things to be thankful for as I do.
Ron
Note: It goes without saying that the Dudley women played a huge role in the journey of my family but as any family history buff will likely understand I know much more about the males than I do the females, thus the paternal focus of this post.
I see the family resemblance in the photos and remember the post on Oliver Hunt Dudley. I have very little knowledge of my family history and went to some length to retrieve some of it so find your story and appreciation of it very interesting.Happy Thanksgiving Ron! (since you stated you are somewhat of a loner I guess we won’t see you at any Black Friday sales ;))
Ron I see you in Oliver Hunt Dudley–without the marvelous white beard but with all the wisdom.
Thanks
Happy Thanksgiving from one Westerner to another! And indeed, I know what you mean. Utah is in my heart, soul and mind, never to be erased or replaced. I am just sorry to see the political climate deteriorate to the degree it has. Such a shame.
Hi!
Enjoyed reading all your history of your families! Wow and to think I have met such a person of their wonderful lives. You must write a book for sure! I love your work and photo’s and your lessons and suggestions to become a better Photography myself. You are a blessing and a wonderful person in so many special peoples life! Thank you for my having being able to know you! Have a great life full of wonderful days doing what you love! Keep up your good works!
Terrific post, Ron!
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Westerner!
PS – My Dad (Navy-WWII) arrived on Okinawa with the Seabees in April 1945!
Whoa, this is getting almost scary!
My dad was in the 7th Army Division. If I remember correctly they landed on Okinawa on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945.
130th US Naval Construction Battalion also arrived on Okinawa 1 April 1945
Wouldn’t it be amazing, Nancy – if they met each other on the beach, or elsewhere. Long shot, but possible…
…you never know!
Family history is fascinating stuff Ron! My great x9 paternal grandfather (Major Simon Willard) sailed from Horsmonden, County Kent, England and settled in Cambridge, MA in May 1634. He was an “enterprising merchant dealing extensively in furs with the various Indian tribes.” He was the “chief instrument” in founding Concord, MA (1635-1636). It is very probable our greats knew each other!
“It is very probable our greats knew each other!”
I’d say that’s almost a given, Nancy. Read Susan Stone’s comment below. Amazing that the three of us have made a connection 380+ years after our ancestors very likely knew each other in Massachusetts! To coin a phrase, it’s a small world…
Thank you so much. I found this precis of your family history fascinating and am more than a little jealous.
My father was a German Jew. I don’t know how he got out of Germany. I don’t know whether he had siblings. We are pretty certain his father died in one of the ‘camps’. His mother escaped (without her son) to the US, and they never met (or spoke) again.
My mother was English – and a stranger to the truth. A lot of what I thought I knew about her side of the family has been comprehensively disproved.
Some day I will take the time and attempt to track some roots on both sides of the family.
In the meantime, my antisocial self revels in open spaces and finds people overwhelming. No wonder I am drawn to you.
And I hope your Thanksgiving was/is wonderful.
I think you’d enjoy digging into your family history, Elephant’s Child. I was consumed by mine for about 4 years and I found lots of “stuff” – some of it very positive, some of it historically significant and some of it quite negative in some ways. But all of it was truly fascinating and I loved finding out each little bit – good or bad.
And yes, it does sound like you and I share much more than a love of birds.
Oliver has very kind eyes. 😀 I love genealogy so this was fascinating. Thanks!
Interesting story about his eyes, Arwen. Some communal sheep had mysteriously died and he and others skinned them at night by lantern-light. Several folks involved with the skinning became extremely ill from the diseased sheep. One person died. Oliver survived but lost the sight in one eye. I found a write-up on that incident in a historical document.
Happy Thanksgiving, Ron. Thanks for sharing family history.
Thank you, Debbie.
I meant to say Happy Thanksgiving. Also you can see the resemblance to in all three of those photos!
“Also you can see the resemblance to in all three of those photos!”
Yep, especially those Dudley ears!
So where does the Montana homestead come in, Ron? Just curious! My maternal relatives go back to the early colonies, as well, but in Virginia, not Massachusetts. Thanks for sharing!
Louise, Grandpa DeVere moved from Alberta to northwest Montana in 1930 and bought a farm. That farm is where I (mostly) grew up from 1947-65 and it still seems like home so I return as often as I can. Cousin Jim Dudley (1st photo) still lives there (in the farm house) and his sister Diana still farms much of the land.
Ron, you have shared bits and pieces of your family history before but never this much. You have such a fascinating history and some famous relatives. Thanks for sharing this fantastic story. I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful .
Debbie, Some of my ancestors are famous and some are infamous. I love’em all!
Ron, I’m betting that my maternal ancestors knew your original immigrant ancestors, because mine came to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1633. It’s always interesting to read about your family history.
Wow, Susan – that possibility (perhaps probability) kind of blows my mind. If they only knew that you and I have connected all these years later!
Thank you Ron! Nice to know you better for your interesting family history after discovering the splendid images so generously shared. May you carry on in good health for many years.
Thank you for the good health wishes, Gary. As I get older that subject obviously is never very far from the surface.
Great pictures and great experiences!!
I somewhat know how you feel, except the nomad part. Love the ocean, water, and would have a hard time not being near the ocean here in the east. Far enough away so I don’t have to worry about Hurricanes, but close enough to visit. Been to the Pacific, but missed the Atlantic. Loved the west, but still missed the east. Different things for different folks. My father was English and his ancestors goes back to Plymouth where I’m connected to the pilgrims who landed in 1620 and in 1630. My mother is part Scot part Welch. Knew my mother’s side of the family better than my father’s, probably why I’ve been to Scotland and their castle and wear a kilt on special occasions. One of my interests is Genealogy and DNA, love that stuff! But, I’m also a loner even though I taught in a school of 500 and was on duty 24/7 most of the time.
What is amazing to me, when you look into your past, are the stories told and untold that connect you to others.
Thanks for sharing this post!!
I know how you feel about the ocean, Dick. I lived very near it in California as a kid and I still miss it. You obviously have very interesting family history too – isn’t it fascinating to know something about those old-timers that in some ways made us what we are?
I simply cannot imagine being on duty 24/7 as a teacher. Much as I loved teaching, I’d have never made it to retirement under those conditions and that’s a fact!
It is wonderful that you have this family history and know it!
Yes, Knowing it has been a real gift, Gena!