6 September 2009
Cut off the roots from your family tree…
Since my first college trip to the National Archives in Chicago, I've dabbled in family history research from time to time. Most of my focus has been on reconstructing the paternal lines of my four grandparents. My maternal grandmother's genealogy is particularly fascinating because the way the family adapted to the U.S. after immigrating makes the line hard to trace. My great-great-great grandparents were both born about 1841. The Demske family of my great-great-great grandfather came from the German state of Prussia, and his wife's family immigrated from Saxony in 1866. They both entered the U.S. through New York, resided in Brooklyn, and were married in 1868. At the time of the 1870 census, they were living in Paterson, New Jersey, with one son, and the surname was spelled "Dempskey". By 1880, the family had moved to Philadelphia, and the surname was spelled "Demske". Jump forward to 1900, and they are still living in Philadelphia, but the surname has been changed to "Dempsey". By 1910, my great-great-great grandfather had passed away, and his wife is listed in both the 1910 and 1920 censuses as living in Chester County, Pennsylvania, with the surname "Demske". From 1900 forward, their sons continued to use the name "Dempsey" though, and that is what is used by members of our family today. I would love to know the particular reasons for the altering of the family name. But while my great-great grandfather may have picked up an Irish surname, he still married a Jewish girl.
I am reminded of Matisyahu's lyrics in his song "Jerusalem":
Them come overseas, yeah they're trying to be free.
Erase the demons out of your memory,
Change your name and your identity.
Afraid of the past and our dark history.
Why is everybody always chasing we?
Cut off the roots from your family tree.
Don't you see that's not the way to be?
"How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!" – Psalm 137:4-6