Hi to one and all. Be it Harcus, Hercus, Herkes, Harkes, Herkess, Harkess, etc. I shall use one way of spelling; Hercus, and perhaps this was the original way it was spelt many, many, years ago. Who knows, time modified many things in life, and that included the Hercus surname.
This is our next update for the Family Reunion 2011.
This coming August, 2010, my husband and I, are meeting up with another Hercus (Herkes) Team Member and his family, and we shall tie up any loose ends at Carfraemill. At the same time we will scout around for more possible accommodation nearby, and leave things sort of settled, for our “Gathering” on August, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, 2011.
In the meantime to assist the committee in developing a schedule of events we would appreciate if you could all take a few moments and develop some ideas or suggestions as to what you would expect to happen during these three days. Please do not be shy all suggestions are welcomed.
We realise we asked this once before but since then many new names have been added to the list and their input is important in developing a programme. If you did respond earlier please do so again.
We have booked the Campbell Function Room at Carfraemill for the three days of our gathering. On Friday August 5, 2011 a gala closing dinner is scheduled, and we hope to have various types of entertainment such as Highland Dancing, Scottish Pipes.
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Tartan "Flower of Scotland"
The above tartan is called the "Flower of Scotland", as the Hercus family doesn’t have its own tartan, one of the Team has proposed, this could be adopted as the Herkes Tartan, being one, which can be used for all other families such as Hercus which has no tartan of it’s own.
One idea suggested was a detailed tour of East Lothian, visiting as many as we can of the towns, villages, hamlets where our surname pops up. Although we all know things have changed very much so, one will get a feeling of their kin when perhaps visiting a church where an ancestry was married, or baptized, or an address known to house a relative. I think this would be practically a whole day affair.
Sample of Death Register
As well those coming to the event do not forget to bring your research to share with one and all. Perhaps putting your family tree data, registrations, photos of the Family Bible, ancestors and present day photos, etc on a CD would be better than bringing all of your paperwork. Then copies could be made and distributed to one and all to review at a later date when back home. These photos and registers are from one of the Team member’s branch.
Notation of births found in the Family Bible
Notation of Deaths found in the Family Bible
Any questions please ask any of the following members of the Team.
Neil Spacinsky (nspacinsky@cogeco.ca) Jacalyn Herkes (jacalyn.herkes@gmail.com)
John Herkes (herkes@uidaho.edu)
5 comments:
(I just wrote a long comment -- perhaps too lengthy -- and received an error message while trying to post. :( Will try to reconstruct and not be so verbose!)
Looking forward to next summer and meeting distant kin. Will be saving my pennies!
As far as interesting things to do . . I like the idea of a tour of East Lothian (or Midlothian or where e'er a plethora of Hercus folk lived). I've visited some of my own Harkes family "stomping grounds" but it would be nice to see them again as well as other locations.
Since Herkes was not a clan and were Lowland Scots for the most part, why not concentrate on life, culture, and traditions in the Lothians? The majority of North Americans (and probably Aussies) who visit Scotland for the first time expect to find haggis eating bagpipe players! (Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the pipes but the Lowlands have their own charm and music as well.)
Bookmarking this blog and looking forward to future updates. Thanks for the opportunity to comment. :)
1) I think it would be a shame if people came only with a disc of their "Hercus Family Memorabilia" because at the Hercus Family reunions we have attended here in Australia and New Zealand most of the fun is looking at each others bits and pieces, printed 'family trees' up on the wall, photographs, newspaper articles etc - I know that to bring too much with me
from Australia would be a drag - but we could scan and photograph a lot of it and make up a booth or table just like our company used to do when attending conferences over-seas.
2) Are you going to have sections like the "Australian Hercus Families" and the "New Zealand Hercus Families" etc. including all the other countries that the Hercus name has migrated to? That could be interesting.
3) Are you planning on visiting "Harcasse Hill" (is this how the Hercus name started out) at the farm just south of Duns and I guess Melrose Abbey also?
I would like to leave a comment here, the first comment is by Jan Hercus from Australia. I just happened to copy and paste her mail and put it here for everyone to read.
This type of input is important information for us, on the Team, to cater to everyone's expectations for the Hercus Folk Reunion. So Folks let's have your comments.
Thanking you all in advance.
Jackie
Hi.
I don't know if anyone still checks this but thought I'd write in case. I have ancestors from Midlothian called Harkess (although the father was Harcus) but thought you might not know that the name Harcus originates in Orkney. There are many still living up here now.
Good luck with any future gatherings,
Gail
Hi Gail, I'm afraid the name originates in the Scottish Borders ... Harcase, I have no idea when some of the Harcus or Hercus moved to Orkney, but they did. The paper trail didn't lead us to Orkney, but some from the Hercus family did a ADN on family members and they were able to pinpoint the Scottish Borders being were the folks had emerged. This dates back to the 11th century.
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