Last week found me traversing the southeast corner of our state from Osgood to Lawrenceburg, Richmond to Fountain City, and Cambridge City to Dublin. And since it is St. Patty's day, I thought I'd share my experience from Dublin, or what there is of it. I was asked to take a look at a Quaker church in the tiny National Road community. And while there is a well-spring of Quaker blood in my veins, I had never been in a church of the Society of Friends. What a smart-looking one to make my first. It was built c. 1878 by the Dublin congregation.
A day before, I had just mentioned to a couple of congregants from the Westfield Friends Church that I'm proud of my Quaker ancestors who came from North Carolina and settled in Wayne and Henry counties to ensure that Indiana would not become a slave state. And it was a close vote.
Quakers were very strict about marriage outside the church, and their "monthly meeting" records not only demonstrate that, but also are a wealth of information for genealogists. My ancestors were members in nearby Spiceland. I have a feeling that I may need to extend a family discount to the Friends in Dublin. But what I and a friend who traveled with me wanted most out of our visit to Dublin was directions to a good pub. Dublin, however, is a dry town, even on St. Patrick's Day.
I have for a long time operated under the false conclusion that I have Irish blood....though family records would still indicate some truth in that, my DNA tests show otherwise. Still, I have a love for all things Irish. My wife was thrilled to point out that her dad, adopted at birth, came back with results showing 53% Irish, which would just about have to indicate one of his parents were born to Irish immigrants. No wonder I was drawn to her.
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