Before April is consigned to the archive of time gone, time gone I suppose being what family history stands on. But as with all history the importance of the past is that it makes us what we are now, and shows us surely what we should avoid in the future, or a trusty guide to what would be good to do in the future.
I'll leave the future to you.
So, the past, the people and the journey we should remember was lived by people such as you and I. If you are anything like me you have a romantic idea of your heritage, so connection to a reasonably well documented name such as Colclough gives good succour to my search. Family research websites we should remember are ultimately commercial in nature however it is too tempting not to use technology as it marches on, so in that spirit I ventured a DNA test via Ancestry.co.uk (or .com or .wherever you are). This of course came back as 99% Irish which was fantastic for my psyche, my DNA according to the website information is more than Irish, the reckoned level of 'Irishness' for a native in their DNA matching is 95%, so according to Ancestry I am extremely Irish.
Then I reflected, Colclough according to the family history, is English in origin hack to the 16th century and before, English, mind you whatever that is, Anglo-Saxon or Norman, or more exactly with respect to any I miss out, Angles, Jutes, Saxons, Mercians, Danes and Swedes and more. Anyway back to the point, where does that leave me and my 99%. Would I have to resign from the family? Not likely at the moment, this is how I will rationalise it, so for example if I go seven generations back that is 128 direct ancestors, eight generations 256 and so on, so this is where I shall go, according to my A level maths (an exam taken at aged 17 or 18 pre-university for those not aware of the British education system) that will give me my missing trace, the bit not in the 99%, so one Colclough 'interacted' with a local as was their want way back, is my guess. My uncle Bernie noted the Colclough's (my direct ancestors) farming around the White mountain (Blackstairs Mountain) Co. Wexford, farmed land given to them by Great Caesar Colclough (1696 - 1766) which would indicate an 'interaction' at or before that time as the profligacy of the late 17th and 18th century male members of the family is well documented. So to reiterate I wont resign.
I also ran my DNA through GEDmatch, which was fascinating, generally N Atlantic with various other bits, why mention this? Well if anyone else has dipped their metaphoric toe into the seas of DNA and you would like to, get in touch.
John
Enough of this here's some more interesting stuff from my archival gatherings...
Caesar Colclough of Rosegarland, to Col. Dudley Colclough of Duffry Hall.
Dear Dudley, Xber ye 18th 1709.
Yw have inclosed, the outside sheet of two I received last post from my Brother dated 3rd inst. from Carlton, where he has removed for this winter with Sir Gervos Clifton, and his family (About I think distant about 30 miles from Clifton in ye same County) Yw may observe what he says as to Clayton, viz yet hee being Employed some person to represent ye therein cannot be well sold and with safety, but by yr consent which may be a means to worke Clayton to lissen to any proposell recommended by yrs, and may be of great euse to our purpose. Yet his valuing your family’s loss for woods and lands at £10,000 is I suppose to make ye purchase now less considerable, tho by this itself ye loss to yr family is infinitely disproportionable to ye recompense yw had, which is but a wretched £100 a year, and wee have roome on ye debate with Clayton, when wee come to a closer judgment, to make appeare justly and fairly yet your family lost £6,000 by your bargain, of which there is not now above a fifth part left, and yet yr friend disserves ye better bargain, tho Mr. Sexton writt to us of £6 or 7,000. for ye purchase, this lot seems to reduce it to ye old £5,000 which is very comfortable, especially if ye purchase of ye £50 a year to you be allowed out on, which as my brother computes it, (and indeed ye very lowest it is worth) is 20 years purchase and beats of £1,000 of yr purchase. I find Mr. Sexton sends all our letters to my brother, but he could have no sight of our last, when he writt this, nor does he take notice of it. In right we observed to Mr. Sexton what he now does to us, viz. To be careful there are noe galls in soe old and mixt an interest. Yet Clayton should shew his right, and lett us into a fair and cleare purchase, and not into Beangles and disputes hereafter with ye Phaires, and this my brother would have cleared, and soe woud wee, but how to have it done, is yr matter, for Clayton will not cry “Stinking Fish”, And will still urge there is no hazard of disputes, but wee must not soe far take his word as to rely upon it, and how we shall cleere it otherwise, I know not, If you cant get it out of Mr. Rogers, as my brother seems to hint, by saying wee ought to discourse such of ye partners as wee might trust in this, or ye like matter. I believe Barrington cannot fully inform you, for he has only a share in ye works without any of ye woods, and lands I presume, which must wholly belong to the Phaires and Clayton, so yet none but some of them, or Rogers can do it, unless yr order in Chancery getts it forth, which I fear you have not yett gott, for I recon Edward never minded it, he is such a wretched fellow, and yet this must be done forthwith, one how or other, that we may be proposed to write when next wee hear from Mr.Lexton or my brother who I am sure will not like it stopped thereof it be possible. You see what little hopes there is of getting money of yr side ye water, as long as ye old hagg lives, and I shall have more to pay than I shall ever be able to raise upon my own privatt business, so yet I would have you push hard and be prepared, and if I can anyway raise money, I will not miss to joyn with you provided wee can goe upon a safe foote, and I think it may not be amiss you do discourse Mr. Rogers, but not lett him know you have any thought out, but yet you are alarmed by a rhumore that ye woods were to be sold, and yet you oppose it, till you were better secured for your annuity, and soe hee never will suspect you, and may open his mind to you, and lett you know whether such a thing can be done by Clayton or no. You may likewise seem to believe hee may be ye purchaser himself, and if he denys it, as no doubt hee will, you may then say you believe it is only a country talk, and you put no stress upon it, soe hee’ll only think they were words of course dropped from you, and yet you have no designe in it, but it woud be worth your while to see Grogan, and bring him to own how far hee proceeded in ye matter, for yet you are very well assured he did make overture to Mr. Clayton, and seeme to caution him to have a care how hee meddles with yet you have a great lye upon, for yt you will throw ye value of it away, before you will suffer yr security to be destroyed before yr face. This may check any further thoughts from him of ye matter and may provoke him to lett you know such difficulties as hee knows to be in it, and I am sure hee never will suspect you to have any thoughts of purchasing, for you are not recond such a person, but yet your fondness to keepe yr Woods standing, makes you concern yourself anyhow, these things if they could be done carelessly with a decent management might give a light into all that is necessary; And if Robin Phaire and … were pumped by some third person, we might perhaps stepp into ye whole concern after a while, and we may very safely employ Nixon in it. I am sure he'd fine ye bottom of their harts, and perhaps all ye rubbs in one way by it, I have in this, given you one hours worke, I hope wee shall see you and my cossen this Christmas. You may keep a coppy of ye enclosed, or such part of it as you think fitt, and lett me by your first hand have it returned to your affect,
Caesar Colclough.
For Colonel Dudley Colclough, At Mocorry.
