So why is that practically anyone who is even vaguely knowledgeable of their ancestors contend, or at least hope, that they are related to royalty, an American president, an Indian princess, or Mayflower travelers?  The myth abounds within our family lore that the Heard’s descend from the Earl of Tyrone (County Tyrone of Northern Ireland).  Now myth is a wonderful thing but more often than not it’s just that – myth.  Otherwise, they’d call it fact. Now it’s common knowledge that the Heard line of which I descend is from County Tyrone, and who knows, maybe there was a Heard there named Earl, but certainly no earl of the royalty persuasion.

Good comedy contains an element of truth and myth probably does too.  However, it’s worth noting that the devil tempted Eve with a half-truth and you see where that got her.

I can categorically report that the genes of nary a single U.S. president pulses within my bloodstream.  The closest I can claim is that my gggggrandmother Elizabeth Thurmond is somehow related to the late Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.  Trent Lott of Mississippi seemed to think old Strom would’ve made a great president but just being a candidate doesn’t quite count.  Is “Strom the almost-president” really related to Elizabeth Thurmond and therefore me?  Some have claimed it.  But that don’t necessarily make it so.  It does make for a good story though.

And what of the Mayflower?  Of the many ancestors I’ve been able to trace not a single one seemed to venture north of Philadelphia, PA.  In fact they all headed south in about the time it takes to read this paragraph – and stayed there.

No Indian princesses either, as far as I can tell.  Some say the Music(k) line may have some American Indian blood, but as the others, I suspect more myth than fact.  I guess the fascination is to somehow feel like “I am somebody.”   To those I say, “Get a life.”  Start with the idea that your worth is defined by being a creation of God and then set about with your God-given talent to do something with your life – get an education, build something, love your neighbor, or raise your children believing their worth is not defined by you or a mythical royal, president, or Indian princess.

This also applies to the descendents of slaves.  Yes, I have ancestors that owned slaves.  Am I proud of this fact?  No. Am I ashamed of this fact?  No.  History is what it is regardless of how it's rewritten.  The truth of the matter is that the vast majority of my ancestors were dirt poor, scratching a living off the land.  So please don’t come crying to me for slave reparations. No related slave-owner ever willed me any land, money, or anything of value so don’t bother to claim anything of mine as belonging to you.

Forgive me if I sound like the mythical “angry white male.” The night of the 1994 election, after the defeat of practically every candidate with a “D” after his or her name, Peter Jennings of ABC News proclaimed the nation had a temper tantrum as if we’re angry, spoiled children.  The press thereafter began referring to 1994 as the Year of the Angry White Male.  Thus a myth is born. But it does make for a good story.

I’d like to close this musing with a few words about scoundrels.  Given human nature after the fall of man, it seems there should be more of them within my family than I’ve been able to uncover.  There are the Benefield brothers who supposedly died in a three way shoot out over the infidelity of one brother with another’s wife.  Now that’s scandalous. And a Heard was supposedly shot in a Georgia churchyard. The legend is further punctuated with “facts” such as informing the law of illegal moonshine production and strained family relationships. At this writing this one falls in the myth category*.  Perhaps half of it is true.  Since we’re all somewhat villainous to varying degrees there should be more stories to reveal, but there aren’t.  I suspect shame plays a big part in curtailing the passing down of such stories, and become lost.  With shame becoming less of a virtue in our society will our future generations detail our individual scandals?  Lord, say it ain’t so, even if it is a good story.