Fashionista ~ Past & Present

Thinking about this week's prompt TEXTILES I started thinking about how fashion changes over time. 

Often we look at old photos and are confused about what was 'in style'. Looking at how our ancestors dressed through the eyes of today we are often left giggling. How could THAT possibly be in fashion we ask ourselves.

I would like to believe my husband's ancestors were fashionable since it's a trait he has & has passed to our children. 

I have written about my husband's fashion sense before - read it here: Fashionista ~ Princess Chris

I have been known to go out looking less than 'well put together', but they never do! 

This is my husband's 4th great grandmother on his father's paternal line.

Sarah Elizabeth (nee Hawthorne) Meharg was known as Elizabeth. 

Looking at this photo we wonder -- was she fashionable? Was the bonnet the latest fashion?  or not? 

When I look at the photo there is no doubt she is related to my husband. They share similarities in the nose, lips, chin and face shape, along with hair line. They may also share eyebrows, but we can't be sure 4th great grandma didn't alter hers for beauty practices of the day.

It's always interesting to find features shared with ancestors.

She was 22 years old when she married John William (known as William) Meharg at Drumballyroney Civil Parish, County Down, Northern Ireland. This information was provided by an ancestor & genealogy researcher via message on Ancestry. Their first born child was born in that parish near the village of Rathfriland further supporting the claim.

She was 84 years old (widowed at age 40) when she died while visiting daughter Esther (married to Daniel Archibald Mosher) in Yale, Michigan, USA.

My husband's 4th great grandparents: 

Sarah Elizabeth (Elizabeth) Hawthorne
BIRTH 1 JAN 1804 • County Down, Northern Ireland
DEATH 30 AUG 1888 • Yale, St. Clair County, Michigan, USA
and
John William (William) Meharg
BIRTH County Down, Northern Ireland
DEATH 1844 • Ontario, Canada

Elizabeth & William had 9 children including 2 sets of twins born just just 2 years (less a day) apart. 

That household must have been so busy with 2 year old twins, newborn twins, a 4 year old, a 7 year old, and a 9 year old. I can't imagine how she coped with looking after the children & the home in a time when no conveniences existed.

Their children:

William Meharg
BIRTH 1830 • Ireland
DEATH ABT. 1852

John Franklin Meharg (my husband's 3rd great grandfather)
BIRTH 24 JUN 1832 • Rathfriland, Ulster, County Down, Ireland
DEATH 7 JUN 1909 • Norfolk, Haldimand-Norfolk Regional Municipality, Ontario, Canada

James Meharg
BIRTH 12 AUG 1835 • Ireland
DEATH 17 DEC 1914 • Ludington, Mason, Michigan, USA

Elizabeth Margaret Meharg
BIRTH 8 NOV 1837 • Ireland
DEATH Unknown

Samuel Meharg 
BIRTH 8 NOV 1837 • Rathfriland, County Down, Northern Ireland
DEATH 14 OCT 1912 • Russell County, Kansas, USA

Sarah Lavina Meharg
BIRTH 7 NOV 1839 • Hillsborough, County Down, Ulster, Northern Ireland
DEATH 17 MAY 1922 • Watertown, Codington Co., South Dakota, USA

Esther Meharg
BIRTH 7 NOV 1839 • Ireland
DEATH 28 JUN 1920 • Yale, St. Clair County, Michigan, USA

Robert Meharg
BIRTH ABT. 1841
DEATH Unknown

Edward Meharg
BIRTH ABT. 1843
DEATH ABT. 1843
Edward died on the trip to Canada, and was buried at sea

The first child I could find records for was born 4 years after their marriage. After that babies arrived about every 2 years. I suspect there was infants born still or died young that didn't make the trip from Ireland, and their records are lost to us at this time. We may find them in the future. No child should be forgotten.

On a side note - the family story is the Meharg family were sheep thieves, and after deciding to leave their thieving days behind reversed the spelling of their name. The name was originally Graham. When I first heard this family tale I was concerned about my husband and I being related since my mom's maiden name was Graham. As I cautiously clicked the One-to-one Autosomal DNA Comparison button on GedMatch I was relieved to see No shared DNA segments found, and even more relieved for the same answer with my mom's sister's kit number. 

My Grahams are from Scotland, and his Mehargs are from Ireland.

We are not related.

Finding no shared branches between spouses!!!

This is why I search - 

Cause ... 

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family you know!

***Any errors are my own. Please send me any updates or corrections via the comments at the bottom of this blog post***

Photos:

Sarah Elizabeth (nee Hawthorne) Meharg, Retrieved May 22nd 2022 from Ancestry. Original source of photo unknown.

Sources:

Drumballyroney.  Civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. Retrieved May 22nd 2022 from https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Drumballyroney

Marriage information for Sarah Elizabeth Hawthorne & John William Meharg. Descendant & Genealogy researcher Carol (Meharg) Morrow. Provided January 2022

Links:

Amy Johnson Crow, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks/

If you reference or use my blog posts in any way please

include a link to the specific blog and

credit http://somehowrelated.blogspot.com/

My blogs are ©Deborah Buchner, 2014 forward.

All rights reserved.

Please & Thank you!

______________________________________________________________