GILLIS FAMILY REUNION

Our reunion began to develop when I kept going to wakes and funerals and meeting my relatives, some of whom I had never met. I vowed to have a reunion under conditions that were in a more pleasant surrounding! So, I started to e-mail my relatives, and asked what dates were good for them. We had decided already that it would be held in July, but not on the 4th because of all the other functions going on that holiday. As it turned out, we picked July 7th, 2002 – yes it’s been four years already since I planned and held that reunion.
My next project was to find a place. We have a very nice state park in Warwick, Rhode Island, and I went there to pick out the spot that I thought would be most enjoyable. I booked 3 lots – not sure of how much space we would need – as it turned out it was perfect. Now, if it does not RAIN (yes, New England weather is cruel!), we would be all set.
The day had finally arrived. My uncles, aunts, cousins, and all my relatives showed up with food, sports equipment for volleyball and horseshoes, baseball, and for the kids, they had games to play which kept them busy as the adults got to know and talk about what was happening in their individual lives. I found out more at that reunion, and met more of my cousins than I knew I had! It was just great talking to them, and exchanging information about what they did for a living, how old they were, who were their kids, and how we were related.
That day was a sunny eventful day for THE GILLIS FAMILY. As it turned out, it peaked my interest in genealogy, and my Aunt Peg (my father’s half-sister) was the most helpful with the information, especially my ancestors that I never knew I had. She gave me the dates, and the web site for Prince Edward Island, which is where all my ancestors had lived – with the exception of Donald Gillis (my 7th generation grandfather) who was born in Morar, Scotland, in 1750.
And I e-mailed Bill Norin, whom I found was related (a cousin!!). He gave me his family tree and I worked my way to his and my grandfather. We parted with HUGH DANIEL GILLIS who was my grandfather, and his lineage was traced from Donald Gillis’s son Donald. I have completed my family tree with 150 names, 51 marriages, and tons of dates of birth, places of birth and children of those marriages. It took me on quite a journey.
Since our family reunion, I have kept in touch with those that e-mailed me, and started a web site on myfamily.com and we exchange information and photos of our loved ones. It’s a greet way to keep in touch, since I have relatives in Florida, Washington, DC, Virginia, South Carolina, and of course my home state – Rhode Island. We went to Prince Edward Island last year, and then to Nova Scotia to see the beautiful countryside – especially Charlottown, and Cape Breton in Nova Scotia.

Don Gillis, Rhode Island

ALL THESE GILLIS REUNIONS

We sure are clannish. We have reunions all over the country. Perhaps someday we can have one great one which would be open to all of us. Any volunteers to plan this? Here are some we have had. Click on this link and then on Multiplex Theatre 5.

Family Reunions

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FAMILY STATS

As you know I have been researching and storing information on our family for 30 years. Here is a brief summary of what I have in my database:
File size: 60862 KB

Total individuals: 7351

Total Marriages: 2097

Average Lifespan: 63 years, 5 months

Earliest birth date: 1718

Total Number of Generations: 16

Total Number of different surnames: 1320

We have 363 Mac Donalds, 639 Mc Donalds, 604 Gillises, 235 Mac/Mc Adams, 144 Mc Kinnons and 109 Mac Isaacs and many others

Web Page Hits: average of 411 a month!(these have provided most of my data)
…and as for real minutia:

There are 42 Mary Mc Donalds in my database, and 15 Donald Mac Donalds and finally 42 John Gillises and 29 Don Gillises

...and finally, I now have names and email addresses of 56 cousins I "Have Met on the Net"

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Scottish Humor

Her Majesty the Queen - bringing in the morning milk and papers at the Gallery of Modern Art

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The Scots have an infallible cure for sea-sickness. They lean over the side of the ship with a ten pence coin in their teeth."
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"In some Scottish restaurants they heat the knives so you can't use too much butter."
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McTavish broke the habit of a lifetime and bought two tickets for a raffle. One of his tickets won a 1,000 pound prize. He was asked how he felt about his big win. "Disappointed" said McTavish. "My other ticket didn't win anything"
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McDougal walked into a fish and chip shop. "I want 10 pence worth of chips, please. I want lots of salt and vinegar on them and two pence worth of pickled onions. And wrap the whole lot in today's newspaper".
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You should be careful about stereotyping the Scots as mean. There was a recent letter to a newspaper from an Aberdonian which said "If you print any more jokes about mean Scotsmen I shall stop borrowing your paper."
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Have you heard the rumour that the Grand Canyon was started by a Scotsman who lost a coin in a ditch?
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After discovering that they had won 15 million pounds in the Lottery, Mr and Mrs McFlannel sat down to discuss their future. Mrs McFlannel announced "After twenty years of washing other people's stairs, I can throw my old scrubbing brush away at last." Her husband agreed - "Of course you can, hun. We can easily afford to buy you a new one now."
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As a Christmas present one year, the Laird gave his gamekeeper, MacPhail, a deerstalker hat with ear-flaps. MacPhail was most appreciative and always wore it with the flaps tied under his chin to keep his ears warm in the winter winds. One cold, windy day the Laird noticed he was not wearing the hat.
"Where's the hat?" asked the Laird.
"I've given up wearing it since the accident," replied MacPhail.
"Accident? I didn't know you'd had an accident."
"Yes. A man offered me a nip of whisky and I had the earflaps down and never heard him."
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Scotsmen hate to see waste, no matter where it is. So when Jock saw the Niagara Falls for the first time he said it was a waste of water - and a plumber in Dundee could fix them in half an hour.
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A Scottish prayer - "Oh Lord, we do not ask you to give us wealth. But show us where it is!"
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When a bus company was prevailed upon to increase the concessionary fare to frequent travellers so that they got six journeys instead of four for a pound, one elderly gentleman, renowned for his frugality, even in a community where frugal folk are common, was still unhappy.
"It's all dam' foolishness," he declared. "Now we've got to walk to town six times instead of four times to save a pound!"
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Did you hear about the Scotsman who got caught making nuisance telephone calls? He kept reversing the charges.
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A Scotsman, an Englishman and an Australian were in a bar and had just started on a new round of drinks when a fly landed in each glass of beer. The Englishman took his out on the blade of his Swiss Army knife. The Australian blew his away in a cloud of froth. The Scotsman lifted his one up carefully by the wings and held it above his glass. "Go on, spit it oot, ye wee devil" he growled.
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McNab had become a bit hard of hearing but he didn't want to pay for a hearing aid. So bought a piece of flex, put one end in his top pocket and the other end in his ear. It didn't help his hearing but he found that people spoke to him more loudly.
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McTavish took his girlfriend out for the evening. They returned to her flat just before midnight and as she kissed him goodnight she said: "Be careful on your way home. I'd hate anyone to rob you of all the money you've saved this evening."
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By mistake, Sandy put a 50 pence coin instead of 5 pence on the collection plate at church. Despite his entreaties, the minister refused to give it back to him. So for the next nine weeks, when the plate was passed round, he passed it on saying "Season ticket."
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"Sandy suggested a candlelit dinner last night" Jessie reported to her friend the next day. "That was dead romantic" said her friend. "Not really. It just saved him having to fix the fuse."
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Jock asked the bus conductor how much it would cost to travel into town. "80 pence" said the conductor. Jock thought this was a bit steep so he decided to run after the bus for a few stops. "How much now?" he asked. "Still 80 pence". Jock ran after the bus for another three stops and, panting, he asked "How much now?" The conductor replied "90 pence. You're running in the wrong direction!"
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MacDonald was awarded 10,000 pounds for injuries received after a traffic accident and his wife got 2,000 pounds. A friend asked how badly injured his wife had been in the accident. MacDonald replied "Och, she wasn't injured but I had the presence of mind to kick her in the leg before the police arrived."
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A visitor to an Aberdeen bar was surprised to find the beer only two pence a pint. The barman explained that it was the price to mark the centenary of the pub opening. The visitor noticed, however, that the bar was empty. "Are the regular customers not enjoying the special prices?" he asked. To which the barman replied "They're waiting for the Happy Hour"
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It is rumoured that the entire population of Aberdeen took to the streets with an empty glass in their hands when the weather forecaster said there would be a nip in the air.
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There was understandable scepticism when it was suggested that Napoleon Bonaparte was the grandson of a Scot from Balloch. But now it has been pointed out that there is further proof that Napoleon was indeed Scots - his hand was always under his lapel, to make sure no-one had lifted his wallet...
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============================================================================== This quarter's issue is a little thin. Being four months apart I usually receive something I can use but there was little this time except for Don Gillises reunion story. I would encourage you folks to send me articles I could use, a piece about your favorite ancestor, pictures from the past or an interesting tale about your Gillis or Mc Donald relatives.