OUR HAWAIIAN CONNECTION

Those of you who attended the Mac Donald Reunion in Orinda this past summer may have met Elizabeth Sutter, nee Gillis. She shared some wonderful family pictures. One which I found most fascinating showed her grandfather, Samuel Gillis, standing with another gentleman; they were in front of an armed military group. The following is an abbreviated story about Samuel Gillis as sent to me in an email from Elizabeth.

"My grandfather, John Samuel Gillis, was the youngest child of Hugh Gillis, pictured to the right.

Hugh was the brother of Teresa Gillis who was a great grandmother to many of us. Hugh came west with Laughlin and Michael. As far as I know, Samuel came to San Francisco from PEI(as did his sibling the infamous Lizzie Gillis pictured to the left:Editor's note).According to family lore, Samuel joined the army and was on his way to the Phillipines during the Spanish American War, when he decided to live in Hawaii and so he jumped ship. I believe he had already met my grandmother, Rosemary Duffy, in San Francisco. He stowed away on a ship back to SF and married her. They returned to Hawaii where they had six children. (early 1900s). Five lived to relatively old ages. My dad was the longest lived; he died three years ago. My grandfather was a character. He owned a bar for most of his life, even during prohibition.He apparently was a gambler too. He lived until he was 84. I was born after he died. My dad often talked about his mom and dad, but not about his grandparents. I guess he didn't know them too well. It is unfortunate that I didn't question him more. I do remember his talking about his father riding horses in Paso Robles. When I looked up Hugh's death certificate , I discovered San Miguel is right near there. It is nice to know where he is. My grandfather and Grandmother are burried here at Diamond Head Cemetary next to each other. Dad was scattered at sea.

I do have one picture that I got from the Bishop Museum. It shows my grandfather standing next to Colonel Soper who was dismissing Queen Liliu'okalani's Guards during the overthrow of the monarchy here in Hawaii. They were buddies, I guess, because John Samuel was not in uniform. The picture is not politically correct today but I still love the history. My dad's brothers all married part-Hawaiian women and my cousins are all part Hawaiian. Hawaii is a great place to live and I am glad my grandfather ended up here".

YOU KNOW YOU'RE TAKING GENEALOGY TOO SERIOUSLY IF......

"You are the only person to show up at the cemetery research party with a shovel.

To put the "final touches" on your genealogical research, you've asked all of your closest relatives to provide DNA samples.

You were instrumental in having "non-genealogical use of the genealogy room copy machine" classified as a federal hate crime.

Your house leans slightly toward the side where your genealogical records are stored.

You decided to take a two-week break from genealogy, and the U.S. Postal Office immediately laid off 1,500 employees.

Out of respect for your best friend's unquestioned reputation for honesty and integrity, you are willing to turn off that noisy surveillance camera while she reviews your 57 genealogical research notebooks in your home. The armed security guard, however, will remain.

During an ice storm and power outage, you ignore the pleas of your shivering spouse and place your last quilt around that 1886 photograph of dear Uncle George.

Ed McMahon, several t.v. cameras and an envelope from Publishers Clearing House arrive at your front door on Super Bowl Sunday, amd the first thing you say is, "Are you related to the McMahons of Ohio?"

"A Loving Family" and "Financial Security" have moved up to second and third, respectively, on your list of life's goals, but still lag far behind "Owning My Own Microfilm Reader."
A magical genie appears and agrees to grant your any one wish, and you ask that the 1890 census be restored".

Genealogy:A Worthy Passtime

"When relatives depart this life, our love for them we find, is stored in hearts and memories in all they leave behind. It's known as genealogy to young ones when they've grown; it tells them of our earthly love for those we might have known. We think of those who lived before while traveling down life's lane A drop of blood from each of them, flowing in our veins. They fought so gallantly in war and settled new frontiers, to make our lands a better place to live in later years. And, as we know they made mistakes and acted humanly when they wefe young and temptable, just like you and me. The day we enter Paradise, and angels show us in, When they turn to us and say, "Please meet your early kin", Will we hide our eyes and drop our heads and say in shame, I'm sorry but in mortal life I never heard your names? But no! We'll raise our heads up high to meet their loving gaze, and say, "Oh yes! I know you and of your earthly days. Someone wrote the story of how you lived your life; of times of joy and happiness and yes, of pain and strife". And if my work is handed down I will not be surprised When descendents come to Paradise and I am recognized".
GENEALOGY:THE MAC DONALD COLLECTION

Senator William Mac Donald who was married to Laughlin's sister Kate had three sons, all of whom came into a lot of money at his death. The youngest son, also William, was a bibliophile who donated his extensive collection of rare books to the Mount Saint Vincent College Library in Halifax.
"Introduction:
"The MacDonald Collection, named for William MacDonald of Sydney, Nova Scotia, is the library's most important special collection. It consists of approximately 10,000 monographs of largely 19th and early 20th century literary works purchased by Mr. MacDonald and donated to Mount Saint Vincent.
Background:
William MacDonald's financial acumen provided him with sufficient income to collect books. His sister. Sister M. Aquinas, was a member of the Sisters of Charity of Halifax, and through her, he became interested in the library at Mount Saint Vincent College. He donated part of his Canadiana collection, only to have it reduced to ashes in the fire of January, 1951 which destroyed the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity, the Novitiate, Mount Saint Vincent College, and Mount Saint Vincent Academy. From 1951 until a few months before his death on September 21, 1959, MacDonald selected, packed and shipped cartons of books to Mount Saint Vincent where a specially appointed room in the north wing of the newly constructed Evaristus Hall had been designed by the librarian, Sister Francis de Sales, to shelve the collection. In 1989 a new space for the MacDonald Collection was set aside when the university library was moved into the E. Margaret Fulton Communications Centre.
Description:
In an article in the December 1973 issue of Insight, Sister Marie Agnes White, Professor Emeritus of English, described the type of books which interested Mr. MacDonald as a collector. "He had a typically Celtic penchant for the dreamy, the romantic. The weird and the occult attracted him; tales of fairies, goblins, and ghosts he found irresistible. The Arabian Nights in various editions and translations with exquisite illustrations was a favourite buy. Fairy Tales of various ethnic origin, often beautifully illustrated, form another group. Queer books about queer people, - gamblers, thieves, and men and women of fantastic tastes and reputation he sprinkled among the serious tomes, with what one might suspect was a mischievous grin. The proportion of Scottish writers indicates a partiality for his 'ain folk', with Bobbie Bums leading in numerous editions (notably the Kilmamock) and Sir Walter Scott a close second. James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd trails after them, and of course, Robert Louis Stevenson holds an honored place." Among the noteworthy items in the collection are the fine bindings by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, Boynton of Bath and others, small presses, limited editions, many illustrated with pictures by Edmund Dulac, Arthur Rackham, Willy Pogany, and other early 20th century artists, and fore-edge paintings - when viewed in a normal position these volumes show a gilt edge which appears slightly discolored, but when the leaves are spread a delicately painted scene appears. Collection management: A type-written inventory in four volumes, compiled by Mr.MacDonald himself, is shelved with the collection. Some of the books have been catalogued, and are represented in either the card catalogue or in the Novanet database. A card file arranged by author and title was prepared for the uncatalogued parts of the collection, and is retained at the reference desk. Some duplicate volumes from the collection have been catalogued and shelved in the main library collection. No attempt has been made to acquire and add books to the MacDonald Collection. On occasion, reference books on the book arts and book illustrators are purchased, using general or reference funds, if they seem likely to enhance our appreciation of the collection."
JODY BINKLEY-FRIEND AND COUSIN

"Jody Binkley - Mother and Artist" and I might add, friend and cousin. I don't quite recall how I first became acquainted with Jody, but I liked her right from the start even though our acquaintanceship was through email. I asked her if as a graphic artist she would design a logo for the early editions of the Mc Donald Newsletter, and she did. Later, I saw a watercolor she had created of Mission San Miguel and I was so taken by it that I purchased it. It still hangs today in our dining room. I am going to miss Jody because she was a talented lady and good friend. That which follows I received earlier this year:
"Jody Binkley was born in Hanford. California on July 8. 1933. Her natural father and mother were Alice and Albert Lohse (son of Aunt Ellie). but she was raised by Odie and Neola Colquitt. After a long struggle with cancer Jody died in her Lakewood. Colorado home on the morning of May 29. 1999. She was surrounded by her family, husband Al and sons Cameron, Brock, and Clay. Brock's fiance Sharon Carlson, Ayako Tamura, and her beloved poodle, BJ. She was 65.
Jody first came to Colorado in 1948. where she graduated from South High in 1951. After two years at CSU she joined Frontier Airlines as a flight stewardess in which capacity she survived the crash landing of a DC-3 on August 8, 1958. Jody married Al Binkley in September 1958 and soon began a family. Eventually, she had three sons, Cameron ( 1962), a research writer; Brock (1965), a framer and glassbiower; and Clay (1966). an attorney at law. She felt her happiest years were spent raising three boisterous sons.
After a childhood spent copying pictures from textbooks, which got her better grades, Jody took up painting in 1969. She attended workshops and studied under several nationally known artists before opening Studio West Gallery in 1973. She both painted, taught up to seven classes per week, and sold other's art with partner Claudette Duncan thereafter for many years. She came to specialize in images of the West and South West, developing a fine style in floral and landscape paintings. In 1982 Jody sold out her partnership but continued to do freelance teaching and exhibiting. She opened Lakewood Arts Studio with son Brock in 1988, sponsored exhibits for charity, and taught classes until illness forced her to stop shortly before her death. Her work often won in many national competitions. Jody felt that teaching was a large part of the success of her art. She enjoyed watching students grow, many of whom became lifelong friends. She also delighted in hearing about former students who succeeded in art. Jody's work can be seen on exhibit at her gallery, Lakewood Arts Studio. Jody is listed in "Who's Who in Painting" and her work "Jubilant," which appears on the cover (far right), was featured in The Best of Floral Painting (Northlight Publications, 1997)."

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