On Top of the World (1955)

  On Top of the World (1955) Originally uploaded by musicmuse_ca

My father in his prime. He was a doctor, best-selling author and happy family man. A first-generation Russian-Jewish Immigrant, naturalized US citizen, and WWII veteran, life didn't get any better than this. 

Scratch the surface just a bit, and underneath the facade, he was married to a beautiful woman who didn't love him and passed off her son by another man as his. He was a gambler, who financed the start of his medical practice from his winnings on the troop ship back from his service in Okinawa. His best-selling book was ghost-written by his wife's ex-first husband, whom she still had a thing for. 

He was also an alcoholic and a womanizer. In addition to his legitimate medical and psychiatric practice, he made a great deal of his money under the table as an abortionist in a time when it was still illegal. My dad enlisted his sister, my aunt, in his schemes, and she kept two sets of books for him until she died. 

 

But the women who got their procedures with him were safe from dangerous back-alley abortions because he was a medical doctor.

 

Contrary to the popular view, life was complicated in the 1950's. One of the big differences between then and now is that people didn't talk so openly about it during those times. 

 

When I look at him in this shot, I can't help thinking about that final shot of a crazed Jimmy Cagney at the end of his 1949 classic movie, "White Heat", when he is shouting: "Top of the world , Ma!". At least in that famous shot at the end of  the film, Cagney knew he was on fire and that he was about to die.

Newborn (1980)

My daughter, one day old

Newborn (1980) Originally uploaded by musicmuse_ca

My daughter was born 28 years ago today. It was a difficult and dark time in my life. 

I was in a violent relationship that I couldn't escape from. When I did try to leave, my family turned their back on me. I had no resources and no where to go. I made a promise to my daughter when she was born that whatever it takes, I would protect her from the misery I grew up in. I kept that promise to the best of my ability. 

Now she is a beautiful young woman who is following her dreams. This shot was taken of her in my arms after 2 days in labor. Believe me it was worth it. She was my shining star then and now. I am so proud of her. Happy birthday baby!

Linton Church

Linton Church
Originally uploaded by musicmuse_ca

Approaching Linton Church

(photo taken by Beth Kotkin 9/2004)

"He who is tired of Linton is tired of life”

-ancient saying from the Scottish Borders.

The church at Linton in the Scottish Borders is the oldest surviving building used for continuous Christian worship in the Borders area. Before the Normans arrived (and my ancient ancestors with them), it was the site of Celtic Christian worship for many hundreds of years. Records of the Linton Church date back to 1127 and before. Some say St Cuthbert himself established the church here not long after going to Old Melrose in 651 to become a monk in the Celtic Christian tradition.

My ancient Somerville ancestors were laid to rest here for almost a thousand years in the churchyard of this tiny Norman Church.

I took this shot of the side view of the doorway where the Somerville Stone has survived for over 800 years. It celebrates the legend still told in the Borders area (which is the origin story of my family line in Scotland) of one John Somerville, dragon-slayer, who won the lands and barony of the Linton area in reward for his great deed.

I will be posting about the dragon-slayer here in due time.

For now, I will share an excerpt about this same John Somerville, from later in his life, from the book, "The Memorie of the Somervilles". "The Memorie of the Somervilles" was written by Baron James Somerville in 1679. In writing this book, he preserved the oral traditions and stories passed down for 25 generations from Sir Gualter de Somerville who came with William the Conquerer from Normandy in 1066 with the Norman Conquest of England.

The book was later edited and widely published by Sir Walter Scott in 1814, who had heard these family stories when staying with his (Somerville) grandmother in the Borders during his childhood summers at the family home.

The contents of this book have been a most valuable resource for tracing the legends, stories and genealogy of my most ancient ancestors in Scotland. Just recently, I was able to find a copy published on the web that is now in my possession (thanks to the University of Wisconsin, my alma mater, for scanning this and making it freely available to download). And it is why I started this blog, to share the pictures and stories that I have been uncovering for the past 5 years, since my mother's death.

The following excerpt is about John Somerville of Scotland (the legendary dragon-slayer) and his father, Rodger Somerville of England. It relates some of what ensued after Rodger joined in the Magna Carta Rebellion against England's King John in 1213. As a result, he lost his lands, and sought refuge with his son in Linton:

"His father, Rodger, "adhered to the rebellious barons about the latter end of King John his reigne" (1213) His Manor of Stocton in the County of Wear (Zear) was given to Henry Deedaly. Rodger fled to Scotland to his son John's house at Lintoune. He was able to see his two eldest grandsons, Robert & William, and died 1214 at 94 years; buried at Lintoune Church. Robert & William are both 7th generation from Gualter de Somerville, who came with the Conqueror."

Ancestors

Ancestors
Originally uploaded by musicmuse_ca

 Linton Church graveyard

(photo taken by Beth Kotkin 9/2004)

This rural graveyard can still be found at the small Kirk at Linton. The church is located down an unmarked one-lane dirt road in a remote area of the Scottish Borders.

I made the long journey to this little church when I turned 50. I came to find my ancient maternal ancestors who have been buried here for almost a thousand years.

The shot shows a view of what was once the Linton Loch. The Linton Loch once included 1000 acres of marshland that was home to hawks, falcons and many other waterfowl. The loch waters dominated the village of Linton and was fed by the river Kale for many centuries. It is lost to us, a victim of excessive drainage and other “improvements” in the 19th century. The birds of prey are mostly gone now and farmlands now cover the former lake bed.

But the stream known as the Kale Water still descends from the Cheviot Hills and winds it way just south of what is left of the village of of Linton to join with the river Teviot, just as it did a thousand years ago when my ancestors built their stronghold here. Salmon and trout can still be found in the river Tweed, though not so abundantly as in times past.

None of the old-growth oak and the ash forests are left that once covered this whole area during the 12th Century. The Jedforest which grew from the Cheviots along the Jed Waters and over all of the hills south of Linton on the border of Scotland and England is a pale shadow of what it once was.

During more peaceful times, these forests were first cleared by the industrious monks of the Border Abbeys to make way for the Cheviot sheep which you can still see grazing in the Cheviot Hills. Later, during the bloody Border battles between Scotland and England, the English cleared what was left of the ancient forests to keep them safe from the wild men, outlaws and independence fighters who once took refuge here.

The graves of my ancestors lie undisturbed now, and the causes they died for are long forgotten.