Finally Found My Role Model

My mother has been doing family history research on her side of the family. Every evening she tells me some new family member she found or some new detail she learned. This leads to some interesting conversations since both of us love history.

What we've discovered is that our family came over to Maryland and Virginia during colonial times in the 1600s and 1700s from England and Scotland.  We also had some come over from Ireland through Canada in the 1800s.

She recently discovered a relative named Mourning Glenn. Isn't that a fantastic name? I have to use that in a book at some point.

Mourning Glenn was apparently someone not to be trifled with.  From the book "Genealogies of Virginia Families: From Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine: Volume 1," comes this story:

In 1705/6 she [Mourning Glenn] was ordered to answer in Court charges of ill treatment of a white servant. When the Court messenger delivered the order, she sent for the servant and the overseer and had the overseer give the servant 31 lashes (one more than the law allowed) "on his bare back". Then said to servant, "Now go and complain again". And to the messenger what she would do to Justice Marable if she were a man. And she did not go to Court.

Tough as old boot-leather, I'd call her. Somehow I have to get that spirit into a book.

When I told this story to some co-workers (and one new employee), they assured the new employee that I only whipped them within the limits of the law and usually very lightly.