Hi, Our DEWHURSTs are said to have been French. Story has it that they fled the Guillotine during the French Revolution, reaching the English Channel by hay wagon. Someone rowed them across the Channel to Scotland, and from there they came to England. So far we have been able to pick up the story in Middlesex, England with my 2g grandfather, William Henry DEWHURST. He was a constable in the Metropolitan Police Force. In later years, he also worked as a water color artist. His details and some of the descendancy follow: William Henry DEWHURST, son of a John DEWHURST b. approx. 1816 in Hackney, Middlesex, England; m. 10 Dec. 1840 in St. Pancras, Middlesex, England to Mary PEARSON d. 29 Jan. 1876 in Edmonton, Middlesex, England Children (so far) include: Caroline Jane DEWHURST b. 21 Oct. 1841 in Kentish Town, Middlesex, England Mary Elizabeth DEWHURST b. 31 Aug. 1843 in Kentish Town, Middlesex, England Madeline DEWHURST b. 16 Feb. 1849 in Finchley, Middlesex, England m. 8 July 1871 in Shoreditch, Middlesex, England, to Frederick William McDonald James DEWHURST (went by William James) b. 2 Feb. 1852 in Finchley, Middlesex, England m. 25 Dec. 1874 Shoreditch, Middlesex, England to Ellen Elizabeth REEVES d. 2 June 1943, in Oakland, Alameda, Ca., USA William James was an iron plate and zinc worker. He had eight children. Two boys were killed in the Boer War, a twin daughter died as a young toddler, and the other twin (also a daughter)died in an accident as a very young woman. Of the remaining four children, three immigrated to the United States. Only one ~ the oldest, remained in England. William James had at least the following children: Nelly Maud Louise DEWHURST b. 1 Feb. 1876 in Pentonville, Middlesex, England m. 26 Dec. 1896 in St. Pancras, London, England to James Eastman HILL William Henry DEWHURST b. 23 Jan. 1878 in Islington, Middlesex, England Mable Caroline DEWHURST b. 23 Feb. 1880 in Islington, Middlesex, England Arthur Frederick DEWHURST b. 29 May 1882 in Islington, Middlesex, England Madeline DEWHURST b. 4 May 1885 in Islington, Middlesex, England d. 26 Apr. 1975 in US Edith Emily DEWHURST b. 12 Nov. 1887 in Islington, Middlesex, England d. 15 Sept 1888 in Islington, Middlesex, England Ethel Leah DEWHURST b. 12 Nov. 1887 in Islington, Middlesex, England d. 25 Feb. 1908 in Islington, Middlesex, England Sidney James DEWHURST b. 7 Oct 1894 in Islington, Middlesex, England m. 7 Jul 1917 in San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA d. 21 Aug. 1950 in Crockett, Contra Costa, CA, USA Incredibly the name DEWHURST was changed, the change occurring en route to the United States by the now widower, William James DEWHURST. He came at the turn of the century and traveled with his youngest son, Sidney James DEWHURST, who was about seven year old. Sidney was the only son left to carry on the name, but with the name change all of his descendants are "McPHERSON's" instead! As far as a Thanksgiving recipe, we do something that requires absolutely no talent, but has been great fun for the children growing up. You'll have to use your imagination as I explain making candy turkeys to you. We use for each turkey: *2 butter cookies, the kind with scalloped edges and a hole in the center *chocolate frosting *a chocolate candy ~ Brach's work well, although anything will do, something with a creme center *1 candy corn Use the chocolate frosting as if it were a glue. Begin by placing one cookie on your working surface, right side up. Frost the bottom of the chocolate and place it on the cookie. You don't need to center it, in fact it works best if you place it close to one part of the cookie's edge. So far you have a partial body on a cookie. Using the other cookie, place it on a cutting board and cut a straight edge on a small part of the scalloped edge. I usually just trim away two of the scallops. Frost the "straightened edge" of the cookie and place it at a 90 degree angle to the first cookie. Press in place. It goes behind the chocolate and on the cookie. This is the turkey's feathers. (This is where the scalloped butter cookies looks very nice.) Now, frost the larger end of the candy corn (the yellow end). The frosting only needs to go on a small part of the yellow. Imagine if you will, holding the candy corn horizontally, with the more narrow part of the yellow area being frosted. This is the head and beak of the turkey and goes on top of the chocolate. Your candy turkey is complete. We place one at each place setting, as well as make them to give away to our neighbors and friends. I find children of all ages enjoy making them, and we have had many fun times together doing just that. Today my seven year old and I worked together with my toddler in my lap looking on. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! With love, Nancy McPherson Petersen