The reply below from Kevin is the same reference to "fostering" as I have seen among the Highland Scots (whose Gaelic bloodline stems from NW Ireland into the 11th century Irish/Scot Kingdom of Dalriada http://macinnes.org/dalriada.php ). Highland Scot children were often fostered between clans to keep peace among the various clan factions (reference "Burt's Letters" written in 1720) Regards, Ben MacDonald Glendale, Arizona -----Original Message----- From: irl-cork-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:irl-cork-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of Judie Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2006 6:16 AM To: irl-cork@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: Foster Brother. Thanks L and Kevin for these replies; much appreciated. I don't mind a history lesson as I'm always delighted to learn any snippet I can about Irish history and I especially like to hear what Irish people have to say about their own country and people. I was mainly wondering if the word "foster" could have had a different meaning in the late 1700's. I have seen wills where a "godchild" turned out to be a grandchild, and a "nephew" was actually a cousin and very often "brother" for brother-in-law. Maybe "foster" in this case could have meant something like a child who grew up on the property and by the time the two men were middled aged they had become very close and trusting friends. Guess I'll never really know. Thanks again for your ideas, all of which I have considered. Judie, Australia. ----- Original Message ----- From: "kevin " <kevinmcc59@eircom.net> To: <irl-cork@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2006 12:18 AM Subject: RE: Foster Brother. > Perhaps its just a case that he wasn't too keen on him.he could of been a > drunkard or gambler and he knew whatever he left it would be wasted. > As for our Irish history lesson in our "centuries old tradition of > fostering children"I think we can lose the run of ourselves..... "warring > factions?" Are we talking 1800 Ireland or the 1400's? regards,Kevin. Co > Cork. > >> >> Fostering of children is a centuries old Irish tradition. Sometimes >> children >> were fostered by the parents' siblings or near cousins, while other times >> they were fostered by known 'enemies', almost as hostages to assure some >> degree of peace between warring factions. Just as with fostering >> relationships today, some foster siblings would have been very close and >> treated as true brothers and sisters while others would have been barely >> tolerated, with every possible variation between the two extremes. >> >> Rather than comparing John Finn to the widow and children, my suggestion >> would be to compare him to James' birth brothers and sisters. If John was >> mentioned and known birth siblings were not, or if the birth siblings >> fared >> worse than John then it's probably safe to conclude that John and James >> were >> fairly close. >> >> L >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: irl-cork-bounces@rootsweb.com >> [mailto:irl-cork-bounces@rootsweb.com]On Behalf Of Judie >> Sent: Friday, September 22, 2006 10:04 PM >> To: IRL-CORK-L@rootsweb.com >> Subject: Foster Brother. >> >> >> Hello everyone, >> >> I have a will written by James Thornhill in 1796 wherein he leaves a sum >> of >> money to his "foster brother," John Finn. It was a small amount, >> equivalent >> to that bequeathed to his staff and much less than the legacies left to >> his >> wife and children. It seems to me that John was not a brother in the way >> that a foster brother would be today - if this were the case I feel that >> he'd have fared better in the will. >> >> Is anyone able to enlighten me as to the probable relationship between >> James >> Thornhill and John Finn, in Cork, in the late 18th century? >> >> Judie Morris, >> Victoria, Australia. >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> IRL-CORK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes >> in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> IRL-CORK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> > > www.ancestralservices.co.uk > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > Find the home of your dreams with eircom net property > Sign up for email alerts now http://www.eircom.net/propertyalerts > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > IRL-CORK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.12.8/455 - Release Date: 22/09/2006 > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IRL-CORK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message