I Never Met Him

Joseph Carroll Sheehan was my paternal grand father. He was born in1885 and died in 1940. He lived five years longer than did his son, my father. He married Josephine S. Helwick my paternal grand mother. I am pleased that I did meet her. Josephine's and Joseph's children included; Carroll Joseph, my father; Eleanor,  Winifred, and Cliff, his youngest.

Joseph Carroll's father was Mago William Sheehan and his mother was Mary J. Carroll. Mary and Mago were then, my paternal great grand parents. My grand father Joseph's siblings included James W., Margret C., John B., Thomas F., Martin, Kate, Edward Michael,  and Robert Emmett.

I am always pleased to hear anything about or tentatively about any of these people. I thank my sister, Gerry Hook for much of what I do know of them.

Early Ancestors

As I understand the results of my sister's research, my earliest confirmed ancestors are from Norway. They are on my paternal side by way of my maternal grandmother.

I think that I remember my sister telling me that she found  the Norwegian tax records and Parish records a satisfying source of documentation.

I'll name those ancestors:

They are Johan Johanesen and his wife Mari Andreasdatter. As they are family and I am old, I think that I can comfortably use their firs names. Johan was born in Norway in the year 1733. He married Mari on March 31st of 1805. He died in 1836 in Nesodden Parish and is buried at Nesodden Kirke. Mari was born in Norway in 1773. She died there in 1839 and is buried at Nesodden Kirke. Johan and Mari had one son, Andreas Johansen.

Wish someone would tell me some stories of the pre-1700 Nesodden area.

Gerry's Genealogy

Gerry's Genealogy

My sisters site of our direct line ancestors.

Click the link above.

UAR Notes Continued

In earlier notes I wrote of the ancestors of the peoples of the Emirates before Muhammad and Jesus.


In later times the offspring of these special people were known for protecting their waters and tending to deal with others with respect and honor. Many of  them had used the sea far and long their roadway for trade. They contacted a great many different peoples and were know by those others as competent and trustworthy. They were navigators, seamen,  merchants and traders. They carried news and learning along with their cargoes and goods. They could tell a good story too. Let me add that their ships tended to be small, but technically advanced and their cargoes tended to be precious.


Most of them became men of Islam at an early date. To this day most of them pray to the One five times.


They had not knuckled under to Rome in the days before the Prophet nor afterward, but the did accept its gold. When the Poruguese and then the Dutch and then the English came to their waters and began to to trade along their long establish routes they were not please. These Frankish Europeans did not seem to understand how to treat others with honor and respect. They seem ignorant of the ways of dealing diplomatically with others. They were neglectful of simple diplomatic courtesies, but their guns seem to get better year by year.


The Europeans, though seemingly ungrateful, had learned from Semitic peoples. From men of Islam they learned of numbers, medicine, philosophy and more.


The ancestors of the men, and women, of Fujairh, Abu Dhabi, Sharjish, Ajman um al Quwain, Ras al Kaimah, Dubai and beyond are learning of new happenings and doings today. They are remembering the best of their past and learning the bes of the present. Hopefully, they are giving all of their children to learn well, for they are not many.


Please feel free o save me form my ignornce. Feel free to correct my errors. I know ittle and have much to understand. In these post I am noting bits and pieces that come to my aging mind. For example, it comes to me that there is an oud. There is an oud that could well be the most popular musical intstrutment of this land. I have not visited this land. Has it been called Khaliji? Then I imagine that there is an oud of haliji. My ears are not so old that the oud of Khaliji could not bring some of the spirit of Khaliji to my mind and heart.