Welcome to Many Branches, One Tree!
In one of Aesop’s fables, an old man brought his three sons together and handed the eldest a bundle of sticks, asking him to break it. Though the first son tried with all his strength, he could not break the bundle. The second and third son also tried, but to no avail.
The father took back the bundle. Untying it, he handed a stick to each son and again asked them to break the sticks. This time, the sons broke the sticks easily. The father said, “You see, if you are of one heart and one mind, you will be as strong as this bundle and no one can break you. But if you are divided, you will be broken as easily as these sticks.”
As with the bundle of sticks, our family tree is made up of many branches, each with its own character, history, and traditions. Though each of these branches is special and unique in its own way, they all share common burdens, sorrows, hopes and dreams. Together, they form a strong unit, rich in history, heritage, and values. This site will introduce you to the numerous dimensions of this tree, including the Huesca, Tully, Perrotin, Fay, McGinnis, Riney, Schiavon/Schiavone, Hoppin, Gaffney, Kangas, and Makepeace families; and many others connected with them.
It is said that life is a work in progress, and so it is with this website. Although I do my best to ensure accuracy, I invite you to contact me if you have additions or corrections to what you find here. Keep in mind that these stories are based on my personal knowledge, recollections, interviews, and research. Others may have different perspectives or experiences to augment our history.
If you are unfamiliar with some of the family stories or traditions published here, I hope you will enjoy them. If you know of any other family stories or items of interest, I hope you will share them so that others may be enriched by them, too.
To me, there is nothing more precious than our family. If you are still reading this, chances are you feel the same way. Knowing who came before us can give our lives meaning and can help us understand who we are and who we can become; but this knowledge brings with it great responsibility to honor our ancestors by handing on our heritage, traditions, and identity to our own future descendants.
I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to e-mail me at CasaTully@gmail.com
Linda Huesca Tully
California, USA