Halseys of Southampton

July 27:   Taking advantage of the close proximity of Long Island on this visit,  Jon and I headed out to Southampton for the day.  We kept an eye also on the time for my departure to Dublin from JFK later that evening.

Southampton is the location where Thomas Halsey landed in 1640 and homesteaded this property in 1648 with his family.  Jon is descended from this Thomas Halsey.   The Halsey home is actually the oldest standing home in Long Island.

After lunch, we spent the rest of the afternoon with a wonderful creative woman Lori with the Southampton Historical Society pouring through Halsey archives.

We have promised ourselves to return here - in the meantime, Can't you see Jon as an early settler?

It is interesting to me that as I have come to embrace my Irish-American story it has opened me to embracing and valuing the stories of the "emigrant's story" in all of us.  I am so pleased that Jon is connecting with his ancestors.  It also seemed as if it was a coming home working with another Historical Society.