Friday, April 23, 2010

Katie's "SCRIVEN HALL"

GREETINGS Everyone Friday 23 April 2010


Well, thought this would be easy, but already cannot turnoff the bold or the italics, maybe they don't? Aargh. Sorry to learn on you all, so ask you forgive me and I will work to get better.

Welcome to my 1st blog anytime ever, in this whole wonderful universe of the internet. And boy am I nervous doing this. I'm sure a lot of you are sending me positive thoughts about how easy this will be in a short time. So I thank you all.

My GreatGreatGrandmother was Jane Bury Scriven. She was married to Edward Kentish Evans. So her full name was Jane Bury Scriven Evans. I know she is unknown to almost everyone, outside of my own family of relatives.
You will probably know better the name of her older brother, who was Joseph Medlicott Scriven. Yes, the hymn writer. Actually the lyric writer of the poem, 'Pray Without Ceasing', or better known as, 'What A Friend We Have In Jesus'.

I started working on my family history when I was a kid. The scraps I'd hear the grown-ups mention were so interesting. Like previews of the next episode on a TV show. Yet, I could never get a straight answer. How grown-ups love to send the kids packing, so they can talk better with the other adults. So the Scriven family, the Evans family and all my other names have been a wonderful lifelong hobby to research.

And it never ends, there is always something more to look for. I don't hunt for diamonds, or pan for gold ( some of my California 49er ancestors did - and found it! ). I don't expect to win the big lottery ( just winning a $1 scratcher makes me happy ) or the Publishers Clearinghouse ( who wouldn't love to open their front door and find them outside ).

My treasure is getting out and finding someones grave - heck! sometimes just figuring out where the cemetery is supposed to be. And I have tramped many small cemeteries trying to find the right place for a particular person. OR finding a certain document, or finally making contact with someone who has information - & why didn't I meet them from the get go?

So, because my GreatGreatGrandmother seems unknown to the world, it's been on my mind for some time to start this site.

If anyone cares to visit back, your most welcome to get in touch here. I have absolutely no idea what to expect from this, but it will be interesting to see. And even if I hear from noone at all, I can pretend I'm writing letters to my dearest Mother who has been dead now so many years, and share things with her.

So before I get boring. I'm going to wrap this up for today,
HAPPY TRAILS EVERYONE

( I don't think Roy & Dale will mind if I borrow this )

Katiebird








3 comments:

  1. Katie, as you know, Mr. Scriven wrote the poem here in Ontario Canada.
    R. Fuller, Lambton Shores, On.

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  2. God Knows! I was feeling a bit low last Wednesday (28 July 2010). I drove into Chesterfield (Derbyshire, UK) and sat by the Funfair eating my lunch when all of a sudden I heard the Organ on the Carousel playing the tune of "What A Friend We Have in Jesus". I then went to the Oxfam shop where I started working that afternoon. I put a CD of South African Gospel music onto the CD player in the shop. What a lovely surprise to hear the first song on the CD (in a local dialect) was “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”. Praise God.

    On the Friday (30 July) as I was at home filling in an application form for a job, I heard Cliff Richard singing "What a Friend we have in Jesus" on UCB Inspirational Radio. I thought about how "connected" God has made me to this song. The Cliff Richard book "You, Me and Jesus" led me to God in 1985 and another Cliff Richard book led me to Pioneer church in 1994.

    "What a Friend we have in Jesus" was written by Joseph Scriven. My best friend at college was Sue Aldridge. I was a bridesmaid to her when she became Sue Scriven.

    Sue and Graham Scriven's two daughters were then my bridesmaids when I married in 1988. On our honeymoon in Harrogate we were surprised to find a nearby village called Scriven. And it was in Chesterfield (where I was comforted by hearing the song twice on Wednesday) that I was divorced. I also remember that I went to Rhodes for my 50th birthday on a Master Sun Christian holiday and we sang "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" on that holiday.

    Later on 30 July I looked up "Scriven" on "Rightmove" (a UK “property for sale” website) and found that the "Old Smithy" is for sale. How amusing, since Smith is my maiden name!!!!

    Today, Thursday, 5 August, I looked up Joseph Scriven - Writer of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" and find that I married on the anniversary of his birth/christening (10 September 1819) and my sister was born on the anniversary of his death (10 August 1886).

    I also discovered I was born and my sister was christened on the anniversary of the death of the man who set Joseph Scriven's poem to music (Charles Crozat Converse who died on 18 October 1918). What an amazing number of God-incidences to link me and my sister and wedding party to Joseph Scriven and the words of his poem. I became a Christian when my husband left me in 1994 and I have experienced, and indeed experience on a daily basis, the friendship of Jesus.

    Every blessing to you.

    Jacqui Smith

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  3. Jacqui, Thank you so much for sharing all these amazing coincidences with me. I think God is really trying to get your attention and has succeeded. So many people aren't open to being aware, that 'Heaven' is speaking to them. Everytime you notice this, stop and think - "God is thinking of me today". You definitely have a special connection with Joseph. You may find this continues thru your whole life. How lucky to know you have an Angel on your shoulder,
    Best Wishes, Katie

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