A Swamp Yankee: THE Swamp Yankee

As I reflect further on my Mom's passing recently, I think about who I am and what I am about. As I mentioned yesterday, my Mom's maiden name was Rines and in years past I noted that here are pockets of the genealogy around upper central Maine.  I have been summering in the middle of Maine smack dab in the middle of three Rines genealogy tribes for over 30 years and was not aware of it for most of that time. My Mom's older brother, my Uncle Jim, did a lot of the family's Rines genealogy. He arrived at the conclusion over time that the Rines were New England "swamp yankees".

The term "swamp yankee" was descriptive of a rural, frugal, stubborn, common sense, old-fashioned, conservative, independent, self-reliant, opinionated, anti-authoritative, rebel-patriot found in the backwaters of New England. A swamp yankee was skeptical of progress, new progressive ideas, new fangled baubles, and persuasive politicking. A swamp yankee did not wish to participate in the mainstream maelstrom. There is an inference from critics of the swamp yankee type, that in some cases, a swamp yankee was an undesireable, former troublemaker or criminal, that retreated to the swamps to avoid detection from managing authorities. The standing government could neither identify, find, nor control the swamp yankees. In its most degrading usage, it was a derogatory term by those in positions of power and influence and society to point out and degrade and discount a crude, unfinished, uneducated, and ignorant "country bumpkin". Hah, hah! OK, Uncle Jim. Thanks for the heads-up.

I am named after my grandfather James P. Rines, Sr. born in 1892 in Jefferson, NH.  Jefferson NH was in the remote midst of the White Mountains.

Jefferson NH - Internet Fair Use

He had an education up to the fifth grade and was mostly self-taught throughout his lifetime. He was a simple, hardworking, Bible-believing family man. He raised a family of twelve children through the Depression years in New England. I can envision that amidst the rural upbringing and hardscrabble farming lifestyle though some hard winters, a swamp yankee's values could be formed in the old time, reality game of Survivor and Life.

Jefferson NH 1885 - Internet Fair Use

My grandfather's middle initial P stood for Pearly. A nickname of sorts for one who stood tall in honor, purity, and uprightness.  I mentioned yesterday that my favorite Aunt Gwen and my Mom were best friends throughout their years. Aunt Gwen was the youngest of my grandfather's daughters and would have been a blessing in older age among many blessings in a large family. I can see a connection, James the Pearly begat Gwendolyn the Fair and Blessed not just in name and meaning only!

The name James means builder, supplanter, or one who takes the place of.  I am also very like my grandfather and his son, my favorite Uncle Jim, JPR Jr., now deceased, who researched and figured out much of our New England Rines genealogy over the years in his summertime jaunts from being a North Carolina middle school principal. My Uncle Jim and my Mom were favorite and close older brother and younger sister throughout their lives. Jim's wife, Elaine, was my Mom's college roommate.

Uncle Jim said categorically and explicitly with pride that his dad, James P. Rines Sr., was not just a swamp yankee....he was THE Swamp Yankee! He defined the type in all its glorious and honorable attributes.

I tend to believe the family stories and the legacy.  And apples don't fall far from the tree.