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I am the youngest of eight children, born to Doris Mary Therese Crooks McKernan (born March 6, 1924) and Thomas Asa McKernan (born April 8, 1923) on October 1, 1961 in Lakewood, Ohio, USA. I have five older sisters and two brothers. In order from youngest to oldest, they are: Julie Elizabeth, Gerianne, Mary Beth (changed to Veronica Brooke), Scott, Melanie and David and Donna, the twins/firstborns. Our mother passed away Sept. 30, 1997. Our father lives outside Knoxville, Tennesee, and is married to Marie T. McKernan. Mom was an only child, but two older brothers died infant deaths before Mom was born. There are at least 27 grand- and great-grandchildren from Tom and Doris. It is my understanding that my mother's side of the family -- father, Torres Crooks and mother, Lila Henry (Lila was born in Warren, OH in 1896) moved from Raleigh, NC around 1925 or so. Maternal grandmother Lila had to work and support Mom through the Great Depression in the Cleveland, Ohio, area because she left her husband, Torres Crooks when our mother was just over one year old! My father's parents were named Thomas McKernan (and his father was also Thomas) and Mabel (Lucy McKernan's middle name) Shepard (spelling?). Some of the other names we McKernan's have heard or seen in various family trees include, Butler and others. We've been in Canada, Michigan, possibly New York and other states for over five generations. Locations like Dover, England and parts of Ireland, Scotland and other European countries dot our lineage. From the Torres Crooks' side, we've got German in us, too. Was once told that the name McKernan originally comes from Scotland, and that the McKernan clan had to side with the Donald clan because the Campbell clan was kicking the McKernan's butts. Also heard that McKernan translates to "Little King." Lastly, someone with a post on this site mentioned that McKernan's were once MacThiernan's who were chieftans between 1200s and 1500s. That comes as no surprise whatsoever. Want to correspond with other McKernan's, esp. after reading about the one from New York; when I clicked on the "nautilus" image of him, couldn't believe how much he looks like our father!
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