I was a novice researcher back in 1990. I had been told by my Aunt Dorothy that the Pralls were Pennsylvania Dutch and my Pop said he had been told we were Scottish. When I learned that the University of St. Andrews [Scotland] was offering a one week genealogy workshop, I jumped at the chance to go. It would be my first trip overseas!
The Prall surname failed to appear in any of the records. The day trips and evening activities though, made the trip worth while. Earlshall Castle, the fishing village of Crail, Edinburgh and an assortment of local museums and pubs occupied the week. One evening I took in "When the Nightingale Sings" at the local theater. The play told the story of a British family during World War II. It was fantastic!
As it turned out, I later learned that Prall was Dutch, German or Norman-English in origin. A few Scots or Scots-Irish have popped up in the family over the years: Douglas, MacCallum, Cunningham, Campbell, Mahurin and, probably, Crail. I had visited the ancestral home after all!
I hope to return to Scotland someday and see more of the country.
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