About Me

I.H. Walters

My name is Isaac Hilton Walters, and I am an educator in Wisconsin.  I have always been interested in history, my family background, and the outdoors.  All of this has come together to form the crazy projects and interests that have formed this website.

As a typical American, I have a mixed family heritage.  My ancestors came from "Germany" (Bavaria, Bohemia, Hessen, Prussia), Scotland, England, and Ireland (most of whom were Scots from Ulster).  Growing up, I had a huge and close connection with my Scottish ancestry and heard many stories of my ancestors, especially the Campbells.  This led me to eventually study a semester in Scotland as a university student.  This fueled my interests, knowledge, and understanding of this cultural heritage. 

I have a BA in Broadfield Social Studies (history emphasis) and a minor in American Indian Studies from UW-Eau Claire.  Also from UW-Eau Claire, I received my MA in US History (with graduate certification in public history, historiography, immigration history, and American Indian history) in December 2009.

Dachaigh air Mullach

You may have noticed the phrase Dachiagh air Mullach on my label.   Let me briefly explain this phrase and what it means.  It translates directly as "Home on Top of the Hill."   This refers to our family home that once belonged to my wife's maternal grandparents.  Not long after we purchased the home, we were nearing the end of a visit with  my in-laws, and I mentioned that we should go "up home."  To this, my wife gave me a shocked look and told me that this is what they had called her grandparents' house when she was young.  After that, it just took.  For many reasons, we have referred to our house as "Up Home"... the house on top of the hill... overlooking the valley.

What is with the "Coat of Arms" on the Label?

The arms shown on my label are my personal arms.  Unlike what is commonly believed, their are no such things as "family coats of arms."  Arms were personal items that represented an individual.  I have always found heraldry to be quite fascinating, and I assumed arms partly due to my interest in history and partly as an aspect of my revivalist attitude with maintaining old traditions.   The following is the information seen on the U.S. Heraldic Registry in regards to my arms:

Arms: Per pale Erminois and Pean a fess wavy Azure.

Crest: From a wreath Or and Sable on a grassy mound a beaver segent erect Proper blowing a hunting horn Or.

Motto: Mors ad Ignorantiam (Death to Ignorance)

RATIONALE:

The field, per pale erminois and pean was chosen, both being furs. The armiger has spent his life in sporting pursuits; hunting, trapping, and fishing. As a landowner and steward of the land, managing the resources, including game, is of great interest to the armiger.

Erminois and Pean were also chosen as they involve the tinctures of or and sable, prominent colors in Campbell arms. The armiger is a member of the Clan Campbell Society of North America and a descendent of numerous Campbells.

The fess azure wavvy is symbolic of the creek that runs through the valley below the land of the armiger and for which the valley is named. It is in this creek that the armiger often fishes and traps.

The beaver symbolizes the armiger’s land and work on the land. Beaver frequent the valley and creek and are often a nuisance to other landowners as well as the Department of Natural Resources. Many local landowners seek out the armiger’s assistance in removing the beaver and helping manage the creek, the trout population and their land. Additionally, the beaver symbolizes the historic fur trade. This is one of the armiger’s foci in his history MA. He has lectured around the U.S. and Canada on this topic.

The motto of "Death to Ignorance" (Mors ad Ignorantiam) is an allusion to the armigers degrees, education, and commitment to lifelong learning. It is also a commentary to his occupation as an educator of over a decade.