The story behind our Coat of Arms

[Edward Hillenbrand]

Dear Members of IAAH:

I have enjoyed scrolling through the .jpegs of members coats of arms. Sometimes the symbolism is clear to me sometimes it is not. Since we are not going to enable the comment section of the image gallery (the management wisely leaving this up to the members) it behooves us to provide to the members and lurkers the reason for our blazon. Further, I would love to see which school of thought was used to guide each armiger as they contemplated and designed their COat of Arms. Please include the blazon in your post, and if the image isn't part of your signature, a link or jpeg of it.

I hope this will be fun and educational for all!

Thanx.

[Edward Hillenbrand]

My full blazon is as follows:

Azure, two fragments of a broken femur argent, posed in fleche to the sinister. Above the shield is placed a helmet with mantling azure doubled argent, and on a wreath argent and azure is for a crest. A wyvern or and purpure, langued guiles , holding in the dexter forepaw a sword flammant proper.

I used the American College of Heraldry guide me in designing these arms. I liked the simple, unpretentious model. I am an American, and we do not have nobility. While there has long been a family tradition of a HRE Coat of Arms & barony (that may actually have more truth than fiction in it) I decided to go with a totally new design.

Here is what my blazon is meant to convey to others:

Azure: my first degree is in history. The good Jesuits taught me that a historian is always searching for the truth, no matter how painful it is. Also, as a Notary I am sworn to the truth.

Two fragments of a broken femur argent: the femur is for death and mortality. I am a paramedic and my job is to slow death down. How else do you slow the guy with the scythe and the hood? You break his leg! Argent because I am serine with the reality that I will eventually loose that fight every time.

Posed in fleche to the sinister: has no particular meaning for me, it just is appealing to the eye.

A wyvern or and purpure, langued guiles: the wyvern for valor AND protection. Paramedic -- we do some pretty crazy things without fanfare, and these arms may be used by my children, 2 of whom were in the military at the time of adaption. The purpure should remind those who see it that I will figh any injustice, any time.

Holding in the dexter forepaw a sword flammant proper: This is a nod to my family traditions: Hillenbrand meaning "flaming brand" in old German. Because there has been much debate if it was a brand or a sword I chose sword since we are a military family. No I did not serve -- I went in to the safe profession of EMS & fire protection.

"Ich Diene" meaning I serve. Pretty simple in a family where everyone serves: in the military, their community, the disabled or just those in need.

The final impetus for designing and registering a Coat of Arms came from a patient I was transferring one day. I don't recall how we got on the topic, nor much about him, but I do recall that he wanted me to put acorns around the base for the live's I had saved. While I have seen this reference once I thought that would be bragging, and since my career in EMS isn't done, I hope to add many, many more acorns.

[Jeremy Kudlick]

Arms: Azure on the crown of a fouled anchor Or a compass rose of the field, on a chief invected argent a maple leaf between two oak leaves vert.
Crest: On the chest of a bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) wings displayed proper a fleur-de-lis Or.
Motto: SEMPER PATRIAM SERVIRE PRAESTO (Always ready to serve my country)

During the design phase, I knew I wanted to show my family's naval heritage as well as my award of Eagle Scout. I originally started with five fouled anchors to symbolize that I am the fifth known generation of my family in naval service, but then I realised that any future generations who enter the Navy would be stuck with that number of anchors. I reduced the number of anchors to one, but then charged it with a compass rose to distinguish it from other fouled anchors throughout heraldic history and to symbolise the moral path we should all seek to follow. The colours Azure and Or for the field and anchor are an obvious choice as they are the traditional colors of naval services worldwide. I chose an invected chief to represent the larger waves often found in the open sea. The order of the leaves on the chief show that I was born an American and would always be an American, and the maple leaf also shows that I embrace my wife's Canadian heritage.

The bald eagle is the national bird of the United States, but is found throughout North America. The fleur-de-lis is the international emblem of Scouting, and combined with the eagle signifies the rank of Eagle Scout. Should my son not attain the rank of Eagle Scout, the crest still works because of my wife's French-Canadian ancestry and our son's dual American-Canadian citizenship.

[Michael Smith]

Blazon of Arms: Argent, on a chevron cotised between three Male Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) Gules three stars Argent.

Blazon of Crest: On wreath of colors Argent and Gules, upon a wall embattled, a hawk close Sable, holding in its dexter talon a sword all proper, the grip Orange and pommel Azure.

Motto: Per Aspera Ad Astra (Through hardships to the stars).




After a couple of years of sorting through (mostly bad) designs, I finally settled on what I have today. The charges are pretty straight forward along with the design. I chose the cardinals for a few reasons, most notable of them being that I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and my family lived here since the 1830's. Additionally, I've always enjoyed birds and the Cardinal being my favorite. It's a 'proud' bird and seems to stand tall when it's perched somewhere. The stars are a hint towards my love of astronomy and all things aviation based. I'm a huge sci-fi nerd, watch documentaries on space all of the time, and listen to astronomy lectures on YouTube on the regular. The cotissed chevron is more of an aesthetic element than meaningful. I went with Argent and Gules so I could mainly get the cardinals, but also as a nod towards my English heritage.

I spent 11 years in the Ohio Army Guard working on UH-60 Black Hawks. As this was a large bulk and impactful part of my life, I wanted to express this in my crest. The black hawk sitting upon an embattled wall while holding a sword signifies the protection offered while serving. The sword grip and pommel color of Azure and Tenne are from the Army Aviation colors.

So, it's pretty straight forward. It took me about 3 years to come up with design. Running it through the boards over at the AHS, I was able to refine my design and make something that was traditionally and unique.

[steven harris]

Arms:
Argent a chevron wavy Vert between three crosses erminée Sable

The livery color, green, being in the middle of the spectrum, represents balance and toleration. Although not specified in the blazon, the specific hue of green used (sometimes called “watercourse green”, #006E48 █) was the corporate color of my first employer. The livery metal, silver (or white), represents moderation and humility; especially when weighed against the other heraldic metal, gold.

The chevron principal charge is taken from the arms of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), where I studied Chemistry and English literature. On the arms of VMI, the broken chevron serves as an augmentation of honor for the ten cadets who fell at the Battle of New Market on 15 May 1864, under the command of Confederate Major-General John C. Breckinridge. Moreover, the chevron recalls the long tradition of military service in my family. The wavy lines of the chevron answer the bend wavy on the arms assumed by my father in January 1999 (American College of Heraldry registration #1749).

The three central charges, representing my three children, are crosses each made up of four ermine spots. The ermine spot is an elegant heraldic symbol of nobility and strength; combined into a cross, they recall my Roman Catholic faith. It is also worth observing that both the ‘chevron between three charges’ theme and the ermine-family of furs are common elements in arms used by those surnamed Harris.

''Addendum'': Individually, the four ermine spots of each cross represent my four children; taken together, the three crosses represent my three daughters and the chevron represents my son.

Crest:
Vert doubled Argent; from a wreath of sacred fig leaves, a bobcat sejant holding aloft in her dexter paw a pink carnation, all proper

Atop the helm sits a wreath of sacred fig tree leaves (''Ficus religiosa''), under which Siddhārtha Gautama was awakened and attained enlightenment as Buddha. Additionally, the wreath of leaves alludes to my given name, Steven, which comes from the Ancient Greek name ''Stéphanos'' (''Στέφανος''), meaning “crowned with a wreath”.

Rising out of the wreath is a bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), which has served as a totem for the learned sciences since the mid-16^th century. In Arthurian legend, a red lynx has been attributed to Sir Lucan, Chamberlain of Camelot and King Arthur’s most-learned knight.

Reminiscent of the Buddha’s Flower Sermon, the lynx (which Pliny the Elder had named a “chama”) holds aloft a single blossom. The carnation (''Dianthus caryophyllus'') is both January’s birth-flower and the state flower of Ohio – corresponding to when and where I was born. The carnation is pink since the complimentary color of “watercourse green” is called “carnation pink” (#FF91B7 █).

Motto (below the arms):
To Thine Own Self Be True

Slogan (above the crest):
Scientiā Vincere Tenebrās

Cri de Guerre:
Wahrheit und Ehre

On a scroll below the shield is an English motto: “To Thine Own Self Be True”, spoken by Polonius to his son Laertes in Shakespeare’s tragedy ''Hamlet'' (Act I, scene 3).

On a scroll above the crest is a Scottish-style slogan: the Latin phrase “''Scientiā Vincere Tenebrās''”, which may be translated as “conquering darkness by science”.

The ''cri de guerre'' used in the plant badge is “Wahrheit und Ehre”, meaning “Truth and Honor” in German, for my paternal ancestors from the Schwarzwald region of southwestern Germany, is taken from an old proverb: “in science truth, in art honor”.

Standard:
In the hoist the arms, the fly rounded and unsplit, per fess Vert and Argent tierced by two bends Sable edged and bearing the motto Or, in the first a crest badge, in the second the badge, and in the third the plant badge.

Also assumed is a traditional standard of two horizontal tracts and an unsplit end, with the arms in hoist. The fly is divided into three parts by diagonal stripes containing the motto. In the first section is a Scottish-style crest badge (the crest encircled by a leather strap proper embellished and bearing the slogan Or); in the second section is my heraldic badge (an octagon Sable changed with three Annulets interlaced two over one within an orle Argent); and in the third section is a plant badge.

The octagonal badge, the first heraldic element that I assumed (on 14 July 2008), is directly inspired by the mon of Zenshinkan Dōjō, where I study Japanese martial, spiritual, and cultural arts. It is charged with three interlaced rings, taken from the heraldic cognizance of Saint Charles Borromeo, Cardinal-Archbishop of Milan, the eponymous patron of my college-preparatory school. Borromean rings were a mediæval symbol of the Most Holy Trinity, and have implications in my career field of biochemistry. Furthermore, the simplicity of the rings recalls the ensō of Zen Buddhism and Aikidō (合気道), in both of which I am a student. Likewise, the three mandorle in the central interlacing of the rings form a Celtic triquetra knot, for my maternal ancestors from the Irish Province of Munster.

Lastly assumed is a pink carnation as a plant badge; depicted entwined by a ribbon in the tartan of the Clan MacLeod of Harris & Dunvegan – from where my surname is derived. The tartan ribbon, which Kathryn and I used at our wedding (on 24 January 2004), bearing the ''cri de guerre'' in white letters.

Assumed:
27 April 2011 (Feast of Our Lady of Montserrat)

Registered & Recorded:
American Heraldry Society members' armorial
International Association of Amateur Heralds membership roll of arms
United States Heraldic Registry (submitted 17 August 2011)
New England Historic Genealogical Society (accepted 17 March 2012)

Cadency:
These arms may also be used by the armiger’s wife and children (until reaching the age of majority), differenced with Writhe brisures as is heraldically proper: Kathryn Joan (by a lozenge), Caroline Kathryn Virginia (a heart), Jack Leo Francis (an uncharged label of three points), Elizabeth Elaine Thérèse (an ermine spot), and Abigail Margaret Rose (a snowflake). Further generations may difference their arms using the Scottish system of Stodart bordures.

[Edward Hillenbrand]

Interestingly one of my relatives was wounded at New Market. He was of course fighting for the "right" side mit Sigel; First New York Cav. He was a rabid abolitionist and joined up in 1861. He was the company First Sargent at New Market. It was his last battle. His foot was shattered.

[JMcMillan]

I'm not a member of the IAAH, but here's the story of my arms anyway.



The blazon is "Or a lion passant Sable between in chief three stars Azure voided Argent and in base on a bar wavy Azure a barrulet wavy Silver." The crest is "a dexter hand proper brandishing a Creek Indian atassa (war club) Gules." The motto, Caelum non animum mutant, means "They change their skies but not their souls." A cousin and I recorded the arms with the NEHGS Committee on Heraldry in 2005 in the name of my great-grandfather (my cousin's grandfather) Rustem Warthen McMillan.

The arms were designed to conform with Scottish design practice in consultation with members of the now defunct Scots Heraldry forum, even though they weren't granted by Lord Lyon. The earliest I can trace my McMillan line thus far is to my great-great-great grandfather Daniel's birth in South Carolina in 1808.

The arms of the chief of the clan, MacMillan of MacMillan and Knap, are "Or a lion rampant Sable in chief three mullets Azure." I turned the lion from rampant to passant and hypothetically assigned my unknown pre-Revolutionary ancestor an additional difference of a bar wavy Azure in base. These would be appropriate arms for an indeterminate cadet in the Scottish heraldic system.

Then I charged the bar wavy with a barrulet wavy Argent, since I don't know whether Daniel was the eldest son.

My great-great grandfather Jesse was Daniel's fourth son, so we need another difference. This was to void the three stars in chief with Argent.

Rustem was Jesse's only son. My grandfather was Rustem's second son, but the eldest leaving issue. My father was a first son, as am I, so Rustem's arms would descend to me under Scottish rules as the heir male. But they are recorded with the NEHGS for use by all McMillan descendants of my great-grandfather without difference.

As for symbolism:
- The bar wavy in base represents Tallasahatchee Creek in Alabama, where Daniel McMillan established the family farm in the 1830s.
- The voiding of the stars comes from the white stars on blue from the U.S. flag.
- The crest is based on that of the chief (two hands holding a claymore), replacing the characteristic Scottish weapon with the characteristic weapon of the people from whom Daniel "acquired" his land.
- The motto comes from a Latin couplet by Horace that translates "Those who travel across the seas change their skies but not their souls." I see this as a reference to the Scottish immigrant experience, and the lion sable passant over the water with the stars differenced for cadency can be read as a graphic expression of this motto, although it wasn't intended that way.
- The three stars are characteristic of MacMillan arms generally, but they can also allude to the three sons of Daniel McMillan who served in the 10th Alabama Infantry during the Late Unpleasantness. (There were five brothers altogether, but one was crippled and one too young to serve.)

[steven harris]

Interestingly one of my relatives was wounded at New Market. He was of course fighting for the "right" side mit Sigel; First New York Cav. He was a rabid abolitionist and joined up in 1861. He was the company First Sargent at New Market. It was his last battle. His foot was shattered.

I am from Ohio originally, but my mother's family was in Carolina at the time and very much on the South. They were two bothers, both ranked Colonel (if memory serves) in the CSA's Corps of Engineers. They were unceremoniously stripped of their commissions by General Lee for "promoting and ungentlemanly form of warfare" after they devised an early type of land-mines. This is the family story anyway.

[Edward Hillenbrand]

[quote="JMcMillan"]I'm not a member of the IAAH, but here's the story of my arms anyway.

Why don't you join us?

[Kathy McClurg]

Most know mine, so it's easier just to head this direction:

http://www.armorial-register.com/arms-us/mcclurg-ka-arms.html

And if you search for McClurg in the register:

http://www.armorial-register.com/cgi-sys/entropysearch.cgi?query=mcclurg&user=rockhall&basehref=http%3A%2F%2Farmorial-register.com&template=default

You can see the lot!