Your grandmother Mary George was born to the Budwee family. Your great grandparents Anthony and Sadie Budwee migrated from Kfarsghab Lebanon before Mary and her twin brother Armen were born. Kfarsghab is known as the twin town because its people traditionally lived in one town during the winter and another town during the summer. The summer village is called Kfarsghab, which means fortified village and the winter village is called Morh Kfarsghab which means the winter resting place of cattle which belong to the village of Kfarsghab. Both villages are in the Caza (district) of Zgharta, which is in the Valley of Qadisha, this is considered a holy and spiritual place in Christian history. Simply put, Kfarsghab is located in the North Lebanon region.
Kfarsghab, the summer village, is located high up in the mountains on the road going from Ehden to Bsharri in the northern part of the Qadisha valley. Kfarsghab is mentioned in documents as old as 1283 AD so you can appreciate the thousands of years of tradition and history the family must have practiced. Kfarsghab is a Mediterranean mountain village with heavy winter snows and mild dry summers. However, Kfarsghab is located in an area with rivers around it so the people were assured of clean stream water all through the summer. Often during the winter there were very violent snow storms and landslides so it seemed safer to move down to the winter village. The terrain of Kfarsghab is very rugged hilly land.
Morh Kfarsghab, the winter village, is located down on the north-western slope of the Joueit valley separating Miziara from Bnachii. A written document mentioning Morh is dated to October / November 1748 AD (Thu'l-Qa'dah 1161 Hijri). Morh Kfarsghab is a Mediterranean “plains” village with heavy rains, mild winters and hot dry arid summers. So you can understand why the families moved back to Kfarsghab during the summer, when they knew in advance how harsh and unforgiving the summer sun and dry conditions would be. In fact, Morh Kfarsghab experienced torrential floods; sand and dust storms in April / May, which was the summer months. The terrain of Morh Kfarsghab is rugged hilly land overlooking the Joueit Valley.
The semitic name of Kfarsghab is composed of two parts : KFAR-SGHAB

Kfarsghab is surrounded by two rivers and crossed by a third one. Al Msil is the torrent which separates Kfarsghab from Bane, a neighbouring town. It was a tiwn where Valleys and rivers, springs and forests, peaks and mountains stamp the life of the people. Generations of hunters and farmers, shepherds and hermits have lived there.
In 1998, the officially registered population of Kfarsghab was of 3,772 persons, making it the fourth populated area of the district of Zawiyeh. It is estimated that 25% of the registered persons (ca. 900 persons) live actually in the village. Emigration took its toll of Kfarsghab population - but also blessed it economically - since the mid 19th century. It is estimated that 20,000 persons around the world - mainly in USA and in Australia - are related by origin to Kfarsghab. In fact, 95% of the family live outside of Kfarsghab now.
The religion practiced by the ancesters was Maronite (Roman Catholic rite) 100% of the town were Maronite. After migrating to Australia a Maronite church was built at Marrickville and later at Harris Park.

The ancestors made their living from growing olive trees hence olive oil, apples, pears, grapes and cherries. They herd cattle and sheep for food and milk and exchanged their wares with other villages. in the 20th century they exported their produce and meat to countries such as Irak, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Many of the town's people that did not participate in farming or herding were raised in families where age old skills were passed down the generations. Your great grandfather for example, was a stone mason. He could carve headstones, create decorative finials for buildings and ornamental fountains.