Roots

[slimm50]

Came across these in my old picture album. All photos taken by me a couple of years ago at Little Hope Primitive Baptist church in Eoline, Alabama (central Alabama). This is the church my relatives on my Mom's side (grandparents, great gp, great great gp, etc...) belonged to since the early 1800's. Many more graves in the cemetery go almost that far back, but have no markers. The location is really a beautiful plot in the middle of a national forest (Talladega, I think).
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[1K0N]

44th was in Laws Div. at Gettysburg at round top possibly the 4th Al as well,

IKON

[slimm50]

I might add, all of the wood you see in the church interior is original. This structure was built in the mid 1800's and is the second building to be built there. They still have "meetings" (that's what they call their church services) once a month. Sometimes they skip a month. The preacher isn't paid, or at least he used not to be paid. That may have changed recently. I haven't been back there in 30 years, except a couple years ago for a brief look-see and to take these photos. But as a very young boy I attended services there whenever we visited my grandparents. At that time they held services weekly. I well remember stifling-hot summers services with the windows open, wasps, bees and other flying critters zooming about while the choir sang their Shape Note music, or the preacher delivering his fire-and-brimstone sermons. And let me tell you, those heat pine benches were might hard on my boney butt!! Afterwards there was a huge meal (called "dinner on the ground") with tons of food spread out on long tables (everybody brought something).

[JB73]

the skill back then in the 1800's to hand chisel a nice typeface, all even and that

that amazes me, just a dumb thought.

[slimm50]

Originally posted by JB73
the skill back then in the 1800's to hand chisel a nice typeface, all even and that

that amazes me, just a dumb thought.

Umm...I'm pretty sure those markers were furnished by my relatives at sometime after the guys were interred, the original wooden markers having rotted away, or become illegible. Sometime in the 1950s, I think.

[rpm]

That's neat. I wonder why the one stone looks like it has had some pieces cut out.

I just recently found a copy of my paternal geneology. I found this entry to be quite interesting. Please forgive the legnth, I am typing it verbatim:
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Uncle John Pitts story told by Anna Lee Robinson (1888- 1980)

John Pitts was a native of Mississippi and he also wore the grey uniform. He had a charming personality and great dignity.

He was very, very young when taken into the service.

During his childhood days he had learned to tap dance. He had a natural talent and ability for this art, and with his association with slaves, he had been taught the tricks of the tap. He became sort of a child entertainer, however, he was captured and became a prisoner of war. The prison was near Washington, D.C., or may have been Richmond, Virginia. He said he was not a spy and had not done anything, just taken prisoner. There were two other boys traken when he was captured and the three were in the same prison.

I have forgotten how long he was in prison, but one day one of the guards came to him and told him the President of the United States had sent for him. Was he ever scared! He knew if the President had sent for him, that they were surely going to shoot him, and only him, as the two other boys were not wanted. His escorts took him straight to the White House. He said that he was really frightened because as of then he did not know what his mission or fate was to be. So right into a big office where all the high military officials and dignataries were seated, they took him. He said he saluted in his best military manner. Then the President said to him, "Son, do not be frightened; I am not going to hurt you, I only want you to dance and entertain my guests." Then the escort was told to "clean him up" and get himsome good shoes and a tuxedo.

Uncle John said he had such mixed emotions at that moment he could never describe them; he wanted to cry, and he wanted to run and fly, and of course all the officials knew he had been scared stiff and he suppossed they were getting a thrill out of his misery, however, it ended beautifully. The White House was entertaining and it lasted for about three days. He was treated as a guest and they gave him a discharge and his freedom and sent him home. And he said did he ever dance. He said "Good old Abe freed him and the slaves together."  Too bad Lincoln was assassinated.

I hope that John is dancing for Abe in the great beyond. He did Uncle John a big favor.
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[slimm50]

rpm, great story. Thanks for sharing. Anyone else want to add to this thread something from their family history?

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by slimm50
rpm, great story. Thanks for sharing. Anyone else want to add to this thread something from their family history?

My mother took 5 years and researched our family tree.  She got back to about the 1700's and thats it.  English on Mom's side (Decendants from the Dover family, ie. Dover Castle, we're guessing from the analysis, but thats a stretch because the Dover Castle and the White Cliffs of dover were named roughly in 1200) and Swedes on my dad's side.  Some German trash got mixed in the blood line somewhere in the mid 1800's too.

Interesting tidbit, around the turn of the last century (1890 or so) we had alot of relatives die from Cholora (sp).  Apparently people didn't drill their wells deep enough and the cattle crap and pee would get into the water supply.

Edit: James Dover, my great grandfather, came over to America in 1874 and homesteaded in Nebraska, we went to his original homestead in 2002, I have some pics at home I can scan, all the siding was hand made...amazing architecture!

[Ripsnort]

Almost forgot to add, one thing that runs in my genes is diarreha....