I am still learning. Michelangelo

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. C.S. Lewis

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

22 July 2015....a record, two consecutive post.  All morning spent with McCleskey family binders.  So fortunate to have the Walter McCleskey, "McCleskey Family of Georgia" hard bound book.  He published his research and that of several older cousins that had knowledge of older generations.  While going through data on my aunts and uncles, I found a map of Westview Cemetery, Atlanta, GA.  Of David Lester and Eunice White McCleskey's nine children, five are buried in Westview: Minnie Foster, Alice Cooper and sister Ollie Cooper, two sisters married to two brothers; my dad Wm "Bill" and the youngest sibling, Lucy Manning.  Aunt Fannie and her family moved to AL before I was born, she is buried in Boaz, AL.  Uncle Pink is buried in Miami where he lived for many years. Aunt Bertie is buried in Newnan city, cem with her first husband and the father of her children.  Uncle George is buried in Riverdale Methodist with Aunt Margaret's family.  Uncle J. C. (John C, "Jake") is in Douglas county.
   Westview is huge cemetery on SW side of Atlanta.  I know my mother bought and paid monthly payments for a long time.  It is well maintained and many Atlanta families have relatives entombed there.  All of these family members have death certificates and hunting grave stones in family cemeteries was not necessary.
   The children of David Lester and Eunice White McCleskey were very close and had a great family relationship.  Our Christmas Gatherings were always looked forward to and enjoyed.  Makes my mouth water with the great food brought by each family and shared.  Aunt Ollie and Aunt Alice were legendary cooks.  My favorite from Aunt Alice, Angel Salad (fruit and sweetened whipped cream),  No one can beat Aunt Ollie's Chicken N Dumplings.
   It is written that after three generations no one returns to visit family cemeteries. I am glad mother saw to their burial for I probably have visited her grave for the last time.  Even though Doug lives only 30 miles away, he has no compulsion to visit.  We rest, knowing the grave sites will always be cared for.
   Grandpa and Grandma David and Eunice are buried in near-by Greenwood Cemetery, near the Cooper parents.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

21 July 2015.... I have begun going through each of my Family History notebooks reducing the material to one good copy and material that is "note worthy."  Then you question, what is "note worthy?"  What is worthy to one person means nothing to the next.   I repurposed an old binder by covering with decorative paper and cutting McCleskey with my Cricut.  This activity is both happy and sad, stirs lots of emotions.  Today, I encountered my McCleskey cousins that fought in World War II, several highly decorated for bravery.  They are all gone, our generation is certainly diminishing. Also, the size of our families have gone from nine children to four or less.
    Will close and return to my sorting.  Who knows if I find something else that sends me back to this journal.


Friday, July 17, 2015

17 July 2015  The KING FAMILY album is completed, a total of 6 months-2 weeks devoted to a wonderful family.  My husband, loved and admired his sweet sweet gentle grandmother, Dorothy Viola Vivian KING Webb above all others from his childhood.
    I found the entire family fascinating starting with Samuel King I who camped and with George Washington at Valley Forge and is documented Revolutionary War soldier.
     His great-grandson, Jacob King, was a soldier in Civil War and surrendered with General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.  Mostly, the heritage album of the KING FAMILY is about Jacob. His migration saga from North Carolina to Arkansas is a local legion.  He helped settle this remote area of Arkansas as a teacher, minister and legislator while raising a family of four sons and fire daughters.  Each ten years when the census taker arrived he gave his occupation as farmer.
    The proof of his success is in his children, a lawyer, a teacher, a minister and the youngest, a doctor.  We know the youngest two daughters attended Mountain Home Baptist College.
    One grandson, Milam King, son of Baptist minister Thomas King was so moved by his grandparents, he wrote several personal accounts about Jacob and Harriet Fisher King.
     I honor Harriet Fisher King as well.  Being the wife of an ill paid minister and living on a rocky farm dictated a very hard life.  It took my husband a very long time to understand why anyone would farm the land his great-grandfather did. You do not name a county, Stone, if is free of rocks, stones and mountains. After John retired we went to a Fisher Family Reunion in Brevard, NC.  Brevard is also in the mountains and Jacob found the land in Stone Co, AR similar to the land in NC he left behind.
    Jacob, Harriet, their nine children are part of the fabric that made America great.  Above all, they were God fearing Christians that believed you worked hard, contributed to society and loved your family.  It was a pleasure documenting this family.  JMW

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

8 July 2015   Finished KING FAMILY heritage album yesterday; posted several photos of the pages to Facebook in Paper Phenomenon Fan Page.  It was so rewarding to have such nice comments about the book.  Going to put a few pages here as well.  It was truly a labor of love.