Sacred Harp Singing

Heading to another family reunion this weekend, I'm reading through old records and was reminded that my paternal grandfather's family were good singers.  The following is clipped from a transcribed (and recently reprinted) oral history entitled The Jordans of Brindlee Mountain.

JCB, Sheffield, and Tom were accomplished Sacred Harp singers.

  Old singing minutes describe how they conducted class, 15 minutes each. 

 Herbert also loved Sacred Harp singing and was a great bass.

Here is a link to the family church, Rocky Mount Primitive Baptist Church, where my cousin, Matt Jordan is pastor.  I think I need to learn how to sing this way ~

Listen up!

Gustava (Gustie) Amanda Daniel Jordan

Today is my paternal grandmother's birthday.

Born in 1896 -  December 11

Died in 1959 -  March 4

when I was only ten months old.

I have a few reminders of her ~

a pastel-colored baby quilt featuring a kitten

several tried and true recipes like Garlic Cream Cheese, 1-2-3-4 Cake, and Cranberry Shrub.

Her just-older sister, Beulah Naomi aka Baba, lived in Atlanta near us, visiting at holidays and occasionally inviting me and my sister to luncheon at Rich's Magnolia Tea Room. Knowing her gave me a tiny bit of insight into my grandmother's personality.

Here's a link to the story I wrote about her four years ago.

But that's not very much.

Guess that means it's time to contact relatives and gather more details about this important lady in my life.

A Home-Concealed Woman

Having attended a funeral this past week for a dear family friend, I was reminded of an obituary found in the Afterword of one of my favorite books.

Magnolia Wynn LeGuin's death was deeply felt by all who knew her, as her obituary in the Henry County Weekly Advertiser (12 November 1947) proclaimed with simple elegance.

On Thursday, November 6, 1947, in the usual quiet of Autumn dawn, a stillness we seldom know seemed to hover over New Hope Community.

Our hearts were pierced with pain and yet, relief mingled together when word came that Mrs. G.G. LeGuin, familiarly know as "Miss Mag," had moved to the "Home not built with hands," a reward she so richly deserved, for such a beautiful life she had lived!

She was a loving mother, devoted wife, friend to humanity, a good, kind neighbor, and indeed a true and faithful christian, if there ever was one.  We know nothing too good to speak or write of her.  To know her was to love her.  These words were equally fitting for her while she lived as they are now.  No one knows just how many lives were enriched nor how many blessings she rendered.

Mrs. LeGuin was before her marriage, Magnolia Wynn, and spent her life at old Wynn's Mill where she was born.  She was in her 79th year.  She loved people, loved to talk and loved old New Hope Methodist Church where she will be missed as the oldest member and where she has been a pillar.  Many think of her as their "second mother."


This book is shelved in my genealogy section not because I am directly related to Mrs. LeGuin but because her diaries offer insight into the lives of my great-grandmothers.

New Manchester Mill

Several weeks ago a friend and I took advantage of a ranger-guided tour through the remains of this successful cotton mill destroyed by the Yankees on July 9, 1864.

It sparked my memory and I returned to my own family history where a great-great-great uncle raccounts the destruction of the Planters Factory on the Ocmulgee River this very week 146 years ago.  Read a short clip about it on my other blog.

While I got my exercise that day, learned some history, and absorbed some beautiful vistas, I couldn't help but recommit my body and being to resisting the continued encroachment of the Federal government into the hearts and lives of all Americans.

General Sherman wanted to do it then.

Legislators and politicans continue that mission by overstepping their bounds, most recently demonstrated in the body-scanning practices and full-bodied patdowns of the TSA

AND

the multiplying tentacles of big government invading our privacy all the way down to our personal medical records.

Howl, please.

and then

Howl some more.

Genealogy:William Ferguson Smith

My maternal great-great grandfather was born on this date, September 16, one hundred forty five years ago (1845).

As you can see from the photo of the dust jacket, he is the author of of The Rival Lovers: a story of The War Between the States.

It is an authentic and original tale of a solider, citizen and public servant written in 1877, originally published in serial form in the Butts County Argus.


Even more interesting are the second and third parts of the book which contain first a biographical sketch entitled William, The Man; and then Essays: Other Writings of William Ferguson Smith.


He is mentioned in the New Georgia Encyclopedia as a *mover and shaker* of 19th century Butts County because of his overall leadership, most notably as editor of the newspaper and president of the railroad.

In his remarks when he took charge of the Flovilla and Indian Springs Railroad (1888?), he challenged his listeners to act their parts as patriots and save the Republic.

Now I leave you with his actual words which continue to be appropriate in the perennial task of cultural renewal.

Can we - will we - perpetuate this Republic for the benefit of the children of both races?  Or will we allow race prejudice and sectional hatred to rob us of reason, smother our patriotism, and engage us in factional strife, while our great Republic goes down under the grasp of financial despotism?

I present these questions for the thoughtful, prayerful consideration of the great middle class of the American people to consider, with the hope, the prayerful desire, and the sincere belief, that the great responsive heart will answer in the affirmative.

Take heart over these issues.

Remember our great Constitution, as tomorrow is Constitution Day.

Preserving that permanent thing...

maintains liberty and justice for all.




Many thanks to my cousin, Harriet Ann Stovall Kelley (Editor) who discovered WFS papers and took the time to preserve them for posterity.  Read one of her poems here.

Fashion Friday:Tartans

In honor of the Kerr line in our family's genealogy, I hope DH will wear this handsome tartan tie for his mother's memorial service on July 3rd.


DD#1 has been on a mission this Spring to pin down the exact birth, death, and marriage dates of members of Grandma's family tree.





In addition to online research, she made a special trip to the Canadian Archives in Toronto.  Which in turn opened doors into the Vital Statistics of Manitoba. 

The real bonus in all of this puzzle is a new friend named Maggie.  Thanks to her we have scans from local genealogic records, pictures of headstones, and her own account of the life and times in Ninette.

Now we know the rest of the story.





Here are the details about the tartan which I purchased from Mountain and Sackett.

The Kerr Wool Tartan necktie is cut from the finest Scottish wool, and is handmade in New York City. Each tie is 3 1/2 inches wide and 58 inches long. The Kerr family, said to be of Norman descent, is recorded in the Borders in the 12th century. The two main families were the Kerrs of Cessford, now represented by the Duke of Roxburghe, and the Kerrs of Ferniehurst, represented by the Marquis of Lothian. This authentic Scottish Tartan is a timeless classic whose historic design has withstood the test of time.

How about your family tree?

Any tartans?

Family Photographer

It's a big job to rear a family.

Whether you're the parent of one or twenty-one (and anything in between), it's a constant challenge to keep the group cohesive.

While there are many ways to encourage solidarity, allow me to suggest the power of sharing family photos as a possible *gluestick.*






Metaphorically speaking :)




From birthdays to graduation, from weddings to reunions, many of us take pictures.

But what do you do with them?

One of my muse's, Donna at Quiet Life, is quite the photographer. Not only does she share her knowledge with us on her own blog, she's also a contributing writer at the famous site of the Pioneer Woman. I've known her since college when she was head photographer of the college yearbook. Now she's branching out into the bigger world of photographing others and improving her skills by taking workshops. Recently she shared pictures from her local farmers' market. Even now she's thinking ahead and taking a family photo for the Christmas card!

But back to the gluestick.


Here's another photo of our family photographer who received her first camera at age seven.

Self-taught my mother has photographed the family as long as I can remember.

There a funny series of us in front of a camera on a tripod, timer set for the precise moment of portraiture :)

Though what I really want to mention is the way she shares her photos.


They are all
organized and
ready for viewing in albums.

That is a monumental feat.

Worthy of commendation!

I know that too well because most of mine are still sitting in boxes in the basement.

But, no, she doesnt stop with editing, printing, and cataloging.

Sharing is the key.

She makes a family birthday calendar for each of us (six children with spouses and 29 grands!) and gives it at Christmastime.


My father contributes by laminating, collating, and binding.

 At this moment I can glance up at my calendar flipped to May and be reminded that MargaretAnn and James have birthdays this month.


Then she creates her own greeting cards, artistically using her archive of thousands of images. Inside the card you're likely to find a CD containing lots of pictures of yourself with family.



Furthermore, there's an entire hallway of family photos and a family website.

So, when you visit home, there's no question about the roots of the family tree.

Thankfully, all my daughters love taking pictures, too!

I'm looking forward to their glue.

Family Tree




















Not exactly museum quality material but nevertheless very important artwork for our household because it was created by Grandpa Jago (d. 2001) and illustrates our genealogy back to the 18th century!!

As Christmas Day approaches, many get a pit in their stomachs wondering what they can give. Allow me to suggest this type of gift - that one of time well-spent. Many years ago, one of my sisters gave each of us the beginnings of a genealogy notebook. It may have been the topic of her required senior history thesis, but I know she spent a lot of time visiting relatives that year...some which I never had the chance to meet. Just this past week I telephoned an aunt and enjoyed a conversation about my grandmother/her mother.

This is a fantastic idea, low cost and truly one I've referred to often over the years.

Furthermore, I like the idea offered by Caroline Kennedy in a book of poetry dedicated to her mother. She relates that from a very early age her birthday/Christmas gift to her mother would be the recitation and or illustration of a poem.

What could be more simple, less expensive, or more priceless?

Now I'm off to search for that poem written for me by DD#2 a few Christmases ago.

Grandparents


Gustie and Sheffield 1918


















Albert and Dorcas 1925


















Aren't these old photos interesting?
I clipped them from our family website.

Does your family have a website?

Click on the time to comment.

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