Wow! Look at this old Confederate flag

[D&b antiques]

Maybe one Day History, will be kind and as understanding, as you' towards our vietnam vet's. I may have been young & foolish but duty called we answered and are still paying the price.

U.S.M.C. 1967 TO 1971

[talesofthesevenseas]

Amen to that! My hubby served in the Vietnam war too. Thanks D&B, for answering the call.

[Texasbadger]

My Avatar on the site is my maternal great grandfather, John T. Hill,,,he was captured a week after the Civil War was over at the last battle of the Civil War,,the Battle of Girard or Columbus Georgia,,name of battle depending on what side of the defended bridge you were on. Battle was on Easter Sunday 1865. He was a pig farmer and architect in Marshall Texas after the war and only 16 in the photo.  There is a letter in his records where he got home sick and ran home only to get sent back to the front by his mother.  An interesting record.

[talesofthesevenseas]

I'd love to see a larger photo of him Texasbadger, the letter too if its available! Very interesting!

I forgot to mention above, there is a fourth Confederate ancestor of mine that was badly wounded- blinded and partially paralyzed.

This is my gr-gr-grandfather Baker Arnold. He served in the 29th TN Infantry, Company K. He fought at Chickamauga, Franklin, Murfreesboro and other battles not named in his records. After desserting three times, he was court martialed and found guilty, but after being sentenced to having half his head shaved and being put in the stocks for 4 hours a day for 20 days, it was written on his military file by General Joseph E. Johnston, that his charges were to be omitted from his record. Unfortunately, the circumstances for his dessertion were not recorded in the court martial transcript, which was taken down in camp. It was only stated that he plead innocent and was found guilty. The explaination that was passed down through his descendants is that he returned home when either his mother or wife was gravely ill. Since his charges were omitted, he was discharged honorably following the surrender of thousands of troops under Johnston to General Sherman at the end of the war.

[Texasbadger]

Here he is armed for bear, headed off to the great adventure.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Wow- Such a young kid! You can just imagine how terrified he must have been. That must have taken some serious dedication to the cause for his mum to send him back to the front. That and the lack of food available perhaps was a factor?

[ironlord1963]

    You all have some wonderful History, I've always loved History. History Channel and Survivor is the only TV I will watch.  In Many ways I wish I had some of the history you folks have.  Most of my history Lies overseas in Europe, My families American start was much later, Sure there is some here but fathers side was late 1800's Germans, and Mom side, didn't come here until early 1900 from Bohemia.  Anyway it seems my family were just simple farmers from Kansas.  I do have some family dealings with the Dalton gang.  Sorry rambling no where here, just want to stop by and say this is some very intresting readings, and you have great history.   

[talesofthesevenseas]

Ironlord, What kind of dealings did your family have with the Dalton gang? Even if they weren't involved in the gang itself, it's still really neat.

A lot of times if you can figure out what profession your ancestors had it gives you a lot more insight into your family history. It's neat to see that they were farmers, tavernkeepers, distillers, lamplighters and other things. You can also pull up the Ellis Island records, or ships passenger lists. Those are really neat to see. I helped a cousin research her grandmother's immigration from Ireland and we even found photograhs of her ship she came over on!

I have never researched in Germany but you can pull European records on Ancestry.com. There should be some town vital or census type records you can trace. Sometimes when you start tracing those European roots you find royal connections, or links to other interesting people and places. Every marriage gives you a whole new family tree! I bet you've got some interesting ancestors, you just have to find them. My family on my dad's side used to tell me, "Oh there are no records for those people, they lived way back in the hills of Tennessee and all they had was a few lines in a Bible." But they didn't take into account deeds, military records, census records, photographs, and a whole lot of kids, who still live in the area. Boy did I surprise them, LOL!

Do the free trial a Ancestry.com or spend twenty bucks on a month of membership when you have some quiet evenings. Its well worth it!!

[ironlord1963]

     I did a bit of snooping around, and know bits and pieces.  The "Family Story" of the Dalton Brothers has to do with a relative on my mothers side rode around with the Daltons for some time.  Nothing really notable but maybe I should snoop.  There is a bit of a mystery on my mothers side, A Aunt was looking hard into the family history and the Family got really mad and had her stop, or so the story goes.  Something in my Grandfathers family Past, Murder the whisper are and "Other Secrets".  I have always shugged it off as Silly family stories.  I do Know most of my Bohemian past up to greatgrandfather.  But the few generations I know, they were hard core farmers, not much war just wheat and pigs  .  But maybe you have inspired me to look more, after I get a handle on this Antique stuff  ,  That will be a few more days I'm Sure  .  I just love to read these threads that has some history of others, you folks have greener grass 

[railman44]

Speaking of history, my paternal Grandfather spent 7 years in the Missouri Territorial State Prison for murdering someone that pulled a knife on him in a fight (he made the mistake of running even though he had witnesses).  He attended Frank James trial and was cinsidered a big in stature mean person.  He was employed and held office in the local school board and was considered very intellegent although he had some problems with alcohol.  If a picture exists of him, it would be in the records of the now closed prison.  I'm awaiting their response.  If I hear nothing, I'll probably join the website Ancestor.com.  I guess that's the skeleton in my kinfolk's closet.

[Dean Perdue]

Great there are those of us that keep history alive by this type of research and appreciation for these old objects.
Like Wendy177 said, wish these things could talk.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Ironlord, are the family members who asked your aunt to stop searching still living? If so, perhaps just asking why would tell you enough to know if enough time has passed that you could research without hurting anyone. Sometimes people were ashamed of things that aren't as painful now as they were then- Mixed marriages, births out of wedlock, people of different faiths, marriage to cousins etc. were sometimes considered deep secrets, so it might not be all that bad. Then again, you could be related to a mass-murderer. Who knows!

That is WAY cool history with the Dalton Gang!! That would be SO much fun to research!!

[Skinny]

I just recently researched some family history on my dads side, and it turns out that my great great(to the whatever power) grandfather was a wealthy ships captain in the Chesapeake Bay area, around about 1800. I say wealthy, because I saw that he owned about twelve or thirteen slaves. I've always been into old sailing ships since I was old enough to remember, and I thought it was interesting to find out that that was part of my family history. I can't pass judgment about the slaves, I guess that's just what most Virginians who could afford it did back then.

[ironlord1963]

Cool Stuff Skinny.  And tales, yes they are still alive, but it was just a few months ago, My sister pressed the question again, and they are still tight lips, My sister and I have some ideals but nothing really worth keeping tight lipped about.  Unless it is something like we are actually aliens.  .  I should ask my mother again for details on the Dalton Gang story, but bet it is really something like a great uncle, rode a short distance with the gang, got home realized who he was with and the rest well family long tales.  This would suit my family, if you know what I mean.

[KC]

Love this thread...how fun!  Found out 4 years back that my great-great-great-great grandfather was an illegitimate child of a rather wealthy man. (He did care for and provide for them from what we understand and the young man turned out educated/hardworking/successful/well-rounded family man - but was hated by the "legitimate" family - had a cousin who did all of the research.)  To this day our line of the family is shunned and not welcome to the big family reunions. (Not that I ever was interested in going or really care when I found out about this...but, I figure one day we will crash it!)

I don't understand people that hold anger and bitterness for people/things they were never alive to experience.  After all, we don't want anything....majorit y of my relatives are happy, hard-working, family-loving and financially sound people.   Guess if one turns into a extremely popular star or person of importance they might change their minds!  LOLOLOL

Maybe it was in my bones to want to adopt the "unwanted" (we have 1 child by birth and chose to adopt 1 which turned into 3 by the time we finished).  They are all our biggest blessings!