Happy Fathers's Day, Dad

About 1928 as a young man was on his milk delivery route one morning he stopped to offer a ride to a student walking to a rural school. They drove on towards the school and the student suggested they stop to offer a ride to a young lady also walking to school. This young lady was the teacher. A wonderful suggestion!

Dad was driving a milk delivery truck, living in Missouri to finish school, as his parents moved to Arizona. Mom and Dad were married January 1, 1933. They lived always in Missouri and raised four children.

Dad started work with the Frisco Railway in 1935. We lived in town for several years before buying a small acreage outside of town. While working full time for the railway he managed to keep up the "farm" with it's cow, horse, chickens and rabbits and huge garden. Most of the time he worked either late afternoon or night shifts so he could have some daylight time for work around the place. He was a hard worker and a good provider.

I don't remember very much punishment for wrong doings but his stern look and a couple of words kept me, at least, in line. The worst punishment I ever remember was having to sit on a chair for a certain length of time! I remember lots of fun, baby chickens, rabbits, kittens and a little black and white terrier, Happy. Despite having to be quiet while Dad slept because of the night shifts of work, we had a great time and had lots of space to roam and play. The huge garden provided us with not only delicious food year round but Mom's beautiful flowers.

Dad we knew could fix anything that needed fixing from a doll buggy to an automobile. He was always 'puttering' with something and kept the place running smoothly. On the farm and after we moved into town he had to be busy. Dad was a member of the school board of the one room school we attended. When the rural schools were closed by the county we moved into town to be nearer schools and college. The big two story house in town was always a gathering place, especially for holidays, with our expanding families.

Health problems followed too soon and required his retirement from the Frisco but he was never without something to do. To keep busy he opened a saw and knife sharpening shop for several years. He and Mom were very active in church activities and volunteering. Dad did some woodworking, took care of any repairs around the house and always was whistling. His whistle started out with one song, usually a hymn that merged from one into a next, all while he was working on one project or another.

Dad loved his children and grandchildren and would have had such fun with the additional grandchildren and great grandchildren. He always was and still would have been so proud of all his family.

Dad, we all love you and miss you very much.

To Remember--

--and thank!

From the earliest conflict with indigenous people, the Pequot War of 1637, to the War in Iraq our family members have shown their patriotism by doing their part for us and our country. So many members have served whether over the seas or here at home. One uncle enlisted in the army in 1933 and was discharged after losing a foot from a land mine in Korea. Many served in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, both WWI and WWII, and the conflicts that have followed. For the time spent in danger or during quiet times helping to secure the country, we thank each for their commitment to the country and for the time spent away from families and loved ones.

Thank You to all veterans and all members of the armed service as we remember and honor you today.

Decoration Day

Decoration Day, as we used to call Memorial Day, was a day for taking care of cemeteries, cleaning grave sites and adding flowers in remembrance. I remember as a youngster visiting cemeteries where grandparents and others were buried, taking flowers to put on the graves even knowing they wouldn't last long in the hot sun. We always walked around as our parents visited with friends and relatives remembering the names on the markers, "I remember----, she/he, lived -- did--married--". Why didn't I pay more attention - but now need to search for such information. Afterwards we would always gather around Aunt Nellie's table loaded with such a feast and an afternoon of fun, pictures, and 'remember whens'.

Mom would always tell us when, as a child, there would be a 'program' in the little church and then all the children would parade around the cemetery putting a flower on each of the graves. She also told us how she would help her mother pick wild flowers, usually daisies, from the fields, wrap them in wet newspapers and ship them to Nebraska to the cemetery where Grandma's parents and two of her children were buried.

So many memories and so many people to remember!

Agnes

I love all the old family photos I have found. It has been such fun to get to know these people through research in genealogy. This is my Great, Great Grandmother, Sarah Agnes (Payne)Huckaby. She was born January 20, 1820 in Barron Co., Ky, the daughter of Jubal and Rhonda (Basham) Payne. She was known in many old documents as Agnes.

Sarah Agnes was the second wife of Joseph Huckaby. Joseph was born to Thomas and Nancy C. (Chaffin) Huckaby on October 18, 1789 in Bedford, VA. (Thomas Huckaby had served four years in the Revolutionary War.) Joseph moved with his parents to Barron Co., KY and later served with his brother Nathan in the War of 1812. They served as privates in Thomas Griffins Co., Kentucky Militia under Col. Samuel Parker's 14th regiment. This regiment took part in the Battle of New Orleans on Sunday, Jan 8, 1815. ("...and the British kept a coming.")

Joseph married Mary Polly Bridges on 31 Jan. 1818 in Allen Co., KY. She was born in 1797. Together they had 8 children but Mary died in 1838 in Barron Co. Ky. On June 23, 1841 Joseph married Sarah Agnes Payne. She and Joseph added 15 more children to the family. In the 1850 Census there were two other children listed as living with Joseph and Agnes. Perhaps they were her children from a previous marriage.

Joseph moved his family from Kentucky to Missouri in 1857 where six of their children were born. Joseph died January 1, 1871.

In 1880 with the help of a son, Agnes applied for his War of 1812 pension. She signed the application with "X, her mark" On the 1880 Federal Census she was living with four of her children. At the time of her death in Missouri Aug 7, 1911 a check for $36. was sent by the government to her son for burial expenses. Joseph and Agnes are both buried in Hopewell Cemetery.

Keeping in Touch

This very fragile and faded letter was written to my Grandfather Hugh Stone by his mother, Jane, in 1888. It tells how much she missed him and offered help for his baby's painful teething. He had left New York state to homestead in Nebraska where, a few years later, he met and married Grandma Adla. It is exciting that this letter has survived the years and many family moves. I have no idea how long this letter might have taken to travel those miles but I hope by the time it arrived in Nebraska the baby's teething problems were resolved. She tells him that he should take a very sharp instrument and cut the baby's gum so the tooth can emerge!

It was a joy when I married into a large, close-knit family. As family members began to migrate across the country, it became evident that keeping in touch with everyone was more and more difficult.

We started a round-robin letter to share events in our lives. This "robin" traveled from California to New York and from Texas to Montana with many stops along the way. It was a delight when that fat letter arrived in the mail and it was immediately read. Sometimes we wondered if our seemingly bland life would be interesting to others but faithfully wrote our contribution, took out our last letter, and mailed it to the next person on the list. Many times pictures were included. It usually took about a month to six weeks to make the rounds and was always welcomed. The letter was lost a couple of times but always restarted. This way of "keeping in touch" lasted for 35 years!

What fun it would be now if all those letters had been saved. What a great family story that would tell!

A Family's Best Friend

Not just man's best friend, but a family's best friend. Queenie was a joy to the Anderson family and a constant companion to the little ones. During the depression of the 1930s any help to feed a family was greatly needed, especially with a family of 9 children. A huge garden was always planted for the family use with many radishes, onions, etc., also sold to town folk. Queenie was more than just a family pet she was a scavenger. One story about Queenie tells of her penchant for bringing home things other people left on their porches. Occasionally she would bring home a dish of food left to cool and it was then necessary to try to locate the owner of the dish. One time Queenie came home with an entire pound of butter. The wrapper was barely dented with teeth marks!

Who is Uncle Mack?

In the bottom of my Grandfather's trunk was a collection of pictures, mostly without names or dates. It has been fun to try to locate and identify the people in these photos. Two of my favorites were without dates but with hand written notes, "Uncle Mack Martin".

I don't remember hearing the name Uncle Mack so began to try to find out what I could about this stylish gentleman. He has his bow in hand and looks like he's ready for the next barn raising or a country dance.

The early Martin family came from Barron County, KY. to Missouri in 1860. My grandfather's grandfather, James Martin was born in June 22, 1824 and with his wife Martha raised 7 children, the first three born in Kentucky and four additional children born in Missouri. One of the four born in Missouri was Joseph M. Martin, born in 1859, the father of Albert, my grandfather.

From the 1850 Schedule of Free Inhabitants in the Division in the County of Barron, State of Kentucky lists James Martin and his family. Living nearby with the family of a blacksmith was a Malakiah Martin, perhaps an apprentice. The notation for occupation after his name lists "N2Smith." I didn't find a Malakiah again for several years of census.

According to the census of 1910 of Hickory Co. Missouri, living near the Joseph Martin property in Missouri was Samuel Martin and his family. Samuel was Joseph's older brother, born in 1852 in Kentucky. According to the census of 1910, a Meliciah F. Martin was listed as age 81, estimated birth year of 1828, living with Samuel and was listed as an uncle to Samuel.

I am assuming that "Uncle Mack" was a brother to James and I believe Mack was a nickname for Malakiah. Census takers not always got names spelled correctly nor dates recorded correctly. Therefore either "Malakiah, or Meliciah" could be correct or neither could be correct.

This Uncle Mack had similar facial features to Grandpa. So I'll call him Uncle Mack, too.

Up so high

One spring story hour session with a kindergarten class sitting on the floor before me brought a much more memorable story than the one in the book on my lap. It was such a beautiful little story I remember often and especially if I'm up in an airplane with beautiful white, puffy clouds all around.

I don't remember the book selected for the day. We began by talking about what those wiggly little ones liked to do, when they could play outside, after a Missouri winter had begun to warm.The usual responses of playing ball, chasing the dog and picking flowers were on the list. After several such "likes" one little guy, sitting right in front, said, "I like to fly my kite." Since he had everyone's attention he added, "And one day -- it took me right up into the sky with it!"

"Oh, what did you see when you were flying up so high?" I asked.

"Oh-" he said trying to come up with a good answer. " I saw God and Jesus and all those guys!"

There was a very brief pause but before anyone could say another word, a little voice came from the back of the group, "Did you see my Uncle Frank?"

It's amazing how little minds work, what they perceive of what they hear from us and what they can tell us .

February 6, 2008

On February 6, 2008 my world stood still and it still is revolving very slowly. It was like I had been handed a manual in a foreign language or my right arm had been amputated. I felt so lost at the prospects of continuing life without my hand holder and my very best friend. We had been told and were aware this moment would arrive but kept thinking and hoping it could be delayed a bit longer.

My best friend loved his family more than anything else. He read constantly, loved fishing and the great outdoors and playing pool with friends. He also loved music, history and often imparted that knowledge to others. He loved to tease and always had a joke, quip and a nickname for everyone. His heart was generous and very tender toward others, always with a helping hand when needed. He burst into song frequently and always had a smile. His friends were many.

He did love life and this quote fits him, I sorry I can't give credit to an author : "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used-up, totally worn-out, and loudly proclaiming, 'Wow! What a ride!'

It's been a year but the pain is still very sharp. I have had such wonderful support from family and friends and appreciate that so very much. My world will continue and I hope to live it as he would expect me to. I know that family and friends miss him very much as well and with their great support and so many wonderful memories we will try.