A Sentimental Life

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

"COPPERHEAD"

No not the snake, the men that were named

Copperheads

I don't normally do this but I need your assistance.

If you are my blog friend you know I am the

Chairperson of

150th Anniversary of the Charleston Riot

Why you ask? It is a story a grew up with.

Hearing my elderly Grandfather talk about his

Grandfather, Young Ewing Winkler

long story short...

he was a childhood friend of Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln's family and friends lived in Coles County

Young Ewing did not believe in the war, he had

7 sons, 5 were of age.

March 28, 1864

a gun battle erupted on the lawn of the

Coles County Courthouse

9 dead 12 wounded.

Young Ewing shot in the shoulder

his son Robert shot in the hand

My GGUncle never heard of again

Another GGUncle died while imprisoned at a Fort after being arrested.

They were all pardoned 2 days before the 1864 election by

President Abraham Lincoln

I have always thought the story was too important to forget,

hence my work to bring the Charleston Riot to life

Well, seems Director Ron Maxwell of

Gettysburg fame has made a new movie....

"COPPERHEAD"

How timely?

The movie is in minimal release

if we have enough people demand it they will bring it to Charleston!

Can you please go on line

demand it for

ZIP CODE 61920

her is the link

demand

help my town of 21,000

home of many Copperheads

beat our LA and NY

Dear friends I thank you in advance.

I feel like I might see a glimpse of

Young Ewing Winkler

Monday, May 20, 2013

Grandmother's Hoosier Cabinet is Home Again

35 years ago we packed up 1515 after my Grandfather died.

We all took something, I am still amazed how much has

returned to 1515 since our family owns it again.

This weekend was cousins weekend.

the 5 of us just adore being together twice a year.

This year my cousin Donna brought something very special

strapped to the top of her Jeep all the way from Michigan!

My Grandmothers beloved Hoosier Cabinet.

It sat in the kitchen from 1926-1978

We wondered how many cakes, pies, noodles were made

on its top?

Donna said Grandmother always kept her flavorings here

my cousins told me she always had pieces of paper with recipes hanging here with a clothes pin.

As I have told you before my Grandmother died 2 years before I was born

I listen with such awe as I hear my older cousins talk about this women.

She probably got the red hots she gave to people as "pills" from that cabinet.

She made cakes for her parents 50th wedding anniversary there in 1938.

Cooking there during the Depression and WWII.

The conversations that Hoosier cabinet has heard.

the 5 of us reminisced, yes we cried too as we

put it back together

Cousin Donna took such loving care of it all those years.

Years that she used it to cook meals for her children.

It heard all her family stories too over the years.

to roll out the enamel top

I asked what the piece of wood was? Mine at home did not have that?

I was told for Grandmother's meat grinder, so I moved it to where it use to be

the original spice rack and jars

the flour bin was taken out but what a great display area for

my Friendship Pyrex

on the top sits there Campbell coffee can and coffee grinder

that Grandad had given to my Dad.

we had to move a shelf, but cousin Fred was there to take care of it!

Here sits her cookie jar, crock and wooden spoon.

I heard " oh the cookie jar was always right on the corner, so when

you came in the kitchen you grabbed an applesauce raisin cookie"

our Grandmother's specialty

OH NO! Fred got caught with his hand in the cookie jar!

Donna too!

seems to be a popular place!

here is what it looked like when we were done

there is even 2 strawberry/rhubarb pies cooling on it!

My favorite picture of the weekend.

Donna with her Hoosier cabinet she so lovingly cared for.

Her giving heart returned it home.

I know it had to be hard, she was thinking about her children now grown,

who use to run around this piece.

Her Mom probably had similar feelings 35 years ago when they were moving

it out of the same kitchen.

Amazing how a well worn piece of furniture can transform you into thinking

about the years past, the people we love who are no longer here.

As we finished one cousin said...

"I think if Grandmother and Grandad walked in the kitchen right now, they would know they are at home.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

After 246 years The Circle Still Comes Together

What draws a family together after that many years?

Why would anyone really care to find their 5th cousin?
The strength of a Revolutionary War Family

A Presbyterian in faith family

My Aunt Annie Galbreath started all this, in the 1940's she

started doing research on our Mitchell family. Through the years

she had heard stories of how her 2nd Great Grandmother sat on her

trunk filled with the family bible, in a cold spring house on March day and

told a British Soldier

"you might burn my house if you wish but you can't burn it with me in it"

as she protected her Grandchildren.

In that trunk

her son Adam's family bible from when he married

Elizabeth McMachen in 1767

through the union brought

13 children

I am a descendant of Adam born in 1774 a mere

6 years at the time of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse

Aunt Annie somehow had contact with the family of the youngest son

Hezekiah Balch Mitchell
from Corinth MS
what was unbelievable was
the story of Grandmother Margaret Mitchell was the same?

That was 1947, the story had been carried down the same in
2 different families since 1781

The next part of the story did not happen until
2007
I was sent a link to a gentleman who had written a book
A book about MY family...the Mitchell's

There it was again, the same story about Adam Mitchell
and his Mother Margaret on the trunk.
"Spring House"
How could that be?
1781-2007
I found a descendant of Rebekah Mitchell
born 1772, the oldest daughter
David Bowles, he is my 5th cousin but since 2007 we have spent
time together doing research, looking at the bible and visiting
The kinship and love we share is such a bond, he might as well
be my 1st cousin.

2008
My cousin Mary and I go to the Coles County Genealogical
Society meeting. I overhear some say "Mitchell"
I excuse myself.."sir did you say Mitchell?"
yes he did!
Descendant of the oldest son
Robert Mitchell born 1767
He was visiting from Arizona and just happened to go to the meeting.
How did that happen?
Oh yes.......he knew the story

Then in 2010 I met Bob and Judy Mitchell
they were from my same line, John
What a joy to have them as cousins.
They have been to our reunions and have even written a song about Adam

They make the trip to Illinois every year to spend time with their
Illinois Mitchell cousins
We talk about "the story"

So David and I knew the story of
John, Rebekah, Robert and Hezekiah
what about the rest?

We have tried to contact James Mitchell family
who still reside in Tennessee.
Joseph died in his crib as a baby
Peggy never had any children
William has no living descendants
Jennetta and Elizabeth, we have no idea
and Samuel and David we do not know either

I did know a great deal about brother Adam,
he moved to Coles County to be near his brother John.
We found out recently what a amazing man he was.
In 1825 he wrote a moving petition for the freedom of a slave in 1825.

the words are moving, brings tears to my eyes with pride
that a Mitchell was fighting for freedom of a slave.
"that slavery has been transmitted by our by our ancestors does
not excuse in any degree" "when I am asked by my Judge
how many creatures possessed...........I wish to answer
NOT ONE"

I yearned to find a descendant of Adam.
I wanted to let them know what a family they came from,
what a legacy, a true American family who
had seen triumph and heart break but has endeared
for almost 250 years.

Well, last week it happened.
A email from a Find a Grave website, someone asking
to take a picture of Adam's tombstone.
I asked "are you a descendant"
"yes I am"
words I had longed to find in a email.
She knows nothing other than a name on a piece of paper.
I told her I had so much for her, but I did not want to overwhelm her.
I sent her the link to David's website so she could read a little.
Then I sent her the petition from Adam......
"this is so special! Your so right, this does make me proud"

Proud I am, that now the descendants of
Adam and Elizabeth McMachen Mitchell
children
Robert
John
Adam
Rebekah
Hezekiah
come together after 246 years.
The circle continues to fill in.