Thursday, June 24, 2010

Family Treasures

     One of my favorite things about the antiques in my house is that every one has a story.  The most special ones are those that were owned by my ancestors, whether it be a small trinket, or a piece of furniture, each one has a tie to those that helped form who I am and I love it!

   One of my most unique items is a chair that belonged to my gr-gr-grandpa Milton Hight Gentry.  As far as family stories, I don't have many that flesh him out as a person.  Milton was born in 1843 in Indiana.  He was a farmer by trade and he and his brother and father served in the Civil War.  His brother was badly wounded and lost a limb at the battle of Antietam.  He married Flora Pribble in 1873.  The family moved to Woodson Co., Kansas in the mid-1880s, where they stayed for the remainder of their lives.
     When I was first starting on my research of this side of the family, I found a cousin who had the large research collection of an aunt of hers.  My mother and I spent several long days digging through boxes of unorganized research of this cousin, digging up precious nuggets of info and pictures that I only might be able to locate in my lifetime on my own. When we were there one day in that hot garage sifting through papers, my cousin motioned to a box that held pieces to this chair and told me that if I would do something with it then I could have it.  Of course, I jumped at the chance!  A few years later I had it put back together and have enjoyed it ever since.  I can just imagine Grandpa Milton reclining in it:)

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

"He's Deaf, Dumb, and Legless but the Hardest Worker in His Town"

I had a rare opportunity to research at the State Historical Society today.  I used to be blessed to research there every day when I worked there.  I would research on all my breaks - which were the wonder years of my researching:)  Today I went in search of more Isaacs/Judah/Burchett/Boular info.  I looked at early death records, which in Kansas are rare before they started mandating them in 1911.  I was able to find 4 or five for cousins in these families.  Nothing that proved any ties, but helped flesh some out.  The most significant find was an article on William "Deafy" Boular (mentioned in a previous blog http://adventureswithmyfamily.blogspot.com/2010/04/round-about-way-to-do-things.html).  It was a superb article complete with picture and really lined out how a deaf, legless, mute man was able to succeed mainly thanks to a kindly local doctor setting up a trust fund of sorts by taking wealthy locals out with him when he did his rounds and changed the dressings on William's leg wounds.  Totally amazing! 
  The article also spoke to the wonderful character of William.  He never asked for charity, but was such a hard worker and had a pleasant countenance that it was freely given to him.  "When there exists a man on this earth with the determination and the spirit of William Boular, it makes you wonder, as you drop a coin into the professional beggar's hat, why there are not more like him."
  I love researching my family and discovering wonderful people like this!