Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

Here is a photograph of my great grandfather at the age of fourteen in his Union Army uniform. Shortly before this picture was taken he and his family had just survived the Great Sioux Uprising. His recollection of seeing burning barns, fields and farm houses as they were being escorted to safety, by no less than a group of the Sioux whom his family had befriended, is the type of which historic movies are made. His slipping back under the cover of the darkness of night to get a cow so the little ones could have milk and the confrontation he experienced raises goose bumps to this day.
 
He served the uniform well surviving several historic battles and I think he would be proud knowing that all of his male descendents answered the Call To Colors when needed. Not one waited to be drafted, they all enlisted!
 
Today his great, great grandchildren are not only thrilled, but honored to relate his experiences to their children. By having this picture as part of their Video Album, not only do they have an established link to their heritage, but in a very real sense have become a part of this great nations's history.

This dapper young man is his son, my grandfather, of whom I am very proud. This photograph was taken during the "Gay 90's," circa 1892. To him, and the lessons he taught, such as "a man's word is his bond" and "your handshake is your signature," I shall remain forever grateful. What wonderful lessons this gentle giant taught his grandchildren, mostly by his deeds if not through his words. And yes, there was a time when this was the rule and certainly not the exception. Life was a little slower then, but perhaps much richer for values were probably higher and at their best. You could always count on a helping hand from your neighbor. You still can to some extent, but it is not as much in evidence today as it was then. What price progress.

This is a priceless picture. Here my mother and her brother are on a family outing with my grandfather and grandmother.This picture was taken around 1910 with the great invention of the time, the family "Kodak." My grandmother is in the process of scooping up ice cream, probably for herself as the others have theirs already unless, of course, it is for the person taking the picture. If you look over my grandfather's head you can barely make out the family horse and buggy in the back ground.
 
This is my mother at age 16 and was taken at the old home place in 1918 at Goldthwaite, Texas. Throughout her life she always believed that everything happened for a reason and because of her deeply rooted sense of high values, that reason was always a good one. The most optimistic person I have ever known. She could always find the good in any bad situation with little or no effort. In her younger years she was an accomplished pianist. When she lived at her retirement village she was overheard talking about playing piano for "the old folks." She never considered herself old, and she never was! She was without a doubt a lady born in the age of innocence, a value she carried with her throughout her life.

The years inevitably pass, children grow up and here is my namesake Uncle Sam. In this picture you can see that he has grown into a very handsome man. This picture was taken after WWI in which he served with the U.S. Army as a doughboy.
 
 At one time in his life he was a real honest to goodness working cowboy. Here are two snapshots from that period in time. Notice, in the photo at the right, he is wearing well worked chaps while his beautiful horse, Judd, is wearing his hat with his front right leg lifted. Judd, I have been told, was a very special well trained one man horse.
 
These pictures came from several different sources, but now they are on videotape and soon there will many, many copies out there for each descendant and, as time passes, if more copies are needed we have the master tape and it will soon be digitally mastered for future generations. Yes, family is very important, but so too is history and the family's part in the making of that history. Don't let any precious part of it die with the death of a family member. Now is the time to preserve it for future generations. We are living in historic times, and it is up to each of us to make a record of this period and the mark we left on it for all too soon, we too shall belong to the ages. Back Continue  Click here to order

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