May 1988:
This summer my brother -- John Wallace McKeown - his wife Mary Alice Lee McK - Ruby Francis McKeown Bennett. Emmie Jane McK Uldrick her husband George Ellis Uldrick met at our sisters home (Jessie Thomas McK Mathews + Luther Wylie Mathews) home in Jackson Miss. For a family gathering. We enjoyed our visit together. We will get together again in fall or at least Christmas with all of family. Children + Grandchildren included.
On our way to Jackson Harry and I went by Chattanooga TN to visit Clucamay Battlefield. (We had visited Sharpsburg several years before we learned of Harrys family connection there. Also Petersburg where his uncle was injured and died.(Later in 1988 - Robert visited Chattanooga + Battlefield. He has visited many vicil war + revolution sites in Va - Md. SC + N.C.)
In Sept 88 Harry and I visited (drove thru Cumberland Gap entry - way across Appalachia - thru Tn Gy Indians following Abe Lincoln on his way to Springfield, Ill. And on to Washinton as President + "war between the states", We have visited James K Pok Birthplace, Purville, N.C. Andrew Jackson Birthplace S.C. (Hermitage. Nashville Tenn) Truman Lib + home in Independence MO. Franklin Roosevelt home, Hyde Park + Warm springs Ga. Lincoln Jeff Davis Confederacy.
Each different but each served their country well and as individuals converted
Lincoln and Davis shared in the tragedy of civil war. Both had young sons to die during this time.
Jeff Davis passed thru Fort Mill S.C. Spent nite at Springfield and held last mutiny of confederate states at white homestead.
I think we fail to see the importance of our area in both Revolution + Civil war. Perhaps we didn't have newspaper or historean in this area to record our contribution.
I have been reading a book on the burning of Columbia near the end of Civil War. I remember very little from school history on this.
This weekend Oct 7-8-9-10 we are looking forward to a visit from Bob + Gwen Juniper from Australia "Sidney". We met them on our first trip to England 1983. They will be joined by Logan + Robin Chapped, Jacksonville Fla whom we met on same trip. We look forward to much "remembering" + sharing.
Posted by Beth McKeown at May 9, 1988 11:27 PM