Monday, April 27, 2009

Coleman Confidential: Family Edition

Edith May Bullock--my great aunt
(Click images to enlarge)

My father's family hails from north central Texas, so part of this trip included stops in two towns in Coleman County--Coleman and Glen Cove. My 95-year old grandmother, who lives in California, gave me the phone number for her 93-year old sister, Edith, who lives in Coleman. We stopped to visit Aunt Edith and she took us to dinner at Dairy Queen.

Peanut Ridge, the farmstead in Glen Cove
where my grandmother and her four siblings grew up


The next day, we drove out to Glen Cove to see the cemetery where my great-grandparents and several other family members are buried.

The bed of my Great-grandpa May's old truck

After visiting the cemetery and leaving an ebenezer--or stone of remembrance--on each grave I could identify as belonging to a family member, we drove into Glen Cove proper to find the property that was the farmstead my grandmother grew up on. I met a man named Bill Henning who remembered my great-grandparents and my great uncle Clayton. He showed me where the old farmhouse had been and pointed out the truck bed and front axle of my great-grandfather's truck that he used to haul wood. The windmill and water tower, as well as a shed and stable, are all that remain of the original farm.



Photo copyright: Janet Kincaid, 04/09

6 comments:

Cele said...

Wow, getting to go someplace and revisit your past is amazing. To see things that your grandparents owned/used/touched, met the people who knew them - that is a gift.

Brian said...

This is fascinating. It has to be the Mormon in us that can't escape the love of genealogy. I've taken entire trips just to do things like this. Thanks for sharing! :)

Maya said...

It was fun getting to know your family history with you!

Janet Kincaid said...

Cele: Seeing where my paternal grandparents came from was indeed quite interesting. And it was fun seeing the old truck!


Brian: I think you're right about the Mormon connection--there's something fascinating about connecting with the past.


Maya: Thanks! I'm glad you were along to see some of my roots.

Karentee said...

Great photos Janet! I loved going out to Glen Cove 2 yrs ago, but didn't have have a chance to get out to Peanut Ridge etc...Stopped by to see Aunt Edith, Old Atoka and Glen Cove Cemeteries. I've put some of my photos of those on findagrave.com
Just saw your blog when I googled Gram! With your love of photography you should add cemetery photos to findagrave.com . It's a great site!
Karen

Janet Kincaid said...

Karen: You've only just found this blog? I figured for sure Mike and Amy had told you about it. Anyway--visiting Glen Cove was fun. Unfortunately, Gram didn't provide me with information for the Kincaids, so I didn't see any of the places they were from or where any of them might be buried. Kind of disappointing, but I'm at least grateful to have seen Coleman and Glen Cove. How's Indonesia?