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We’ll finish
Great-Grandmother McNair’s adventure this week. Mrs. McNair was the
great-grandmother of Moultrie’s Tom Vereen. Mr. Vereen has been so kind
and has allowed me to share this wonderful letter with you all.
The adventure continues: We made a brave start early the next day, but
took the wrong road and went and wound up at an abandoned saw mill. We
turned about, drove all day – and could find no place to stay before dark.
We were turned away several times and it was nine o’clock p.m. before we
secured shelter.
They could give us no cooked food, so we bought some bacon and made
cornbread and sweet potatoes over a camp fire. Myself and children slept
in a narrow bed, but we got along all right – when things looked so gloomy
(???) dangerous and we could not discern the road in the night – the
colored driver and gentleman friend who made the trip with me and the
children would carefully search for our wagon tracks in the dried (??? –
mud?) and I drove the mules with my feet over the wagon (???) front until
they found the right wheel tracks in the darkness. This kept us going with
frequent halts.
We drove into Albany about 4 p.m. at the close of the fourth day and
failed to secure lodging – according to our friends, previous directions.
The main hotel in Albany had been burned – but there was a big house with
windows overhead like a warehouse, and we saw such a room and a breakfast
next morning. Bill $80 – “to be exact, $82.”
We started out very early next day from Albany to Macon. We had all sorts
of delays – hard luck – cold, with a piting (sic) snow.
And finally were stalled by a wreck – which had slashed several cars laden
with salt and the rain was pouring in tourents (sic) when we left the
railroad train in Macon.
It was not possible to hire a chair to sit in. In the Brown House that
night. My husband hunted up a friend to find where we could sit and might
get shelter and he took us in – and they fed us – and (???) us and
comforted us – until we sat up until after midnight relating adventures –
mishaps, etc., and the more we told, the more we had to tell – and could
finally quit the conversation to even get to bed. We were joyous and happy
– this was my first, but last visit, to Moultrie – but I am here at 86
years of age telling you (???) about the early days of Moultrie.
Letters such as the one by Mrs. McNair give us a peek into a time that is
long past and a feeling of what life was like for those who came before
us.
Have you ever thought about how the most precious thing you can leave your
children, grandchildren and all the rest of your family is a record of
your family history.
Money can be spent, property can be sold, jewelry can be lost or sold…but
family history is something that can be forever passed down from
generation to generation.
Today, genealogy is the most popular hobby in the United States! Genealogy
has long surpassed former favorites stamp collecting and gardening to be
number one!
With the popularity of genealogy – the study of family history – comes
support for researchers in the form of books and records and forms and
genealogy programs and publication…and so much more designed to make the
discovery of your own roots just a little bit easier.
It’s really not complicated. It’s really fun. It’s a hobby that you will
enjoy forever and one that will lead you to new friends who happen to be
kin to you…and new friends who aren’t kin…and adventures and experiences
that will enrich your life.
We’re so fortunate in Moultrie to be the home of The Odom Library. It is
one of the best genealogy libraries in the South – at least – if not the
best in the entire Southeast!
It’s free…there’s no charge for using the library. Copies are a dime.
Irene Godwin, Ann Glass, Monique Green and Catherine Bryant are always
delighted to help you begin your own journey into the past of your own
kith and kin! |
