History lost

I went to visit the old homestead in Georgia this past weekend.

This (double) fireplace was once part of the house that my grandfather lived in when he was a boy. His family built the house themselves. I know of one other house in town that my great grandfather built. One day I'll take a picture of it. Last I saw, it was home to a catering business.

Now it sits to the entrance of someone's farm, right by the side of the road.

My grandfather's family moved to town when he was about 10, if I remember correctly. That would've been in 1918.

They moved to town so everyone could get jobs to help support two older relatives who needed help. Two years later, my grandfather dropped out of school to get a job at a mill to help support the family as well.

He started out by sweeping the floors and ended up fixing spindles and other textile mill machinery for a different mill run by Johnson and Johnson. He and my grandmother both expressed their regret at not being able to finish their education.

I could look at the fireplace and say, ok, this side looks like it was probably in the kitchen because it had a bigger hearth, and so the other side was probably the main room, but that's just conjecture. The kitchen and main room could've been the same room and the other side could've been a bedroom. Or the bedroom. Who knows? I couldn't find any clues left.

Across the street from the old fireplace, there is a small graveyard where my grandfather's parents, grandparents, a few of his siblings, and other relatives are buried.

My grandparents used to take care of it along with another family with kin buried there, but I'm not sure who, if anyone, takes care of it now.



This fellow was born on October 8, 1878, and passed away on October 7, 1926. He was my great grandfather's brother.

And the old homestead? It's a subdivision now. This looks like an old irrigation system, though the bed of it looks like it was added later but made to look older than it is. I don't know for sure.

My favorite part of the subdivision is the little dirt road that takes you through the woods.

There's a creek that winds through all these trees, which go on forever. I like to imagine my grandfather and his brothers having full run of these woods - exploring, building forts, playing in the crick (as they would've called it). I like to dream of one day having a place like this myself, where V can do the same.

In reality, they were probably busy working most of the time - as soon as they were old or able enough. The family had a farm and their own mill. It was a hard life - I've heard stories. This picture is of my grandfather and his brothers. I'm not sure who the little girl is, which brother is which, or when/exactly where the photo was taken.

They're all gone now, so there's no one to ask. History lost, just like that. I will try to do better with my own photos.

Comments

[rue]

I love this post. How sad that the house is gone now, but how wonderful that there is still evidence of it with the chimney still standing.

I have a few photos like that. I know they're relatives, but I have no idea which ones they are. I don't have anyone to ask either.

The last post before this was wonderful too and how could you not love that little one :)

BTW, what camera do you use?

rue

[Camille]

What part of Georgia is the homestead? We were just there for Delaney's 3rd birthday - we might have even crossed paths on back highways =)

[Teresa]

That's sort of sad - but the memories that you do have are nice...

[Allison]

That is really heartbreaking. Urban sprawl. (sigh). You have really honored their memories by capturing them in this post. It was a pleasure to read.

[shelli]

This is a melancholy post, yet the love you have for your history shines through. It makes me nostalgic for all the relatives I didn't know and all the stories I've lost too.

[maya]

thanks, y'all.

a lot of my posts are a bit melancholy - at least the ones having to do with the past. but that's just the way i write. melancholy comes easy to me, though i'm a pretty happy person in general.

[maya]

oh, and to answer the questions:

this is located in NE GA. that's all the info i feel comfortable giving on the internet right now.

my camera is a nikon d80 & my lens is a 50mm, f/1.4. if you decide you want to buy one (or even a different camera) and you click through to my amazon store (link on the left sidebar), i'll be your bestest friend. so far, i've earn $1.38! woot!

[HLiza]

I love stories like this..and I can be with you imagining the things that might have happened in the past as we go along these beautiful things they left..the dirt road is my favourite too. My dad is trying hard to preserve old photos now because those days even cameras are hard to find..not many memories frozen for the next generation. May be I should ask few pieces to be immortalized digitally.

Thank you for this post.

[rachel whetzel]

AWESOME post... strange how quickly scenes change....

[Amy]

Amazing post. I'm going to show it to Niall. He loves to trace the past. He knows the family history of everyone who has ever lived in our Vermont house. Your photos tell the story perfectly. I love it. I'm rambling tonight and maybe not making sense so I'm going to bed now.

[Julia @ Hooked on Houses]

I found this post and the photos so moving. There's something about that lone chimney still standing, and that small "JDC" on the stone that seemed like markers for the past.

It really amazes me how easily the lives of our ancestors can so easily evaporate after they're gone. I'm helping my parents move and today I discovered all sorts of really old photos. Neither of my parents knew who they were of, when they were taken, or anything (just some vague guesses). I was so intrigued by the photos, but so frustrated that we knew nothing about them.

[Henry Cate]

Those are great pictures. It will allow your children, and grandchild, to have a better connection to their heritage.

[kristen]

Another one of your great stories, and lovely photos to go with it! Great history.

[laura @ the shorehouse.]

Great post! Maybe melancholy - but I love that pieces of your family history have been preserved by others and that you're helping to preserve and share, too.

I agree with you on IDing folks in photos...my maternal grandma and her brother were AMAZING at doing it (back to tintypes!) and we are grateful for it. I need to do a better job of organzing my photos...just because I know who the people in my pics are now does not mean anyone will know who the heck they are in 100 years!

[Gayle]

Maya, I was just looking through old photos that were my moms today and I thought to myself that I should write down who these people are on the backs so that the history won't be lost.

I love your stories of your ancestors!