God's Finger

The sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up our existence can vary widely from individual to individual.  Some have a large number of years to conduct or pass one's time, and some have very few.  For Charley B. Jones, it was not all that many.

Buried in a long forgotten, isolated family cemetery some 139 years ago, Charley Butler Jones had roughly ten of these years.  He was the older brother to my great grandfather Edward Turner Jones who would have been around six when Charley died.  What were his ten years like?  A childhood at "Old Cane-Springs" just where the ferry crossed the Kentucky River at the mouth of Red River.  The Red River road brought folks to the ferry, and it must have been an active place day in and day out.  Much to provide physical and mental stimulus to this life.  Ten years and your gone.  Maybe he filled his days with excitement...knowing what it is to be one of those Jones boys growing in my own world.  He had a bunch of older brother and sisters [nine to be exact] that would have helped keep him out of trouble...or helped lead him into trouble.  Brothers and sisters are like that you know.  On his headstone it reads: "God's finger touched him - and he slept".  What would your brothers and sisters write on yours?

The Eyes Have It

Here she is, in living color.  Taken around 1890, this photo is unique among the many, many, family pictures that have been captured  among my ancestors.  It is the only color picture taken during this time period that seems to have survived.

 Her name is Lillie Henderson, and she was the older step sister to my maternal great grandmother Ellen Dorcas Henderson.  Not much is recorded of her life among the family records.  Her mother's name is not even recorded, but her father was Abraham B. Henderson (nickname Sonny) who by a first marriage had two children.  She is recorded to have died around the age of 16 years.

Red hair, blue eyes, and  a determined look, fills the camera.  There is a certain sadness about her... shoulders straight, hair perfectly combed, blue dress and a red bow that surrounds a high necked, laced collar.  But it is the eyes that captured my heart.

Some say that the eyes are the windows of the soul.  In this photograph of a long forgotten ancestor, the eyes have it.

Marine Robin 1 - 3 : Finally Home

A reader of this blog has asked for help with information regarding the "Marine Robin". He tells me that his grandfather returned on this ship in 1945 from Germany. This reader has wanted to build a ship model in honor of his grandfather. He asked for any information regarding the plans, color, dates, etc...etc. on the Marine Robin. My Dad also returned from Germany on this ship, and I am sure that there are other "relatives" of this adventure that would also share an interest.

I have copies [1-20] of the pictures taken of this ship in 1946. As the troop ships would arrive in harbor, a photographer would take a series of pictures of the docking with hopes of each returnee buying the copies. My Dad was one. They are numbered 1 - 20 and I will try and copy the pictures in sequence as they are numbered.

Anyone with information regarding this ship please post or give the information you have regarding your ancestor. My reader tells me that he has not found a blueprint of the ship or any record of this ship. Does anyone know if such a blueprint exists? My Dad states that it was called a "Liberty" ship.


My Dad tells me that he remembers seeing a "lot of rust everywhere", and does not recall a specific color pattern. His "bunk" was in the back [stern] of the ship, and he remembers hearing the sound of the propellers going at all times. The beds were metal bunk beds stacked floor to ceiling. He volunteered for K.P. [kitchen police] so that he could eat at all time in order to keep the "sea sickness" under control. I asked what they did for the bath room, but he does not remember. I can't imagine all these folks not going to the "head"! He does remember seeing folks "throw-up" in their beef stew which was served frequently.

The next several post will give the pictures in order of the docking that day in 1946. Dad says, that the most impressive thing was seeing the Statue of Liberty and feeling that he was finally home.

Yet To Be

May 9, 1948 is written on the back of this picture. Let's see. That would be around three years after World War II, and just about the start of the "Cold War". War does not seem to be a big issue on either face, but hey, this was Winchester, KY. Far removed from the politics of the world at this time it was.

It is a picture of my grandfather (Joseph Wheeler Jones, we called Pap paw) and his baby girl (Linda Carol). Fathers and daughters have a special relationship. [Having three daughters of my own I have a little experience with this!] The look on Linda Carol's face is precious. "My daddy", she seems to be saying... standing here with my dad, how special.

This was also three years before I was even born. Hard to imagine that I was not even in existence when this picture was taken. Yet to be. Funny how that sounds now looking back in time. That Y-chromosome had been passed down to my Dad, but it was yet to be passed on to me. I can not imagine all the things that happened during this period before I was. Mom, Dad..." first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby carriage..." as we use to sing. That's what our ancestors are...all the things that happened before we were. Us...mostly the sum of them. How about that! We all at one time were yet to be.