Had a fun day yesterday. While Billy was at work, I drove over to Poweshiek County, about an hour from Cedar Rapids. I went to the courthouse in Montezuma to look for some records - found a couple. Then I went out into the country north of Grinnell looking for the Chester Township Cemetery. I eventually found it.
This is the area of Iowa where my great-grandparents was born. My great-grandmother was Cora Bell Wesco and her parents (Reuben Wesco and Nancy Jane Wilson) were both born in Ohio, moved to Iowa, and were married there. My great-grandfather was Hiram Joshua Bacon and his parents (Joshua Crane Bacon and Mary Jane Humphrey) were born in Vermont and New York, respectively. They also moved to Iowa and were married there.
I already had some death records that I had gotten years ago, so I was looking for some other things. I was able to find my great-grandparents marriage record. I have struggled with finding the name of the mother of Nancy Jane Wilson. I have found some clues that it may have been Elizabeth J., unknown maiden name. I found a death record for her, as well. I still need to make a clear connection, however.
At the cemetery, I found the graves of the Wesco's and the Bacon's (my great great-grandparents), as well as some of their children. I took pictures and notes.
As usually happens, I ran out of time before I ran out of places to go. All in all, though, it was a fun day.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Random Thoughts of a Chaotic Mind
I noticed that I haven't posted anything on the blog since about April. So what does that say about me? I have been wondering that. I finally decided it just says that I have not been interested in posting anything on the blog. And that is OK - there isn't anything that says I have to be writing things on a regular basis.
However, when I started this, I thought it might be a way to do better about keeping a journal. So, now I have learned that I can't keep a journal regardless of the method I try to use. My life is not all that exciting, and I certainly wouldn't expect anyone to be all that interested in following my daily events. Even so, what happens in my life is interesting to me - so why can't I get myself to record those little things? It must be my chaotic mind!
Today I will write a little. Tomorrow I will do whatever happens to interest me - write or not - doesn't matter. In other words, no big resolutions here! I will do whatever I happen to do and that will be good enough.
Actually, I have had a good time since April. In May my three college roommates came to Atlanta for a week and we had such a ball. When the four of us get together, we start acting just like college freshmen again. It is so fun and so silly that we totally look forward to these get togethers. Bill thinks we are all nuts, but he loved having a houseful of silly girls. (Of course, he stayed away as much as he could.)
They arrived on a Monday, MA's birthday (that is our nickname for roommate #1), so we all went to Provinos for dinner (free meal on your birthday with ID). Lisa and David and kids joined us as well, so we had a great time. Then we squished into the car and Bill drove us out to Stone Mountain. (Joyce aka Joyous and Connie aka Connetra are the other two.) It is beautiful there in the early evening and they had never been there.
On Tuesday, we went up to Helen, walked around, shopped, and had a great lunch (loved teasing our very nice waiter Brad) right on the river. Then we went down to Cleveland to Babyland General Hospital. We had way too much fun there - watched the birth of a baby girl from the cabbage patch and got to name her - Ashbee Brook. (After the grandchildren, you know.) That night Bill grilled plank salmon for dinner - and he did a great job!
Wednesday we went to the temple together. That is always the highlight of our reunions. It is wonderful to all be there in the temple together. We have all had our difficulties in life and it is reassuring to know that at this point in our lives, we are still on the right path. That was followed by lunch at Sweet Tomatoes. Then we had a quiet rest of the day. Joyce had brought all her pictures from the mission that she and her husband had recently completed to Russia. We had loved her weekly emails, but enjoyed the stories and pictures told directly by her even more.
Thursday we headed for Savannah. We were able to stay right in the historic district so we were close to everything. We walked around a little, including along River Street, where we got a light lunch. We had reservations at Lady and Sons Restaurant for a late dinner.
On Friday, we started with a trolley tour, went out to Bona Venture Cemetery, ate at the Pirate House, walked River Street, and had a great time. We were exhausted and spent the evening relaxing.
Saturday morning, we drove out to Tybee Island, so we could put our feet in the Atlantic. On our last reunion, we had been in California, and had put our feet in the Pacific. This somehow made it complete. We took a cute picture of our feet in the waves. That became our trip memorial when we found a cute frame at Old County Buffet that said "Georgia Memories" on it. Then we headed back to Atlanta. It was on the trip home that we found the frame when we stopped at who knows how many Old County Buffets to find them. (Actually, we had found something else, but nobody had four in stock. At the last stop, Joyce found the frames and they were way better than what we had been looking for!)
Sunday, we went to church and enjoyed our final day together. Monday they all went back home. SAD!!! But it was a wonderful week with so many fun memories and laughs and serious talks and everything.
Since then, we have had our annual two week vacation in St. Augustine - great, as always. Now I am in Iowa by myself for a week to visit with Billy and Dad. So it has been a good summer.
However, when I started this, I thought it might be a way to do better about keeping a journal. So, now I have learned that I can't keep a journal regardless of the method I try to use. My life is not all that exciting, and I certainly wouldn't expect anyone to be all that interested in following my daily events. Even so, what happens in my life is interesting to me - so why can't I get myself to record those little things? It must be my chaotic mind!
Today I will write a little. Tomorrow I will do whatever happens to interest me - write or not - doesn't matter. In other words, no big resolutions here! I will do whatever I happen to do and that will be good enough.
Actually, I have had a good time since April. In May my three college roommates came to Atlanta for a week and we had such a ball. When the four of us get together, we start acting just like college freshmen again. It is so fun and so silly that we totally look forward to these get togethers. Bill thinks we are all nuts, but he loved having a houseful of silly girls. (Of course, he stayed away as much as he could.)
They arrived on a Monday, MA's birthday (that is our nickname for roommate #1), so we all went to Provinos for dinner (free meal on your birthday with ID). Lisa and David and kids joined us as well, so we had a great time. Then we squished into the car and Bill drove us out to Stone Mountain. (Joyce aka Joyous and Connie aka Connetra are the other two.) It is beautiful there in the early evening and they had never been there.
On Tuesday, we went up to Helen, walked around, shopped, and had a great lunch (loved teasing our very nice waiter Brad) right on the river. Then we went down to Cleveland to Babyland General Hospital. We had way too much fun there - watched the birth of a baby girl from the cabbage patch and got to name her - Ashbee Brook. (After the grandchildren, you know.) That night Bill grilled plank salmon for dinner - and he did a great job!
Wednesday we went to the temple together. That is always the highlight of our reunions. It is wonderful to all be there in the temple together. We have all had our difficulties in life and it is reassuring to know that at this point in our lives, we are still on the right path. That was followed by lunch at Sweet Tomatoes. Then we had a quiet rest of the day. Joyce had brought all her pictures from the mission that she and her husband had recently completed to Russia. We had loved her weekly emails, but enjoyed the stories and pictures told directly by her even more.
Thursday we headed for Savannah. We were able to stay right in the historic district so we were close to everything. We walked around a little, including along River Street, where we got a light lunch. We had reservations at Lady and Sons Restaurant for a late dinner.
On Friday, we started with a trolley tour, went out to Bona Venture Cemetery, ate at the Pirate House, walked River Street, and had a great time. We were exhausted and spent the evening relaxing.
Saturday morning, we drove out to Tybee Island, so we could put our feet in the Atlantic. On our last reunion, we had been in California, and had put our feet in the Pacific. This somehow made it complete. We took a cute picture of our feet in the waves. That became our trip memorial when we found a cute frame at Old County Buffet that said "Georgia Memories" on it. Then we headed back to Atlanta. It was on the trip home that we found the frame when we stopped at who knows how many Old County Buffets to find them. (Actually, we had found something else, but nobody had four in stock. At the last stop, Joyce found the frames and they were way better than what we had been looking for!)
Sunday, we went to church and enjoyed our final day together. Monday they all went back home. SAD!!! But it was a wonderful week with so many fun memories and laughs and serious talks and everything.
Since then, we have had our annual two week vacation in St. Augustine - great, as always. Now I am in Iowa by myself for a week to visit with Billy and Dad. So it has been a good summer.
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