I've been reading in my spare time Catherine W. Bishir's, Crafting Lives:  African American Artisans in New Bern, North Carolina, 1770--1900.   This recently released book provides wonderful insight into what the lives of freed people of color and slave artisans were like from one of my ancestral places.  I only found out about this book due to a recent Google search I did. I was attempting to learn more about a fraternal order my 3rd great grandfather was associated with in New Bern, NC called the United Brotherhood Society. I used "United Brotherhood Society" and "New Bern" as my search terms and Bishir's book came up showing a mention of the group in the index of her book.  Here's a little background on my 3rd great grandfather Simon  A couple of years back, I learned that Simon Harrison was listed as president of a Charitable Society, according to an entry I found in the Freedman's Bank Records. Source Information:  A

For details about The Book Of Me, Written By You project created by Julie Goucher, of the Anglers Rest blog, please refer to this link:  http://www.anglers-rest.net/book-of-me-written-by-you.html This week’s prompt is Unexplained Memories Do you have an unexplained memory or memories? Items Places People Things and times you can remember, but you are not sure where they fit into your past. Hmm. You know honestly, I can't think of anything right now that fits this prompt. I've been putting off writing this one for a couple of weeks now, in the hopes of something actually popping up in my mind but so far I draw a blank.  If I do think of something, I will come back and revisit this. 

For details about The Book Of Me, Written By You project created by Julie Goucher, of the Anglers Rest blog, please refer to this link:   http://www.anglers-rest.net/book-of-me-written-by-you.html Prompt 11: Military This week’s prompt is Military Did you join the military? Were you encouraged or discouraged? Did a family member? Regular or for a particular incident Did you or your family serve overseas in the line of Service either during a war or a posting Any thoughts, photographs, memories relevant I've never been in the military.  I was neither encouraged nor discouraged from joining. My parents always talked about the importance of getting a good education and encouraged my brother and I to attend college, so that is the direction I went in. A number of my family members did however join the military.  My father and my mother's brother both served in the army and were stationed abroad in Germany.  I think my dad joined the army right after he graduated fro

Today was a day I needed a little something to make me smile. Nothing bad happened to cause my ill mood. It was just one of those days. Maybe I woke up with a "case of the Mondays." Well, this newspaper article that I came across helped me get out of my funk and actually crack a smile. My 2nd great grand uncle, Dave Sampson, I have written about previously on this blog. He seems to have a way of popping up in something entertaining from time to time. His wife, Mary Mitchell Sampson and my 2nd great grandmother, Rosa Mitchell Jones, were sisters and that is how he is connected to me. If you are new to my Dave Sampson, here are the links to my posts about him: Dave Sampson a True Riverdale Character --Part one Dave Sampson a True Riverdale Character --Part two My Speculation Regarding Dave Sampson's Parentage Friday Funny: A Tale From David Sampson Article from Page 4, Hope Star (Hope Arkansas)  January 28, 1930 Caption under the pictures

My husband and I attended parent teacher conferences for our two kids this week. A lot has changed since we both attended elementary school. The way that math is taught now is completely different.  It's all about number bonds and visual representations of how to do addition and subtraction. Just so you know, I am not trying to imply that this is a bad thing. In fact, I think it is fantastic because it really encourages problem solving versus the just plain memorization of data. The kids are doing fabulous in school. We couldn't be more pleased. I love their eagerness to soak up new information. I hope they never lose their enthusiasm for learning. Anyway, one of the things I love most in life is the art work of children.  Here are some of my daughter's more recent pictures. My son who will turn nine in January, isn't into drawing as much as he once was. He's quickly leaving the little boy phase and entering into the era of being a young man. (

An article from the The Afro American, March 10, 1951. My step grandmother Vadnie Harrison. I believe this picture was taken Christmas 1981 If you missed my prior posts regarding my step grandmother and her first husband Harry Sutton, here are the links: And Then...That Was When I Felt It More About Harry E Sutton, My Step Grandmother's First Husband Military Monday: Harry E Sutton --Korean War Hero

Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.  Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. Today was a gem of a day! I did some more digging for information on my step-grandmother's first husband, Harry E. Sutton. If you missed my earlier posts regarding him, here are the links: And Then...That Was When I Felt It More About Harry E Sutton, My Step Grandmother's First Husband I found an account of what happened during the evacuation of Hungnam beachhead during December 1950 and the role that the platoon led by Lt. Harry E Sutton played in it. An excerpt from Rhinelander Daily News, December 21, 1950 : The Red assault disentegrated when each American was down to his last ammunition clip of eight bullets. That's how close the Reds came to penetrating at least the outer U. N. defense ring. The savage battle of "Sutton's Ridge" began before dawn Monday. The American counterattack ended Tuesd

For details about The Book Of Me, Written By You project created by Julie Goucher, of the Anglers Rest blog, please refer to this link:   http://www.anglers-rest.net/book-of-me-written-by-you.html This week’s prompt is Halloween Have you ever participated in a Halloween event? When was it? Where was it? What did you dress as? Trick or treat? Let's see. I don't recall going to any Halloween parties as a kid although, I probably did at some point. I do remember trick or treating. I used to go out trick or treating with my older brother when we lived in Cambria Heights, NY and then when we moved to Long Island, I would go with friends. I think the first time I ever dressed up, I was as a clown. The costume my mother made for me. Every year after that, I went as a witch. I would wear a long dark skirt, turtle neck and an old poncho from my mother's closet. Top that off with a witch hat purchased from a local discount store and you have yourself a witch costume. Hone

Members of the 555th (Triple Nickel) Parachute Infantry Battalion are  briefed before takeoff from Fort Dix in New Jersey in 1947 Image courtesy of the National Archives Okay, so if you missed my post about my step grandmother Vadnie Harrison, you may want to go back and read that one first. Here's the link:   And Then...That Was When I Felt It . Vadnie was married to a Harry Earl Sutton before she married my maternal grandfather Lemuel Harrison. Sadly, my grandmother became a widow when Harry died in the Korean War. Let's take a look at some of the things I found on Harry. Images courtesy of Ancestry.com Now when I came across this I said "Say what?!"  He was a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army back in 1951. That's extraordinary! I realized this guy was a real hero, who paid the ultimate sacrifice for his country. I had to know more so I did some Googling. I came across something on Wikipedia next. This was listed under the history of

Image courtesy of Microsoft Office Images For details about The Book Of Me, Written By You project created by Julie Goucher, of the Anglers Rest blog, please refer to this link:   http://www.anglers-rest.net/book-of-me-written-by-you.html The prompt is Time Capsule 1.      You can choose who to create the time capsule for as that will influence what you put (or would put into your time capsule) 2.      The creation of a time capsule a.      You can do this in the literal sense or b.      You can simply write what you would place into your time capsule and why. It is much more fun to create though! You may choose to create a time capsule for your children, or a niece/nephew, for grandchildren – A physical item that you will give to a named person. Why have you chosen that person and when do you intend for them to have it? You may choose to create a time capsule of your home and leave it for someone in the future to find. You may want to create a time capsule relating

My Bonus Grandma Vadnie Harrison I know many of you out there can relate to this. In the middle of putting together my post  The Book Of Me: Prompt 7 --Grandparents --Part Two , I felt like I needed to take a little break from writing and so I did.  I had just finished writing a little bit about my step grandma, Vadnie Randolph Sutton Harrison, so I thought to myself, why don't I see if I can find out anything new on her.  When Vadnie and my maternal grandfather Lemuel Harrison wed, it was a second marriage for them both.  Before I get into what I discovered recently, here's what I know of my grandmother's life before she met my grandfather.  Vadnie Randolph was born in March 17, 1925 in New York City. Her mother I addressed as "Mrs Randolph" when I was a child. It turns out Mrs. Randolph's had a first name and it was Louise. According to the 1940 census, mother and daughter resided at 210 West 153rd St in Harlem. Source Information:   Ancestry.c