Listmembers:
Here is one more Christmas item I always like to put on the lists at
Christmas time.
CHRISTMAS MEMORIES IN KENTUCKY
I am sitting here at the computer,watching the
forecast for possible snow flurries and the wind is exerting itself
strongly.I like to post around Christmas time on something that would be
like a gift to you, yet one of some genealogical value. Today my thoughts
are
of all that has happened in the world. But, that would be a too
far-reaching topic so let's narrow it down from 1792 to the present when
Kentucky became the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Now I'm not going to list all
the wars, county divisions, and statistical information. I'm thinking of
people; those known and hidden ancestors of ours who called Kentucky their
home during the past almost 207 years. What would happen if all these
family tree members of ours could spend one day here again? What if those
brave pioneers born in the 1700's could be "beamed dowm" for a 24 hour
period to where they used to live here in Kentucky? And, what if you and I
were appointed to gather our family together and try to explain what all
these strange sites were?
Let's see - what HAS changed in 208 years? You're welcome to eavesdrop on
the conversation.
Ah yes, we explain, the day of the old horse and wagons are long gone.
Those horses in the pasture? Oh, they're just used for pleasure riding or
for racing in the Kentucky Derby. Can they pull a plow? Well, no, but some
of them can pull a surrey and some look awfully fancy in all their finery
in the horse shows. Where are the steam boats? Well, you don't many of them
anymore unless it's in a special 4th of July celebration when the Belle of
Louisville races once again. No, there's not too many ferries left either -
there is one over there on the Green River outside Mammoth Cave. What's
that? Oh, that's just a jet plane going over flying someone from across the
continent to land at the Louisville Airport? And that strange looking
contraption? That's a helicopter. Police and hospitals used them a lot. And
that's a 2000 model Honda LX coming down the road. No, it's made in Japan
and goes about 65 miles an hour in speed zones. No, can't rightly say I've
seen a carriage for a long time ... except maybe in the 1992 bicentennial
festivities.
Well, there are few cabins left in the county I think. Oh, that's a
condominium, and over there is an apartment building. The thing sticking
up in the ground. That's a satellite dish so we can see television from all
over the world. Television? We'll talk about that later! Do you want to
come inside? Oh, this is where your cabin used to be? How neat! That's ok,
come right on in. We call this the living room; no, not too many houses
have parlors or sitting rooms anymore. Ah, ah ... that's the bathroom ....
you know ... the replacement for the .... privy? And that's called the
bathtub. No, we don't have to heat water anymore and put it in a tub. Oh
yes, it's well used, people take baths or showers every day pretty much
anymore! Here's the kitchen; no, it's in the house now. Over there is a
microwave oven. Well, that's something that cooks food really quickly, just
takes a few minutes. There's the refrigerator. No, that's what keeps the
food cold now, that top part there is called a freezer and you can freeze
enough meat or tv dinners to last for a long time. Oh, that television
contraption? Here, let me turn it on for you. Don't be scared! That's CNN,
we can see news as it happens all over the world now. This station comes
from Louisville - yes, they're talking right now as we hear them. Oh,
here's the weather channel. We can now tell what the weather is going to be
all over the world for up to a week ahead of time. Let's head into the
bedroom - this is called the master bedroom. Go ahead and sit down on the
bed. Don't worry, it's meant to do that, it's a water bed! That's a
radio,
it's sort of like a television without a picture. That? That's a clock,
tells us what time it is. No, not too many people have sundials any more.
Yes, we have plenty of churches. Well, here's one thing that hasn't changed
too much over the years has it? It has? What's different? Oh, it's cool in
here because the air conditioning in on. That's a device that blows cool
air everywhere; when it gets a little colder the central heat will kick on.
No, there's no fireplaces anymore or old wood stoves. Hmmm... you like the
padded pews huh? No, they didn't have to chop any wood to carve out the
pews, machines make them now. Up there? That's a wide screen television so
people in the back can see the preacher if the church is packed. What?
That's the baptismal, we don't take people to the mill pond much anymore.
Sure is fancy isn't it? The preachers don't have to shout too much any
more, they have microphones to broadcast their voice all over. One thing
hasn't changed though ..the old time Gospel preaching churches are still
preaching the same message!
I don't know when Crutcher's General Store was torn town. Now a lot of the
stores are all inside what's known as a mall. This is our big mall here in
town, has over 100 stores. It does look kinda strange to see trees growing
inside doesn't it? Why you can buy almost anything you need in one place
now. No, there's no pickle barrels around and haven't seen a spitoon since
I was a boy. Yes, everyone seems to be in a hurry don't they, not much time
for chatting anymore.
I've shown you about everything that I can think of - those are telephone
lines so we can call everyone all over the world. Those are power lines -
all of our homes are electrified now at the flip of a switch. We keep those
old kerosene lanterns though in case of power losses. Candles are still
around; we use them for decorations. Oh, I forgot! Here's a computer. A
computer? That's awfully hard to explain. You turn it on and you can get
messages from people clear across the country in a matter of seconds. You
can read magazines and newspapers, get medical advice .... about everything
you can think of.
Is there anything else you would like to see? Oh, yes; I should have
thought of that. Let's get in my car and I'll take you there. It's still
there although a lot are gone now. It's such a shame too, plowed under,
cattle grazing through them ... but yours is still there. Someone in the
family goes there as much as they can and keeps it all cleaned up. Here we
are - see we even have a sign with your name on it. If you like, I'll just
let you walk around by yourself if you'd like to be alone. Ok, I'll walk
with you if you like. Tell me about the people buried here. Were they your
friends? What happened to them? I promise that I won't forget what you tell
me; I'll write it down and save it for your great grandchildren of coming
generations.
It is time to go now and as suddenly as our visitors appeared they are
gone. What changes they have witnessed; many they would never be able to
understand. You didn't have time to tell them that we've walked on the
moon, sent probes to Mars, have telescopes out in space. I chose not to
tell them about the wars, of children killing children in school, or
political matters. But, we have the chance to remember them and preserve
their memories. Every time we work on our family tree, take a photograph of
their old home, meet a distant cousin - we keep their names alive into the
21st century.
Debbie Jennings
debbiej(a)iquest.net
"Following the footprints through time"
Researching in IN,KY,TN,NC,PA,NJ,VT,NY,MA,MD,
VA,CAN,GER,ENG