Monuments Texas Novelist Explains Confederate Heritage

Interesting read, this thread.

Unlike many southerners, there was no talk in my family about genealogy or the Civil War or much of anything other than current events. My grandparents were all dead before I came along and I was a single child. We didn't live physically close to my aunts and uncles and weren't really close to most of them in a family sense either (I've got first cousins I've never met). My parents were intellectual academics and they equated genealogy with people who wanted to join the DAR and with whom they had major differences politically and otherwise. For reasons that are now only partially clear to me neither parent talked much about their childhoods or parents except maybe the odd comment. I didn't even know my grandparents' names. I think my parents - both of whom grew up in the early twentieth century in the deep south - were somewhat embarrassed by the history of the south and so didn't want to talk about it. I think they were different in their liberalism than their brothers and sisters but - here's a southern thing - on the few times we visited their siblings they just didn't talk about things they knew they were in disagreement about. Race was certainly one of those things (my parents having been early equal rights activists; actually met M.L. King). So, while I was born and raised in the south and do identify with that my experience was very different than many.

I honor, and am proud of, my ancestors and recognize the many challenges in their lives but it's not because they were Confederates so I don't share that sort of "heritage" notion. I do differ from some here, though, in that I can separate my respect from disagreement about the Confederacy and, say, slave ownership (many can't; that all slave owners and Confederates were immoral and thus not honorable is a common feeling). I think we have to judge people by the standards of their time, not ours.

When my mother died in 2000 (dad was long gone) I decided I'd look into the family just to sort out who was who and, maybe, go back to the great grandparents. Well, I soon began to discover some really interesting things and that ended up being a ten-year project researching both sides as far back as I could. I had always had an interest in the Civil War, also, but life got in the way of any real study. My genealogy work, though, heightened my interest in American history and when I retired in 2007 I decided to do some reading. Once again that turned into a long-term (and ongoing) passion. I think my parents knew a lot more family history than they ever revealed to me but, also, didn't know much beyond maybe a little about their grandparents. Had they known even some of what I discovered I'm sure they'd have at least mentioned it (e.g. mom's folks' close connections with Thomas Jefferson). They of course did know the general history of the Civil War and Reconstruction but, oddly, never really conveyed any of that even though they knew I had an interest.

These days I'm the odd guy out among friends; nobody I know cares a whit about the history of anything before their lifetimes and most aren't much different than I am in that they hardly know who their grandparents were (if they do it's usually just because they actually knew them or at least remember them a bit from childhood). Nobody I know understands my interest in genealogy or in the cemetery work that I do (including my extensive research of those buried there; all our CW veterans among others).

Thus, I came to this site to try and find some like-minded folk with whom to exchange some digits. I've come to see that even here we're all very different in many ways even if we share some roots.
 
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Interesting read, this thread.

Unlike many southerners, there was no talk in my family about genealogy or the Civil War or much of anything other than current events. My grandparents were all dead before I came along and I was a single child. We didn't live physically close to my aunts and uncles and weren't really close to most of them in a family sense either (I've got first cousins I've never met). My parents were intellectual academics and they equated genealogy with people who wanted to join the DAR and with whom they had major differences politically and otherwise. For reasons that are now only partially clear to me neither parent talked much about their childhoods or parents except maybe the odd comment. I didn't even know my grandparents' names. I think my parents - both of whom grew up in the early twentieth century in the deep south - were somewhat embarrassed by the history of the south and so didn't want to talk about it. I think they were different in their liberalism than their brothers and sisters but - here's a southern thing - on the few times we visited their siblings they just didn't talk about things they knew they were in disagreement about. Race was certainly one of those things (my parents having been early equal rights activists; actually met M.L. King). So, while I was born and raised in the south and do identify with that my experience was very different than many.

I honor, and am proud of, my ancestors and recognize the many challenges in their lives but it's not because they were Confederates so I don't share that sort of "heritage" notion. I do differ from some here, though, in that I can separate my respect from disagreement about the Confederacy and, say, slave ownership (many can't; that all slave owners and Confederates were immoral and thus not honorable is a common feeling). I think we have to judge people by the standards of their time, not ours.

When my mother died in 2000 (dad was long gone) I decided I'd look into the family just to sort out who was who and, maybe, go back to the great grandparents. Well, I soon began to discover some really interesting things and that ended up being a ten-year project researching both sides as far back as I could. I had always had an interest in the Civil War, also, but life got in the way of any real study. My genealogy work, though, heightened my interest in American history and when I retired in 2007 I decided to do some reading. Once again that turned into a long-term (and ongoing) passion. I think my parents knew a lot more family history than they ever revealed to me but, also, didn't know much beyond maybe a little about their grandparents. Had they known even some of what I discovered I'm sure they'd have at least mentioned it (e.g. mom's folks' close connections with Thomas Jefferson). They of course did know the general history of the Civil War and Reconstruction but, oddly, never really conveyed any of that even though they knew I had an interest.

These days I'm the odd guy out among friends; nobody I know cares a whit about the history of anything before their lifetimes and most aren't much different than I was in that they hardly know who their grandparents were (if they do it's usually just because they actually knew them or at least remember them a bit from childhood). Nobody I know understands my interest in genealogy or in the cemetery work that I do (including my extensive research of those buried there; all our CW veterans among others).

Thus, I came to this site to try and find some like-minded folk with whom to exchange some digits. I've come to see that even here we're all very different in many ways even if we share some roots.

Huckleberry Finn explained his attitude this way:

After supper [the widow Douglas] got out her book and learned me about Moses and the Bulrushers; and I was in a sweat to find out all about him; but by-and-by she let it out that Moses had been dead a considerable long time; so then I didn’t care no more about him; because I don’t take no stock in dead people.​
 
Huckleberry Finn explained his attitude this way:

After supper [the widow Douglas] got out her book and learned me about Moses and the Bulrushers; and I was in a sweat to find out all about him; but by-and-by she let it out that Moses had been dead a considerable long time; so then I didn’t care no more about him; because I don’t take no stock in dead people.​

Yep. Just one way in which I turned out a lot different than my parents: I take a lot of stock in dead people (although not Moses).
 
I recently came across this quote while doing some research. I think it does say something about the importance of one's heritage and ancestry. I know nothing about this lady, but she says a lot in very few words.

"We all grow up with the weight of history on us. Our ancestors dwell in the attics of our brains as they do in the spiraling chains of knowledge hidden in every cell of our bodies." Shirley Abbott
 
The memory is more "there" with Southerners than Northerners, but that is fast fading away. Growing up my first exposure was at family reunions, a tradition started by my GG-Grandfather, everyone gathering at a church he himself cut the lumber for and still stands. Hearing stories of him from the children of people that knew him stirred the imagination for me, at least till a tradition started by Dad involving getting me and younger brother mad at each other and then trying to kill one another while he took bets off us kids, and telling the ladies, "Oh they'll get tired and stop after while."

Sadly those reunions have passed on into history, as have a lot of the folks. (But thankfully I got to meet distant cousins who did know my Confederate GG-Grandfather a few years ago.) It used to be harder to escape the influence of the "War for Southern Independence/War Between the States" so many sites being associated with it, and monuments plus hearing the stories and seeing the documents.




This kind of ties in with what I'm saying as, at family reunions we had the wills of past ancestors back in 90's, including one from my GGGG-Grandfather willing off his slaves. Which that kind of felt like a punch in the gut for me, till I read it and seeing his writings on willing one slave to his daughter because they had grown up together and been so close.

The South just never grew after the war like the North did. Economics, and so on. Old buildings continued to be used and be front and center, and not relegated to the background like in big cities so to speak. The history was still there to greet you in the morning, it could be ignored or listened to and stir the imagination growing up.

But all that has passed, air conditioning and other modern technology combined with immigration to the South has killed it. Unless something happens, I predict the notion of the war's influence being there to greet and inspire, will be completely gone within the next 20 years. Its already mostly gone, growing up I used to be constantly made fun of because of my strong "country accent" which itself is something that fading away.

I don't care what folks say throwing slavery around, its truly tragic that its happening.

Where is the church your gg grand father built?
 
Southerners have been able to keep some of their unique identity. Seems to be upsetting to some. Back during the War and Reconstruction, The Radicals especially wanted that removed. Some things never change. People move South and pride themselves that they have helped change the culture. That is true, however statistics tell us people who move here change also.

People move South, because of the Bible and the Constitution. South is called the Bible Belt. South has retained Freedom of Speech. The 2nd Amendment Rights. Some of those have been lost elsewhere. There has to be some good reasons why people move here. A job and a safe place to raise a family is one reason I’m told. People who retire enjoy the lifestyle.

Southerns aren’t tied to Agriculture. Takes fewer people to do that work. People like Archie, Farm large tracks of land. It takes an accomplished, educated person to make it in Farming. It did in 1860. Planters were known to travel. Spent time in Europe and the North. That segment of the population was the most educated in the US. They sent their kids to Ivy League Schools and hired College Graduates to home school their kids. Going to a good College with all the advantages of being in the South is another draw for others.

I lived a childhood that will never be replicated. My Mom can say the same thing. Mine was not like hers. There are about as many stereotypes of Southerners as there are any other hyphenated Americans. I don’t think I have anything to apologize for. I can drive, fly or go wherever I want. I haven’t stayed in the same place all my life. Economic opportunity, marriage and all of those things make people move. Some seem to think Southerns resent that? It’s just Silly.
Great post. Of course to me when I think of the South..my mind goes to Western NC..in particular Cherokee County...East TN...in particular Monroe County and North Georgia...in particular Union County.
 
Where is the church your gg grand father built?

Chalk Hill, TX.

He was illiterate, and practilly built the town in day. Owned and operated the sawmill, owned the store, a cattle dipping vat, and was a deeply devout Primitive Baptist. Also fiercly proud of having fought for the Confederacy, and was thought of as crazy because he was the only white man who would loan money to blacks. Interest free...

I didn't know the last part was true till I talked to a very elderly black women telling her grandchildren of a Confederate veteran giving her parents milk and other necessities out of his store in Chalk Hill when she was born, ensuring they would make it.

Only time he missed church was when a Yank preacher came to town to preach one day. He was found on his porch with a musket swearing he'd shoot the first d***yankee that stepped foot on his property.

:CSA1stNat:
 
I recently came across this quote while doing some research. I think it does say something about the importance of one's heritage and ancestry. I know nothing about this lady, but she says a lot in very few words.

"We all grow up with the weight of history on us. Our ancestors dwell in the attics of our brains as they do in the spiraling chains of knowledge hidden in every cell of our bodies." Shirley Abbott
She grew up in Bill Clinton’s hometown and wrote a memoir about it, The Bookmaker’s Daughter.
 
When I first joined this forum back in 1993, I had no idea of the history of my family. I knew that at one time the family had resided in Virginia, but then moved to Ohio. That was about it.

Then my wife got interested in Ancestry.com, and began searching my side of the family, using the resources and family information and pictures. Then one night it happened. My wife called me into our den where she sat at a desk doing her computer searches. She told me she had found my great-great grandfather, Jacob Lee Hambleton, a member of the 19th Virginia Infantry Regiment, The Nelson County Grays, attached to the Army of Northern Virginia. She also found that Jacob had been at Gettysburg and had participated in Pickett's Charge where he was captured at The Angle and then sent as a POW to Ft Warren. Wow, Blue, we both had ancestor's in Pickett's charge

We sent away for Jacob's military records and found out a bit more. Jacob had three brothers who also fought for the Confederacy. Going from zero knowledge about my ancestry to four was quite a shock. But the kicker was finding out that Jacob owned seven slaves. Their names weren't listed, just their ages, from six months to sixty-something, males and females.

My wife and I were very quiet when we read this bit of news. We both later recalled reading that list of slaves "felt like a punch in the gut."

We are now in the process of trying to trace my wife's side of the family and she has gotten back to an ancestor who fought in the War of 1812 and the Revolutionary War. We're still looking to see if she has anyone in her line that served in the Civil War.

Funny thing is, my Mother and Father never discussed their family history. I doubt if they ever knew any of it.

Sincerely,
Unionblue
Chalk Hill, TX.

He was illiterate, and practilly built the town in day. Owned and operated the sawmill, owned the store, a cattle dipping vat, and was a deeply devout Primitive Baptist. Also fiercly proud of having fought for the Confederacy, and was thought of as crazy because he was the only white man who would loan money to blacks. Interest free...

I didn't know the last part was true till I talked to a very elderly black women telling her grandchildren of a Confederate veteran giving her parents milk and other necessities out of his store in Chalk Hill when she was born, ensuring they would make it.

Only time he missed church was when a Yank preacher came to town to preach one day. He was found on his porch with a musket swearing he'd shoot the first d***yankee that stepped foot on his property.

:CSA1stNat:
How interesting. Thanks for sharing. Also, just proves that some white people treated blacks with kindness.
 
Don't know if this is a propos. Read in World (wish I could find the reference) Marvin Olasky quoting a Southern writer who said the reason there were so many good Southern writers is "because we lost."

I would also say that is why the South is the "Bible Belt". After losing the war we needed solace. Couldn't find consolation from the North - they were down here "re-constructing" us in their image. Couldn't turn to other countries, which hadn't helped us during or after. Some looked to themselves, and came up with the Lost Cause ideology. Evidently the bulk of the population turned to the only remaining source of consolation - their Maker - and found it.
 
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