Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Flag Still Flies

Rebel flag still flying in black SC neighborhood
By BRUCE SMITH - Associated Press | AP
Sept. 8, 2011

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (AP) — A year ago, dozens marched to protest the Confederate flag a white woman flew from her porch in a historically black Southern neighborhood. After someone threw a rock at her porch, she put up a wooden lattice. That was just the start of the building.

Earlier this year, two solid 8-foot high wooden fences were built on either side of Annie Chambers Caddell's modest brick house to shield the Southern banner from view.

Late this summer, Caddell raised a flagpole higher than the fences to display the flag. Then a similar pole with an American flag was placed across the fence in the yard of neighbor Patterson James, who is black.

One hundred and fifty years after the Civil War began about 20 miles away in Charleston Harbor, fights continue over the meaning of the Confederate flag. Some see it as a symbol of slavery and racism; others like Caddell say it's part of their Southern heritage.

"I'm here to stay. I didn't back down and because I didn't cower the neighbors say I'm the lady who loves her flag and loves her heritage," said the 51-year old Caddell who moved into the historically black Brownsville neighborhood in the summer of 2010. Her ancestors fought for the Confederacy.

Last October, about 70 people marched in the street and sang civil rights songs to protest the flag, while about 30 others stood in Caddell's yard waving the Confederate flag.

Opponents of the flag earlier gathered 200 names on a protest petition and took their case to a town council meeting where Caddell tearfully testified that she's not a racist. Local officials have said she has the right to fly the flag, while her neighbors have the right to protest. And build fences.

"Things seemed to quiet down and then the fences started," Caddell said. "I didn't know anything about it until they were putting down the postholes and threw it together in less than a day."

Aaron Brown, the town councilman whose district includes Brownsville, said neighbors raised money for the fences.

"The community met and talked about the situation," he said. "Somebody suggested that what we should do is just go ahead and put the fences up and that way somebody would have to stand directly in front of the house to see the flag and that would mediate the flag's influence."

Caddell isn't bothered by the fences and said they even seem to draw more attention to her house.

"People driving by here because of the privacy fences, they tend to slow down," she said. "If the objective was to block my house from view, they didn't succeed very well."

The Confederate flag remains a sensitive issue in South Carolina.

The battle emblem of the Confederacy had flown on the dome of the Statehouse in Columbia since the Civil War centennial in the 1960s when state lawmakers voted in 2000 to move it to a Confederate monument in front of the building. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has waged a tourism boycott on the state since then as it seeks to have the flag removed from the Statehouse grounds.

Caddell, Brown and James all say things have been quiet in Brownsville in recent months.

"She's got a right to do what she wants to do," James said. "That's all I really have to say. She can do what she wants to do in her yard, but I don't share her beliefs."

http://news.yahoo.com/rebel-flag-still-flying-black-sc-neighborhood-075154630.html

Sunday, September 25, 2011

SCV Donates Manassas Battlefield

Sons of Confederate Veterans and the Formation of Manassas National Battlefield Park
by Brag Bowling on Wednesday, August 3, 2011

The recent activities surrounding the Sesquicentennial of the 1st Battle of Manassas harkens back to the formation of the national park in Manassas and the role of the SCV in making it a reality. In a time when the old Confederate veterans were still alive, members of the SCV realized that the Confederate South had yet to memorialize a single battlefield. Battlefield Parks were the domain of state park systems or the Department of the Interior through the agency of the National Park Service. The SCV viewed the important historical land as “particularly neglected” since the battle.

The initial plan began with the obtaining of an option in 1920 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to purchase the Henry Farm, a 130 acre tract of land where the most famous aspects of the battle had occurred. One year later, the Manassas Battlefield Confederate Park, Inc., an SCV auxiliary, was created to raise the necessary $25,000 option purchase price.

It was the purpose of the SCV to have the park stand as a Southern battlefield memorial to the Confederate soldier. At the time, other historical projects seemed to often omit Southern soldiers, valor and their achievements. For example, much ado was made when the amphitheatre in Arlington National Cemetery omitted the Southern soldier. Education and history would be its hallmark but in no way would the Northern soldier be ignored. Monuments and memorials would be encouraged from both warring sides. Even so, the corporation had a great deal of infighting with one faction forming which wanted the word “confederate” removed from the corporate title (much like the problems today’s Museum of the Confederacy faces). There was also internal litigation over control of the property.

The SCV soon found (as did many other organizations) that raising the money to execute the deal would be difficult. Not only was the South still prostrate financially from the War Between the States, the entire nation was mired in the Great Depression. Today, the SCV has over 30,000 members. In 1939, the organization had 1753 members with a treasury of only a few thousand dollars. Also, projects such as Stone Mountain in Georgia were competing for limited Southern resources. Despite financial issues, the SCV was meeting its financial obligations and an accounting of the organization’s finances in 1938 showed they were fiscally sound (but not wealthy). Still, it seemed a nearly impossible task to reach the original goals of the Park. In 1933, conversations began with the National Park Service. The possible transfer caused a great deal of apprehension in the South who was leery of federal ownership and federal park interpretation and management.

To make a long story short, the $25,000 was raised and in 1939, an agreement was worked out with the federal government for the SCV to donate the Henry Farm to the National Park Service for the purpose of establishing a national military park.

Herein lies the rub. Despite the severe financial problems the SCV had at the time, the organization seemed equally concerned with the way the tract would be interpreted should the National Park Service obtain the Henry Farm. In the conveyance deed, the SCV stipulated that “strictest accuracy and fairness” be demanded in the erection of monuments and markers and opposed anything which would in anyway detract from the glory due to the Confederate soldier. Care was to be taken to preserve the battlefield without prejudice to either the North or South. These clauses in the deed became covenants running with the land, enforceable by a court of law.

At the time, many were concerned that The Grand Bargain struck between Union and Confederate veterans was falling apart. This unwritten truce allowed the country to heal from the war and reconcile without finger pointing or recrimination. Today, The Grand Bargain is a relic of the past. It is open season on the interpretation of Confederate history and the causes of the war. In many ways, the America of 2011 still is divided on a sectional basis. The old veterans seemed to be able to co-exist while today, the government, academia and the media are re-opening many old wounds, often demonizing the Confederate soldier and the cause for which he fought.

On February 16, 1940, the Department of the Interior accepted the deed. The Park Service remained leery of the restrictive covenants and internal memorandums and letters at the time urged caution in their interpretation lest they bring a court challenge. For $1, the Sons of Confederate Veterans generously donated the critical piece of the Manassas Battlefield, the Henry Farm and Henry House Hill where the battle was decided and where the immortal Jackson earned the most famous sobriquet in military history – “Stonewall”. Manassas was supremely important to the people of the South. Two decisive Confederate victories occurred on the plains of Manassas.

Today, the Manassas Battlefield is a wonderful attraction luring thousands of tourists every year. A bronze plaque denoting the SCV gift is exhibited prominently in the Manassas Visitors Center. The SCV surrendered much in their donation. The potential revenue of running their own Manassas Park (potentially millions) was considered at the time. Internal SCV memos were already noticing the visitation at other national parks. The Henry Farm donation would be similar to donating the Burnside Bridge at Sharpsburg, Marye’s Heights in Fredericksburg, or Little Round Top at Gettysburg. The generous donation was a true act of both patriotism and national reconciliation on the part of the South and the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Published in The Richmond Times Dispatch

Thursday, September 22, 2011

New Legal Action in Reidsville, North Carolina

Activists say statue must be replaced


Thursday, September 22, 2011 (Updated 3:02 am)
By J. Brian Ewing

REIDSVILLE — A new group is threatening legal action against the city of Reidsville if a controversial Confederate monument isn’t returned to the city’s center.

A group calling itself the Historical Political Action Committee delivered a letter to Reidsville on Tuesday alleging that the state owns the monument and the land it sat on.

The century-old monument , which sat on a massive marble base in the traffic circle of Morehead and Scales streets, was damaged in May when it was hit by a van.

The city determined that the state association of the United Daughters of the Confederacy owns the statue. That group decided not to erect a replacement in the city center. However, the local chapter disagrees with its state leadership, according to members.

The statue has been a point of controversy in the city, acting as a reminder of slavery for some and a symbol of Southern pride for others. The state UDC president cited that controversy when announcing the decision not to replace the monument.

There has been discussion of erecting a replica in a city-owned cemetery that has a section for Confederate soldiers.

Citing articles in the local newspaper from 1910, when the monument was installed, the committee argues that the UDC gave the statue to the city but the state has owned it for decades because the traffic circle is part of the state road system.

The group gave the city 30 days to respond. Rodney Hord , committee president , said the city took possession of both the statue and its base after the wreck.

Hord said the letter was also delivered to the N.C. Department of Transportation and the N.C. Historical Commission. He took issue with the state UDC’s claim that the statue is damaged beyond repair.

He said the group wants to see a historic and misunderstood monument returned to its rightful place.

“It’s not a racist thing,” Hord said. “It’s to the dead soldiers of the Confederacy.”

City Manager Michael Pearce said the city attorney is reviewing the letter.

“They raised some new points that hadn’t been considered before,” Pearce said. “My initial reaction is to disagree with the public right-of-way versus land ownership claim.”

The group plans to hold a news conference downtown at 10 a.m. today .

http://www.news-record.com/content/2011/09/21/article/activists_say_statue_must_be_replaced#nrcAnc_Middle2_Jump

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Amendment Deadline Given

Compatriots,

The Deadline for those wishing to submit proposed amendments to the SCV Constitution or the Standing Orders to be considered at the Reunion in Murfreesboro, TN in July 2012 is February 8, 2012.

Amendments should be submitted to Executive Director Ben Sewell at General Headquarters. They can be sent either by email to exedir@scv.org or by US Mail to: Sons of Confederate Veterans, P.O. Box 59, Columbia, TN 38402. Email submissions must be sent on or before February 8, 2012 and those send by US Mail must be postmarked by February 8, 2012.

Those submitting proposed amendments should include their name, camp number and contact information - phone number and email address is available. Please also send a brief statement as to the purpose of the amendment and the reasons it should be adopted. This will better help camps understand the purpose and advantages of the proposed amendment.

Executive Director Sewell will acknowledge receipt of the amendments. However, it is the responsibility of the sender to confirm with Director Sewell that any amendment submitted was received at General Heatquarters.

Please contact me or Executive Director Sewell if you have any questions.

Chuck Rand
Adjutant In Chief
chuckrand3@gmail.com

Monday, September 19, 2011

Confederate History Remembered in Tampa

Tampa's rebel roots explored
CHRIS COYNER/STAFF
The Tampa Tribune
September 18, 2011

TAMPA

There were the Finley brothers, Thomas and John, ages 18 and 16, respectively. Thomas died at the Civil War prison in Rock Island, Ill. John died, too. No one knows how or where.

And there was Hiram Archibald McLeod, who helped Judah B. Benjamin, then secretary of state for the Confederacy, escape after Richmond fell. McLeod had been wounded twice by then and had only one leg.

The Finleys and McLeod were among 86 Tampa Bay area men remembered Saturday afternoon at the William F. Poe Plaza in downtown Tampa as part of a historical re-enactment organized by the Tampa Bay Sesquicentennial Commission.

Re-enactors brought to life a ceremony that took place 150 years ago, at which area women wearing white dresses and blue sashes presented a flag to the 86 men before they went off to fight for the South.

The 86 later were joined by another 14 men, reaching the required 100 for a company, and were organized in Jacksonville into Company K of the Fourth Florida regiment. They were known as the Sunny South Guards.

In Poe Plaza, as a small brass band played, nearly a dozen young women stood in a line, each representing a southern state. Then the men marched in, with cap-and-ball rifles or muskets in their hands and cartridge box slings draped over their shoulders.

There were 24 stand-ins, not 86. "That was as many bodies as we could snatch," said John Mitchell, a drug counselor who served as one of the recruits.

As part of the re-enactment, the soldiers heard from their commander, Capt. John T. Lesley, who was played by Bryan Gilmore, a Mosaic phosphate plant employee. Robert E. Lee was on hand, too, played by Tom Jessee — even though Lee wasn't at the long-ago flag presentation.

"We of the South vow anew that we stand united in a glorious cause," Gilmore told the soldiers, "and we, its defenders, beseech of a divine Providence, guidance for a triumphal victory under this beautiful banner the hands of Tampa's finest have bestowed on us this day."

The actual flag presentation in 1861 occurred some distance from what's now Poe Plaza. But organizers couldn't arrange a re-enactment at that location because it is now a busy intersection in the shadow of the Selmon Crosstown Expressway.

http://www2.tbo.com/news/education-news/2011/sep/18/menewso13-tampas-rebel-roots-explored-ar-258609/

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Genealogy: Having Blood in the Game

Genealogy: Having Blood In the Game
This isn’t your father’s genealogy: The Internet and information technology make genealogy accessible and feasible for a much wider audience

By Steve Scroggins … featuring Hu Daughtry


As part of our Sesquicentennial series, we wanted to put together an informative piece on genealogy to inspire others to start their own family roots search. This first effort in the genealogy series includes some tips and advice on how to get started to document your own family tree.

As a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), I have some experience with my own genealogical search. Though always happy to share and advise, I knew I could do better service to readers by seeking out the insights of a more active and experienced genealogist.

As you’ll read below, Hu Daughtry reveals it’s not rocket science and it’s much easier to get started today that it was for our parents’ generation.

I thought that I had been fortunate to find five direct ancestors (four great-great grandfathers and one great-great-great) who were Confederate veterans (and many more gg-uncles).

As it happens, the counties where my parents’ families settled in recent generations were in counties (AL and GA) that happened to have active genealogical groups and online bulletin boards. I found a lot of the information online, with help from friendly searchers, without having to travel outside my home.

It all started with a photograph. My maternal grandmother’s sister gave me a photo from 1915 of the Theus family of Taylor County Georgia. That photo included my grandmother as a young toddler on her mother’s lap. My grandmother’s grandfather, Thomas B. Theus, is the gray-bearded elder seated in the center of the photo.

Armed with that knowledge, a trip to the local library found Joseph Crute’s Units of the Confederate States Army (for Georgia). I did a lookup of the units that originated in Taylor County and there in the muster roll for Company C of the 59th Georgia Infantry (the Arthur Greys of Taylor County) was a listing of seven Theus men. Were they brothers or cousins or what? I soon learned, with help from online resources, that they were all brothers. Of the seven Theus brothers who went to war, only three survived.

Do You Know Who Your Ancestors Are?

As southern families go, they were luckier than many. I read of five brothers in a neighboring county, all of whom died in the war. Given the local nature of company units for that war, it was very common to have multiple brothers and relatives in the same unit.

The author of the fictional WWII story of Saving Private Ryan was inspired by a monument to four New Hampshire brothers who died in the War to Prevent Southern Independence.

The second man from the left seated on the first row is my great-grandfather, Tom Barfield. His father, Jesse Bud Barfield, was also a Confederate veteran. Tom’s grandfather, Jesse M. Barfield, was a veteran of the Mexican war. Seated to Tom’s right is my great-grandmother Dora Theus Barfield with my grandmother in her lap.

They had been married ten years at the time of this photo and their fifth child would be born four years later. In 2005, the centennial anniversary of their marriage, I wrote an essay exploring some of the historical events at that time in history (1904-05).

In my experience, as well as Hu Daughtry and many others, finding that one has blood relatives who were directly involved in an historical event, such as a war, just naturally fires one’s interest in that time period and in history in general. If only more people had such interest and invested time seeking the truths of history.

“If you don’t know history, you don’t know anything. You’re a leaf that doesn’t know it’s part of a tree.” —-Michael Crichton

“A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday does not know where it is today…” –Gen. Robert E. Lee

As economist Ludwig von Mises wrote, “Historical knowledge is indispensable for those who want to build a better world.”

I think most readers would agree that a greater knowledge and understanding of history is essential to understanding what is happening in the world today.

Lacking interest in and awareness of History allows demagogues and manipulators traction and persuasion ability they shouldn’t have. It’s an acknowledged fact that the most recent generations see the subject of history as “boring” and not truly relevant in their lives.

Contrast them with Americans of generations before, most of whom considered history a favorite school subject. The question is, why the change? I attempted to answer that question in a March 2010 essay entitled Poisoning History: Guilt-tripping to Utopia.

“Seen in the light of anti-American self-loathing as promulgated and promoted by revisionists (e.g., James Loewen, Howard Zinn, et al), is it any wonder that several generations of Americans hold a more negative view of their country and its founders? Is it any wonder that many of these younger Americans view history as less relevant to their modern lives? Is it any wonder that many Americans are ignorant of the U.S. Constitution and the Founding Principles? If that widespread ignorance of our Constitution and Founding Principles doesn’t terrify you, it should.” —Steve Scroggins, from Poisoning History: Guilt-tripping to Utopia.

Clearly, genealogy or historical knowledge is not an end-all panacea. But ignorance of history, as the old saw goes, dooms us to repeat the mistakes that echo through human history.

Looking at a narrow band of time, American history for example, it becomes clear that one cannot fully understand a certain period without understanding the events in the decades immediately preceding that period… and on and on it goes until the beginning. History, like genealogy, is a lifelong pursuit. Greater understanding requires ongoing effort.

If you make the effort to get a good start, I’m willing to bet that you’ll be hooked. You might suspend your search during busy periods, but you’ll always be looking to fill in gaps and break through “brick walls” that are found in most family trees.

There are many online genealogy services (Daughtry mentions some below) and many versions of software to help with the search and the cataloging, organizing and sharing of data.

There are thousands of local genealogy websites with bulletin boards and query/discussion boards for certain counties. Odds are that some distant relative has already captured some of the information you’ll be looking for.

Whether you are looking for ancestors in the south, the north or elsewhere in America, the principles of Hu Daughtry’s advice below remains the same. For professionals who specialize in various countries of origin, you can find a directory of them at http://genealogypro.com/ As noted above, there’s a lot of satisfaction in doing the search yourself.

You Never Know Who You Might Find

Upcoming in the genealogy series, we’ll explore utilization of advanced technologies such as DNA testing for genealogical purposes. Now, to our guest contributor.

I met Hu Daughtry a few years ago when he was a program speaker at my local Camp meeting of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

He was an informative and entertaining speaker and what I remember most was his collection of family photographs. He had a phenomenal number of old photographs of many of his ancestors and knew all their names and stories.

Daughtry is the author of the book, CONFEDERATE TALES OF CANDLER & CONNECTED COUNTIES. He resides in rural Candler County, Georgia and he is the commander of The Dixie Guards, Camp # 1942, Sons of Confederate Veterans based in Metter, Georgia.

He also serves as one of three recruiting and genealogy officers for the Georgia division of SCV who assists potential or interested members to locate a Confederate ancestor. Whether your ancestors were Confederate, or otherwise, the principles of starting the search remain the same (in the U.S.).



“FINDING YOUR CONFEDERATE ANCESTOR”


by Hu Daughtry
My maternal grandfather is largely responsible for my seemly-endless passion for history and genealogy; quite succinctly, he possessed the uncanny ability (it was definitely a gift from God) to bring the dead back to life—with the mere use of spoken words. For the privilege of sharing the first 26 years of my life with him, I shall always be more than grateful.


Gen. N.B. Forrest
Although he never actually knew either of them, both of his grandfathers fought valiantly in That Unsuccessful Struggle For Southern Independence; one nearly lost a leg at a place called Second Manassas, while the other rode with Bedford Forrest at Chickamauga and actually made it to Joe Johnston’s late April surrender near Greensboro.

Hence, my interest in That Uncivil War of The 1860’s was quite unavoidable and was destined to overtake and devour me – sooner or later……

As I became older, I began to wonder and ponder more and more about my ancestors; who exactly were those dead relatives of mine who were directly responsible for my very existence on God’s Earth?

Before too much time had lapsed, it became blatantly obvious that the discipline of genealogy was much more addictive than any drug which I ever sold during my more than twenty years as a practicing pharmacist; that much, I am sure of…….


Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, III
Approximately four years ago, I researched and wrote a book entitled: CONFEDERATE TALES OF CANDLER & CONNECTED COUNTIES; while working on this non-fictional literary endeavor, I began to learn the basic principles and skills of genealogical / historical research.

Looking back, it is readily apparent that this marked the beginning of my avocation as “a genealogist.”

Just months following the publication of my book, I began receiving calls and e-mails from individuals seeking to hire me to perform genealogy work; at the time of this writing, I spend between 25 and 30 hours per week “conducting genealogical and historical research for private clients.”

A couple of years ago, in a magnanimous effort to increase the membership of The Georgia Division of The Sons of Confederate Veterans, Georgia Division Adjutant Timothy Pilgrim created the appointed position(s) of “Genealogy / Recruiting Officers.” In short, I was appointed to fill one of these three positions and since that time, have identified Confederate Ancestors for more than 300 potential members.


Old Confederate Veterans
Locating a “Confederate Ancestor” for a potential SCV (Sons of Confederate Veterans) compatriot is actually a simplistic process; I usually obtain some basic familial data from the interested party, then I begin the quest to “unearth at least one of his Rebel Relatives.”

As alluded to earlier, the first duty of a genealogy / recruiting officer is to locate a Confederate Ancestor for a male (twelve years of age or older) who wishes to enlist in this noble organization; once a suitable ancestor has been found, the next step is to place the future compatriot in the camp of his choosing.

In most cases, as common sense would certainly dictate, this is usually a camp which lies in close proximity to the potential member’s residence.


To Get Started...
Quite laconically, whenever I am contacted by an individual who is interested in joining a camp in The Georgia Division of The Sons of Confederate Veterans, I make a conscious and obvious effort to perform the majority of the work – myself.

Unfortunately, the plethora of paperwork often associated with locating one’s Confederate Relative(s) is often perceived as overwhelming and even intimidating to a novice / neophyte genealogist; therefore, many potential members simply shy away from this largely-unfamiliar process and fail to enlist in The Sons of Confederate Veterans.

One of the primary objectives of a genealogy / recruiting officer is to prevent this aforementioned worst-case scenario from occurring.

Generally speaking, when contacted by an interested party, I simply ask this individual to supply me with the names of at least two direct ancestors (mother, father, grandfather, grandmother, etc.) who were alive in 1930; additionally, it is imperative that I learn the exact familial relationship of this ancestor to the interested party.

Furthermore, it is also advantageous to know the approximate year of birth of the relative, and the county / state in which he / she resided in 1930. The rationale behind the annum ‘1930’ is such that this represents the most current Federal Census Enumeration which is currently available to the public.


Sgt. Alvin York - MoH - WWI - Confederate Descendant
Once I have identified an ancestor or two whose names appear on The 1930 Census Report, I am able “to take it from there.” Summarily, I merely “back track to 1860 and begin the hunt for a potential Confederate Soldier.” Ancestry.com is a great on-line source for accessing Federal Census Records.

In The South, especially in Georgia, white males from 16 to 60 were called upon to defend their homeland against The Forces of Northern Aggression; hence, the adage “from the cradle to the grave” was certainly no exaggeration.

In a genealogical sense, the significance of this “well-documented assertion” simply means that if an individual possesses a white male antecedent who was between the ages of 16 and 60 (from 1861 — 1865), there is a distinct possibility that this particular ancestor served in The Conventional Confederate Army, A State Unit, or perhaps even a Home Guard Outfit. Fold3.com (formerly Footnote.com) contains the majority of The Compiled Military Service Records for most Confederate Units.

In addition to The Confederate Compiled Military Service Records, there are also Confederate Pension Applications which can be found on-line; for example, those for Georgia and Alabama are readily accessible on Ancestry.Com.

As mentioned previously, I am also available to do genealogy work for the general public;” during the course of my practice, I have assisted several clients in their successful quests to join The Daughters of The American Revolution, The Sons of The American Revolution, as well as The United Daughters of The Confederacy.

On the other hand, there are those who have joined The Sons of Confederate Veterans who wish to learn more of their family history; for example, I prepared a report for one client which contained definitive proof that he actually possessed 36 Civil War Ancestors (a couple wore Union Blue). In addition to “Confederate-Oriented


Who's Lurking in Your Family Tree?
Research,” I have also done work for clients who descended not only from Union Soldiers, but from former slaves who served in The United States Colored Troops.

In recapitulation, it seems that more and more members of our 21st Century Society are rapidly developing an interest in their genealogical roots.

Fortunately, with the advent of modern technology, “tracing one’s family history” is much simpler today than it was in the days of our fathers and grandfathers; I, for one, feel that those of us who wish to learn as much as humanly possible of the lives and times of our progenitors, should make a tenacious effort to do so.

I have seen, on more than one occasion, individuals who find the subject of history to be “incredibly boring, literally transformed into “genealogy junkies” — practically overnight.

For clandestine, inexplicable reasons, the pages of history seem to suddenly “come alive” – when one learns that several members of his blood kindred were actively involved in a famous (or perhaps infamous) event such as a specific battle, conflict, war, etc.

Finally, in closing, I should like to challenge each and every reader of this article to make an effort to learn as much as possible about those who lurk silently within the hidden confines of the nooks and crannies of your family tree; the information that you find just might be “more than priceless……”

Hu Daughtry can be contacted by email at: sidada11@yahoo.com or by snailmail at — Hu Daughtry; Post Office Box 406; Metter,Georgia 30439

Note: As mentioned above, Hu Daughtry in one of three genealogy officers for the Georgia Division of SCV. The SCV.org website has a directory of genealogy officers for many other Divisions of the SCV as well as other genealogy resources: http://www.scv.org/genealogy.php

http://www.veteranstoday.com/2011/09/16/genealogy-having-blood-in-the-game/

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Kansas "Jawhawk" Mascot Condemed as Terrorist Name

Osceola Resolution

City of Osceola, Missouri Condemns “Jayhawk” Mascott

Recently the City of Osceola, Missouri passed a resolution condemning KU’s “Jayhawk” mascot. The resolution reads as follows:

RESOLUTION

On this date, the City of Osceola, after hearing all of the evidence, and for good cause shown, finds the following:

1.

That on September 21 – 23, 1861, a group of domestic terrorist, referred to as “the jayhawkers,” sacked the city of Osceola, St. Clair County, Missouri and burned all but four or five of the city’s buildings to the ground.

2.

That on or around that date, twelve citizens of Osceola, St. Clair County, Missouri, were executed by said terrorist group.

3.

That the above-mentioned occurrence eventually led to William Clark Quantrill’s raid on Lawrence, kansas, as Missourians had no choice but to defend themselves from the murderous attacks perpetrated by the jayhawkers, led by Jim Lane and James Montgomery.

4.

That when the University of kansas fielded its football team in 1890, it referred to the team as “the jayhawkers,” an obvious celebration of the above-named terrorist group. This term was eventually shortened to “jayhawks,” a name which has since been officially adopted by the University of kansas as the mascot for all its sports teams.

5.

That the present-day “jayhawks,” kU alumni, citizens of the state of kansas, et al,, have willfully, wantonly and recklessly disregarded the above-mentioned occurrence when discussing the roots of the “Border War” which currently existed between the University of Missouri Tigers and the University of kansas jayhawks.

6.

Whereas, the Civil War Trust, Summer 2011 issue of “Hallowed Ground” published by the National Park Services does hereby acknowledge that partisan forces led by Jim Lane raided and sacked the town of Osceola, Missouri, executing nine men after a hastily arranged court martial.

IT IS THEREFORE RESOLVED that the City of Osceola, Missouri, by and through its citizens, officially CONDEMNS the celebration of this murderous gang of terrorists by an institution of “higher education,” in such a brazen and malicious manner.

IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED that citizens of the City of Osceola, Missouri requests the University of Missouri to educate the above-named Defendants on the FULL historical origins of the “Border War.”

IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED that no citizen of the City of Osceola or the alumni of the University of Missouri shall ever capitalize the “k” in “kansas” or “kU,” as neither is a proper name or a proper place.

_______________________

Larry Hutsler, Mayor