If you didn't know already, I am a genealogy fanatic! I love nothing more than a lazy afternoon spent at the library or in a courthouse sifting through old records trying to flush out the branches of my family tree. This is most often a relaxing activity, although it can be interesting dealing with some of the area's older courthouses. Mold and mildew are a constant hazard.
Today. I spent several hours trying to research a particular interest of mine. He is my 3rd great-grandfather, Duncan Gaines Cameron. (That would make him my great-great-great grandfather, a gentleman five generations back.)
Old Duncan was born in Scotland in about 1785. The first definitive record I have of the man was the marriage banns (announcement of formal intent to marry) of his marriage in Orange County, N.C. on 5 May 1822. Before that, nothing.
A tailor by trade, Duncan received land in Franklin County, GA in the Cherokee Gold & Land Lotteries of 1827 and 1832. He is present on the 1830, 1840, and 1850 Censuses in the Carnesville District of Franklin County. The 1850 Census is of particular interest because it was the first one taken that required the enumerator to list the names of wives, children, slaves, or other family members.
One of the reasons I find Duncan to be so fascinating is that I have no idea what happened to him. The last incontrovertible record that I have been able to find was in 1864 where he was listed as next of kin on his daughter Theresa's commitment papers at the State Hospital in Milledgeville. She had been listed on the 1850 Census as being an idiot, probably either retarded or insane.
Otherwise, he and his surviving family just drops off the radar. He had lost all but one of his sons in the War Between the States. What money or property he and his family had possessed had been destroyed or taken from them. His daughter, my 2nd great-grandmother Sarah Elizabeth Cameron, was found as a servant in the household of Moses Keeling in 1860. Where did her family go? I wish I knew. I've looked.
I've recently come across records that state that Old Duncan was a soldier. If he had indeed been in the military, it must have been while he was still across the pond, because I have not been able to find any records of him serving in the War of 1812. The British Army was at the time embroiled in the Peninsula Campaign against Napoleon Bonaparte. Yet another reason I find my Cameron ancestor so fascinating.
I'm at a standstill when it comes to researching this man and his family. I've exhausted every avenue I can think of exploring. I suppose I'll either have to wait for new inspiration or just dumb fool luck. I think I'll hope for the latter.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
God-given Talents
Joshua, William, and I walked down to the pond and playground in our subdivision for some exercise this evening. Its not very far but there are hills that make it more than just a stroll. We leashed our miniature dachshund Annabelle and off we went.
Now Annabelle is not the smartest dog in the world. To say the least. She's about four years old and weighs probably ten to twelve pounds and is a red, wire-haired dog that we think has some terrier in her. Think of what Toto from the Wizard of Oz would have looked like if he had been a wiener dog.
Before we got her, she was a therapy dog at an old folk's home. Apparently too quick on the uptake, she swallowed a few dropped blood-thinner pills and was in doggie intensive care for a good while. All of this has left poor Annabelle a bit brain-damaged. She barks at things that aren't there, she runs into walls, and loves to stalk flies around our house. She hardly ever catches them, but they task her-- and she will have them!
We got down to the playground this evening and Josh and Will immediately started swinging. Both of these guys are swinging fools and will swing as long as you allow them to. Only recently have they discovered how to self-propel themselves on the swing, previously they glorifyed in being lazy swingers-- begging anyone and everyone for a, "little help."
After about thirty minutes of this, we decided to walk down to the pond to see if we could find any frogs or tadpoles. Joshua is on a science kick and loves this kind of stuff. We didn't find any aquatic life this time on the dock, but NOTE TO SELF--
Dogs DO NOT have the inborn, innate ability to swim as I had previously thought. Annabelle slipped off of the dock while trying to avoid being stepped on by William. She bobbed up and down for a moment before I finally figured out that she wasn't going to dog-paddle. If she hadn't been on a leash, I would've had to jump in after her!
I wonder if this is just our dim-witted dachshund, or if this is a phenomenon others have encountered with other breeds?
Things that make you go, "Hmmmmmm."
Now Annabelle is not the smartest dog in the world. To say the least. She's about four years old and weighs probably ten to twelve pounds and is a red, wire-haired dog that we think has some terrier in her. Think of what Toto from the Wizard of Oz would have looked like if he had been a wiener dog.
Before we got her, she was a therapy dog at an old folk's home. Apparently too quick on the uptake, she swallowed a few dropped blood-thinner pills and was in doggie intensive care for a good while. All of this has left poor Annabelle a bit brain-damaged. She barks at things that aren't there, she runs into walls, and loves to stalk flies around our house. She hardly ever catches them, but they task her-- and she will have them!
We got down to the playground this evening and Josh and Will immediately started swinging. Both of these guys are swinging fools and will swing as long as you allow them to. Only recently have they discovered how to self-propel themselves on the swing, previously they glorifyed in being lazy swingers-- begging anyone and everyone for a, "little help."
After about thirty minutes of this, we decided to walk down to the pond to see if we could find any frogs or tadpoles. Joshua is on a science kick and loves this kind of stuff. We didn't find any aquatic life this time on the dock, but NOTE TO SELF--
Dogs DO NOT have the inborn, innate ability to swim as I had previously thought. Annabelle slipped off of the dock while trying to avoid being stepped on by William. She bobbed up and down for a moment before I finally figured out that she wasn't going to dog-paddle. If she hadn't been on a leash, I would've had to jump in after her!
I wonder if this is just our dim-witted dachshund, or if this is a phenomenon others have encountered with other breeds?
Things that make you go, "Hmmmmmm."
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
David's Day Off
I have the day off tomorrow. What shall I do? I certainly know what I should do. Since we've moved into our new house, my honey-do list has grown exponentially. Its not Jennifer that's adding to it, however, its me.
We want to paint the kitchen, our bedroom, and the two bathrooms. That should be number one on my list, but I think its probably towards the bottom. Mostly because Jennifer can't decide what colors to go with. She's leaning towards the green side of the spectrum this time around, which is surprising to me because she's always preferred yellow in the past.
There are still a ton of empty, broken-down cardboard boxes on our porch that needs to be taken to the recycling center, and at least a full load of random stuff that needs to go to either the Salvation Army or to Goodwill. There is also a corner in our garage where there are a few full boxes still waiting to be unpacked. I'm hoping that we can leave those intact and perhaps they'll find their way to Goodwill as well.
I still want to install storage shelving in the garage. I'm at an impasse there because I can't find my drill and its driving me crazy! This along with installing insulation around our front door, putting up the shelving and hooks for the boy's coats, shoes, and knapsacks.
I haven't even mentioned my office. My man-room. My Fortress of Solitude. It needs to be painted, a daybed needs to be situated, the computer needs to be moved to a better location, and my aquarium needs to be running again! I haven't had the motivation to get started on it again, but I stopped by our LFS (Local Fish Store) this evening and I've caught the bug again. Maybe discus or African Rift Lake Cichlids this time.
I almost forgot the curtains that need to be hung, the laundry that needs doing, the clean clothes that need to be folded and put away. (Somehow, they always seem to get clean and folded, but never actually put away)
Last, but certainly not least, I want to get our birdfeeders up and situated. Jen got her hummingbird stations up on our kitchen window soon after we moved in and the hummers are swarming. The ground has been too hard for me to sink the shepherd's hooks that hold our feeders, but with the seven days of rain we've gotten lately-- I should have no problem now.
Man, that's a long list. I should be able to accomplish at least some of it tomorrow. Or I could just take it easy. Who's to say?
We want to paint the kitchen, our bedroom, and the two bathrooms. That should be number one on my list, but I think its probably towards the bottom. Mostly because Jennifer can't decide what colors to go with. She's leaning towards the green side of the spectrum this time around, which is surprising to me because she's always preferred yellow in the past.
There are still a ton of empty, broken-down cardboard boxes on our porch that needs to be taken to the recycling center, and at least a full load of random stuff that needs to go to either the Salvation Army or to Goodwill. There is also a corner in our garage where there are a few full boxes still waiting to be unpacked. I'm hoping that we can leave those intact and perhaps they'll find their way to Goodwill as well.
I still want to install storage shelving in the garage. I'm at an impasse there because I can't find my drill and its driving me crazy! This along with installing insulation around our front door, putting up the shelving and hooks for the boy's coats, shoes, and knapsacks.
I haven't even mentioned my office. My man-room. My Fortress of Solitude. It needs to be painted, a daybed needs to be situated, the computer needs to be moved to a better location, and my aquarium needs to be running again! I haven't had the motivation to get started on it again, but I stopped by our LFS (Local Fish Store) this evening and I've caught the bug again. Maybe discus or African Rift Lake Cichlids this time.
I almost forgot the curtains that need to be hung, the laundry that needs doing, the clean clothes that need to be folded and put away. (Somehow, they always seem to get clean and folded, but never actually put away)
Last, but certainly not least, I want to get our birdfeeders up and situated. Jen got her hummingbird stations up on our kitchen window soon after we moved in and the hummers are swarming. The ground has been too hard for me to sink the shepherd's hooks that hold our feeders, but with the seven days of rain we've gotten lately-- I should have no problem now.
Man, that's a long list. I should be able to accomplish at least some of it tomorrow. Or I could just take it easy. Who's to say?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sixth Day of Forty
If memory serves, this will be our sixth day of rain. Not just rain, but RAIN. We have had rain and thunderstorms every day for a week. The news tonight spoke of major flooding in the Atlanta area, but thankfully we have been spared that.
Everything outside is waterlogged, moldy, and covered with mildew. The wire screens on our porch are covered with slugs crawling desperately heavenwards trying to escape the puddles. Even the armadillo that lives in our backyard has sensibly headed towards higher ground. All he would have to do is to step out into the torrent that covers our front street and he would be rushed quickly down towards the pond between our subdivision and the old Pinecrest Lodge.
If it keeps up, we'll have to follow Noah's example. And build an Ark. Or Joshua's. And put on our raincoats and scooter gleefully up and down the sidewalk in front of the house, soaked to the bone and singing. William, apparently, has more sense. He's staying inside with Dad watching Phinneas and Ferb.
Everything outside is waterlogged, moldy, and covered with mildew. The wire screens on our porch are covered with slugs crawling desperately heavenwards trying to escape the puddles. Even the armadillo that lives in our backyard has sensibly headed towards higher ground. All he would have to do is to step out into the torrent that covers our front street and he would be rushed quickly down towards the pond between our subdivision and the old Pinecrest Lodge.
If it keeps up, we'll have to follow Noah's example. And build an Ark. Or Joshua's. And put on our raincoats and scooter gleefully up and down the sidewalk in front of the house, soaked to the bone and singing. William, apparently, has more sense. He's staying inside with Dad watching Phinneas and Ferb.
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