The Longhunter....

[Uncle Russ]

I have posted this a couple of times over the years and it has always received kind words in response.
Since it has been a few years now, I thought we just might be due for another episode since we have new members.....

FWIW; My own roots stem from the Appalachian Region of Virginia, and there is at least one, maybe even two names you will see mentioned that refers directly to my own ancestors. (According to our family Ancestorial and DNA Expert, Dr. Teresa Conally, who has verified John Baker, and possibly Mr. F.A.Wallen...she did this "trace" for my oldest son several years ago.)

It's fairly long, so pour 'yoself' a cup of coffee, you're going back in time.

 http://vagenweb.org/lee/HSpubl35.htm

[Oldetexian]

  :hairyThanks for resharing this, Russ. I had not seen it before. It is a wonderful read...long (like you said), but just fascinating. This is real history!

[Ohio Joe]

You weren't a'kidding when you said "fairly long" - but also a very worthy and interesting read.  Now Russ, that's some interesting connection you have to your ancestors.

I'll add that I'm not related (that I know of) to General Joseph Martin... Though he'd be a good one to be related to. 

Learning and knowing of one's ancestors is always interesting for sure, especially when you can put the history with it.  On the Martin side of my family we can trace back to Illinois in the early 1840's, and Tennessee as well. I guess we settled both north and south of the Mason/Dixon line...  Our Great Great Uncle Charles "Hap" Martin was killed riding with Gen. Morgan during the Confederate Raid of Ohio back in 1864... On our Mother's side of the family - they settle in eastern North Dakota in the 1890's when they came from Germany. I'll also add that the Martin's are a mix of English and German.

Yes, a very interesting read for sure! Took me a'while to get through it, and it was well worth the read.   

[Uncle Russ]

Folks, I have to admit that I personally know very little, if anything, about the fine gentlemen mentioned in this little dissertation.
I think there is hardly anyone in our hobby who has NOT heard of the Longhunters.
I do think it's Interesting, not only what they did, but at the time they did it, and whatever happened to John Baker's guns?  Now that part interests me greatly!

The little knowledge I have of my own ancestors is from my from oldest son.
Even when he was little he always asked questions about our family....Where we came from? What did we do? Where did we live?
You guys all know the drill when you have a very inquisitive kid!
Shortly after the why? how come? Or where does the moon go when the sun comes up?,  You well know this stage of life...they seem to ask things you have no earthly answer for.
In my case, it was questions before my own grand parents, my grand daddy's grand dad, and on, and on....Heck, I didn't know all that, don't think I ever asked.
I went in the U.S. Army at age 17!

I didn't get to hang around and ask those questions of my elders because, mostly, I didn't care or never took the time, as those questions never crossed my own mind.
Back in 1955 and 1956 my only interest was getting a car, or the new girl in town.
Can you imagine today, a young 15 / 16 year old boy on a Ranch, going to High School, and still working two extra jobs so he can buy a car?
That's how we rolled back then...... I had zero interest in what my great, great, grand pappy did, I didn't have time to ask because I was too busy just "gettin along in life"....if ya get my drift.
By the time my oldest son Robert was 35 years old he was answering questions of my own, as to who was who, who married who, how the Bledsow's, the Mullins, the Taylors, and the Harris family came about being a part of the then current Baker Family.
Quite honestly, I was just never all that interested.
My oldest son is now 54, or maybe 55. He retired from the CBP (Border Patrol) this year in Jan.or maybe Feb. And he has a new home in El Paso.
It has been through his efforts, and his dedication, that I know anything at all about this.
And,...here's the thing.... I know he has spent what I think to be a bloody fortune on this little endeavor, his intense, inner desire to have these questions answered has created "many a conversation" between me and his Mom.
She didn't know the answers and I didn't know the answers!
For me, to say anything more than, "That's interesting" is about where it ended for me.

One good, even great thing about my son's inquiring nature is the fact that through him, and him alone, I have found "direct" family, ie, half-brother, half-sister, an three Aunts, that I have not seen or heard from for at least 62+ years, plus no less than a dozen or more 1st Cousins that I never even knew existed.....he found them all in or around November of last year (2018)

So there you go.
I have had this link for years, and my son keeps "diggin up bones", asking questions, And paying big bucks to put a name on leaf on that Tree of Life.

[Ohio Joe]

I'm very much the same, Russ... If it hadn't been for my older sister (66 yrs) and brother (63 yrs) digging and researching whatever & however they do it, (though I do recall them mentioning the family bibles - not only ours, but those of our relation) I wouldn't know much at all of my family history other then from what I remembered through my own life and some words spoken here or there about someone we were related to... Ann & Noble spent years, and I mean years doing the research (again - whatever that pertained to doing) and they still get together and do research.

They came up with, and still come up with documentation, old pictures from the 1880's and later... I wouldn't even know where to begin, other then the family bible's do tell a'lot as that (from my understanding) is where folks wrote in life's changing and occurring events - and recorded them in the bible, or found an old letter in the bible, or just a foot note written on a piece of paper...

Bible's can be full of information... When my dad retired - he had no birth certificate (it was long gone from his birth in 1913) and the court house where it had been recorded and on "paper" record had long since burned down. He had his Social Security card and that was it... Well, Social Security wanted to see his birth certificate... After explaining that he didn't have one because of the Court House burning down in Elgin, Illinois - they told him to bring in the family bible which he did, (him being the oldest son it had been passed to him).  They accepted what our Grand'ma had written in our/the family bible, as his proof of birth...

I've always found this interesting, but I myself have never really pursued the family history like my older brother and sister have. 

[Uncle Russ]

 
Geesh Joe, it's kinda good to know I'm not the only one.

There's just no way in the world I could have ever afforded to lay out the money like he has over the years, just to get the "recorded" life history, of someone, that no one, in the immediate family knows anything about.
Military salaries just don provide that luxury!

Like I said,  "it's all interesting" .......