My mother is into genealogy in a BIG way and has spent the last few years thoroughly researching our family on my grandmother’s side – the Halfacre line. It would make sense if we had some cool people somewhere in the family tree, say, like my friend Mantamy who has an actual SAINT in her line. Not us. The most exciting thing we’ve found so far is two generations in a row where no one married their cousin!
Despite this, a few weeks ago, JD, Moon and I traveled to Tennessee for the Halfacre family reunion. My mom and aunts had planned it for weeks and I was actually excited about seeing everyone, ESPECIALLY my cousins from Michigan. Sure we’ve had different life experiences, and find ourselves on different sides of the political aisle, but we also still manage to enjoy each other’s company and I was sure we could find common ground.
After a fun afternoon of good food and conversation, we were preparing to leave, when a young man walked up and asked if we were coming to the Andrew Halfacre memorial immediately following the reunion. Turns out my great, great, grandfather was in the Civil War and served under Felix Zollicoffer himself! Obviously, we had to go.
My family climbed in the truck with my mom and the cousins from the north said they’d meet us there. As we headed down the tiny back roads, down the gravel lane, through the yard and into the field behind some stranger’s house, I realized I REALLY, REALLY wanted my cousins to find us.
Cause I walked up and saw this –
And this –
And this guy –
Turns out Civil War memorials are hard core historical fun. My cousins arrived just in time to for the commander to lead us all in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag, a pledge to the Confederate flag, and to hear a quick history about The War of Northern Aggression which was not about slavery but about the greedy North trying to tax the South to death. Also, Abraham Lincoln beat his wife.
My sweet cousin, Amy, leaned over and whispered, “This is like something out of a MOVIE.”
Amy was a trooper but I’m pretty sure she lip-synched through the Confederate flag pledge. I thought it was great fun, and JD had a blast taking pictures. I know some people would be embarrassed, but not me. I was hanging out with my COUSIN and my husband and they weren’t one and the same.
Baby steps, Kittens, baby steps.
I am sure if we went back we could find someone important maybe not a Saint but we still have time to get one in our family.
First; Glad you are back! I thought you had quit the Zolligirl thing. I checked with my lawyer on the “cousins marrying cousins” thing and found out it is legal for cousins to get married in Georgia! No cute comments, please.
Also, it is not “Civil War.” Civil war is the violent overthrow of the current gov’t. And, you are correct about why The War Between the States was fought. Mostly about tariffs.