Research and Imagination (& Some Family Photo Fun)

I’ve never written that much about my Jordan family branch on this blog. I guess that’s because I have focused chiefly on posts related to the Armuchee Valley area of Walker and Chattooga counties, while my Jordan family roots are over in Whitfield County. But my grandfather Earl Jordan and his brother Bill lived in the Villanow area, so it’s high time to give that side of the family a little attention.

My grand uncle Bill Jordan lived right in the heart of Villanow in what used to be the old Love family home. I barely remember the house from when I was a little kid; it was torn down when I was very young. Before Uncle Bill lived in that house, though, he lived in the far eastern part of Walker County. Just before you get to the Whitfield County line, his house was on Joe Roberson Road. My aunt Charlotte can recall going there for Jordan family gatherings.

One such gathering took place in about 1937, probably a Jordan reunion celebration, as the Jordan reunions were usually held around William Brownlow Jordan‘s (my great grandfather) birthday. Here’s a photo from that reunion:

Jordan cousins with Isabelle, about 1937

From left to right are Jack Jordan, Kathryn Sue Jordan, Isabell Anderson Jordan in chair, Frances Turner holding Charlotte Jordan, Ernestine Jordan with hands on unknown baby, Mary E. Jordan, Lynn Turner, and Earl Jordan on roof in background.

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Weather the Storm: Remembering the Blizzard of 1993

Walker County, Georgia

It was around this time–20 years ago–that the lights came back on. That is, things were just starting to get back to normal in northwest Georgia after the blizzard of 1993.

I remember it well. Out on the farm in East Armuchee, we were without power for a week. We were lucky to have a wood-burning stove that helped us keep warm. We used a camping stove to cook food that was stored in the freezer. We didn’t even have running water since there was no electricity to pump the well so we melted snow and did the best we could. It was “roughing it” for sure and made us realize just how much we took for granted in everyday life. I live in New York City today, and during Hurricane Sandy last year, it was a similar situation–no power or water for a week where I live. Of course, there was no snow outside. If there had been things would have been a lot worse.

Walker County, Georgia

As an adult, I often think about how our ancestors lived. It wasn’t that long ago that they didn’t have running water or heat at all. Electricity didn’t come to the Armuchee Valley area of Walker County until the 1930s–less than 100 years ago! My Grannie was already married and beginning her adult life by then. When you imagine having to deal with such a blizzard in those days, it makes you stop and wonder. For our ancestors there might not have been so much difference between a normal winter storm and a blizzard. They were prepared to survive for months with just firewood and faith. But the disparity between riding out a blizzard and dealing with everyday winter is shocking for us.

My most vivid memory of the blizzard of 1993 is of helping my grandparents, Earl and Mary [Pope] Jordan. I grew up on the same farm where they lived. While they did have a fireplace in the house, they didn’t have any wood close by and were not able to go out in the cold to get it for themselves. So off I went, all bundled up to protect myself from the bitter cold. With my sled in tow, I marched across the fields that separated our house from theirs. These fields had been plowed by many generations of my ancestors. There was a stack of old firewood on the hill behind Grannie’s house. I loaded up my sled and pulled it through the snow for my Grannie and Papa. Without me, they could not have stayed warm that week. They would not have had a way to cook food. I was proud that I could play my part in keeping them safe and warm.

Walker County, Georgia

Of course–as my sled might imply–there was a lot of fun during the blizzard too. My cousins and I slid down the snow-covered hills over and over until we could do it no more. We built snowmen as big as we could manage. That kind of snow was a sight we had never seen, and we aimed to have as much fun with it as we could. When we could take no more of the cold, we played card games and rationed batteries to take turns playing my Nintendo Game Boy.

But all too soon, the snow faded away, and with it, the carefree days of sledding and snowmen. It felt good to have heat in the house again and to sit up at night with the hum of electric bulbs illuminating the room.  And though I probably wouldn’t choose to relive it of my own accord, it was a time I will never forget and look upon fondly both for the hardship and the holiday. After all, winter will come again, and you never know when there will be another blizzard. My grandparents may not be around for me to haul their firewood. But if I am ever in their shoes, I hope someone will haul the firewood for me.

 

East Armuchee Baptist Church [video]

This video on the history of East Armuchee Baptist Church is a great one to share as we draw close to the one-year anniversary of the Jordan’s Journey blog. Several elements in this film connect with things I’ve written about on the blog, such as Delila Brown Ward (here, here, and here), some watermelon memories, and the two posts on music at East Armuchee Baptist Church.

Much more history about East Armuchee Baptist Church isn’t reflected in this video, though. It’s difficult to cram over 125 years of history into just a few minutes. There’s so much more to explore–so many interesting facts and family connections. I’ll continue to collect this history and work on new creations for the future, perhaps in a formal written article or maybe an expanded version of this film. Please let me know if you have anything to share, from your personal recollections to old photographs or anything else.

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School Days: LHS Majorettes, 1964

LHS Majorettes, 1964, Lamb’s Studio, LaFayette, Georgia

So far, all my School Days posts have focused on the Villanow and Subligna areas of the Armuchee Valley/Dirt Town Valley regions in Walker and Chattooga counties. I’ve looked at older photos and a (relatively speaking) newer image (and I’ll have more of both for you in the future). Today, though, will be something a little different. For any of you familiar with the geography of my homeland, you know that over Taylors Ridge to the west of the Armuchee Valleys lies the city of LaFayette. Home to LaFayette High School, LaFayette is the county seat of Walker County, and the city plays a significant role for all my Armuchee Valley ancestors.

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Earl Jordan’s Barn [video]

It’s time for another Jordan’s Journey video. Last time, I explored some Civil War-era family roots out in Arkansas with my Caney Fork video. That video was a bit longer form than anything else I’ve done here so far and took a more explicitly documentary approach. The video I’m sharing with you today takes us back to Armuchee Valley, where I grew up–and I explore memories from my childhood instead of searching out long-dead ancestors.

In the Earl Jordan Barn video, I take you on a tour of my grandfather’s barn. This barn was a big part of growing up for me. It’s one of those places with great emotional resonance and instantly gives me the feeling of home. There’s no particular historical significance to the barn. It’s not that old or even that nice of a barn.

But it was my grandfather’s barn. That’s enough to make it special to me.

I spent a lot of time with my grandfather growing up. He was never the type of man you “hung out” with. He mostly kept to himself, tinkered in the shed, or worked on the tractor. Which, if you know me very well, is a lot like my own personality–except I’m more of an artist and tech geek than a farmer. He had one hell of a sense of humor, though; he loved to laugh.

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Connections: Ogletree, Phillips, and Hackney Families

Most of my posts here on Jordan’s Journey have centered around the Armuchee Valley area of Walker and Chattooga Counties. This is because three out of four of my grandparents are deeply rooted there (it’s also where I grew up). My other grandfather–Earl Jordan–is rooted in Whitfield County and has a slightly different history. I have not touched as much on these lines because I don’t know as much about them–and the interesting connections don’t come up as often since those lines are more segregated from the other three major branches of my tree.

But there are still some exciting connections to explore. So, I’m going to look at one of those today.

If I follow the Jordan line back a few generations, James William Jordan married Mary Jane Evans (my 2nd great grandparents). Mary Jane’s mother was Charity Hackney, my 3rd great-grandmother and daughter of Joseph P. Hackney and Mary “Polly” Phillips (my 4th great-grandparents). Mary “Polly” was the daughter of William Phillips and Piety (maiden surname unknown).

Now, we’ve moved beyond Whitfield County into Wilkes County. This is where William Phillips died in about 1795. He was only 24 at the time. His and Piety’s daughter Mary “Polly” would have been just a baby at the time of his death. Piety and John Ogletree–apparently a family friend and possibly neighbor–were named as the administrators of the William Phillips estate. Sometime after her husband’s death, Piety even married John Ogletree, making John step-father to Mary “Polly”. Given that Polly was just a baby then, she would have had no memory of her biological father (Davidson; Kiser).

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Childhood Melon Memories: Happy National Watermelon Day

watermelon
Photo by luke kurtis

Fresh fruits and vegetables were a part of everyday life growing up on the farm. The best meals were always those prepared straight from the garden. While my parents were not farmers by trade–they were school teachers–they always had a garden of some sort. My grandparents, however, farmed on a larger scale. One of the crops I remember most clearly and associate very closely with my grandfather Earl Jordan is watermelon. Earl would load up the back of his truck (which I proudly drove in my teenage years after he had died), sit by the road, tailgate down, and sell the delicious fruit to passersby. Of course, there was plenty to go around for the family, too. We would all gather around the table at Grannie’s house, ready for a messy feast of some good ol’ watermelon. Careful not to swallow any seeds!

Watermelon wasn’t only a summer tradition for me growing up but for my parents, too. Dad recalls eating a lot of watermelon at his Grandpa Holcomb’s house. “He grew them, and I think he may have also bought some,” Dad reminisced about the old days. “Grandmother would keep some in the refrigerator and slice it off and eat it cold, but we also ate them fresh from the field.”

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