147 Years Ago Today

Taken from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., 1951

Today is the 147th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Earlier this year, I explored the connection between my Rambo family and the Lincoln family. Today, I’m not looking at Lincoln directly but at a few photos related to him.

The two black and white shots are from the collection of my grandmother, Dot Holcomb Scoggins. Taken in 1951 during a family road trip, it’s interesting to see shots of Washington, D.C., over half a century ago. They were taken from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, looking across the Reflecting Pool towards the Washington Monument. The first photo also shows my grandfather, Harold Scoggins.

Harold Scoggins on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument in the distance, Washington, D.C., 1951

For good measure, I have also included one of my photos from October 2011. I visited the National World War II Memorial, which stands at the opposite end of the reflecting pool from the Lincoln Memorial. This memorial, of course, did not exist in the 1951 photos as it was not constructed until 2004. You can see the Lincoln Memorial in the background on the left-hand side of the image. Harold was a Military Policeman in the 66th Infantry Division (also known as the Black Panthers) during the war, so this memorial serves in memory of him and the countless other men who fought in that conflict.

Watch for more old photos and more of my photography in upcoming posts on Jordan’s Journey.

World War II Memorial

Connections: The Rambo and Lincoln Families

The Rambo and Lincoln families chart

It’s always interesting to map out famous connections in your family tree–however distant they may be. I mark one of those connections today with the celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday.

Abraham Lincoln was born on 12 Feb 1809 in Hadgenville, Kentucky. He became the 16th president of the United States of America in Mar 1861. My relationship is so distant that it may be laughable to even consider us “related.” But mapping out these sorts of connections is fascinating not only because of the fame factor but you begin to realize that we are all connected in one way or another… it’s just a matter of knowing how to put together the puzzle pieces.

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