The other side of the family

 Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Today we are going to visit Vickie's father's roots in North Carolina. As we head down the winding mountain road from our cabin to the main road, we pass guests of the state park resort mounted on the park's horses to go riding - there must have been 20 of them. There really is a lot to do in this state park - besides the cabins, there is a camping area as well as 2 lodges for a choice of places to stay. There are 2 restaurants, 2 gift shops, a golf course, a zip line, a tram down to the river where you can go fishing, swimming, a water park for kids, lots of playgrounds and picnic areas, and I can't remember what else. No wonder Johny and Vickie's kids loved it here. Vickie's sister and her family have met up with them here - Vickie's parents have also come with them.

As we head out, Johnny notices the low tire pressure light come on. He thinks it is from some of the rough road we went over yesterday. We drive through Athens again and I think we headed to Princeton where one of Vickie's cousins has a repair shop. He is away today, but they will take a look at the tire - and they take it right away! I was outside in the sunshine while Johnny and Vickie went inside. I start talking to a gentleman waiting for word on his car. I strike up a conversation about how nice the weather is - I'm surprised that the humidity isn't bothering me like at home - that my sister-in-law has family here including the owner of this shop. He says that he is from nearby. J & V come out, and I tell this fellow that this is my sister-in-law whose family is from this area. All of a sudden he starts telling us that his mother raised him and his 10 brothers and sisters - his father who was 36 and worked in the coal mine had a scuffle with his uncle when this man was 6 years old. His uncle went home and grabbed his rifle.  That night his mother thought she saw something outside - she was holding a lantern - his father went out on the porch - this man's uncle shot his father dead on the front porch - his uncle ran away. The man said his father's body laid on that porch till morning - I guess it was only then that his mother or his older brother were able to go for help. He said his mother was 35 with 11 kids from 6 months to 16 years old - she got no help from either side of his family - she raised the 11 kids on her own - she was a saint. He said she raised them polite and good. They had kerosene lights. They could not afford coal so his brothers cut wood. She was lucky to receive Aid to Dependent Children - she was given $18 monthly for each child and $30 monthly for herself - $240 monthly. This fellow said he eventually joined the Navy - was stationed in Chicago - married a woman with a kid there - and  then they had one of their own. When the kids were ready for school, he wanted to move back here to West Virginia - his wife agreed. She didn't like it at first then fell in love with it. He said he had just retired from the highway department. He was in tears telling us some of his story - he said that he didn't know why he was telling us - he thinks about it and gets emotional, but he never talks about it. We were thanking him for telling us - I was in tears myself, and I think Vickie was too. We chatted for a few more minutes until his granddaughter came to pick him up. This is what traveling is all about - you can read about a place in a book but talking to the locals puts life into a place. This is the shame of the coronavirus - it has limited traveling and meeting new people. Everyone we met on this trip was so friendly and welcoming - I wish we had been able to talk to more people. But I am so so thankful that we had the opportunity to connect with this gentleman.

They plugged a hole in the tire, and we are on our way. We pass a sign for Reilly Plantation. Plantation? Were there plantations in West Virginia? I thought it was all coal mining territory. I look it up on my phone. Apparently George Washington's two brothers had plantations in the low lands of the Appalachians. I couldn't find information about a Reilly Plantation, but I did find a Blennerhassett Plantation! This name screamed out at me - Blennerhassett!?! - this  is a family and town near Tralee in County Kerry - about 2 hours from our home in Sneem!! This Blennerhassett fellow apparently inherited those lands in Kerry. He emigrated to the United States to escape a scandal when he married his first cousin - that was considered incestuous. He bought an island in the Ohio River and built a mansion. He had ties to Aaron Burr, and his fortunes went downhill after Burr was accused of treason. The mansion was restored and is now a state park, Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park. If I ever get back this way, I would love to visit it!

We pass a church with a sign saying "There are no unwanted children, Only unwilling mothers and fathers." Abortion is a tough issue - I personally don't believe in abortion, and I don't want to get into the pros and cons now - but I certainly wouldn't vote for Trump because of that one issue. There were plenty of Trump signs all over West Virginia - most houses with Trump signs had multiple Trump signs - there were large Trump signs on the sides of the roads. One said "Trump 2020 - No More Bullshit." We did see Biden/Harris signs, but they were smaller and less frequent. There were religious radio stations - Johnny would be trying to find a station and would come across them.  He quickly changed the station. When he couldn't find anything good to listen to, he pulled out some of his CDs - so we were entertained while we were driving.

The highway goes right through a mountain - I think it was the East River Mountain Tunnel that goes from West Virginia to Virginia. We go through another mountain in the Walker Mountain Tunnel. We cross over the New River. We are on route 52 South. There are a lot of road works - road works have been everywhere. We pass farms on rolling hills - even see a few beige colored sheep! We also pass a Christmas Tree farm. We are up and down mountain roads - there are signs to be careful going down a 9% grade on very twisting steep mountain roads. I get a start when I see a sign for "Run Away Truck Ramps" - the ramps are pull offs that go back uphill to slow down a truck. We pass a logging camp near the Mayo River in either Virginia or North Carolina. We are driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway which is also in Virginia and North Carolina. There are an awful lot of red brick houses with nicely manicured lawns - there are also a lot of Trump/Pence signs. I also notice that the soil was red! Does that account for the red brick buildings? Another surprise is an Islamic Center in Martinsville, Virginia - I don't know why I am surprised - I just didn't expect it - maybe it is all the Trump signs - maybe it was unconscious bias. Anyway, I'm happy to see it.

We stop to eat at Clarence's Steak and Seafood House in Ridgeway, Virginia. I think Vickie said that they had been there before with her aunt and uncle. Our waitress tells us that she has family in Fall River - an hour's drive from my house.  She is a travel waitress - she winters in Virginia and summers in Florida - she is 2 hours north of my son and daughter-in-law in Fort Myers.  

We hit the road again for Eden, North Carolina - we cross into North Carolina at 2:41pm. We pass the Shiloh Temple of Eden. I don't know why I am surprised at the diversity - maybe because of so so many Christian churches - I guess I had never really thought about it before - I suppose to be truthful I always pictured West Virginia as white redneck evangelists or hillbillies. I am ashamed of that bias after talking to that lovely gentleman this morning.  

Today J&V know exactly where we are going. We arrive at the First Church of the Brethren in Eden. It was a lovely red brick building - a good sized church - it reminded me of the Philips Church in Watertown where I grew up. 

Vickie's grandfather - her father's father - was minister here although I am not sure when or for how long.  Johnny is pointing to her grandfather's memorial brick. There is also a memorial brick for Vickie's parents a little lower down but not in the picture.

Next we headed a couple of streets away to the house Vickie's grandfather had built and where he lived until his death. Vickie's aunt, his daughter, had moved in to care for him. Johnny and Vickie have happy memories of this house. We spend some time there - Johnny brings in the trash barrels. Vickie texts her cousin to say that we are there - he is sorry that he can't meet up with her and Johnny - maybe the next time. 

Our next stop is the cemetery where Vickie's family is buried. We are on route 220 North when I spot a huge Farmers for Trump sign in a yard - there is also a Confederate flag flying. We cross back into Virginia at 5:02 - I'm confused - we seem to be driving a long time to the cemetery, but with the windows open and the radio going, I couldn't hear them talking. Maybe they decided to skip the cemetery - so I settle back for the drive home. Then we are making a left turn and pulling into the cemetery on the right. Johnny tells me that Vickie's grandfather had owned all the surrounding land on both sides of the road. In the picture below the farm beyond the cemetery as well as the land for the cemetery had belonged to Vickie's grandfather. 

The gravestone for Vickie's grandparents. Notice the rolled bales of hay on the top left.

The cemetery is full of Peters and Barnharts - her parents are here. Vickie says that there are also a few other church members buried there.

The Church that Reverend Peters built is just down the road from the cemetery on the left side. It is brick like the other church we visited.

I love this sign - Drive-In or BYO lawn chair!

Johnny is looking over at the farm beyond the cemetery.

Across the street from the church is the stream where church members are baptized - they believe in adult submersion.

I don't know much about the Church of the Bethren - they believe in non-violence and oppose war like the Quakers - they believe in living simply, serving others - they used to wear plain clothes like the Shakers. They follow Jesus' teaching and use the New Testament as their guide. The Church of the Brethren apparently began in Germany - maybe as a result of the Reformation. They eventually emigrated to the United States - many to Pennsylvania. A branch of them moved to Virginia and started this church. Before 1930 ministers were not paid for their services. One of these ministers was Vickie's grandfather Wilford Peters - the church history also mentions Riley Peters, but I don't know if they are related. The present church replaced an older church building in 1904 - I presume this is the church that Vickie's grandfather built. I said to Johnny that Vickie must get her good nature and compassion from this side of her family.

We start back to Pipestem after spending some time in the cemetery and at the Church. My phone only has 5% battery power so I start jotting down notes on a pamphlet I had picked up somewhere.  We are passing a lot of farms - a lot of baled hay wrapped in white plastic - cows - calves - cornfields.  There are a lot of black cows - Johnny says they are Angus - raised for beef. We continue up and down mountain roads - there is forest on both sides. We stop at Burger King and eat in the car - the dining room is closed because of Covid. We pass George Washington National Park. The mountain tops are covered in fog or is it the smoke from the  uncontrolled fires in California? We frequently see 3 crosses on the side of the road or in fields - the middle cross is yellow and the other two are white - I am not sure if there is a special significance to this except the Crucifixion. 

Near the top of a mountain road - forests on both sides.

We come down from the mountains and drive along a river road - lots of people camping and fishing - people living along there as well.

We drive through Princeton, West Virginia and know we are almost home. Vickie's adopted grandfather on her mother's side had lived in Princeton at one time. We drive along downtown - I can tell it was once a thriving city. When the coal industry was at its peak, what normally occurred was that the coal company and the state built up a town and local roads - they provided government buildings, a commissary/company store, theaters, and more to attract upper level managers. They provided houses for the miners - this brought some of the miners in from the mountains. The company also brought in good teachers to teach the upper class children. But most all government offices - including police, court clerks, everything - were elected positions. So it was more important to have teachers whose family would vote for the company backed local officials than to have quality education. When the coal industry started to decline, the coal companies sold the houses they had built for the miners to the miners. A couple years later the coal company closed down the mines, turned out the miners, and abandoned the town. There was no other industry to employ the miners who really knew nothing but mining. Some left for other states, but most stayed hoping that the coal industry would come back. 

There is still some mining around Princeton - we saw a coal train. Johnny says that Princeton is at the intersection of 2 highways so it is more built up every time they visit.  

Setting sun has a red glare.

We stop and get Chinese food to go. We make it home just before dark. The Chinese food is so-so. I picked up my laptop again and did some more research on Vickie's family. Only one day left - Johnny and Vickie say no long road trips tomorrow - Johnny wants to rest up before starting the journey home on Friday.