Problems posting a comment? This should help!

I've had several people tell me they can’t post comments. I have attached the following screen shots for anyone who is having problems.  I really enjoy all the comments and want anyone to be able to post a comment that wants to.

 I hope this helps!

 

Thank you for sharing your time with me.

Francis Horace Saunders and his time in the US Army

On this 4th of July weekend I'm thinking of my Dad, Francis Horace Saunders and the time he spent in the US Army.

Whether someone has enlisted voluntarily or was told to show up the time they spend in the service  has to assist in molding who they become once they leave. It's in this thought that I'm thinking of my dad.

He was in the Army for 2 years (1952-1954). Two years is not a huge part of ones life. When I look back on the few things he shared with me, I can't help but think of how this time helped to shape who he became once he left.

Here are a few things he shared with me:

He understood he belonged to the army for the time he was enlisted and they basically owned him.  He would do what ever was asked without complaint while he was there. 
I took this as positive thing, as he never spoke negatively of his time in the service. It was his way accepting his responsibility.

At one point he was a surgical technician and I'm not sure if anything unpleasant happened or not but it left him with huge fear of going under anesthesia. This went to the point of him going all the way to Canada for a  hernia operation. At the time Canada would perform this type of surgery without going under a general anesthesia.

Another time he was stationed at the Frankfurt Army Center as an instructor. He was teaching servicemen on general education skills. He shared how many students didn't have a strong educations from school, but were very intelligent in there own way. An example being what is learned being raised on a farm. He shared  how he appreciated there were different kinds of educations. 

His Father was a Veterinarian and it was expected that his son would follow in his footsteps. My dad went to Veterinary school as was expected, and in the end it never came to be. My dad shared with me what he really wanted to do was become a college teacher. He really enjoyed teaching during his time in the service.  I asked him once if he had told his dad he wanted to be a teacher, would his dad been supportive of him. He said yes, his dad would of supported anything he had wanted to do. As usually happens this realization didn't occur to him until later in life.

As a side note:
the thought of my dad around a ton of college girls makes me laugh and wince a little.
It might not of ended well as he was quite the ladies man and might of ran into trouble with all the EEO rules. :-)

A special shout out to all the serviceman/women and who they will become because of their service to this wonderful country.


Thank you for sharing your time with me.

Betty Lucille Saunders = Mom + so much more

I tend to think of my Mom as just that "MOM".  In reflecting over this Mothers Day here is a glimpse of who else Betty Lucille Saunders was in addition to being the worlds best MOM!  .




Daughter

Tom Boy

1. 
2. 

   

   Sister

3. 

Teenager

Who is this adorable girl named Cuba?

It's funny how we are drawn to certain people. I have many pictures of people I don't know anything about and yet Cuba has called out to me. I'm sure her name has a lot to do with my curiosity as I think its sounds exotic and it isn't a common name.

I have a few pictures of Cuba. On the front of the photo above in my dads handwriting is: Friend of Dads  Cuba.

I also have this picture of Cuba and my grandfather (Francis Harold Saunders). On the back of the photo is written: Cuba & Doc. This was also written in my dads handwriting.

My thinking went something like this. This is a friend of my grandfathers and they know each other well enough for a picture to be taken of them then they were small. My grandfather was born on Roberts Island so she must be from this area. I hunted around the census records checking out neighbors in the area with no results.

So move forward in time and I'm looking up relatives in Vallecito and what do I find but the following.

  

1910 Census: Cuba M Saunders

1900 Census: Mildred C Saunders

Cuba was my Grandfathers 1st Cousin. They shared the same Grandfather Moses Saunders.  She was born and raised in Vallecito. I did a little more digging and was able to connect with Cuba's grandsons wife. She confirmed Cuba and Mildred are one and the same. Cuba is a nickname. She will always be Cuba to me!  

There are several pictures of Cuba/Mildred in the book Vallecito History mentioned a few posts back.

No better lesson learned then by first hand experience. Never assume anything when doing research. Always rely on a consensus of information to lead you in the right direction. 

Thanks for sharing your time with me!

Trying to get organized and the treasure I found along the way

I’ve been on vacation for the last week and was determined to spend time organizing some of last of my family stuff. So here it is Sunday and I am trying to cross this off my to do list!   I’ve had these items semi-sorted by person in Christmas bags for the last few months. These bags have been sitting on a table in my office so I would be motivated to keep going, but instead they just sat there made me feel guilty and who wants that!

 

 

Now I  only have 2 bags left (granted they are the two with the most stuff in them, but hey whatever works J.



four bags done



only 2 bags left!

 

I know you’re not really interested in how I basically moved my piles around into smaller more (hopefully) organized piles.  But at the end of the day that’s basically what I did.  But I must say I feel better and this stuff can now quietly wait for me in a dresser drawer I cleared out just for this purpose.   


my new drawer :-)

 

 

 

 

I ran across a lot great stuff today but here is what I wanted to share with you today. Two confederate bills! They were/are still folded into small squares inside an envelope.  They are not in great shape, but still pretty neat. I will need to get the protective plastic sheets they make for this type of money and I'll need someone to confirm they are the real deal.

I don’t know who they belonged to other then they were saved by my Great Aunt Addie Muri.

 

Click here to check a website called the: The Rebel States Currency. Its has good information and pictures of  Confederate Currency.

Thanks for sharing your time with me!