What a great day, Craig! Thank you also for your kind words regarding Marc Wheat, the President of the Germanna Foundation. It's good to know that he also dances while discussing Germanna! Barb Price In a message dated 11/15/2008 15:56:08 Pacific Standard Time, persisto@earthlink.net writes: Dear Listers: In the many years I have been doing genealogical research, today must rank among one of the most memorable ever. Not all things have to do with court houses. They sometimes have to do with cemeteries, and on very special occasions, they have to do with ceremonies for soldiers past. Since getting there is half the fun, please allow me to share a most enjoyable day. It all started over a year ago, when Mike Lyman, a fellow SAR compatriot of the Richard Henry Lee Chapter in Lancaster County, Virginia, and past President of the Virginia Society War of 1812 Virginia, came into the Mary Ball Museum & Library to donate his latest work, "Location of War of 1812 Veteran Graves in Virginia" I told him I knew of a grave I bet he didn't. He was all ears. I told him about the Kilby family grave yard at Slate Mills in Rappahannock County, where lies Private Leroy Kilby (1785-1859). Fast forward to today. I drove up yesterday (Friday) to do some research for a client at the Culpeper Court House. (If anybody knows where the MISSING "Foushee vs. Foushee's Executor" chancery suit, settled in 1845, has gone to, please let me know. It contains the will of one Thornton Foushee whose will was recorded in MISSING Will Book "M".) I had not been to Culpeper for any length of time in at last ten years. I must say, the downtown is quite a hopping little place for night life. I had a wonderful mug of "Crab Swiss Fondue" soup at "The Pub" on East Davis, which is in a basement off of an alley, and is the site of the old Culpeper County jail, where my poor old great- great uncle Joseph Kilby died while there in 1845. He was incarcerated for bad debts relating to questionable horse dealing. I toasted him in front of the roaring wood burning fireplace. I'm sure it was all just a minor misunderstanding. (When I relayed this story to the staff, I was informed the place is very much haunted.) But the thrust of this trip was all about today. Today began with intermitment rains, and did not bode well for any outdoor activities. To start the day, however, was an in-door meeting of the Culpeper Minutemen Chapter of the SAR here at the Best Western Hotel where I am staying and from which I write this account. My local SAR chapter apparently does nothing by the rule book. We are simply a social organization that meets for cocktails at 11:30 a.m., have a nice lunch and a good speaker, and go home. Always a good crowd, and that is all I thought it was supposed to be. Let me tell, when I walked in I saw half of the people there in period costume, including Mike Lyman, who had told me in advance that I would learn what a "real" SAR meeting is all about, I knew I was in for something quite different. I'll skip all the formalities here. As people introduced themselves, I learned that our featured speaker today was none other than Marc Wheat, President of the Germanna Memorial Foundation. Now this came as quite a shock as just this very morning I had been exchanging emails with John Blankenbaker about the origins of the First Colony. A huge pang of guilt also hit me, as I had not renewed my membership to Germanna in some years. I rectified that immediately! I had never met Marc in person, and I knew nothing of his professional background (very impressive), and I was quite eager to hear his presentation. Unfortunately, most of it was drowned out by a live band at a birthday party in the next room, and an Evangelical choir group across the hall. Bad planning on the part of the Best Western. Marc did a good job of going with the flow, even dancing to the music at one point. These "real" SAR meetings really drag on. Everybody gets an award for something. But, dear reader, if you have stayed with me this far, we get to the really good part of the day. The Society for the War of 1812, under Mike Lyman diligent pursuit of making this happen, was scheduled for 3:00 at the Kilby Family Cemetery at Slate Mills. I must here mention my dear cousin Lucia Kilby of Sperryville who coordinated this with Mike Lyman. Now, as I said at the beginning, getting there is half the fun. Today, it was nearly all of the fun. Remember, it had been raining most of the day, and most of the previous two days before. The Kilby cemetery is not exactly anywhere anyone would ever find it. In fact, it is no where anyone would ever find it. Knowing this, Lucia Kilby had arranged for us all to meet at the Slate Mills Baptist Church. Finding even that is not an easy task, but we all had good directions. Driving from Culpeper to Slate Mills in a driving rain, not even knowing if Lucia would show up or not (the dear lady is in her 80s), I arrived ahead of most of the group (nearly all from the local SAR chapter, but some from as far away as Fairfax County), and there were a few already assembled. To my surprise and delight, this group included Dr. Walter B. Kilby, a direct descendant of Leroy Kilby, and Lucia's nephew. (Lucia's own children could care less about these things, it being deer season.) The only person who knew how to get to the grave site was Lucia Kilby. It's a good thing I have a jeep. She explained that this grave yard was on private property, and that we had to go through several gates and up a hill which has no road to get to it. That was an understatement. Thankfully, it had quit raining. Since we were still waiting for others, It was decided to take an advance convoy of three vehicles, including Mike Lyman's van with all of the appurtenances for the ceremoney, and come back for the others later. With Craig and Lucia in the lead, in my jeep, we wound our way through some back roads, arrived at the farm in question, and proceeded along. At this point, Lucia's memory got a little foggy on just where the grave yard was. Not where it was, but how to get to it. She hadn't been there in years. (She, in fact, is the one who discovered it umpteen years ago.) So, not seeing any viable way to get up that hill, she said we should just drive through the ladies' yard and go around it, and then up the hill. Which, after another gate, we did. Definitely time to put the jeep in 4-wheel drive mode. To my surprise, Mike Lyman's van actually made it up that mud, slippery hill. But there was one more hill to go, and poor Mike's van just didn't make it that far. Lucia and I proceeded and finally spotted the serene, hill top, iron fenced graveyard. There, we were first greet by two donkeys, followed very shortly afterwards by about 20 wet and very curious horses, ponies and colts. Did we bring food? The third vehicle in the caravan, also a jeep, came up a bit later, informing us that the old ladies who lived there did NOT appreciate our driving through their yard. Didn't we see the gate we had passed to be used for that purpose? (Obviously, we did not.) Alright, after much shuttling back and forth, about 20 people and 20 equines gathered around the grave of Leroy Kilby for a very elaborate ceremony to mark the grave of Private Leroy Kilby, who spent all of six weeks at Camp Selden. (We are not sure where that was, but it was probably on the Potomac River to guard against British man-o-wars coming upstream to burn down Washington and Baltimore. As we all know, that was not a success.) And, I must add, just as the ceremony began, the sun came out in brilliant display. Dr. Kilby unveiled the marker, taps was played, prayers were said, and, well, it was just a most remarkable day for one and all. So, here ends my brief story of one day in the Piedmont of Virginia. Who says genealogy is dull? Yours in History, Craig Kilby ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to GERMANNA_COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message **************Get the Moviefone Toolbar. Showtimes, theaters, movie news & more!(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212774565x1200812037/aol?redir=htt p://toolbar.aol.com/moviefone/download.html?ncid=emlcntusdown00000001)

If anyone wants photos from today's event, Mike Lyman has already sent the important one by email. I'm afraid I was the designated photographer on most of them, but they are still very telling. Send me an email off list and I'll forward Mike's email to me with the photos. Again, the "Culpeper Minutemen" Chapter of SAR really made this day (along of course with Lucia Kilby, Dr. Walter Kilby, and others). What an adventure. If nothing else, these photos give an idea of the landscape of the Culpeper/Rappahannock/Madison County border and the Piedmont. (Slate Mills is right where those 3 counties converve. We crossed the Culpeper/Rappahannock County border at least twice on this trip, and when asked where James Kilby, father of Leroy, was buried, we just pointed across the hill.) Craig On Nov 15, 2008, at 10:36 PM, RockCatt@aol.com wrote: > What a great day, Craig! Thank you also for your kind words > regarding Marc > Wheat, the President of the Germanna Foundation. It's good to > know that he > also dances while discussing Germanna! > > Barb Price > > > In a message dated 11/15/2008 15:56:08 Pacific Standard Time, > persisto@earthlink.net writes: > > Dear Listers: > > In the many years I have been doing genealogical research, today must > rank among one of the most memorable ever. Not all things have to do > with court houses. They sometimes have to do with cemeteries, and on > very special occasions, they have to do with ceremonies for soldiers > past. Since getting there is half the fun, please allow me to share > a most enjoyable day. > > It all started over a year ago, when Mike Lyman, a fellow SAR > compatriot of the Richard Henry Lee Chapter in Lancaster County, > Virginia, and past President of the Virginia Society War of 1812 > Virginia, came into the Mary Ball Museum & Library to donate his > latest work, "Location of War of 1812 Veteran Graves in Virginia" I > told him I knew of a grave I bet he didn't. He was all ears. I told > him about the Kilby family grave yard at Slate Mills in Rappahannock > County, where lies Private Leroy Kilby (1785-1859). > > Fast forward to today. I drove up yesterday (Friday) to do some > research for a client at the Culpeper Court House. (If anybody knows > where the MISSING "Foushee vs. Foushee's Executor" chancery suit, > settled in 1845, has gone to, please let me know. It contains the > will of one Thornton Foushee whose will was recorded in MISSING Will > Book "M".) > > I had not been to Culpeper for any length of time in at last ten > years. I must say, the downtown is quite a hopping little place for > night life. I had a wonderful mug of "Crab Swiss Fondue" soup at > "The Pub" on East Davis, which is in a basement off of an alley, and > is the site of the old Culpeper County jail, where my poor old great- > great uncle Joseph Kilby died while there in 1845. He was > incarcerated for bad debts relating to questionable horse dealing. I > toasted him in front of the roaring wood burning fireplace. I'm sure > it was all just a minor misunderstanding. (When I relayed this story > to the staff, I was informed the place is very much haunted.) > > But the thrust of this trip was all about today. > > Today began with intermitment rains, and did not bode well for any > outdoor activities. To start the day, however, was an in-door > meeting of the Culpeper Minutemen Chapter of the SAR here at the Best > Western Hotel where I am staying and from which I write this account. > > My local SAR chapter apparently does nothing by the rule book. We > are simply a social organization that meets for cocktails at 11:30 > a.m., have a nice lunch and a good speaker, and go home. Always a > good crowd, and that is all I thought it was supposed to be. > > Let me tell, when I walked in I saw half of the people there in > period costume, including Mike Lyman, who had told me in advance that > I would learn what a "real" SAR meeting is all about, I knew I was in > for something quite different. I'll skip all the formalities here. > As people introduced themselves, I learned that our featured speaker > today was none other than Marc Wheat, President of the Germanna > Memorial Foundation. Now this came as quite a shock as just this > very morning I had been exchanging emails with John Blankenbaker > about the origins of the First Colony. > > A huge pang of guilt also hit me, as I had not renewed my membership > to Germanna in some years. I rectified that immediately! I had > never met Marc in person, and I knew nothing of his professional > background (very impressive), and I was quite eager to hear his > presentation. Unfortunately, most of it was drowned out by a live > band at a birthday party in the next room, and an Evangelical choir > group across the hall. Bad planning on the part of the Best > Western. Marc did a good job of going with the flow, even dancing to > the music at one point. > > These "real" SAR meetings really drag on. Everybody gets an award > for something. > > But, dear reader, if you have stayed with me this far, we get to the > really good part of the day. > > The Society for the War of 1812, under Mike Lyman diligent pursuit of > making this happen, was scheduled for 3:00 at the Kilby Family > Cemetery at Slate Mills. I must here mention my dear cousin Lucia > Kilby of Sperryville who coordinated this with Mike Lyman. > > Now, as I said at the beginning, getting there is half the fun. > Today, it was nearly all of the fun. Remember, it had been raining > most of the day, and most of the previous two days before. > > The Kilby cemetery is not exactly anywhere anyone would ever find > it. In fact, it is no where anyone would ever find it. Knowing > this, Lucia Kilby had arranged for us all to meet at the Slate Mills > Baptist Church. Finding even that is not an easy task, but we all > had good directions. > > Driving from Culpeper to Slate Mills in a driving rain, not even > knowing if Lucia would show up or not (the dear lady is in her 80s), > I arrived ahead of most of the group (nearly all from the local SAR > chapter, but some from as far away as Fairfax County), and there were > a few already assembled. To my surprise and delight, this group > included Dr. Walter B. Kilby, a direct descendant of Leroy Kilby, and > Lucia's nephew. (Lucia's own children could care less about these > things, it being deer season.) > > The only person who knew how to get to the grave site was Lucia > Kilby. It's a good thing I have a jeep. > > She explained that this grave yard was on private property, and that > we had to go through several gates and up a hill which has no road to > get to it. That was an understatement. > > Thankfully, it had quit raining. > > Since we were still waiting for others, It was decided to take an > advance convoy of three vehicles, including Mike Lyman's van with all > of the appurtenances for the ceremoney, and come back for the others > later. > > With Craig and Lucia in the lead, in my jeep, we wound our way > through some back roads, arrived at the farm in question, and > proceeded along. At this point, Lucia's memory got a little foggy on > just where the grave yard was. Not where it was, but how to get to > it. She hadn't been there in years. (She, in fact, is the one who > discovered it umpteen years ago.) > > So, not seeing any viable way to get up that hill, she said we should > just drive through the ladies' yard and go around it, and then up the > hill. Which, after another gate, we did. > > Definitely time to put the jeep in 4-wheel drive mode. > > To my surprise, Mike Lyman's van actually made it up that mud, > slippery hill. But there was one more hill to go, and poor Mike's > van just didn't make it that far. Lucia and I proceeded and finally > spotted the serene, hill top, iron fenced graveyard. > > There, we were first greet by two donkeys, followed very shortly > afterwards by about 20 wet and very curious horses, ponies and > colts. Did we bring food? > > The third vehicle in the caravan, also a jeep, came up a bit later, > informing us that the old ladies who lived there did NOT appreciate > our driving through their yard. Didn't we see the gate we had passed > to be used for that purpose? (Obviously, we did not.) > > Alright, after much shuttling back and forth, about 20 people and 20 > equines gathered around the grave of Leroy Kilby for a very elaborate > ceremony to mark the grave of Private Leroy Kilby, who spent all of > six weeks at Camp Selden. (We are not sure where that was, but it > was probably on the Potomac River to guard against British man-o-wars > coming upstream to burn down Washington and Baltimore. As we all > know, that was not a success.) > > And, I must add, just as the ceremony began, the sun came out in > brilliant display. Dr. Kilby unveiled the marker, taps was played, > prayers were said, and, well, it was just a most remarkable day for > one and all. > > So, here ends my brief story of one day in the Piedmont of Virginia. > > Who says genealogy is dull? > > Yours in History, > Craig Kilby > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GERMANNA_COLONIES-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the > subject and the body of the message > > > **************Get the Moviefone Toolbar. Showtimes, theaters, movie > news & > more!(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212774565x1200812037/ > aol?redir=htt > p://toolbar.aol.com/moviefone/download.html?ncid=emlcntusdown00000001) > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to VACULPEP- > request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message