Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois (c) Bill Oliver 24 December 2003 Vol 2 Issue: #44 ISBN: pending Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt, An acquaintance wrote, "Always remember, family is still family, and Family History is not a burden, but a labor of love." [Thank you, Derek] Three weeks ago was my Dad's birthday. Two weeks ago was Pearl Harbor Day. [For me there is a connection between the two.] Maybe it is because I have lots of silver color in my hair that someone always asks me where I was on the Seventh of December in 1941. I remember. I was sitting on a hill overlooking the Harbor area and beyond, on the Island of Bermuda, with a family friend. We were watching a German U-boat tender supplying submarines. They were probably the same ones that followed us, almost four weeks later, back to New York harbor. This rather sets the mood for this week's article of "this and that", or "Things I learned while catching up on my reading." Just after the Civil War the SS Republic, a steam side paddle wheeler, with tall masts, sank during a hurricane off the shores of Georgia. Amazingly the cargo and coins were well preserved in the frigid waters in 1700 feet of water. The ship from New York was bound for New Orleans was loaded with a mixed cargo to help that city recover from the War Between the States. This included $400,000 in gold and silver coins minted before 1865. An estimated value of 150 million in today's market. I've seen what vintage ship museums do with river boats cargo. They do "resurrect the spirit of forgotten ships and eras." Those items include pepper sauce, pickles, champaign, mustard and patient medicines. I remember such a museum in Kansas City, Kansas. Besides the reconstruction of the stern wheeler, there were tools of all types, clothing, boots, bolts of material, wines, etc. I was more than amused to learn that things I attributed to Abe Lincoln, were not, after all, said by the sixteenth President. He is credited with "The strength of the nation lies in the homes of its people." Hmmm, the article I read says that the closest statement like that was said in 1928 by Herbert Hoover ... "The foundation of American life rests upon the home and the family." The one I really like is: "There's no honorable way o kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war except its ending." Though attributed to Lincoln by anti-war protestors this year, the statement was actually made by an actor portraying Lincoln in an episode of Star Trek. Speaking of Presidents, ... I learned that there was only one true Presidential bachelor ... President James Buchanan. The one just before Lincoln. He never married. In 1819 he called off his engagement to Ann Coleman before the wedding. He appointed his niece, Harriet Lane, to be the official White House hostess. Grover Cleveland was a bachelor, but he married Frances Folsom in the White House in 1886. Earlier, John Tylor married, while President, Julia Gardinier as his second wife; his first wife, Letitia Christian died in 1842 during his term as President. The current National Geographic has a set of pictures of galaxies and other heavenly bodies. They are gorgeous pictures. I remember recently seeing another picture of the recent Sun storms. It was an image collected by NASA coronagraph. It was a "cool" green in color. Recently, nested on the front page was a picture of a soldier, just returned from Iraq, planting a big kiss on his daughter's cheek. This little one looked as if she wasn't quite sure who this soldier was. The expression on her face was a bit different than my sister's when our Marine Corp Dad came home for a short visit before World War II. My sister displayed a smile which ran across the entire picture. But then she was at least three years old. It's tough on young children when their parent[s] are sent to some foreign shore for long periods of time. At some time during this holiday period, all of our children will have visited the old homestead, and we are so grateful. One Granddaughter has helped "Grandma" fix some of the food for Christmas dinner. She's five now and a "cook of the world". She knows how to stir, even though she gets a bit excited sometimes. Oh, they are so enthusiastic when they are so young. Children of all ages can help cook and bake. They can measure ingredients. They can mix with the electric mixer without getting things outside the bowl ... not like Grandpa. Grandpa "smashes" the potatoes all over the counter; the wall; everywhere. Hey, those kids shape dough, spread the frostings on thickly, and sprinkle the sprinkles. These are the traditions that make ant holiday. Hey, I remember Grandma making buttery buttery German Spritz cookies and three bean salad with onions. Cranberry sauce with walnuts was another favorite. Pumpkin pie for desert; dumplings on the side. Rhysie would love to make "thumbprint" cookies ... just use your thumb and make an indentation in the cneter of each cookie. Works every time! Cooking makes for a good family fun time with plenty of flour all over faces, hands and the floor. Be sure that you take advantage of it every chance you get. You'll not regret it. Merry Christmas 2003! e-la-di-e-das-di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) Wado, Bill -=- PostScript: Other sites worth visiting: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/LittleEgypt/intro.html