What's mainly wrong with society today is that too many Dirt Roads have been paved. There's not a problem in America today, crime, drugs, education, divorce, delinquency that wouldn't be remedied, if we just had more Dirt Roads, because Dirt Roads give character. People that live at the end of Dirt Roads learn early on that life is a bumpy ride. That it can jar you right down to your teeth sometimes, but it's worth it, if at the end is home...a loving spouse, happy kids and a dog. We wouldn't have near the trouble with our educational system if our kids got their exercise walking a Dirt Road with other kids, from whom they learn how to get along. There was less crime in our streets before they were paved. Criminals didn't walk two dusty miles to rob or rape, if they knew they'd be welcomed by 5 barking dogs and a double barrel shotgun. And there were no drive by shootings. Our values were better when our roads were worse! People did not worship their cars more than their kids, and motorists were more courteous, they didn't tailgate by riding the bumper or the guy in front would choke you with dust & bust your windshield with rocks. Dirt Roads taught patience. Dirt Roads were environmentally friendly. You didn't hop in your car for a quart of milk you walked to the barn for your milk. For your mail, you walked to the mail box. What if it rained and the Dirt Road got washed out? That was the best part, then you stayed home and had some family time, roasted marshmallows and popped popcorn and pony rode on Daddy's shoulders and learned how to make prettier quilts than anybody. At the end of Dirt Roads, you soon learned that bad words tasted like soap. Most paved roads lead to trouble, Dirt Roads more likely lead to a fishing creek or a swimming hole. At the end of a Dirt Road, the only time we even locked our car was in August, because if we didn't some neighbor would fill it with too much zucchini. At the end of a Dirt Road, there was always extra springtime income, from when city dudes would get stuck, you'd have to hitch up a team and pull them out. Usually you got a dollar...always you got a new friend...at the end of a Dirt Road. Paul Harvey We really need only five things on this earth. Some food, some sun, some work, some fun, and someone.

A friend of mine (Helen who is the CC of Meigs County Tennessee) sent me a great link today. It's a page that creates timelines for your research. It's one of the most fascinating utilities I've seen on the Internet. Have a look at it. Go to: http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat/ And click in the Tennessee Links section to go to our links page. Once on our links page it's the bottom link. Check it out, it even generates HTML so you can add your free timelines to your webpage. Chip

Folks, I don't hardly ever send something out like this, but I just got the attachment containing the latest from the Microsoft haters. This worm or virus came as Life_Stages.txt.shs. It is an attachment, so delete, then go to your deleted files and delete again! It does like the others, only I am told it does a better job of sending itself to EVERY address in your book. Bill Darnell Hardin County

In a message dated 6/20/00 10:59:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time, bdarnel3@bellsouth.net writes: << This worm or virus came as Life_Stages.txt.shs. >> Thanks Bill, I'll start watching for it. Chip

Someone asked on my Union County list the other day why so many people came to Union County from Lee County Va. I explained that the Clinch River was a major route back in those days, somewhat like we use the Interstate today. Wherever there's an interstate, the towns spring up. The rivers back then were the same way. I've always been interested in water travel back in olden days. All the way back to ancient times. When I was young my mother bought me Thor Hierdal's Kon-Tiki. A book about his attempt to show that ancient mariners might have crossed the ocean on a boat made of reeds. I learned recently that a group from Iceland was going to recreate the Viking voyage from Iceland to North America in a replica of a Viking Vessel. I was greatly anticipating their launch and wanted to follow it. This weekend there was a special about it on TV. Something struck me odd. True, this is an exact replica of a Viking boat, but did the Vikings have laptops, global positioning systems and cell phones? Kind of like reenacting the Civil War with nuclear weapons don't you think? I was very disappointed. Oh well, Chip

I have received a ton of info on my geology question. Thanks a lot. Now I gotta go look through all of it!!! Bill

<<<Yankee by birth, but Southerner at heart!>>>> Cheryl Same here!!! My roots will not pull free of this beautiful Morgan County!! Julie Cheryl & Mark Zelek wrote: > Hey, I thought this was the nice list!!! <g> The joke around here is that > Cary, NC stands for "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees". I'm one of the > **** yankees because I do not intend to leave! <g> > > > Regards, > Cheryl > > Morom01@aol.com wrote: > > > In a message dated 6/15/00 3:47:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > > tngibson@worldnet.att.net writes: > > > > << Her family was run out of their home by Yankees, so I guess everything was > > a > > little mixed up back then! >> > > > > Ortho makes a spray for those things these days. <g> > > > > Chip > > > > ==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > > To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > > Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > ==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat

I was asking the rest of the list...................I figured you, Chip, may have written it! Vicki ----- Original Message ----- From: <Morom01@aol.com> To: <TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2000 5:25 PM Subject: Re: [TNCHAT] Old Age > In a message dated 6/15/00 6:19:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > tngibson@worldnet.att.net writes: > > << My cousin in Atlanta sent me the book, "Southern by the Grace of God". > Anyone read it? LOL! >> > > I've got it! > > Chip > > > ==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > >

My cousin in Atlanta sent me the book, "Southern by the Grace of God". Anyone read it? LOL! Vicki ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cheryl & Mark Zelek" <zelek@mindspring.com> To: <TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2000 5:05 PM Subject: Re: [TNCHAT] Old Age > Hey, I thought this was the nice list!!! <g> The joke around here is that > Cary, NC stands for "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees". I'm one of the > **** yankees because I do not intend to leave! <g> > > Yankee by birth, but Southerner at heart! > > Regards, > Cheryl > > Morom01@aol.com wrote: > > > In a message dated 6/15/00 3:47:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > > tngibson@worldnet.att.net writes: > > > > << Her family was run out of their home by Yankees, so I guess everything was > > a > > little mixed up back then! >> > > > > Ortho makes a spray for those things these days. <g> > > > > Chip > > > > ==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > > To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > > Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > > ==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat >

Hey, I thought this was the nice list!!! <g> The joke around here is that Cary, NC stands for "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees". I'm one of the **** yankees because I do not intend to leave! <g> Yankee by birth, but Southerner at heart! Regards, Cheryl Morom01@aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 6/15/00 3:47:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time, > tngibson@worldnet.att.net writes: > > << Her family was run out of their home by Yankees, so I guess everything was > a > little mixed up back then! >> > > Ortho makes a spray for those things these days. <g> > > Chip > > ==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat

I got this from a cousin today and thought some of you would enjoy it as much as I did. Christian Humor: An atheist was taking a walk through the woods, admiring all that the "accident of evolution" had created. "What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!", he said to himself. As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind. As he turned to look, he saw a 7-foot grizzly charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing in on him. He tried to run even faster, so scared that tears were coming to his eyes. He looked over his shoulder again and the bear was even closer. His heart was pumping frantically as he tried to run even faster, but he tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up and saw the bear right on top of him raising his paw to kill him. At that instant he cried out "Oh my God!" Just then, time stopped. The bear froze, the forest was silent, the river even stopped moving. A bright light shone upon the man, and a voice came out of the sky saying, "You deny my existence all of these years, teach others I don't exist and even credit my creation to a cosmic accident and now do you except me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?" The atheist, ever so proud, looked into the light and said "it would be rather hypocritical to ask to be a Christian after all these years, but could you make the bear a Christian?" "Very well," said the voice. As the light went out, the river ran, the sounds of the forest continued and the bear put his paw down. The bear then brought both paws together, bowed his head and said, "Lord, I thank you for this food which I am about to receive." Athol Athol K. Foster DeKalb Co. Coordinator, TnGenWeb www.tngennet.org/dekalb My Fosters in DeKalb Co., Tn. www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/3627

Bill, you might start here: http://search.usgs.gov/query.html?col=&ht=0&qp=&qt=Hardin+County&qs=&qc=&pw=100%25&ws=1&la=&ct=1549651137&qm=1&st=1&nh=10&lk=1&rf=0&oq=&rq=1&fs=&si=0 Rsp Jim Bill Darnell wrote: > That's right, I did not misspell! Geology. Does anyone know how I can find > a geologic map or survey of Hardin County? I would like to know what is > under this place, why someone a 1/4 mile from me can dig a well 40' deep and > can't pump it dry, another drills 40, hits solid limestone forever, and what > is under me? > > I thought since this list knows everything (I am not being cynical) I could > find out here. > > Bill > Hardin County > > ==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat

That's right, I did not misspell! Geology. Does anyone know how I can find a geologic map or survey of Hardin County? I would like to know what is under this place, why someone a 1/4 mile from me can dig a well 40' deep and can't pump it dry, another drills 40, hits solid limestone forever, and what is under me? I thought since this list knows everything (I am not being cynical) I could find out here. Bill Hardin County

Speaking of living for a long time......................... Have any of you ever uncovered in your research, a relative that was older or younger than they thought? The remaining grandchildren of my greatgrandmother are very skeptical when I say she was born in 1860. She said she was born in 1861. That is what is on her tombstone, too. She was born in Atlanta, GA and I even have some of her early memories of the war. When I started doing genealogy, I found her family on the 1860 census of GA as a baby being 7 month old. She died in 1960 right before her supposed 100th birthday. She had write ups in the newspaper when she supposedly turned 99, too. It's a shame..........she was really 100 and didn't know it! Her family was run out of their home by Yankees, so I guess everything was a little mixed up back then! Vicki

I've had that url for a couple of years. Isn't it funny :)) The bad part is that I can actually understand what it says!!! Mari At 11:00 AM 6/15/00 -0700, you wrote: >TNCHAT-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 20 > >Today's Topics: > #1 [TNCHAT] Murderous WHO? [Mari Byers <lyric@bna.bellsouth.ne] > #2 Re: [TNCHAT] Murderous WHO? [Morom01@aol.com] > >Administrivia: >To unsubscribe from TNCHAT-D, send a message to > > TNCHAT-D-request@rootsweb.com > >that contains in the body of the message the command > > unsubscribe > >and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software >requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. >Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: >http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > >______________________________X-Message: #1 >Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2000 00:55:58 -0500 >From: Mari Byers <lyric@bna.bellsouth.net> >To: TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com >Message-Id: <3.0.32.20000615005556.006b09bc@bna.bellsouth.net> >Subject: [TNCHAT] Murderous WHO? >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > >Well shoot Chip. I was gonna correct your murderous Eng-a-lish but I >figured I'd hurt your feelins'. HOWEVER, now I've seen the topic >"Murderous Mary of Tennessee" (Why, oh why, did they have to name it Mary? >And they didn't even spell it right!!!) Sigh....<G> Ya know what we aughta >invent? Something like spellcheck that turns Southern slang into >...naaaaaa, it wouldn't be half the fun! >Peaceful Mari in the 'Boro > > > >______________________________X-Message: #2 >Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2000 09:39:22 EDT >From: Morom01@aol.com >To: TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com >Message-ID: <9a.6338e10.267a368a@aol.com> >Subject: Re: [TNCHAT] Murderous WHO? >Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >In a message dated 6/15/00 1:54:52 AM Eastern Daylight Time, >lyric@bna.bellsouth.net writes: > ><< Ya know what we aughta > invent? Something like spellcheck that turns Southern slang into > ...naaaaaa, it wouldn't be half the fun! >> > >Well it's not really a spell checker but it does convert English into several >comic languages. Here's the URL: >http://rinkworks.com/dialect/ > >Chip >

Whoops! Meant to send this to the whole list! Vicki ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vicki Shaffer" <tngibson@worldnet.att.net> To: "Athol K. Foster" <athol@mail.bsc.net> Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2000 2:04 PM Subject: 106 Today > I haven't seen her since her 100th when she still lived in Texas. She was still > hard at work on making quilts then. > A man came from the TX House to present her with a plaque and had to ask, "Which > one is the birthday girl?" (he was serious, too) Then he proceeded to try and > read it to her, in a very loud voice, and she told him, "That's OK, I can read > and I'll look at it later". > She moved to AZ after that and finally decided she wanted to live at a > retirement home when she was 102. Her daughter told me she was visiting one day > and a nurse came up to her with tears in her eyes and told her, "Your Mother > made me an afghan and it will always be one of my most prized possessions but no > one will ever believe she was 103 when she made it." > She is a bit hard of hearing now but has a special phone and we can still call > her to talk! > She sure is an amazing woman! Reads constantly, too! > Her memory is so sharp, we just use her as the "source" in our families > genealogy records! LOL! > Vicki > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Athol K. Foster" <athol@mail.bsc.net> > To: <TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2000 1:53 PM > Subject: Re: [TNCHAT] "the truth is stranger than fiction" > > > > Vicki, Wish her a Happy Birthday from all of us....... > > > > Athol > > > > Athol K. Foster > > DeKalb Co. Coordinator, TnGenWeb > > www.tngennet.org/dekalb > > > > My Fosters in DeKalb Co., Tn. > > www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/3627 > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Vicki Shaffer <tngibson@worldnet.att.net> > > To: <TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2000 1:08 PM > > Subject: [TNCHAT] "the truth is stranger than fiction" > > > > > > > Here's one for you all................................. > > > > > > My great aunt was born June 15, 1894 in Ray Co. Missouri. > > > Today she is celebrating her 106th birthday in good health! An amazing > > woman, > > > and genealogist, too! > > > > > > Vicki > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Edgar D. Byler, III" <edby3@netease.net> > > > To: <TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com> > > > Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2000 12:34 PM > > > Subject: Re: [TNCHAT] Lynched Elephant With Photo > > > > > > > > > > I've always been told "the truth is stranger than fiction". This story > > and > > > > the photograph on the link page certainly do lend credence to that > > > > statement. Po' Mary the elephant - all she wanted was some watermelon. > > > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > From: Morom01@aol.com <Morom01@aol.com> > > > > To: TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com <TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com> > > > > Date: 14 June, 2000 9:16 PM > > > > Subject: [TNCHAT] Lynched Elephant With Photo > > > > > > > > > > > > >We got eight new subscribers tonight (fifteen for the day) and I'm told > > I > > > > >sent the story too early. So here it is again. And for all you people > > who > > > > >read it earlier, I found a link to the lynched elephant photo. It's at > > the > > > > >end of the story. > > > > > > > > > >This story is told many different ways. What I offer here is my version > > > > with > > > > >facts that I have read since childhood. I'm not sure any official > > version > > > > is > > > > >available in a book, but the newspaper archives give the story very > > similar > > > > >to this. Regardless of the details here and there, that have been lost > > in > > > > >time, the story itself is true. Somewhere in some time past I remember > > > > > > >someone showing me a picture of the hanging. If I find it and get > > > > permission > > > > >from the person I'll display it somewhere. > > > > > > > > > >In the year 1916 many changes were taking place in the world. War was > > > > >ravaging Europe, the country was in an economic decline. America was > > > > >beginning to face issues that would plague us eighty years later. But > > in > > > > East > > > > >Tennessee and Virginia, in the area most people know as the > > Appalachians, > > > > it > > > > >was a good time to see the circus. > > > > > > > > > >The town was Erwin, Tennessee a railroad town and home to the > > Cincinnati, > > > > >Clinchfield, and Ohio Railroad's repair shop. There were only two main > > > > >employers in the town, the railroad and a pottery factory. This meant > > that > > > > >most of the town had the same days off and spent them together at town > > > > >picnics and other functions. Any meeting was a time for the whole town > > to > > > > >come together and the execution of an elephant on September 16th, would > > be > > > > no > > > > >different. > > > > > > > > > >Mary, was a five ton elephant owned by the Sparks Brothers Circus. Mary > > was > > > > >their main attraction as she was billed as the largest animal to ever > > walk > > > > >the face of the earth. Her owner claimed she was three inches taller > > than > > > > >Barnum's Jumbo. She was rumored (by her owner) as to have killed eight > > men. > > > > >How much of this was true, nobody knows, but it probably helped to seal > > > > >Mary's fate with the public. > > > > > > > > > >September 11th, the circus played a town in Virginia, (I can't remember > > the > > > > >town's name) where a man named Red Eldridge asked for a job. Red was a > > > > >drifter and rode the rails of America as was very common at the time. > > Why > > > > Red > > > > >decided to seek employment at this time is not understood, but he asked > > the > > > > >circus and was hired. Red was put in charge of a broom and made clean > > up. > > > > But > > > > >on the next day, after the sudden departure of another man, Red was > > > > promoted > > > > >to elephant handler. Not quite experienced at this job, Red made up for > > it > > > > >with a big stick. It is said that Red tried to intimidate the animals. > > A > > > > >small man with a big stick may strike fear into the hearts of hobos, > > but > > > > >elephants aren't impressed with such nonsense. > > > > > > > > > >On September 12th the circus came to Kingsport, Tennessee. As was the > > > > custom > > > > >the animals were unloaded at the train yard and paraded through town to > > the > > > > >delight of the crowds that gathered to watch. This day Red led Mary the > > > > five > > > > >ton prize elephant of the show. Along the way Mary saw a half eaten > > > > >watermelon left on the street by one of the spectators. Mary reached > > for > > > > the > > > > >watermelon with her huge trunk. Red decided that Mary shouldn't have > > the > > > > >watermelon and gave a jerk on Mary's chain. According to witnesses, > > Mary > > > > gave > > > > >a loud trumpet and went for the melon again. This time Red decided to > > > > strike > > > > >Mary in the side of the head with his large stick. What happened next, > > (the > > > > >manner of Red's death) is debated to this day. Oh, nobody says the > > elephant > > > > >didn't kill Red, it's just that some say, she gored him with her tusks, > > > > >others say she squeezed him to death with her trunk, some say she > > trampled > > > > >him, and other say she kicked him. No matter what, Red was as dead as a > > > > >doornail and Mary had her melon. > > > > > > > > > >The owner of the circus, Charlie Sparks realized the publicity this > > would > > > > >cause. It was one thing for him to claim that Mary had killed eight > > people, > > > > >but if it were true and in the papers that was different. No town would > > > > allow > > > > >his circus to come with a real certified rogue killer elephant. Charlie > > > > >decided that with Mary around his circus was finished. Mary had to go. > > > > > > > > > >First it was decided that Mary would be shot. A local man shot Mary > > five > > > > >times with a shotgun while she was chained. The shot hardly phased her. > > > > Later > > > > >that day the sheriff shot Mary repeatedly with a 45 pistol. Still no > > good. > > > > >Mary was simply too thick hided for bullets to kill her. > > > > > > > > > >Next the town of Kingsport decided that they would electrocute her. A > > trunk > > > > >line ran the length of the railroad track that supposedly carried > > 44,000 > > > > >volts. Mary was chained and the voltage applied. She jumped a little > > each > > > > >time, but never seemed to be injured by the voltage. (Chips note: I > > doubt > > > > >this part of the story because electricity wasn't that common in the > > area. > > > > I > > > > >doubt that there would have been that much voltage in the town pre > > TVA.) > > > > > > > > > >Other options were discussed including hooking Mary to two train > > engines > > > > and > > > > >allowing them to pull her apart. Another said to put her between two > > > > engines > > > > >and let them crush her. Both of these were ruled out. > > > > > > > > > >It was decided that Mary should be hanged. But how do you hang a five > > ton > > > > >elephant? The heaviest crane in the area belonged to the Clinchfield > > > > >railroad. It was kept in their shop at Erwin, Tennessee. Mary was taken > > to > > > > >Erwin on a train to await her fate the next morning. > > > > > > > > > >The next morning Mary stood tied to a rail in the train yard. Witnesses > > say > > > > >that Mary seemed nervous and paced back and forth like she knew her > > fate. > > > > The > > > > >crane was brought out and a steam shovel dug a hole right beside the > > track. > > > > A > > > > >chain was placed around Mary's neck and the winch began to hoist Mary > > > > >skyward. As she left the ground a crack was heard. It was then > > discovered > > > > >that Mary was still chained to the track and her leg was breaking. > > Quickly > > > > >the chain around her ankle was cut. Mary began to thrash. > > > > > > > > > >Another crack was heard and Mary plummeted to the ground. The chain > > around > > > > >her neck was too small and it broke. The crowd scattered, fearing an > > > > enraged > > > > >elephant stampeding loose in the town. But Mary's hip was shattered and > > she > > > > >couldn't move. A railroad worker climbed Mary's back and attached > > another > > > > >chain. Mary was again lifted by the crane. > > > > > > > > > >Mary was held in the air for two hours as crowds gathered for a look. > > Then > > > > >later that day, the crane took Mary down the track to the hole that had > > > > been > > > > >dug and placed her body in it. It was covered with dirt and Mary's body > > is > > > > >buried there today. > > > > > > > > > >Some of the tracks are gone today, others are in bad repair. The area > > is > > > > >seldom used and the railroad long out of business. But there in Erwin > > lies > > > > >the only elephant found guilty of murder in America and publicly > > hanged. > > > > > > > > > >Chip's Comment: > > > > >Was Mary guilty of murder? No. I would say the circus was more guilty > > than > > > > >Mary. They put this untrained man in charge of a five ton animal and > > > > allowed > > > > >him to strike her with a stick. Common sense says this man is going to > > die. > > > > >Mary was never ill tempered and had never hurt anyone before. She > > wanted a > > > > >watermelon and Red paid with his life for his own stupidity. > > > > > > > > > >To see the photo use the following URL. I can't vouch that it's a real > > > > >photograph as it differs from the one I've seen. > > > > >http://www.blueridgecountry.com/elephant/elephant.html > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > > > > >To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > > > > >http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > > > >This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > > > > >Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > > > > >http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > > > > To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > > > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > > > This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > > > > Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > > > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > > > To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > > This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > > > Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > > To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > > Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > > >

Vicki, Wish her a Happy Birthday from all of us....... Athol Athol K. Foster DeKalb Co. Coordinator, TnGenWeb www.tngennet.org/dekalb My Fosters in DeKalb Co., Tn. www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/3627 ----- Original Message ----- From: Vicki Shaffer <tngibson@worldnet.att.net> To: <TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2000 1:08 PM Subject: [TNCHAT] "the truth is stranger than fiction" > Here's one for you all................................. > > My great aunt was born June 15, 1894 in Ray Co. Missouri. > Today she is celebrating her 106th birthday in good health! An amazing woman, > and genealogist, too! > > Vicki > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Edgar D. Byler, III" <edby3@netease.net> > To: <TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2000 12:34 PM > Subject: Re: [TNCHAT] Lynched Elephant With Photo > > > > I've always been told "the truth is stranger than fiction". This story and > > the photograph on the link page certainly do lend credence to that > > statement. Po' Mary the elephant - all she wanted was some watermelon. > > > > Edgar > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Morom01@aol.com <Morom01@aol.com> > > To: TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com <TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com> > > Date: 14 June, 2000 9:16 PM > > Subject: [TNCHAT] Lynched Elephant With Photo > > > > > > >We got eight new subscribers tonight (fifteen for the day) and I'm told I > > >sent the story too early. So here it is again. And for all you people who > > >read it earlier, I found a link to the lynched elephant photo. It's at the > > >end of the story. > > > > > >This story is told many different ways. What I offer here is my version > > with > > >facts that I have read since childhood. I'm not sure any official version > > is > > >available in a book, but the newspaper archives give the story very similar > > >to this. Regardless of the details here and there, that have been lost in > > >time, the story itself is true. Somewhere in some time past I remember > > >someone showing me a picture of the hanging. If I find it and get > > permission > > >from the person I'll display it somewhere. > > > > > >In the year 1916 many changes were taking place in the world. War was > > >ravaging Europe, the country was in an economic decline. America was > > >beginning to face issues that would plague us eighty years later. But in > > East > > >Tennessee and Virginia, in the area most people know as the Appalachians, > > it > > >was a good time to see the circus. > > > > > >The town was Erwin, Tennessee a railroad town and home to the Cincinnati, > > >Clinchfield, and Ohio Railroad's repair shop. There were only two main > > >employers in the town, the railroad and a pottery factory. This meant that > > >most of the town had the same days off and spent them together at town > > >picnics and other functions. Any meeting was a time for the whole town to > > >come together and the execution of an elephant on September 16th, would be > > no > > >different. > > > > > >Mary, was a five ton elephant owned by the Sparks Brothers Circus. Mary was > > >their main attraction as she was billed as the largest animal to ever walk > > >the face of the earth. Her owner claimed she was three inches taller than > > >Barnum's Jumbo. She was rumored (by her owner) as to have killed eight men. > > >How much of this was true, nobody knows, but it probably helped to seal > > >Mary's fate with the public. > > > > > >September 11th, the circus played a town in Virginia, (I can't remember the > > >town's name) where a man named Red Eldridge asked for a job. Red was a > > >drifter and rode the rails of America as was very common at the time. Why > > Red > > >decided to seek employment at this time is not understood, but he asked the > > >circus and was hired. Red was put in charge of a broom and made clean up. > > But > > >on the next day, after the sudden departure of another man, Red was > > promoted > > >to elephant handler. Not quite experienced at this job, Red made up for it > > >with a big stick. It is said that Red tried to intimidate the animals. A > > >small man with a big stick may strike fear into the hearts of hobos, but > > >elephants aren't impressed with such nonsense. > > > > > >On September 12th the circus came to Kingsport, Tennessee. As was the > > custom > > >the animals were unloaded at the train yard and paraded through town to the > > >delight of the crowds that gathered to watch. This day Red led Mary the > > five > > >ton prize elephant of the show. Along the way Mary saw a half eaten > > >watermelon left on the street by one of the spectators. Mary reached for > > the > > >watermelon with her huge trunk. Red decided that Mary shouldn't have the > > >watermelon and gave a jerk on Mary's chain. According to witnesses, Mary > > gave > > >a loud trumpet and went for the melon again. This time Red decided to > > strike > > >Mary in the side of the head with his large stick. What happened next, (the > > >manner of Red's death) is debated to this day. Oh, nobody says the elephant > > >didn't kill Red, it's just that some say, she gored him with her tusks, > > >others say she squeezed him to death with her trunk, some say she trampled > > >him, and other say she kicked him. No matter what, Red was as dead as a > > >doornail and Mary had her melon. > > > > > >The owner of the circus, Charlie Sparks realized the publicity this would > > >cause. It was one thing for him to claim that Mary had killed eight people, > > >but if it were true and in the papers that was different. No town would > > allow > > >his circus to come with a real certified rogue killer elephant. Charlie > > >decided that with Mary around his circus was finished. Mary had to go. > > > > > >First it was decided that Mary would be shot. A local man shot Mary five > > >times with a shotgun while she was chained. The shot hardly phased her. > > Later > > >that day the sheriff shot Mary repeatedly with a 45 pistol. Still no good. > > >Mary was simply too thick hided for bullets to kill her. > > > > > >Next the town of Kingsport decided that they would electrocute her. A trunk > > >line ran the length of the railroad track that supposedly carried 44,000 > > >volts. Mary was chained and the voltage applied. She jumped a little each > > >time, but never seemed to be injured by the voltage. (Chips note: I doubt > > >this part of the story because electricity wasn't that common in the area. > > I > > >doubt that there would have been that much voltage in the town pre TVA.) > > > > > >Other options were discussed including hooking Mary to two train engines > > and > > >allowing them to pull her apart. Another said to put her between two > > engines > > >and let them crush her. Both of these were ruled out. > > > > > >It was decided that Mary should be hanged. But how do you hang a five ton > > >elephant? The heaviest crane in the area belonged to the Clinchfield > > >railroad. It was kept in their shop at Erwin, Tennessee. Mary was taken to > > >Erwin on a train to await her fate the next morning. > > > > > >The next morning Mary stood tied to a rail in the train yard. Witnesses say > > >that Mary seemed nervous and paced back and forth like she knew her fate. > > The > > >crane was brought out and a steam shovel dug a hole right beside the track. > > A > > >chain was placed around Mary's neck and the winch began to hoist Mary > > >skyward. As she left the ground a crack was heard. It was then discovered > > >that Mary was still chained to the track and her leg was breaking. Quickly > > >the chain around her ankle was cut. Mary began to thrash. > > > > > >Another crack was heard and Mary plummeted to the ground. The chain around > > >her neck was too small and it broke. The crowd scattered, fearing an > > enraged > > >elephant stampeding loose in the town. But Mary's hip was shattered and she > > >couldn't move. A railroad worker climbed Mary's back and attached another > > >chain. Mary was again lifted by the crane. > > > > > >Mary was held in the air for two hours as crowds gathered for a look. Then > > >later that day, the crane took Mary down the track to the hole that had > > been > > >dug and placed her body in it. It was covered with dirt and Mary's body is > > >buried there today. > > > > > >Some of the tracks are gone today, others are in bad repair. The area is > > >seldom used and the railroad long out of business. But there in Erwin lies > > >the only elephant found guilty of murder in America and publicly hanged. > > > > > >Chip's Comment: > > >Was Mary guilty of murder? No. I would say the circus was more guilty than > > >Mary. They put this untrained man in charge of a five ton animal and > > allowed > > >him to strike her with a stick. Common sense says this man is going to die. > > >Mary was never ill tempered and had never hurt anyone before. She wanted a > > >watermelon and Red paid with his life for his own stupidity. > > > > > >To see the photo use the following URL. I can't vouch that it's a real > > >photograph as it differs from the one I've seen. > > >http://www.blueridgecountry.com/elephant/elephant.html > > > > > > > > >==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > > >To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > > >http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > >This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > > >Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > > >http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > > To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > > Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > > > > > ==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > >

In a message dated 6/15/00 6:19:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time, tngibson@worldnet.att.net writes: << My cousin in Atlanta sent me the book, "Southern by the Grace of God". Anyone read it? LOL! >> I've got it! Chip

In a message dated 6/15/00 6:07:27 PM Eastern Daylight Time, zelek@mindspring.com writes: << Hey, I thought this was the nice list!!! <g> The joke around here is that Cary, NC stands for "Containment Area for Relocated Yankees". I'm one of the **** yankees because I do not intend to leave! <g> >> Cheryl, I don't know how it is in the rest of America but in Union County we have two different kinds of transplanted Northerners. There's Yankees then there's the other kind XXX Yankees, which because this is a nice list I can't fill in the XXX. A Yankee is someone who moved here from up north and fits in. The other kind moves here and tells me I'm eating fried eggs wrong because their still runny. <g> I feel sorry for them though. A lady works for my wife from New York City. Can you believe she didn't know what a Moon Pie was? And they call themselves civilized! Give me Moon Pies or give me nothing, I don't want me none of them Hostess knock offs! <g> You're a fine person from my dealings with you and if you want to be bestowed an honorary Yokel I so grant you. You are now a first class honorary Yokel from Union County Tennessee. Congratulations....I think. Chip

Here's one for you all................................. My great aunt was born June 15, 1894 in Ray Co. Missouri. Today she is celebrating her 106th birthday in good health! An amazing woman, and genealogist, too! Vicki ----- Original Message ----- From: "Edgar D. Byler, III" <edby3@netease.net> To: <TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2000 12:34 PM Subject: Re: [TNCHAT] Lynched Elephant With Photo > I've always been told "the truth is stranger than fiction". This story and > the photograph on the link page certainly do lend credence to that > statement. Po' Mary the elephant - all she wanted was some watermelon. > > Edgar > > -----Original Message----- > From: Morom01@aol.com <Morom01@aol.com> > To: TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com <TNCHAT-L@rootsweb.com> > Date: 14 June, 2000 9:16 PM > Subject: [TNCHAT] Lynched Elephant With Photo > > > >We got eight new subscribers tonight (fifteen for the day) and I'm told I > >sent the story too early. So here it is again. And for all you people who > >read it earlier, I found a link to the lynched elephant photo. It's at the > >end of the story. > > > >This story is told many different ways. What I offer here is my version > with > >facts that I have read since childhood. I'm not sure any official version > is > >available in a book, but the newspaper archives give the story very similar > >to this. Regardless of the details here and there, that have been lost in > >time, the story itself is true. Somewhere in some time past I remember > >someone showing me a picture of the hanging. If I find it and get > permission > >from the person I'll display it somewhere. > > > >In the year 1916 many changes were taking place in the world. War was > >ravaging Europe, the country was in an economic decline. America was > >beginning to face issues that would plague us eighty years later. But in > East > >Tennessee and Virginia, in the area most people know as the Appalachians, > it > >was a good time to see the circus. > > > >The town was Erwin, Tennessee a railroad town and home to the Cincinnati, > >Clinchfield, and Ohio Railroad's repair shop. There were only two main > >employers in the town, the railroad and a pottery factory. This meant that > >most of the town had the same days off and spent them together at town > >picnics and other functions. Any meeting was a time for the whole town to > >come together and the execution of an elephant on September 16th, would be > no > >different. > > > >Mary, was a five ton elephant owned by the Sparks Brothers Circus. Mary was > >their main attraction as she was billed as the largest animal to ever walk > >the face of the earth. Her owner claimed she was three inches taller than > >Barnum's Jumbo. She was rumored (by her owner) as to have killed eight men. > >How much of this was true, nobody knows, but it probably helped to seal > >Mary's fate with the public. > > > >September 11th, the circus played a town in Virginia, (I can't remember the > >town's name) where a man named Red Eldridge asked for a job. Red was a > >drifter and rode the rails of America as was very common at the time. Why > Red > >decided to seek employment at this time is not understood, but he asked the > >circus and was hired. Red was put in charge of a broom and made clean up. > But > >on the next day, after the sudden departure of another man, Red was > promoted > >to elephant handler. Not quite experienced at this job, Red made up for it > >with a big stick. It is said that Red tried to intimidate the animals. A > >small man with a big stick may strike fear into the hearts of hobos, but > >elephants aren't impressed with such nonsense. > > > >On September 12th the circus came to Kingsport, Tennessee. As was the > custom > >the animals were unloaded at the train yard and paraded through town to the > >delight of the crowds that gathered to watch. This day Red led Mary the > five > >ton prize elephant of the show. Along the way Mary saw a half eaten > >watermelon left on the street by one of the spectators. Mary reached for > the > >watermelon with her huge trunk. Red decided that Mary shouldn't have the > >watermelon and gave a jerk on Mary's chain. According to witnesses, Mary > gave > >a loud trumpet and went for the melon again. This time Red decided to > strike > >Mary in the side of the head with his large stick. What happened next, (the > >manner of Red's death) is debated to this day. Oh, nobody says the elephant > >didn't kill Red, it's just that some say, she gored him with her tusks, > >others say she squeezed him to death with her trunk, some say she trampled > >him, and other say she kicked him. No matter what, Red was as dead as a > >doornail and Mary had her melon. > > > >The owner of the circus, Charlie Sparks realized the publicity this would > >cause. It was one thing for him to claim that Mary had killed eight people, > >but if it were true and in the papers that was different. No town would > allow > >his circus to come with a real certified rogue killer elephant. Charlie > >decided that with Mary around his circus was finished. Mary had to go. > > > >First it was decided that Mary would be shot. A local man shot Mary five > >times with a shotgun while she was chained. The shot hardly phased her. > Later > >that day the sheriff shot Mary repeatedly with a 45 pistol. Still no good. > >Mary was simply too thick hided for bullets to kill her. > > > >Next the town of Kingsport decided that they would electrocute her. A trunk > >line ran the length of the railroad track that supposedly carried 44,000 > >volts. Mary was chained and the voltage applied. She jumped a little each > >time, but never seemed to be injured by the voltage. (Chips note: I doubt > >this part of the story because electricity wasn't that common in the area. > I > >doubt that there would have been that much voltage in the town pre TVA.) > > > >Other options were discussed including hooking Mary to two train engines > and > >allowing them to pull her apart. Another said to put her between two > engines > >and let them crush her. Both of these were ruled out. > > > >It was decided that Mary should be hanged. But how do you hang a five ton > >elephant? The heaviest crane in the area belonged to the Clinchfield > >railroad. It was kept in their shop at Erwin, Tennessee. Mary was taken to > >Erwin on a train to await her fate the next morning. > > > >The next morning Mary stood tied to a rail in the train yard. Witnesses say > >that Mary seemed nervous and paced back and forth like she knew her fate. > The > >crane was brought out and a steam shovel dug a hole right beside the track. > A > >chain was placed around Mary's neck and the winch began to hoist Mary > >skyward. As she left the ground a crack was heard. It was then discovered > >that Mary was still chained to the track and her leg was breaking. Quickly > >the chain around her ankle was cut. Mary began to thrash. > > > >Another crack was heard and Mary plummeted to the ground. The chain around > >her neck was too small and it broke. The crowd scattered, fearing an > enraged > >elephant stampeding loose in the town. But Mary's hip was shattered and she > >couldn't move. A railroad worker climbed Mary's back and attached another > >chain. Mary was again lifted by the crane. > > > >Mary was held in the air for two hours as crowds gathered for a look. Then > >later that day, the crane took Mary down the track to the hole that had > been > >dug and placed her body in it. It was covered with dirt and Mary's body is > >buried there today. > > > >Some of the tracks are gone today, others are in bad repair. The area is > >seldom used and the railroad long out of business. But there in Erwin lies > >the only elephant found guilty of murder in America and publicly hanged. > > > >Chip's Comment: > >Was Mary guilty of murder? No. I would say the circus was more guilty than > >Mary. They put this untrained man in charge of a five ton animal and > allowed > >him to strike her with a stick. Common sense says this man is going to die. > >Mary was never ill tempered and had never hurt anyone before. She wanted a > >watermelon and Red paid with his life for his own stupidity. > > > >To see the photo use the following URL. I can't vouch that it's a real > >photograph as it differs from the one I've seen. > >http://www.blueridgecountry.com/elephant/elephant.html > > > > > >==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > >To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > >http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > >This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > >Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > >http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > > > > > > > ==== TNCHAT Mailing List ==== > To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list please visit: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat > This list is generously donated by Rootsweb for our use. > Complete rules for TnChat may be found at: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnunion/tnchat >