When I am with a group of people today, I hear about people who only cook with vegetable oil, or canola old, or olive oil, or they spray their pans with Pam. Some people cook in the oven, some in the microwave. Some order pizza to be delivered everyday or the might bring home McDonald's. Some people wash their delicates on the "gentle" cycle but some would never dream of doing anything except have their delicates professionally dry cleaned. I remember when my grandmother was alive, her friends talked about the early days when they cooked only with lard in a wood cookstove and meat was preserved with salt. Clothes were washed on a scrub board, not gentle cycles. My contemporaries wouldn't cook with lard because they have to watch their cholesterol intake because of by-pass surgery and the salt would raise their blood pressure. The point is that we are so diversified today, but back then everybody did everything the same way. So when we hear these old stories, we know our ancestors did everything the same way everybody else did. The stories that we hear of the good old days from somebody else is also going to relate to our own family stories. No diversity back then.

What is genealogy? It's finding great-great grandpa, John Smith, who was born in 1850 in Sumner County, TN and died in 1925 in Sumner County, TN. Is it more than that? If some 30 year old brownstone dweller in New York is researching and finds that this John Smith was his great-great grandpa and he/she has the dates, then that person might want to know what life was like back then in Sumner County. If somebody who is 90 years old from Sumner County writes a story on the list about the peddler coming through the community or their brother knocking over the outhouse, then that 30 year old in New York gets some idea what happened in the everyday life of great-great grandpa, John Smith. I found a diary on another site that was written by a housewife in the late 1800's. In her diary, she wrote about the weather that day, a quilt she was making, setting eggs under a hen, food she cooked, people she visited and visited her, neighbors who died. Through her everyday routines that she wrote about, I get to breathe life into my ancestors during that period who would have been living the same routine. Some people who DO genealogy might want nothing more than a name with a date-of-birth and a date-of-death; but for us who ENJOY genealogy, we want to know what life was like for that name between his/her date-of-birth and date-of-death. So, in short, if you people who "do" genealogy would patiently indulge us who "enjoy" genealogy, you also might learn to "enjoy" the genealogy that you are "doing". Thanks

I was born in Sumner Co., my family moved to Indianapolis, In. when I was very small. I have so many wonderful memories from my childhood visits to my grandparents home in Westmoreland. We had all the modern conveniences at home, that my grandparents didn't have. I remember well the old out house, built on a slope and was scared out of my wits, when the hogs got under it! I also remember the old peddler coming around. He drove some sort of an old panel truck, with all sorts of things hanging on the sides. What a treat it was when my grandfather would give us a nickel to buy a bag of candy from him. So many memories............grandpa taking the mules and wagon to town on Sat. morning and bringing home a block of ice, for making ice cream in the evening. Grandmother churning butter, cooking on a woodstove and always my favorite desert.........blackberry cobbler. Oh the good ole days! How wonderful they were! Carol

I love it.

My uncle told me that when he was a kid, there was a family who lived down the road from them who had eight kids. He would often go to their small house for supper and to spend the night. There was a rule at that house that anybody who "broke wind" and the kids who thought it was funny had to take their supper and eat it in the outhouse for punishment. This punishment might come in handy for the ladies who have husbands who are entertained by "breaking wind" and fanning the covers.

On Halloween, kids used to turn them over! And I guess you all know that they are not extinct, some people still have them. It wasn't too many years ago that there were outhouses in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Mary June

I have gotten some responses for the outhouse memory I submitted. The senders clicked "Reply" instead of sending them to the list but this response was so funny I had to send it on. Oh yes do I remember the outhouse, it was my job when I was old enough to dig the new hole. But that was all part of growing up and it provided an experience that will last forever. There was one occasion when myself and a few friends played a trick on a store owner, we moved a privey down in front of his store and hung a telephone sign over the door.

I agree that the stories about the peddlers may not be directly linked to genealogy but they are linked to family history, which brings to mind another important, but necessary, part of family history...the outhouse. Being the offspring of poor sharecroppers, I never thought about the outhouse and whether it was a "one-hole" or "two-hole" outhouse. I didn't give any thought about whether people were lucky enough to have a Sears and Roebuck Catalog, who rubbed the pages together to soften them. I never thought how after the catalog ran out, you went to corncobs. It was just a little building in the backyard which I went to when nature called. Then when my uncle killed a snake in the outhouse, I never used it again. I found a bush to hide behind. There apparently were two kinds of outhouses: the kind that was built over a hole that had been dug and the kind that no hole was dug into the ground. Our's didn't have a hole dug into the ground. This kind of outhouse had a opening behind the seat and when necessary, some unfortunate soul had a job with a shovel. My wild, tomboyish aunt had fun with this opening. If she saw somebody going into the outhouse, she went to the opening behind the seat, and peeped up at the exposed rear-end sitting there. She would rub a stick across the victims bare rear-end and laugh when the person ran, screaming, out of the outhouse. This memory is lovingly dedicated to my dear, distant Cousin Nell who subscribes to this list. I hope it brightens up your day.

Hear, hear. These stories are the things that help to make the past real. Liz

----- Original Message ----- From: Eddie & Rita <mosley@logantele.com> To: <TNSUMNER-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2001 4:20 PM Subject: [TNSUMNER] RE: Peddler Stories I agree. I have enjoyed the stories. You are right. Names and dates really mean nothing unless we can imagine what life was like and what they went through. I remember peddlers well. I hope we can keep up the stories that are not strictly the ancestors but about what they were, how they lived and what they did and thought. My vote goes with Rita and some of the others. Scott > I loved the peddler stories. It has provided me with enjoyment of how it used to be. Why have the names, places and dates of our ancestors, without hearing a little about life in the olden days. For my part, keep it up. Regards, Rita > >

Hi Peggy, I was not aware about Nadine. Oh how awful. Was she ill? I don't get much information from Benton anymore, at least not in a timely manner. I have e-mailed Karl Collins several times. Not so much recently, but about 2 years ago we talked a lot. I did get quite a bit of information from him about his line after John Riley. I would love to compare notes with you. It seems that is about all I can do lately because I can't get past James Collins for an earlier generation. I still have hopes that some day I might hit it lucky. I have the same problem on the Moss side also. If I do find anything new, it seems to be with the Summers, who I have on both sides of the family. (They are a very confusing group to sort through). It's good to hear from you and hope everything is well with you family. I'm happy we made contact again. Sue

I agree the peddlers were an important part of our heritage, just like the farmer and the factory workers, they helped make our great nation what it is today. Cullen

I loved the peddler stories. It has provided me with enjoyment of how it used to be. Why have the names, places and dates of our ancestors, without hearing a little about life in the olden days. For my part, keep it up. Regards, Rita

-----Original Message----- From: ronnief <ronnief@bellsouth.net> To: James Neill <neillliberal@onlinemac.com> Date: Friday, August 10, 2001 1:28 AM Subject: Re: [TNSUMNER] Apology >Jim, > Let me tell you about one e-mail I received. Evidently, it was from an >elderly widow. She said that I brought back some memories about her husband and >his father. She said that her husband would tell her funny stories about his >father's outhouse and she thanked me for making her remember those stories and >making her laugh about them. That was worth a lot to me that she thanked me for >making her laugh. > I'm like you. Genealogy has to be more than a name with a date of birth and >a date of death. Those old stories start giving those names a life, whether >they were watching for the peddler or pulling pranks with the outhouse. I found >a diary on another site that was written by a housewife in the late 1800's. She >writes about making quilts, setting hens, who she visited, who was sick and what >neighbors died. Through her diary, I was able to breathe a little life into my >own ancestors. > Thanks for starting a lot of fun on the Sumner County list. >Ronnie > > >

OK, Kids of the past, this site isn't dead as it usually is at this time of the night, Let's keep it Rockin and Rollin. Boy is the list addmimestrator going to be mad today. Let's live for the day, not for tomorrow. Jim in Oregon

List, Sorry that I stured up so much trouble with Peddlers here. These were part of the lives of us and our relatives. I don't just want to know just who a relative was, I would like to know what the country was like, what the people did, their thoughts, When doing geneology, as I have for five years and people can't share stories of the past, then it's time to throw the work you have spent countless thousands of hours compiling out in the garbage can. Isn't genealogy a study of your relatives and not just put a name down for that person, tag them and let them collect dust, tell people you have thousands of names in your files. I enjoy so much, reading letters from people that served in the Civil War on this site that people post. Some things and many I don't read, I delete. Many, many people have e mailed me privately sharing what they had, that was never posted here. It's a shame, so much wasted to unwanted ears, some embarrassing, some funny. What about having a one day of the week, Memories of the Past Day. I have something that I will post if this can be, or will be permissible. Jim Neill, grew up in Gallatin, Sumner County, now living in Oregon

I have enjoyed hearing everyone's stories. My great grandfather was a peddler according to family lore. My Great Aunt and my Granny have scattered memories of their grandfather from their mother. They were both too young to really remember. He traveled all over Tennessee and died of a heart attack in a hotel in Nashville. I felt so lucky to find his obituary in a Nashville paper.. quite by accident I might add. He is very illusive and this leads me to my question. What records have you folks had luck with concerning your peddler relations. A little background...... My GGrandfather John Kennedy lived from abt 1840 to 10/8/1915 just to give you an idea of the time frame. John Kennedy is a VERY common name let me tell ya!! He was a Confederate solider (says so on his head stone) but as for a pension record or other records, well again John Kennedy is a very common name. And without a permanent address of any kind in his later years, well you can see my problem here. The only census record I have of him comes from 1870 in Trigg County KY. His second (?) wife, Adeline, was still alive and he has three daughters Dovie, Rosie, and Effie.. the eldest a half sibling to the other two, again family lore. But his wife died and he peddled around northern middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky quite a bit, children in tow. He finally left the two youngest motherless daughters with non-relation families in Robertson Co (Woodard's and Lipscomb's). These girls worked as house servants till they were old enough to marry. He popped in and out of their lives from time to time. No more records till his death at the Waggoner Hotel on the public square in Nashville. But if nothing else he was a very colorful fellow... the Irish often are. This line of my family has been shrouded in mystery for many years and if not for the wonderful memories of my old relations I would have had nothing to go on. They really are gems. What little I have been able to discover on ole John Kennedy has been completely based on the tales of my great aunt and grandparents. But any advise as to where to hunt would be much appreciated. Thank you, Kari Waggoner

It seems to me that it is time to "pack up" these peddler stories and return to topics more related to genealogical research. If folks want to reminisce about such topics, they should address their mail to individuals rather than the list. This is not intended to offend anyone, just clean up the traffic a little. Reece Andrews

Suella, I remember you from the reunion. I have tried to find something on James but had no luck. Aunt Ethel said the family did not speak of the past. Did you ever talk to Karl Collins? He had a lot of info on the Collins family, but no farther back than we have. Did you know Nadine passed away in Feb? I would love to compare what we have.

I am researching the ancestors of William C. BERRY, who was born in Virginia (county unknown), married Ellen C. KIRK in Roane Co., Tn in 1830, moved to Sumner Co., Tn (1840 & 1850 Census), then moved to Robertson Co., Tn near Orlinda, Tn. (1860 & 1870 Census), where they are buried. Am willing to trade info on this family. To date I have not been able to determine which county in Virginia he was born in. There were many Berrys in the Shenandoah Valley down thru SW Virginia. Any help would be appreciated. Larry Hallstrom