Hunting History

This past weekend was the old hometown's annual "Lazy Days & Battle of the BBQ" celebration which also included the "4th Annual Johnny Carson Birthplace Car Show". That was reason enough to attend, especially for Hubby Dearest, but my main objective was The House of History Tour from 10am to 1pm.

The building we have always referred to as "the old jail" was built in 1877. After the new courthouse was built in 1955, the jail was relocated to the basement there. The old jail was apartments for a few years and then became a museum, The House of History, in 1969. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in February, 1991.

Ever since seeing a copy of this photo in the country schools memory book at the Corning Public Library, I have been trying to locate the original to see if I could borrow and scan it. The photo was taken by my 1st grade teacher, June Ternahan (Myers). I contacted one of her daughters who told me all of her country school pictures and memorabilia had been donated to the historical society. I was then directed to the House of History, but finding a time when they were open and I could go was impossible until Saturday.

The museum houses an interesting collection including this coverlet woven by Homer Snodgrass' great grandmother and used in a mountain cabin in West Virginia until it was brought to Adams County (Carl) in 1875. It is in amazingly good condition. The primitive dyes used to color the yarn are still vibrant. Even though I was looking for something specific, I still enjoyed looking at all the displays.

Then I spotted a large photo I recognized because when I worked at The Adams County Free Press in 1995-6 it hung on the wall above the proofing table. It was a picture of area farmers gathered for one of the original meetings of the National Farmers Organization. I knew my Dad had attended that meeting, held at one of the area sale barns in 1955 or 56.
I hunted through the faces, remembering a few from forty years ago, but not seeing my Dad. Finally I recognized Wayne M., one of his best friends, just to the left of center in the next to top row.

And there was Dad right next to Wayne. He was laughing, turned toward Wayne, wearing a hat, his signature pocket tee shirt and looking like he had just come in from the field. I was happy to see this photo of him in the mid-90's (he died in '78) and happy to see it again Saturday. This time I took a picture of the picture.

Even though I looked through all the photos I could find and even had the help of one of the House of History volunteers hunting in places I couldn't search, we couldn't find that Jasper #2 school photo.

Yes, I have other school photos of me and other school mates, but they are from later years. This is the only photo I have seen from when I was in first grade. And this is as clear as I could adjust my picture of a picture that was copied on a copy machine and was not very clear to begin with. Maybe the original wasn't even very good? I'll have to be content with what I have.

On the way out, I took a picture of one other artifact that has a connection to my family history....

 .....this mill stone from the Mt. Etna Mill (1854-1929). My great-great grandparents, David and Catherine Lippincott, operated the grist mill in the 1890's. If I remember correctly, this mill stone was found in the Middle Nodaway River, downstream from where the mill once stood, sometime in the 1960's or 70's. The people who found it donated it to the House of History.