More Ancestors

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We got an early start as we wanted to stop at Chinn’s Chapel Cemetery once more before heading to Oklahoma. This time we went into the chapel and opened the two doors and windows. We let in light and fresh air as they would have for my great grandparents wedding and my great grandmother’s funeral.

I thought about my great grandmother; she was about 29 years old and had just given birth to her 4^th child. The other 3 children were 4 and under with my grandmother being 1 year old. I have to wonder how horrible it was for her, to think that she might be dying with these 4 little kids around.

There is a sign printed on a cardboard in the church. The average age of death in the 1800’s was about 25 years old for that area. Wow! That is so young. I must remember to be thankful for modern medicine.

Bel and I took our photos, paid our respects and went on to Tishomingo where family was waiting to see us.

After arriving in Tish our relatives took us out to Boggy Depot Cemetery in Atoka, where my great grandfather settled after remarrying. We also got to find the foundation walls of the local school where my grandmother and her friends would go to shoot photos. And yes my grandmother had a little Brownie Hawkeye and used it. I’d brought my tripod just for this: I set up the tripod, set the camera on timer and took a photo of all of us on the steps of the school!



We ate some soul food: fried catfish and BBQ ribs at Fish Tales! I was lucky because the owner of the place fried catfish especially for me using cornmeal. This restaurant is only open on weekends and is packed. We’d eaten there on our trip 5 years ago and I was anxious to get back for their food! We were not disappointed.

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