The cellar, Jackson sighed as he descended moldy steps. Having worked from attic to cellar, Jackson had just eaten a copious number of brownies Grammy forced on him. Oh, Jackie! What an industrious little boy you are! Have another brownie…
After a pot of black coffee and a belly full of brownies, Jackson was galvanized to tackle the dank cellar. The first few boxes were with junk. Then the third box yielded treasure.
An old camera from long ago era, 1870s maybe Civil War? Riveted by the tin-type photos carefully labeled with names, Jackson could pick out physical resemblances in his own generation.
Jackson froze when one branch of the family turned and headed to here-to-fore hidden family names, absent from family conversations. One of the great-great-grandfathers was Amos Lee, a black soldier; his black wife, Martha Lee held a child on her lap…Jackson Lee.
It was a page turner. Tin-types led to Seneca tribes in New York and then onto Oneida tribes, over to Lakota.
Well, that’s a hell of a thing…Jackson smiled. Trees must have deep roots.
Well, that’s a hell of a thing…Jackson smiled. Trees must have deep roots.
This is a Wednesday Word post, words chosen by Delores back in November 2014. Always fun to play and toss around, writing whatever comes to mind.
For any who haven't experienced wandering down into a cellar, you must try it sometime.
Actually, that looks scary. I think I'll leave that to those who are braver than I. Enjoyed the story, though.
ReplyDeleteGoing down into that cellar is not on my bucket list.
DeleteSadly the only family I knew who had real roots were before my time. My family it seems were gypsies, hanging no place over 3 years and losing much history on the way. This is a fantasy of mine, to find that attic or cellar with a treasure of history.
ReplyDeleteLove the story, as always you hold my attention.
Serry & jack where Florida's weather can't make up its mind. ;-)
Our family came from England to Illinois in the early 1800s. Fortunately, they settled and farmed.
DeleteMy own little family were the travelers.
No cellars here.
ReplyDeleteAnd sadly no family roots either.
To discover surprising family info would be astounding.
DeleteHe found a true treasure. He learned more about his family and himself.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could find a trunk of family photos and treasures.
DeleteI love it! It's a shame that such stories, probably more prevalent than we realize, get lost.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Squirreled away in every home is a collection of family history.
DeleteAh, the exciting trip down the Ancestry rabbit hole
ReplyDeleteIt is a collection of warrens connected to each other.
DeleteGrandma's family i could probably mostly trace. Grandpa's, well, we'd have to go back to the old country, and i have no clue how far we would get.
ReplyDeleteSame here. Going back to Ireland or Scotland to find someone just isn't going to happen.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have cellars here in Australia, none that I know about anyway. How wonderful that he found more branches on his family tree, hidden branches, but family all the same.
ReplyDeleteIn the Midwest, cellars were used for storing canned food and a safe place from Tornadoes.
DeleteI tried cleaning out a cellar like this once for my aunt. Webs inhabited by pale white spiders, a half-inch solid of dirt on the floor (which was brick, I discovered), and a couple ancient beer caps for my collection.
ReplyDeleteWhoa. That cellar had been untouched in decades +!
DeleteOnly storage for Falstaff cases...
DeleteFalstaff! I grew up in Illinois, went to St. Louis MO many many times. Never had any of that beer, tho.
DeleteThat picture looks just like the steps to my grandma's basement! It held her deep freeze, a wringer washer for my grandpa's work clothes from the lead mines, and a corner shower for him to clean up. Also racks of canned goods, her dill pickles being my favorite. I didn't look into the other stuff down there. I was fascinated enough with what I mentioned. I think we kids only went down there to get pickles, or ice cream out of the freezer.
ReplyDeleteWow! that is one heck of a cellar!
Deletewe don't have basement here but i did job as baby sitter and lived in a basement room once for month
ReplyDeletei did not like being underground anyway
loved the story ,your way of telling story is splendid :)
I can understand that.
DeleteI imagine a cellar would be packed with memories. Alas, as you know, we don't really have cellars in California.
ReplyDeleteNo, earthquakes can do some real damage.
Delete