“Put me in a library,
hand me a book about history and a cup of tea.
Then leave me alone.”
Famous quote, you
ask? No, it is mine.
Concise and precise yet rich with imagination and life,
this is how I feel about history and things with a history attached to
them.
 |
| Pike County Courthouse, Pittsfield, IL |
I “inherited” or “liberated”
a book from my mother’s house, with her permission. It is The History of Pike County, Illinois,
and it is dry reading for the most part.
However, it is filled with entries such as this:
Jacob
Fesler, farmer, sec. 30; P.O., Eldara; was born in
Clark county, Ky., June 8, 1821; came to Pike county in 1835 and settled on
sec. 19; he owns 320 acres of land, worth $35 per acre. Oct. 15, 1846, he married Zerilda Lyons, and
their 6 children are: Sarah C., born Aug. 27, 1848; Henry A., Aug. 4, 1850;
Adelpha, Nov. 28, 1853; Jane Ann, May 25, 1856; John R., Aug. 2, 1860; Emma E.,
Jan. 15, 1863. Both are members of the
M.E. Church South, and Mr. F. is a Mason, and in politics a Democrat.
While this entry and
others like it are pretty summary in the treatment of Jacob Fesler’s life, it
still speaks volumes all on its own. The
stuff of life.
Bring me another cup
of tea! If you please!
P.S. I am still out and about with my hubby on vacation. Please feel free to leave comments, but I will be unable to respond. Enjoy June!
