Martin Van Buren, sinner or saint?

  

This an extremely old photo. shows "Mart Shive" It must be in the 1880s. 

 Remnants of the family stories trickle down generations.  As with all stories, there are bits of truth and imagination interjected throughout.

Incredibly, family patriarch and provider of his large clan Martin Van Buren Shive

 spoke, said, and did every blessed thing the stories passed down insisted.

The bastard was a spiteful old sinner…cranky does not begin to describe his temper…words that son of a bitch could say…his wife would weep at the vile vernacular when Martin exploded in one of his rages…

This is the family line. 

 

Many more true tales hovered about.  Subsequently, at Martin Van Buren Shive internment, over six hundred town residents gathered around the grave to hear final words from the Baptist preacher.

 

Then, one by one, each passed by the mound of dirt, either to toss black dirt or to spit on it.  Some spoke words in their own vernacular, expressing heart-felt wishes.  One frequently used phrases were “May you rot in hell" or "Thank you for all you did for our country" or....

   . 

My great-great-great Grandfather was Martin Van Buren Shive. The Christian name is a family name, why I don't know.

 Apparently, my description of this patriarch of the family is accurate according to my aunt who told all sorts of random stories. She also said that he was one mean sonofabitch, some gave him some praise is that he fought in the battles of Bull Run, Shiloh, and more battles during the Civil War.

 He eventually was injured in the leg, sent home to Illinois. He lived in constant pain, which might have contributed to his personality, or if he was always a sonofabitch.

600 people did not show up  to his funeral.  More like 50. 

 Italicized words come from Wednesday Words from 2015.  These were created by Delores who started the writing challenge. After doing battle with her computer, she felt it was time to pass the baton.  

Each Wednesday, some brilliant bloggers post the unrelated words.

These people are   myjustsostory.blogspot.com with Elephant's Child,    

http://river-driftingthroughlife.blogspot.com  with River.

  Next month, March  will be my contributions. Guess what I will provide?