2015 ~ Saturday, April 25, Tuscumbia Oakwood Cemetery Confederate Soldiers Tuscumbia, Al

Today I went to the Civil War Walking Tour of Oakwood Cemetery, where I missed the speech about Colonial Deshler.
I was just in time for the reading about Colonial William Johnson, who served in Rodney's 4th Alabama Cavalry during the Civil War.
William's brother, Major Dick Johnson, was mortally wounded at a battle in Moulton, Alabama.
His brother, JE Johnson, died a POW at Rock Island Prison in Illinois.
William and Dick are buried in Tuscumbia's Oakwood Cemetery, but their brother JE is buried in Illinois.

There are Civil War markers for all three men in this cemetery.

Major Dick Johnson KIA  July 9, 1864, & his brother, JE Johnson, who died  in the Rock Island Prison in Illinois

Three brothers fought in the Civil War, but only one came home. The Civil War caused much grief for the Johnson Family.

Colonial William Johnson Tombstone

Our next visit was to Arthur Henry Keller, Helen Keller's father. He enlisted in 1861 as a private in the Confederate Army.

 He was detailed as a quartermaster-sergeant under Dr. D. R. Lindsay, of Twenty-seventh Alabama, stationed at Fort Henry. 
He had charge of the stores, and after they were destroyed at Florence, he was assigned temporarily to the staff of Gen. Sterling Wood. 

Arthur Keller Family Cemetery, but Helen Keller is buried in Washington's National Cathedral.

In July 1862, he joined General Roddy's cavalry as a private, and in September of that year rejoined his old regiment as quartermaster at Vicksburg, with which he remained until July 1864, when he was made paymaster of General Roddy's division of cavalry, a position he held to the close of the war. 

Captain Arthur H. Kelley, F & S Alabama Infantry in the CSA, born February 5, 1836, died August 29, 1896

It was said that at the Battle of Franklin, November 30, 1864, Keller was severely wounded in the neck and was almost thrown into a grave, with all the Confederate soldiers that died that day, but someone heard the faint sounds coming from Mr Keller. 
Mr. Keller returned to Tuscumbia and worked at the newspaper in downtown Tuscumbia until August 29, 1896, when he passed away.

This beautiful young woman portrayed Helen Keller.

Arthur Keller and his daughter Helen 

From a distance, it was pointed out that Bob Wheeler, a color bearer, was killed at the Battle of Franklin.

Bob Wheeler CO B 35 Alabama Infantry CSA

Our last stop was the graves of the Unknown Soldiers who were KIA during the Civil War.
So many men lost their lives during the Civil War, and many parents and siblings never knew where the body of their son or brother was buried. So hard to close the book on one's life when we do not know where they were laid to rest or how they died.

Grave of Unknown Soldiers

All the markers have been replaced with new markers and were ordered at the same place as the original markers.

I would like to thank Colbert County Tourism and everyone who took part in all the Civil War Walking Tours. I enjoyed them very much; they bring our past to life. It makes us stop to thank God and our countrymen for the freedom we have today.

👣👣👣👣 2015 ~ Saturday, April 18, Tuscumbia Civil War Walking Tour and Florence Civil War Trolley Tours

Started the morning with the Civil War walking tour of Tuscumbia. Everyone met at Cold Water Book Store at 10 AM where we were told a little history of Tuscumbia. Everyone walked up the street following our guide. She told us a little history about the early settlers, the train, and the many hotels that were built in Tuscumbia.

This building was once a three-story hotel

The hotels were used as a stopover when someone was traveling by train because at that time there was no train depot to wait in.
We walked up the road to the First Baptist Church the minister was there just getting ready to unlock the door when he asked everyone if we would like to look inside where we were invited inside to look around.  Took several pictures and told about a man who wanted to become a member of the church but when he got up to sing his pants were caught in the crack of the bench. At the end of the service, several men had to sit on either side of him so he could get his pants unhung from the benches. Later he would become a member and buy padding for the church benches.

First Baptist Church Tuscumbia

First Baptist Church Tuscumbia

First Baptist Church Tuscumbia

We thanked the minister who so graciously let us view the church and take pictures.

We saw several old homes and our final stop was the Cooper Rand Home.

Old historic home in Tuscumbia

Cooper Rand Home

The new home to our hostess where she read from a copy of Major Samuel Jones's journal.

Reading from Samuel Jones's journal/diary

The walk spilled over into 11:30 so many people disbursed into small groups and headed back to their cars. I had to be somewhere else so I walked back to my car.
I saw many beautiful flowers in bloom and a Japanese Maple Tree.

Azaleas in full bloom

Azaleas in full bloom

Japanese Maple Tree.

The traffic was terrible crossing the O'Neal Bridge because the bridge was being repaired.

O'Neal Bridge being repaired

O'Neal Bridge being repaired

At 12:30 PM at the Visitor Center, there was another Civil War Tour but this one was on a trolley.

Thank goodness because I had walked many blocks and my legs and knees were beginning to hurt.
We were served muffins, and water while we listened to Lee talk about Florence in the Civil War.

Civil War Leaders 

Everyone got onto the trolley after paying $15 each the money is being used to fund students who are interested in attending UNA to study History. A scholarship fund and the trolley were full I think forty people.
Our first stop was the Confederate Monument in front of the Lauderdale County courthouse, as we rode down Court Street we were told that the original street was 115 feet wide.

Confederate Monument with victims of violent crime crosses all around the monument

Our next stop was the First Presbyterian Church where William H. Mitchell preached and was arrested by Union soldiers and taken to Union POW camp in Alton, Il.

 First Presbyterian Church

Our next stop was the former location of the Presbyterian Female Synodical College which now stands at the US Post Office and Federal Courthouse.
We were told about the Marshal/Campbell house the burying down of the first Florence Lodge and the location of the new lodge.
We stopped at the Wakefield Mitchell the oldest house in Florence.

Wakefield Mitchell

We stopped at the former home of Lawyer Edward Ashbury O'neal.
We stopped at the Simpson House and Courtview Roger Hall both are now part of UNA.
We waved at the curator and Confederate soldier at Pope's Tavern.

 The Confederate soldier at Pope's Tavern.

The driver took us up close to Florence Wesleyan which looks very much like a castle and our last stop was Col Richard Orrick Pickett House built around 1833.

Florence Wesleyan Hall

We rode past a very old home-place near Pine Street but I never heard the name called.

Last stop house

We returned to the Visitor Center and everyone got off the trolley.
I rode back by the last stop to get a better picture then stopped at Dairy Queen for Vanilla ice cream in a waffle cone.

Vanilla Ice Cream Waffle Cone at Dairy Queen

On the way home I stopped at Rich's and bought a pound of barbq pork and a tea.
It has been a long day so I lay on the futon and rested.
I finally uploaded my pictures.

2015 ~Sunday, April 12, Spending the day with grandson's at UNA, & Florence Library!

I took the boys with me to church. After church, we ate lunch at Zaxby's. I ordered a Zaxby's Snack Meal with salad, no fries. Nevada ordered a Kickin' Chicken sandwich meal, and Montana ordered hot wings with fries. 

The place was packed; I think everyone got out of the church at the same time, even Arby's was packed.

Then, on our way to the target, we rode to UNA to see the two lions, LEO and UNA. While they were resting, they both moved at the same time to get into the shade.

Leo the male lion

UNA, the female lion

I stopped to take pictures of the flowing fountain, the historic buildings, the colorful tulips, and the flowering white & pink dogwood trees.

Tulips

Dogwood Trees

I took the boys to see the new science building at UNA. The building was so big that I couldn't walk far enough back to capture the entire structure in one picture.

Science Center UNA

We rode to the Florence Lauderdale Public Library, where the boys played on the computer, and I listened to James Parker talk about From the Cumberland to the Gulf: Tennessee Troops traversing the Alabama County during the War of 1812.
There were many items about the War of 1812 on display at the library. 

War 1812 Hat

Cup used in the War of 1812

7th US Infantry Soldier

7th US Infantry Soldier

Sword of Colonel Daniel Newnan, Georgia Volunteers

This concluded the series about the War of 1812.

I took the boys home and dropped by to see Mike and Hannah.
For supper, my husband brought home Chinese food from New China Chinese Restaurant.
I ate 2 shrimp egg rolls and a chocolate-covered custard donut. My husband ate sesame chicken, white rice, and soup; he had enough leftovers for his lunch.
We spent a quiet afternoon relaxing and watching television.

2015 ~ Saturday April 14, Walking Tour, Car Show, Tuscumbia, Al, Grand Opening at CE Pools, & Krisby Kreme Treats

We cooked pancakes and eggs for breakfast, then everyone got ready, and we rode to Rogers High School for the car show.
I thought it started at 8 A.M., but it started at 10 A.M., so we rode to Tuscumbia, where we rode through the park, stopping to visit with Bobbie and Sherry, who always walk in Spring Park.
We were still too early for the walk, so we rode to the Round House and Train Depot.

We saw this rock face at Cold Water Book Store.

I parked and we walked to Cold Water Book Store, where the boys bought a coffee, a cookie, and a brownie.

We left on our Civil War tour at 10 A.M., walking up Main Street to the courthouse, where our guide, Buddy Whitlock, spoke about the Civil War, the Colbert County Courthouse, and the brick house across the street.
He said it was now owned by the adjoining church, and it has an underground tunnel leading into the kitchen from the attached outhouse, which is still standing.

He also mentioned the Deshler family, the loss of Mrs. Deshler, the loss of his young daughter from an unknown illness, the drowning of one son while attending a military college, West Point, and the other son killed during the Civil War; both sons attended West Point.
Mr. Deshler built a girls' school, with no heir; everything he owned he left to the city of Tuscumbia.
There was no room for expansion, so the school was moved up the street to the Winston Family homeplace, and land was donated to the school.
The school name remained the same, "DESHLER".

Picture of Deshler School I took in 2009
This is the Winston House 
We walked to The First Presbyterian Church, built in 1827 and Alabama's oldest house of continuous worship in the Georgian Gothic style.

Helen Keller was baptized in this church in 1880.
The former slave gallery is preserved and offers balcony seating.

Mr. Whitlock talked about the church's history, and afterward, we listened to a local artist play "Lorena" on the banjo.

Lorena is a song loved by both Union and Confederate Soldiers.
Oh, the years creep slowly by, Lorena,
The snow is on the ground again.
The sun's low down in the sky, Lorena,
The frost gleams where the flowers have been.
But the heart beats on as warmly now,
As the summer days were nigh.
Oh, the sun can never dip so low
A-down affection's cloudless sky.
A hundred months have passed, Lorena,
Since last, I held that hand in mine,
And felt the pulse beat fast, Lorena,
Though mine beat faster far than thine.
A hundred months, 'twas flowery May,
When up the hilly slope we climbed,
To watch the dying of the day,
And hear the distant church bells chime.
We loved each other then, Lorena,
Far more than we ever dared to tell;
And what we might have been, Lorena,
Had but our loving prospered well --
But then, 'tis past, the years are gone,
I'll not call up their shadowy forms;
I'll say to them, "Lost years, sleep on!
Sleep on! Nor heed life's pelting storms."
The story of that past, Lorena,
Alas! I care not to repeat,
The hopes that could not last, Lorena,
They lived, but only lived to cheat.
I would not cause e'en one regret
To rankle in your bosom now;
For "if we try, we may forget,"
Were words of thine long years ago.
Yes, these were words of thine, Lorena,
They burn within my memory y.t;
They touched some tender chords, Lorena,
Which thrill and tremble with regret.
'Twas not thy woman's heart that spoke;
Thy heart was always true to me:
A duty, stern, and pressing broke
The tie which linked my soul with thee.
It matters little now, Lorena,
The past is in the eternal past.
Our heads will soon lie low, Lorena,
Life's tide is ebbing out so fast.
There is a Future! OH, thank God!
Of life, this is so small a part!
'Tis dust to dust beneath the sod;
But there, up there, 'tis heart to heart.
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When the music ended, everyone walked inside to take a look at the interior.
A woman was playing the piano, and all I could see was the top of her head.
We were told that the pipe organs above us are still used today.

Pipe Organs

Playing the piano

walking down the steps from the balcony

We were allowed to walk up the stairs to the balcony.

In the 1800s, Tuscumbia was a thriving town with at least three hotels.
The Pink Palace Restaurant was one of the old hotels that people enjoyed in the 1800s.

The Pink Palace Restaurant was once a hotel where visitors to Tuscumbia stayed.

 We stopped at Krispy Cream for donuts and on to CE Pools for their grand opening, where we enjoyed hamburgers, Cokes, chips, and Dianne's famous banana pudding. 

Donuts from Krispy Kreme 

Then onto the car show at Rogers High School, which ended at 2 P.M., and I thought it ended at 3 P.M. Several cars had already left, but we still saw quite a few. 

Montana in the MG

Nevada in the MG

Nevada and Montana got to sit in an MG Sports Car owned by Linda and John McCoy. Thanks, Linda and John, for letting the boy sit in your car. After a long, fun day, we came home, the boys on one computer and me on another. 

We had a great day.