Funeral Program Friday - Cousin Bunt

Bernice Hosch Pebbles

July 7, 1928 - July 12, 2014

Of all my mother's paternal first cousins who passed this past year, it was her cousin Bernice's passing, that seem to strike me the hardest. Born in the same year, separated by three months a a few days, my mother and Bunt were essentially the same age and as far back as I can remember, always seemed very close.

As mom explained it to me, she and her brothers and sisters tended to buddy up with their Hosch first cousins based on age. So, it only made sense that she and cousin Bunt would have been the two that bonded. 

During my lifetime, I remember them writing each other, exchanging pictures of their children and in Cousin Bunt's case, grandchildren. I think this meant a lot to mom and especially cousin Bunt. Her daughter Pamela, whom I had never met prior to the funeral, thanked mom for all the correspondence with her mother through the years and told mom how much they meant to cousin Bunt.

After we got word that Cousin Bunt had passed, both mom and I recalled one of our most favorite times of visiting with Cousin Bunt and her family, Mom, Dad, and I were on the way back home from dad's college Alma Mater homecoming. Cousin Bunt's house was on the way home, and mom wanted to stop by and visit with her cousin. While there, her youngest daughter, at the request of dad the former band director, played her flute for us. Remembering that was a wonderful and precious remembrance and one I'll probably never forget even though at the time that it happened I think I was being a brat.

Cousin Bunt was laid to rest in the same cemetery where her parents and several of her siblings are interred.

And with Cousin Bunt's passing, it also brings the realization that mom only has one paternal first cousin left. And even though that is heart breaking but I'm also thankful that mom has gotten an opportunity to reconnect with her first cousins over these past few years and see most of them in person.

RIP Cousin Bunt. You will be sorely missed.

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Funeral Card Friday is part of an ongoing series that was started by Dee of Funeral Cards & Genealogy.

Cousin Bernice's "Bunt" Funeral Program is part of my personal collection. In posting her funeral program, and due to privacy concerns, I chose to black out the names of her children and grandchildren.

Motivation Monday - October 2014

You know, even though I came no where close to meeting my September goals, and we are already almost half way through October, overall, I feel okay about my Genealogy activities during the month of September. I will say that most of those activities were performed on the paternal side of my family and you will be able to read about them, once I get them posted, on Conversations With My Ancestors.

So, the only goal that I seem to have gotten accomplished is I got back to blogging even if all my blogging was done using memes. But hey, it's a start to finally be seeming to get back into the groove.

Blogging wise, my goal was to do a minimum of 2 posts, not including Motivation Monday, for the month of September and I actually got 2 posts done. So, for the month of October, I hope to expand upon that and get three posts done, outside of Motivation Monday posts. But folks, I'm warning you ahead of time that most of these will probably be memes but like I said earlier, it's a way to begin again.

And yes, I still have those other two goals that have been hanging around for over a year and maybe I will get them done during the next month and a half.

In case you have forgot what they were.

In the area of Organization

1. Get the Office / Craft room back in order
2. Start organizing and making sure my citations are in order for my individual files

BTW, since we are already half way through October and I have tons on my plate, I'm giving myself until the end of November to get both of these accomplished, but hopefully, I will at least have made some progress by the end of October.

And in the area of actually getting back to the Research

1. Read Slave Genealogy: A Research Guide with Case Studies by David H. Streets.

It occurred to me last month that I might have already read this but since I don't remember anything about it, I think even if I did already read it that it wouldn't hurt to go through it again.

Funeral Program Friday - Cousin Doris

On March 23rd, our family lost another of my mother's paternal first cousins, Doris Hosch Pulliam Greer.

In the past few years, partly thanks to me, mom and Cousin Doris had reconnected and were constantly calling each other. I too looked forward to being around Cousin Doris. She was a dear and sweet older cousin and if she was able, would do anything she could to help.

She was just as crazy about her nieces and nephews as she was her own children, grandchildren and great grands, and I swear she probably knew each and every one of her approximately 100 nieces and nephews.

On the back of the funeral one of the pictures included in the program is of Cousin Doris and Mom (in the blue T-shirt and hat).

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Funeral Card Friday is part of an ongoing series that was started by Dee of Funeral Cards & Genealogy.

Cousin Doris' Funeral Program is part of my personal collection. In posting Cousin Doris' Program, I chose to black the location of members of her family.

Sunday's Obituary - Gwendolyn Hosch Hunter

This past year, my mother lost three of her remaining four first cousins on my grandfather's side of the family. Today and again on upcoming Funeral Program Friday(s), I will post about these three women. Two of whom my mother was very close to.

Sunday's Obituary is a weekly blogging meme that was started by Leslie Ann of Ancestors Live Here.

Gwendolyn H. Hunter

MOCKSVILLE - Gwendolyn Hosch Hunter, 82, died Nov. 20, 2013, 
in Taylorsville.

Mrs. Hunter is survived by son John Hunter of Detroit; two daughters, 
Carolyn and Renee Hunter of Detroit; brother Graham Hosch of
Mocksville; and two sisters, Doris Greer of Salisbury and 
Bernice Peebles of Winston-Salem.

Service: 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24 in the chapel of Graham Funeral Home,
Mocksville. Rev. Shirley Timmons will officiate and burial will 
follow in Boxwood Baptist Church Cemetery. 

Visitation: The family will receive friends 30 minutes before the service.

Graham Funeral Home of Mocksville is serving the family.

Published in Salisbury Post on Nov. 22, 2013

The obituary for cousin Gwendolyn was obtained via Legacy.com.

Motivation Monday - September 2014 Goals

You know, since my father died in 2011, I've found myself on several occasions declaring I was ready to get back to my research. I can't guarantee that this time will be any different than those previous attempts to find my way back to the research and blogging but it feels like something is finally happening.

For one, while attending the funeral of my Aunt Dorothy this past weekend, I actually grabbed my camera and took it with me to photograph the tombstones of relatives that I knew were buried in this particular cemetery. So, I'm praying, hopping and taking that as a sign that I'm finally back.

So, let's try once again, to set a few monthly goals and yes most all of these are the same ones from back in April.

Blogging

1. Write a minimum of two posts for the month.

Organization

1.  Get Office / Craft Room back in order. Unlike back in April, I can at least move around in the room, and I have done some decluttering / organization since April but there is still a lot to do to get the room back in order. Goal Date: September 6, 2014
2. Organize and make sure citations are in order for the individual folders that I have for myself and my parents. Goal Date: September 27, 2014

Reading

1. Read Slave Genealogy: A Research Guide with Case Studies by David H. Streets. I purchased this book last year but can't remember if I ever got around to reading it. Since I'm back to this time period on most of my lines, I'm hoping that this reading will help me develop other approaches in finding my enslaved ancestors. Goal Date: September 20, 2014

I should add that I did get part of one goal from my April Goals accomplished, which was doing the Patriclan Test from African Ancestry on my Maternal Grandfather's line. I received the results this past week and will hopefully reveal them during the upcoming week.

Tombstone Tuesday

John Amos is the son of my grandfather's cousin, Eli Hush.

The picture of the tombstone for John Amos Hush and his wife Cleola Charles Hush was obtained via FindaGrave and taken by S. L. Bradley

The Book of Me Written By You, Prompt 17 - Toys and Games

The Book of Me Written by You is a 15 month project that was started by Julie Goucher of Anglers Rest and consist of a series of weekly prompts to prompt us to take about our personal journey through life. You can read more about the project here.

Prompt 17 is Toys and Games and the instructions for this prompt are

• Can you remember your first toy or game?
• Do you still have it?
• Who did you play it with?
• Did you play board games?
• Have you inherited any of your family games & toys?
• Share some pictures if you would like to?

I had a variety of toys and games growing up. The first one that I truly remember was my Betsy Wetsy Doll. Betsy was the start of in addition to making my clothes as well as her own, my mother also had to make clothes for the dolls. I had the best dressed dolls in the neighborhood. 

Although not with me, I actually still have most of my dolls. They are in my old toy chest back at my childhood home. That is provided my mother hasn't gotten rid of them. But they were there the last time I checked.

One of my favorite games was Fascination

(Picture obtained via eBay)

This game contained the tower, which indicated who won, and the two boards which had a maze on each side. Each player had 3 balls with the object of getting them from the middle of the maze to the three holes at the top of the board. The game required two players and you were racing against the person you were playing against to get your balls in the 3 holes first. As an only child, I of course played this game many times with my parents. I also had fun playing it with my friends and cousins. Is it still around, last time I checked it was still in the basement at the childhood home but my mother has been thinking about moving back into our home and has done some major cleaning out of the basement, so I've no clue if it's still around or not.

I actually have an inherited family game, via dad's side of the family. It's called The Magnetic Bible Quiz. It was at Aunt Martha's house and the Jones grandkids played it often when we gathered at Aunt Martha's house during the summer months.

The object of the game was to take the bishop / shepherd (sorry I really never knew which one it was, maybe neither) figurine and place it in the little cup on the left. These are the questions, the player would turn the figure to a question and then try to answer the question. The figurine has a pin in one hand that you point at the question. Then you place the figurine in the spot on the right where it provided the correct answer.

There are several sheets with questions and answers that were provided with the game. I always thought it was the coolest thing even if it was a bit challenging as a child. It was just fun spending time with the cousins.

Tombstone Tuesday

I'm a bit late on this post but like I'm always saying, better late than never.

Granddaughter of my Grand Uncle, Will Hosch, which makes Miss Annie Ruth my second cousin. I don't ever remember meeting Annie Ruth but since reconnecting with some of my Grand Uncle's descendants during the past five years, I've had a chance to meet some of Annie Ruth's children.

The picture of my cousin Annie Ruth's tombstone was obtained via FindaGrave.

Motivation Monday - Goals for April 2014

Things have finally seemed to settle down some in my life, so once again, I'm making an attempt to get back to my research and my blogs.

I thought I would revive trying to set monthly goals for myself. I'll admit some of the goals have been around for a long time but hopefully, I can finally make some progress on them this month.

Blogging

1. Write a minimum of 1 post per week.

Organization

1. Organize and makes sure that citations are in order for my folder, mom's folder, and dad's folder. As state in previous posts I keep folders for individuals as well as families but I need to better organize these and make sure that that citations are done correctly, etc. Goal Date: April 19, 2014
2. Get office / craft room back in order. This room has been in a upheaval since last year when I had new flooring installed. I can barely move around in this room much less get things out to do research. Goal Date: April 26, 2014

Research

1. Write a research plan for determining / confirming the last owner of my 2nd great grandparents, Jasper and Jane Pierce. Goal Date: April 12, 2014
2. Submit request for latest DNA testing. I've finally decided to do testing with African Ancestry DNA. My goal is to get maternal grandfather's yDNA and maternal grandmother mtDNA. Hopefully, I'll have the funds to do this this month. If I can't get both done, I'll at the least get granddad's done. Goal Date: April 30, 2014

The Book of Me Written by You, Prompt 16 - Message in a Bottle

The Book of Me Written by You is a 15 month project that was started by Julie Goucher of Anglers Rest and consist of a series of weekly prompts to prompt us to take about our personal journey through life. You can read more about the project here.

Message in a Bottle picture obtained from
http://www.messageinabottlepoetrymagazine.com

Prompt 16 is Message in a Bottle and the instructions for this prompt are as follows:

• If you were to physically write or virtually write a message to place into a bottle what would you write?
• Do you live by the sea and are able to potentially throw into the Ocean? Or perhaps a river
• Do you feel strongly that you would not "litter" in this way - in which case you may complete the task virtually
• What would you like to happen with the message?
• Do you hope it is picked up somewhere, miles from home?
• Are you going to create a secret email account in case it is picked up and someone emails you?
• Or would you like to write an anonymous note to someone that you know?
• Or write a message to a deceased love one?

I guess it comes from watching old episodes of Gilligan's Island when I was a child, but I've always thought the message in a bottle was the coolest thing.

I've always imagined myself stranded on a desert island  and the only form of communication being to place a message requesting HELP in a bottle and to toss it in the ocean. However, reality dictates that while I live in a state that has a coastline along the Atlantic Ocean, my most likely means of communicating via message in a bottle is to toss it into the Catawba River.

Picture of Catawba River obtained

via Wikipedia

I'm not sure what message I would put in the bottle other than to state that if you find this please contact me. My biggest interest would be in seeing how far the bottle traveled and who would retrieve it and contact me. I'm envisioning that my bottle wouldn't travel very far, getting caught up in one of the many dams along the river, but it would still be a fascinating adventure and I would like to communicate with whoever pulled it from the waters of the Catawba.

The Book of Me Written by You - Prompt 15, Snow

I don't think I'll ever get caught up, and yes I'm still struggling to get back to the Genealogy but since I'm supposed to give a presentation, again, at this year's family reunion, I guess I better get my hiney in gear.

But first, let's try to do a few other post today.

The Book of Me Written by You is a series of weekly prompts for a 15 month project started by Julie Goucher of Anglers Rest.

I came in on the middle of this project with a goal of getting back to blogging as well as my research and as I've already mentioned, I'm still struggling with both.

Prompt #15 involves Snow. Yes, I know it's spring in my area but a lot of folks are still dealing with the white powdery stuff, so it's still good to write about.

The instructions for this prompt are as follows:

• Do you live in an area where you routinely have snow?
• How old were you when you first saw snow?
• Do you remember it?
• Did you make snowmen?
• Throw Snowballs
• Sledge Rides
• What is the image that first came to mind when you read snow?
• What does snow
• feel like
• smell like
• how do you see snow

It's funny that when I initially read this prompt, way back in February, North Carolina has just gone through Snowmeggedon 2014.

While the part of North Carolina that I've lived most of my life, Foothills and Piedmont, doesn't get a lot of snow, we do get snow from time to time.

Although my mother tells me there was snow on the ground the night I was born, I really don't remember any snowfalls until I started school. Growing up, I always looked forward to snowfalls because here in the South, snowfalls meant days off from school. And yes, sometimes we got enough snowfall, that you could build a snowman. I have fond memories of my dad and I building snowmen through the years.

I also remember the back to back years that it snowed on the 3rd day of Spring when I was in elementary school.

In 2010, I experienced my first ever white Christmas. You would have thought that I would have experienced this during the time I moved out of state to Colorado but instead I experienced it right here in my home state.

Here's my little four-legged wonder trying to maneuver around in the snow that year.

And every once in awhile, we get the mother lode. This past winter was one of those crazy winters throughout the country. I don't think any area of the country was spared and during the week of February 10th, North Carolina got a snow fall like it hadn't seen in years, and which I and a lot of others have affectionately called Snowmeggedon 2014. It didn't help that I was having a medical procedure right at the start of this mess. All I can say is thank goodness for taxis.

Here are my collection of pictures from Snowmeggedon 2014.

I've always enjoyed the eery quiteness that often follows a snow storm. It brings a chance for self reflection, peace, and quiet, after which it's time to get outside and start clearing your driveway.

*****

All pictures are from the collection of the owner of this blog.

The Book of Me, Written By You - Prompt 14 - Special People

I'm on a mini roll today. This is going to be my second blog post in a day.

This one is similar to the one for Prompt 13. The difference this time is that we can invite family. Yahoo!

The instructions are as follows:

If you had to hold a dinner party and could invite a maximum of 12 people, who would you invite?

This time, you can include family.

What meals would you serve and why

Perhaps include the recipe or a photo if you decided to actually cook the items!

*****

You know I think I actually need more than 12 invitations but here goes.

The first person I would invite would be my Dad. I've missed him terribly since his earthly journey ended. I also would like to ask him all about his childhood. I was finally starting to ask him about his younger days, and I ache to know more. Dad nor his siblings talked a lot about their childhood.

Invitation #2 goes to Mom. She's more than mom, she's friend cheerleader, etc.

Invites 3-6, go to my grandparents starting with my paternal grandfather, Harry Claudius Jones. I never knew my paternal grandfather. I have so many questions that I would like to ask him but more than anything I would've like to have a relationship with him in the same way that I did with my maternal grandfather. I like to think that granddaddy Jones would've mellowed out by the time I came along and that I, being his youngest grandchild would have had him wrapped around my finger.

My grandmothers, Mary Pierce Hosch and Iola Everett Jones, were around during my early years but but because I was so young when they died, I didn't really get a chance to know them.

My maternal grandfather, Oscar Lucillous "LC" Hosch, like with my dad, I just want to spend more time with. I want to hear more of the stories of his life in Georgia. 

My maternal great grandmother, Fannie of the many last names (maternal grandmother's mom) receives Invitation #7. I never knew great grandmomma Fannie. For that matter, her granddaughter, my mother, never knew her either. This would be the perfect opportunity  to ask her exactly what her maiden name was and to find out all about her mysterious life.

Paternal great grandmomma Martha Jones, you receive Invitation #8. Grandma Martha is granddaddy Claudius' biological mother, and she's an even greater mystery than grandmomma Fannie. She could provide so much information, I would hope, about that line of my family.

I would also like to meet some of my far flung cousins that I've discovered as a result of my blogging but the main 3 that I would like to meet are Little Irene, Viola, and Cornell.  Little Irene (second cousin once removed) and Viola (3rd cousin once removed) are descendants of maternal grand and great grand aunts. Cornell  is a paternal 3rd cousin once removed and descends from my great grand uncle. That takes care of 10-11.

I decided that Invitation #12 would go to someone outside the family but who has a strong connection to my family. I would like to invite Pat, great granddaughter of Henry Hosch, last slave owner of my maternal great grandfather, Barto Hosch, and my maternal 2nd great grandmother, Matilda Hosch. Pat, who lives one county over from me, and I have been saying for years that we would like to meet each other but we've yet to do it. This would be a perfect time to get together.

Dinner would consist of some old favorites. Cornbread, Pinto Beans, Fried Chicken, Collard Greens, Macaroni and Cheese, Green Beans, Pound Cake, Sweet Tea, and Buttermilk. Yum!

The Book of Me, Written by You - Prompt 13 - Who's Coming to Dinner

Hi all, I'm finally back. What a hectic and crazy start to 2014, especially the last 2 weeks.

I got the latest round of health care items taken care of, which was follow-up to all the crazy health stuff I had going on the second half of 2013. Then this past week right as I was finishing up the latest round of testing, Snowmeggedon 2014 struck. Since I was snowed in, you would think that it would have been a perfect time to catch up with blogging but it never even crossed my mind. I guess I needed things to start thawing out before I tried to get going yet again. So, here I am.

First goal, is to try to get caught up, as much as possible, on the blogging prompts for The Book of Me. When I begin participating in this series, I started with Prompt #12. So, the next prompt is

Prompt 13 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

If you had to hold a dinner party and could invite a maximum of 12 special people,

who would you invite?

You can not include family in this - the special people should be famous or historical people.

What meals would you serve and why?

Perhaps include a recipe or photo if you decided to actually cook the items.

*****

Here is the list of invitees

Jesus - I would like a chance to talk to him face to face in the here and now to understand why he has allowed certain things to happen.

John F. Kennedy - I was a toddler when President Kennedy died, so I don't remember anything about his presidency. I believe I was in 8th grade, when thanks to my mom who was obsessed with the Kennedys, told me about the assassination of JFK. From that point forward, I've always been fascinated by President Kennedy, especially his assassination.

Barack Obama - He's the first politician in a long time that made me want to get involved in the political process beyond just voting.

Shirley Chisholm - Because she was a black woman who decided to make a run for president in the early 1970s, I took notice. She was definitely her own woman.

Reginald Lewis - Even before I decided to go back to school and get an MBA, I was always fascinated with business. In that vain, I loved me some Reginald Lewis and admired and was fascinated by his rise to become at that time the wealthiest black man in America. He had a brilliant mind.

Queen Nzinga - Prior to last year, I had never heard of Queen Nzinga. Even in adult life, I continue to learn about various historical figures. Queen Nzinga was a 17th century African ruler  of the Ndongo and Matamba kingdoms (present day Angola). Queen Nzinga fought for the freedom of her kingdoms against the Portuguese.

(Picture of Queen Nzinga obtained from Amazing Women in History)

Now for the athletes, authors, entertainers, et. al.

Terrell Owens - I don't know what it is about "TO". Although I've always thought he had a nice bod and all, I would never go on a date with him. I'm too old for him for one thing and my fascination with him has never been from that aspect. I've just always imagined that if you were in his entourage, you would have a fun time. 

Toni Morrison

James Baldwin

Peter Sellers - Nothing like a good Pink Panther movie

Rod Sterling - Old reruns of The Twilight Zone got me through collage. My only compliant was that it came on around midnight. For the most part, The Twilight Zone was the only Sci-Fi that I've ever understood.

Romare Bearden - I've always admired his artwork

Picture of Jammin at the Savoy obtained from The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art website.

Well, that completes the list of the invitees. Since my invitees are varied, I've decided that the best meal would be a Progressive dinner. We can start out at my place and let Jesus finish things up.