Author: esteban

Strange and Wonderful

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This week I’ve been traveling through Indiana, making my way to South Bend for a wedding tomorrow morning.

I’ve been doing a little sightseeing along the way, visiting family grave sites and other points of interest.  I’ll write more about that later, but today’s visit to the Kosciusko County Museum and Research Library deserves special mention.

My g-g-grandparents Charles F. and Mary R. Nelson lived in Kosciusko County 150 years ago, so I made a special effort to visit Warsaw, Indiana, the county seat.

The museum is housed in the old county jail, which in itself is a fun visit, but it also contains a research library for genealogical purposes.

A portion of the Nelson related materials

I never expected to find hundreds of pages of research – charts, letters, newspaper clippings, obituaries, marriage and birth notices for the Nelsons of the area going back almost 200 years.

Over a couple of hours, I had a great time looking through the materials and talking with the museum staff.

If you follow my “Civil War Diary of Charles F. Nelson” blog, you may remember that it’s based on my g-g-grandfather’s war diaries.  At one point, we went on a hunt of the museum’s war collection for the original diaries, of which I have a copy.    A reference in one of their catalogs lead us to believe that they are there at the museum, although we could not find them.  It would have been awesome to actually have held them.

 

 

A letter from my grandfather!

Among the files, I found a handwritten letter from my own grandfather – a correspondence with the distantly-related Iva Nelson, who collected most of the research and donated it to the museum.

This letter mentions my parents, my cousins,  my siblings and me!    Who would have thought?

 

It’s a strange and wonderful feeling to visit an ancestral hometown and find yourself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 Quick Takes Friday – Taking Out the Garbage

/ esteban

1.

I’m taking a few days next week to drive to South Bend for a friend’s wedding.  I’m going to take the opportunity to explore central Indiana and visit the graves of two Civil War veterans that I’m related to.    I’ve gone a bit blog happy and created a special one to publish the war diary of my great-great-grandfather C. F. Nelson.   If you’re into history, feel free to peruse http://cfnelson.everythingesteban.com .  His diary is not enormously compelling, at least not in the early months of his diary, but he’s a great almanac for 19th century weather reports!

 

2.

I hate to mention the upcoming presidential election, but since I live in perhaps the reddest of red states, I feel compelled to tell you how ignorant we are of the media blitz being unleashed on the rest of the country.  We have almost no political ads on TV.  We see the occasional ad on some of the national programs, but those are, so far, few and far between.  I feel for those of you in battleground states, but I can’t say that I’m disappointed in the least.

 

3.

My parish does a fantastic job with its annual parish festival.  “MaryFair” brings the whole parish together like no other social event of the year.  This week, they are conducting an online auction.  Saturday evening will be a sold-out benefit dinner with a great live auction.  Sunday will bring everyone together again for a very large parish picnic.   My job has been to make some powerpoint/keynote presentations for the auction on Saturday.  Should be a fun time as long as the weather holds.  What am I saying?  It’s Oklahoma!  We’re doomed now.

 

4.

Several months ago, I committed to an hour of Eucharistic Adoration at 1am every Tuesday morning.  I am forced to admit defeat.  This hour of the night is just never going to work for me.  The 4am hour I had before was much more manageable sleep-wise.   I’ve tried napping before the 1am slot and I’ve tried staying awake.  Either way my schedule on Tuesday gets totally out of whack and I’m a zombie the entire day.  I think I’m just going to have to trade with someone who’s more of a night owl than I am.

 

5.

I just received stickers from the City of Tulsa (where I live) for garbage collection. The city is beginning a new garbage collection system which includes two new large wheeled trash carts, one for household garbage and one for recyclables. The stickers are for bags of household trash that won’t fit into the bin. Other stickers are for yard waste. No sticker, to takee. At 50 cents a bag, this is going to be oh so annoying.

One man was apparently so upset at not having the room necessary to store the new recycling cart that he used his chain saw to chop it into little bits and sent it back to the city.

Oh, this will be a fun transition for folks.

 

6.

Oklahoma has two state fairs each fall.  The State Fair of Oklahoma is in our capital city, Oklahoma City.  Tulsa, my fair city, has the Tulsa State Fair.  No one has ever been able to tell me how we get to have our own, but I do say it’s much better than the one in OKC.

I don’t go that often, but I do have all sorts of memories from my childhood.  One particular day when I spent an inordinate amount of money trying to win a bowie knife as part of some midway game.  I eventually won the knife (I still have it actually) but probably spent at least twice what it was worth.  I also remember one year when my mom went to the livestock barns to look at horses.  She came home with a Llasa Apso puppy.  Dad was not amused, although that dog continues to live in family lore.

I think I’ll go Sunday afternoon, in search of a funnel cake, or a corn dog.

 

7.

My brother is coming to visit this weekend.  I’m off to clean the guest room, arguably the best room in the house.  I’m always a bit jealous of those who get to use that room.  I would stay there myself, but then it wouldn’t be the guest room anymore, would it?

 

Bonus!

I love to take sunset photos.  I had to pull the car over at the top of a hill to take the fiery one you see at the top of the page.  Click here to see the whole image. AMDG!

 

Find other “7 Quick Takes Friday” posts over at ConversionDiary.com

God Save These American States!

/ esteban

I am a sucker for any good book, movie, museum exhibit, national park, or monument whose subject matter is American history.  I’ve been this way from my youngest days when I would have my mom sew flags for me from scraps of cloth.  (I still have a Confederate flag that she made for me, before I knew better.)

Perhaps it’s telling, what with the national elections coming up six weeks from tomorrow, that I just finished watching the splendid, splendid, HBO series “John Adams.”

If you are at all a student of American history, or if you need something to cure the voter apathy that you may be feeling in the weeks leading up to November 6th, I highly encourage you to find this 7-part series and watch it.

Although I’m sure some liberties were taken with the minutiae of the historical details, I think it does give a good overview of the struggles of the Revolution and the way our country was knitted together when independence came.

We need to be reminded of how difficult it was for our nation to survive its early years and how personal honor and compromise were needed.  The relationship between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson is particularly interesting.

I’ve included a few links to Youtube videos that  will give you a taste of just how good this series is.  I hope you’ll find them as inspiring as I do.

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrvpZxMfKaU]

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A38mW2Il48k]

Antietam + 150 Years

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Today I’m reflecting on the Battle of Antietam which took place 150 years ago today.  Also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg, it remains the deadliest day of combat in American history.  Approximately 23,000 Americans, North and South died that day .

The armies of Confederate general Robert E. Lee and Union general George McClellan engaged more than 38,000 troops that day in a battle that could only be regarded as a strategic victory for the Union.

Calling it a victory, President Lincoln used the occasion to issue the momentous Emancipation Proclamation.

Confederate dead at Antietam

 

Such a terrible battle, but only a part of a much more terrible war.  As a student of history it bothers me that our nation takes so little notice of these important days of our history.   Those who fought there deserve to be remembered.

As our nation seems to be fraying again, I wonder if we are headed toward creating new terrible memories amongst our own people.  What a shame if the lessons learned from those who battled at places like Antietam are lost on the current and future generations.

Here are a link to one report on the observances taking place at the Antietam Battlefield today.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/150-years-later-battle-of-antietam-prompts-reflection-on-lives-lost-and-freedom-won/2012/09/17/fac313dc-00bd-11e2-bbf0-e33b4ee2f0e8_story.html

Update:

My friend William Newton told me about this NPR piece about modern day photos of the Antietam Battlefield, using the same type of equipment that Civil War photographer Alexander Gardner used.   It’s pretty fascinating …

http://www.npr.org/2012/09/17/161167847/re-tracing-the-steps-of-a-civil-war-photographer

7 Quick Takes Friday – “Daddy”

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And now for the news …

One

I’m very pensive about all the anti-American violence in the Middle East.  The death and destruction is deplorable and seems to be pushing the whole world closer to a precipice.  Part of what I feel is a real sadness for seemingly decent people who are being manipulated by evil radicals and terrorists.  They are being mislead and misinformed for political gain.

Two

Part of what I feel is a real sadness for the decent American people who are being manipulated by our political parties.  They are being mislead and misinformed for political gain.

Three

I found a new blog over at Patheos.com that I’m really digging.  Public Catholic is written by Rebecca Hamilton.  She’s an Oklahoman (yay!), a Catholic (yay!), and a pro-life Democrat (yay!  … what?).  Hamilton is a 16-year member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives.   We will no doubt disagree about many political positions, but from what I’ve read so far, she and I are of like mind when it comes to our feelings for Oklahoma.

Four

This post by Rebecca Hamilton is what caught my attention:  “Where I’m From, We Call Our Fathers Daddy” .  I’ve been feeling nostalgic about the men I grew up around when I was a kid.  Read this post and substitute “oil men” where she refers to “ranchers” and you have a good framework of my upbringing.  My dad, his colleagues and friends, and the men of our neighborhoods in Midland, Texas and Hobbs, New Mexico, were solid guys.  Most were WWII veterans, knew how to work with their hands, and were people that could be counted on.  Rather than calling someone in to fix a problem with the house, my dad would first give it a try himself, perhaps asking the other ‘bubs’ down at Sears for advice.  What that man could do with some dowels and a piece string was amazing.

Five

Just like that, summer is over.  A cold front moved in a couple of days ago and the once 100 degree temps have been pushed down into the ’50s.  Rain has set in and I’m forced to admit that the lake is now too cold to swim.  Sigh.  In my book, fall and winter are seasons just to be endured until spring and summer return.    At least I can expect some pumpkin pie sometime soon.

Six

In October I’m going to have the rare treat of attending a wedding at the Basilica at Notre Dame!  I love visiting that campus and the group of friends that will be there are some of the finest people I know.  A good time is expected.  It will also give me the chance to seek out the graves of my great-great-grandparents.   My gggf, Charles F. was a veteran of the 12th Indiana Volunteer regiment during the Civil War.  I have a copy of his diary but have never visited the cemetery where he, his wife Naomi, and other distant relatives are buried.  Seems fitting to visit since we are observing the 150th anniversary of that terrible conflict.

Seven

Prayers for Pope Benedict XVI as he visits Lebanon during this turbulent week.  Bishop Edward Slattery, of my home diocese, is on his way to join him there, so I’m equally concerned and prayerful.

 

The look in their faces

/ esteban / 1 Comment

Today we once again commemorate the terrible and once unimaginable terrorist attacks on my country on September 11, 2001.   We all remember where we were and what we were doing when we first learned of the attacks.  You, like me, will think about how our world has changed since that shocking day.

THEN

Like today, it was a beautiful Tuesday morning.   That beautiful day was forever changed in our memories by the events unfolding in New York City, Washington DC, and in rural Pennsylvania.  We’ve all seen and remember the terrible images from that day.  I could post some of them here, but must I when they are indelibly seared into our memories?

What I remember most, from my outpost here in Oklahoma, is the look on the faces of the students I worked with on that day.   As a campus minister, I was accustomed to seeing bright, cheerful, energetic and idealistic young faces each Tuesday as we welcomed the campus into the Newman Center for a free lunch.

This day was different.  As word of the attacks spread across the campus, thoughts of class were replaced by thoughts of home, family and country.  Students, most far from home, gathered together for prayer and camaraderie in the face of many great unknowns that day.

The weight of the day marked the students with faces of fear, disbelief, and shaken senses of security.  It was palpable in the silence.  It was palpable in the furtive glances as eyes met eyes, wondering if others felt the same interior struggle to keep their composure and the same desire to ask “Why?”

NOW

We can recount all the ways that our country, our world, and our personal lives have changed since 9/11.  We all look at the world differently.  Terrorism wasn’t new in the world.  Many countries had faced it before and continue to face it, sometimes on a daily basis.  Oklahomans had tasted it first-hand in the Murrah Federal Building bombing in Oklahoma City.  New Yorkers had faced it in the first World Trade Center attack, and our military had certainly faced it several times before.  But this day, changed everything, everyone in uncountable ways.

We’ve become accustomed to this new reality.  Accustomed to the surrendering of personal liberty in exchange for increased security.  Accustomed to the sense of risk that we undertake whenever we board a plane or leave our country.

Our reality now includes new bureaucracies like the TSA and the Homeland Security Administration.  Old challenges, such as immigration and border security now include concerns of terrorist infiltrations, dirty bombs, and further erosions of liberty.

I think we all also feel a sense of fatigue as we face seemingly unsolvable problems and give in to the feeling that “the government” can and should take over and tell us how to lead our lives and make our decisions for us.

“LET US BEGIN ANEW …”

There’s a shout, sometimes becoming a scream, inside my head that our country is forgetting itself.  I worry that my people are not learning the lessons of our history and see the world only by what they can take from it or how someone else can make their life better without working for it themselves.

I’m too young to know what I would have thought of President John F. Kennedy, but I take hope from the words of his Inaugural Address that we can still find leaders that are dedicated to the American Experiment.    Here are a few excerpts, written with the Cold War in mind, but applicable to these times as well.

“The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe—the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.”

“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.”

“So let us begin anew—remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”

“The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.“

“With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.”

Our country was founded by patriots who were willing to sacrifice their lives and personal circumstances for the ideals of our country.  Our history is full of similar patriots who made the same sacrifices.  We must fight the desire of some today to sacrifice the ideals of our country just to better their own personal circumstances.  The future generations deserve better from us.

We must remember who we are meant to be.

Giáo Hội Hoàn Vũ / The Universal Church

/ esteban

Last Sunday I traveled from Tulsa to Oklahoma City to spend some time with my good friend Lisa Hendey.  Lisa had the day free after speaking at a conference the day before.

The most amazing part of the day was Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral.  The photos above don’t really do it justice.  A Romanesque-style church, it has a wonderful open and airy feeling to it, which only added to the atmosphere of this particular Mass.  The stained glass windows are fantastic too, each related to the life of Our Lady.  Here’s a link to the parish website that explains the windows.  Go look and come back, I’ll wait…..

The 11:45 am Mass each Sunday is for the Vietnamese community in OKC.  Even though neither Lisa or I know a single word of Vietnamese, we chose this Mass to experience their culture, and we were certainly rewarded.

I always enjoy attending Mass in other countries and in other languages.  It’s a great reminder of how universal the Church really is and how the work of Catholic missionaries has spread the faith all corners of the world.

The Mass is always a comfort in those situations because the lack of a common language doesn’t mean that I cannot pray along and participate fully in the Mass.  It takes a little more concentration, but in some ways it encourages a deeper participation.

The people we met there couldn’t have been nicer.  The choir and the music were unlike anything I’ve heard before, wonderfully spiritual but also somehow imbued with the longing of a lost homeland.

It was a wonderful experience.  I really hope to go again.  I should look up Tulsa’s Vietnamese Community too.

(I used Google Translate for the title of the post.  I hope it says “The Universal Church” in Vietnamese.  If it doesn’t, I wonder how you say “oops”.)

 

Unexpected Inspiration

/ esteban / 1 Comment

 

It’s been awhile since something that I just happened to read has bounced around inside my head and tickled my innate sense of idealism.

A few minutes ago I read this:  An Unexpected Ass Kicking

And then, I read this follow up:  7 Things I Learned From My Encounter With Russell Kirsch

Reading this with my left-eyed Geek monocle, and my right-eyed Catholic monocle, has really allowed it to resonate with me.

  • Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do.
  • Do things that have never been done.

For me, this is an essence of how we should honor our God-given time, talent and treasure.  Be brave, be humble, be generous and be creative.

I must think more on this.

7 Quick Takes Friday – Red Stapler Edition

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— 1 —

It happens every year.  The Catholic New Media Conference is coming up in 12 short days and as the main organizer it has really captivated my time.  So much so that this is the only blogging I’ve done in weeks.  It’s going to be a great event, but I’m looking forward to the after-party!

 

 

— 2 —

I miss the Olympics!  The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, but mostly the personal stories of people who work extremely hard, set lofty goals, take great risks, and don’t expect others to hand them a medal they didn’t earn.

I know that many of them are not particularly good role models, and some are ridiculously narcissistic, but how can you not love the unknown athlete from a country you’ve never visited, who is there just for the joy of competing and having a few minutes on the world stage.

 

— 3 —

Speaking of the Olympics, I was very pleased and surprised by the outward show of faith by many of the athletes.  In a world that increasingly shoves secularism at people, hearing so many people give credit to God for the talents, is comforting.

I hope I don’t forget the image of Ethiopian athlete Meseret Defar as she won the gold medal in the Women’s 5000 meter race.  Read about it here and see the fantastic photo as  Meseret, a devout Orthodox Christian, pulls a picture of the Blessed Mother from where she’d pinned it next to her heart.

— 4 —

Thank God for people who make me laugh!  My friend Jim always seems to pop up at the right time.  He knows I’ve been feeling stressed out lately, so he’s always around for a beer  when I’m ready to snap.  He’s got the cutest family too, which is always a fun diversion from the normal drudgery.

Let’s not forget Maria, who’s own 7 Takes Friday post, has had me thinking about red staplers all morning.

 

 

 

 

— 5 —

Monday was Left-Handers Day.  Yep, I’m a lefty, a southpaw, or “Kerr-handed” as my grandfather used to say.   Haven’t heard about the Kerr clan in Scotland?  Tradition states that so many of them were left-handed that they had a serious advantage in battle.  Some of their castles were built with spiral staircases going in the opposite-from-normal direction to make it harder for their right-handed foes.

I rather like being left-handed.  I’m the only one in my family for a couple of generations at least.  I’m actually mix-handed, doing some things with one hand and some with the other. Scissors have never been a problem for me, for example, and I can use hammers and screwdrivers in either hand, but damn those spiral notebooks!

— 6 —

For the Feast of the Assumption on Wednesday, I attended the 9am Mass at my parish.  As school has just started, it was also the first all-school Mass for the parish school.

I really enjoyed watching the various classes come into the Church.  The teachers patiently helped the younger ones find their places, but also firmly encouraged them to properly genuflect and cross themselves.

The Kindergartners were a little shell-shocked as this was their first time at a school Mass. Luckily, each was in the care of an 8th-grader who steered them from place to place and demonstrated the proper postures and gestures with the nonchalance and aplomb that only they can muster.

— 7 —

 Lastly, I recently found my old copy of “1984” by George Orwell.  I haven’t read it for decades, and given the world today it seems a whole lot scarier than I remember.  It is not a fun read.  I may go in search of something more soothing.  At least until the CNMC is over!

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Frosty & Edna’s

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Still feeling nostalgic, even after my trip to the Porter Peach Festival, I thought I would tell you about my trip to Langley, Oklahoma, a small town on the western side of Grand Lake.

Ketchum is the town closest to my family’s lake cabin, but Langley is the somewhat larger town just to the south.  It has the full size grocery, Sonic Drive-In, ubiquitous Subway sandwich shop, and the only Catholic parish on the west side of the lake.

Desperately seeking a place for dinner, rather than Sonic, I decided to stop in at Frosty & Edna’s Restaurant.  I think it’s been there for more than 30 years, but it was my first visit, and I’m very glad I went!

My feelings of nostalgia were assuaged as soon as I stepped through the doors.  This is one of those classic old diners that we should all experience before they fade away.

Booths and tables to the left and a dining counter to the right, complete with the circular bar stools covered in maroon vinyl.

The first person I saw was an elderly gentleman, ensconced in the corner booth, enjoying a late night piece of pie and coffee.  (I later learned that one of his neighbors picked up his check, as good small town neighbors are wont to do.)

He reminded me of the duffers I used to encounter in Hobbs, NM when I was in high school.  More of the farmer type, rather than the oilmen of Hobbs, he was dressed in bib overalls and farmer’s cap, just as I would have imagined him.

Frosty and Edna are apparently the husband and wife team that originally opened the cafe.  According to the photo on the menu, they must be well into retirement; the cafe being run now by the third generation of the family.  (Not too many of those around anymore, I’m sure).

I sat at the counter and felt at home there, remembering times spent with my father and grandfather in occasions past.

With a plate of chicken fried steak, baked potato, cole slaw and hot rolls, I could see all the usual accouterments of a classic diner.   Lined up against the far counter wall were those individual serving boxes of Fruit Loops, Corn Flakes, and Rice Krispies.  Next to them was a rack holding those small metal syrup pitchers and a syrup warming pot, ready for the next morning’s breakfast crowd.

Ceramic coffee cups, with ads for local businesses on the outside and spoons on the inside, were lined up like a platoon of soldiers, ready for all comers.

And of course, there was the cafe kitsch.  Signs welcomed fisherman to the lake, old calendars and faded photos adorned the walls, and of course,  an image of John Wayne gazed benevolently at the patrons.

The entryway even has one of those kid arcade games where you can win a plush toy if you have prowess with (ooooh) “THE CLAW”.

 

The only thing I didn’t see was the pie carousel, but that’s OK, I was still reveling in the peaches and ice cream from earlier in the day!

In case you forgot, this is what that looked like. I would really like some more!

So there you have it, a step back in time to a classic American, family-owned, diner.

 

 

I’ll give this a solid 3-napkins for the food and the atmosphere.

I think I’ll try breakfast next time!

 

Peachy!

/ esteban / 2 Comments

I was feeling nostalgic this Saturday morning so I headed over to the small town of Porter, Oklahoma for their annual peach festival.

Although I’ve never  been before, it was a favorite summer activity for my grandparents.    My brother mentioned going with them a time or two, so I was curious what it was like.

I’ve always liked small towns and Porter didn’t disappoint!  Main street was blocked off  for food vendors, live music, inflatable attractions for the kids, booths for political candidates and craft sales.

Best of all?  Free peaches and ice cream for everyone at 1pm.  Can you beat that?  Honestly, this was one of the best desserts I’ve ever had!

The peaches were of a tart variety that reminded me of oranges.  (I was so impressed, they let me have two servings!)

The 100+ degree temperature made it all the better as all the towns people and visitors crowded the local fire station for one of the best American treats.  A 4-Napkin experience that only would have been better if someone had gone with me.

After a week in the hot city, the movie theatre tragedy in Colorado, and political attack ads, this was just what I needed.  Unpretentious Americana.

[portfolio_slideshow timeout=3000]

God Bless America!

American Patriots

/ esteban / 2 Comments

My sister Stacey has had a interest in our family’s genealogy for some time.  She was fortunate to have spent some time with my grandfather looking over the materials that he and my grandmother had pulled together over the years.

She recently obtained some information that links us to John Barlow of Kent, Connecticut, a private soldier who served in the Connecticut Militia during the American Revolution.

We don’t know too much about John, other than this regarding his service:

JOHN BARLOW, of Kent, Connecticut, enlisted on May 7, 1777, as a Private in Captain Albert Chapman’s Company of Colonel Heman Swift’s 7th Regiment of Connecticut Militia.

He was subsequently in Captain Comstock Albert Chapman’s Company of Colonel Heman Swift’s 7th Regiment of Connecticut Militia. He was subsequently in Captain Comstock’s Company of Colonel Swift’s 2nd Connecticut Regiment, Captain Cogswell’s Company of Colonel Moseley’s Connecticut Regiment, Captain Chamberlain’s Company of Colonel Swift’s 2nd Regiment, Captain Manning’s Company of the 3rd Connecticut Regiment, and in Colonel Hinman’s 4th Connecticut Regiment.

Washington rallying the troops at the Battle of Monmouth

He was in the Battles of Germantown and Monmouth, served in one campaign in 1775 and all of 1776.  

He applied for a pension, application no. S37732, on April 22, 1818, in Litchfield County, Connecticut. 

John Barlow was born on March 5, 1748, at Kent and was the son of Joseph and Phebe Barlow.   He married first Anna Caswell on May 27, 1770, second Temperance Branch on January 25, 1773, and third Lucy Hatch. He had eleven children.  He died on September 19, 1833, at Kent and was buried there in the Kent Hollow Cemetery.         

Yes, he had three wives over the years, which probably wasn’t all that uncommon in those days.

With no depiction of John Barlow available from internet searches, I was able to find a picture of the cemetery in which he is buried and his headstone.

Perhaps someday I’ll be able to visit there and see it for myself.

According to my grandfather, we’re also related to William Alexander, who styled himself Lord Stirling, before joining the cause of the American Revolution.  He served as a brigadier general directly under General George Washington’s command.

Much more is known about General Alexander, which you can read about in this Wikipedia article.

He is thought to have been present at the Battles of Long Island, Trenton, Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth.

Thus both of these American patriots in my family would have served together.  One the lowly private and the other the privileged officer and gentleman.  I wonder if they knew each other.

 

 

 

Goat Squad

/ esteban / 1 Comment

Ever hear of something that you find really amusing but you’re not sure if it’s blog worthy?  I chewed this story over for awhile but decided that it was deliciously Oklahoma enough to note here.

The City of Stillwater, home to my alma mater Oklahoma State University, has fielded a new team to tackle the bane of high vegetation throughout the city.

Meet the Stillwater Goat Squad here!

Yes, the Stillwater Goat Squad is on the munch throughout the city, keeping the wild prairie at bay in the truest tradition of the agricultural school that finds its home there.    These mighty masticators kick butt and leave no leaf unturned.

Just when I thought my favorite town in Oklahoma couldn’t get more interesting, they now have a superhero herd of nannies and billies to capture the imagination and the tall grasses of the plains.

Certain that I have milked this story for all it’s worth, I must now hoof it over to Stillwater and see them in action myself.    And you dear reader?  Why I trust that at least one of you will join the quest on FB to name these wily masters of the underbrush.

 

7 Quick Takes Friday – July 6th

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— 1 —

Holy Moly it’s July already.  Only about 12 weeks left of summer here in Oklahoma.  Oh sure, we complain about the heat, but I know that everyone here secretly loves the heat and loathes the cold.

— 2 —

Have I mentioned the Catholic New Media Conference lately?  Plans are really coming together for our best one yet.  You should come.  Really.  Click that link and find out about it.

 

 

— 3 —

Independence Day was very enjoyable.  You can read about it here if you like.  Topped it off with a trip to the Tulsa Drillers minor league baseball game last night.  My brother and my good friends Jeff, Jim and Bryan were all there in spite of the 95+ degree temps.

— 4 —

Fr. Stanley Francis Rother

Sainthood cause for Oklahoma’s Fr. Stanley Rother has advanced a little bit.  An official relator has been appointed by the Vatican to explore the issue of his martyrdom.  I blogged about it here.  It would be a tremendous thing for Oklahoma and Guatemala if he should ever be canonized.  I hope I live to see that day.  Excitement is also building here amongst our Native American population for the canonization of Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha this October.

 

— 5 —

Squirrels.  Once again my nemeses caused damage to my house, this time chewing through the coax cables for my internet service.  Really?  They actually like that stuff? They should go get real jobs.

— 6 —

My first college band director passed away yesterday.  Paul A. Montemurro, called “Prof” by his students, was one of a kind.  Italian by ancestry, you were one moment his little “gagutz” (an endearing term we later learned means idiot), and the next the object of an emotional tirade.

Even so, you loved this bigger than life man as only true band geeks can understand.  I don’t know if I would have been half as successful in college if it hadn’t been the band community that formed around his bands at Oklahoma State University in the late ’70s and early ’80s.

Rest in peace, Prof!

— 7 —

Ordination of John Grant by Bishop Edward Slattery

Blessing and congratulations to Fr. John Grant, a former Newman Center student of mine who was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Tulsa last weekend.

It was a joy to be there and to share the occasion with so many friends.

(photo source:  Diocese of Tulsa)

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Independence Day – Oklahoma Style

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I was very lucky to spend this Independence Day with my brother Kevin, Oklahoma style.

After an All-American breakfast at the local Village Inn, we headed over to Tulsa’s outstanding Gilcrease Museum for their “Spend a George to Spend The Fourth with George” event. ($1 admission)

Gilcrease is extremely fortunate to be hosting the Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon traveling exhibit.  More than 100 original objects belonging to George Washington.

The exhibition is presented in 11 sections, ranging from Washington’s youth to his final days. In addition to Washington’s dentures, paintings, books, maps, and objects such as surveying equipment, Revolutionary War armaments, tools used by slaves, and presidential table settings are among the artifacts featured in the exhibition. Mrs. Washington is represented by original jewelry, pieces of her china, silver, and glassware, and reproductions of her gold wedding dress and purple satin slippers.

Three life-size models of George Washington were assembled from a two-year forensic study where computer scientists, art historians, 18th-century garment experts, and a forensic scientist used technology and research from primary sources to measure and analyze portraits, sculpture, and Washington’s dentures and clothing. The project employed proprietary age-progression and regression techniques to create three depictions of Washington as a teenaged surveyor, commander-in-chief atop a white horse, and as the first president taking the oath of office. These lifelike wax figures, with real human hair that was implanted one strand at a time, are embedded in realistic settings – one even with animation – that re-create scenes in the woodsy Ohio Valley territory, wintry Valley Forge, and on the balcony of Federal Hall.

The three life-size models of GW were outstanding!  Truly the stuff of CSI, it was amazing to stand face to face with Washington, depicted as a 19 year old surveyor, 45 year old general and the 57 year old first president.   The photo above gives a hint of their likenesses.

You can find more photos from the exhibit here.  It was a great way to start our observance of Independence Day!

 

Next, Kevin and I drove over to our college alma mater – Oklahoma State University.  Our first stop in town was the famous “Eskimo Joes” – the iconic college restaurant/bar that is a must stop for anyone visiting Stillwater.

I can’t count all the visits I’ve made to EJ’s over the years and the wonderful times that I spent time with friends there.

We arrived shortly before the early closing time, but as always they were gracious and welcoming and we were served my favorites, Joe’s Special Burgers and cheese fries!

After this late lunch, it was time to wander the OSU campus and see all the new projects.  Quite a bit is going on when it comes to new construction,  including major renovations to the equally iconic Student Union.    The north side redesign has been completed, including this awesome new plaza between the Student Union and the Classroom Building.

The campus was almost completely empty as we walked around, but I could still feel the ghosts of my past and the excitements that I experienced during my time there.

Once back in Tulsa, Kevin and I watched the Independence Day celebrations from Washington and New York on TV.  This inspired us to head to Oklahoma’s favorite ice cream shop – Braum’s (they were inexplicably out of several flavors) and then to drive around town like crazy paparazzi, watching area fireworks displays from expressway bridges and parking lots.  We caught glimpses of the shows from Southern Hills Country Club and the city’s FreedomFest show over the Arkansas River.

We topped it off by watching “Independence Day” on TV before calling it a very fun day!

 

Fortnight for Freedom: Day 14 – Independence Day

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There’s not much more to say about the Fortnight for Freedom, so in honor of Independence Day, here are a few reminders from the greatest orator of my time.

Regardless of what you think of President Ronald Reagan, his politics, or his place in history, I hope you will admit that he certainly knew how to make you feel good about our nation and help you appreciate what just how special our freedoms are.

[youtube http://youtu.be/7rNHZh3Vu0Y]

And just for fun …

If you are old enough to remember Liberty Weekend, 1986 – the centennial celebration of the Statue of Liberty, than you know what a special time that was.  Here’s a little reminder:

[youtube http://youtu.be/Jj4S2mJ7GUw]

Fortnight for Freedom: Day 13 – DIGNITATIS HUMANAE

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On December 7, 1965, Pope Paul VI issued the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration of Religious Freedom “Dignitatis Humanae”

If you’ve never heard of it, or never read it, you can find it on the Vatican website here.

As I read it, I pulled some statements from it that I found resonating under our current situation and see in it all the more encouragement needed for defending our religious freedom.

On their part, all men are bound to seek the truth, especially in what concerns God and His Church, and to embrace the truth they come to know, and to hold fast to it.

 

This Vatican Council declares that the human person has a right to religious freedom. This freedom means that all men are to be immune from coercion on the part of individuals or of social groups and of any human power, in such wise that no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs, whether privately or publicly, whether alone or in association with others, within due limits.

 

On his part, man perceives and acknowledges the imperatives of the divine law through the mediation of conscience. In all his activity a man is bound to follow his conscience in order that he may come to God, the end and purpose of life. It follows that he is not to be forced to act in manner contrary to his conscience. Nor, on the other hand, is he to be restrained from acting in accordance with his conscience, especially in matters religious.

 

The social nature of man, however, itself requires that he should give external expression to his internal acts of religion: that he should share with others in matters religious; that he should profess his religion in community. Injury therefore is done to the human person and to the very order established by God for human life, if the free exercise of religion is denied in society, provided just public order is observed.

 

The freedom or immunity from coercion in matters religious which is the endowment of persons as individuals is also to be recognized as their right when they act in community. Religious communities are a requirement of the social nature both of man and of religion itself.

 

Government is also to help create conditions favorable to the fostering of religious life, in order that the people may be truly enabled to exercise their religious rights and to fulfill their religious duties, and also in order that society itself may profit by the moral qualities of justice and peace which have their origin in men’s faithfulness to God and to His holy will.

 

The fact is that men of the present day want to be able freely to profess their religion in private and in public. Indeed, religious freedom has already been declared to be a civil right in most constitutions, and it is solemnly recognized in international documents.(38) The further fact is that forms of government still exist under which, even though freedom of religious worship receives constitutional recognition, the powers of government are engaged in the effort to deter citizens from the profession of religion and to make life very difficult and dangerous for religious communities.

 

These are some of the phrases that stood out to me, but it doesn’t necessarily portray the whole thought or intent of the document.  I urge you to read it and form your own impressions, lest I be accused of trying to reframe the intention of the Council in writing this document.