Faded Treasures

While looking through my portfolio of "blog ideas", I came across the realization (place a light bulb over my head)..... that my family history is one of coal miners, saloon keepers, bootleggers and actually that's just on my mom's side!

AND Mr. B's family came from the South and they were sheriff's and moonshine smashers...you know the "good guys".

A Saloon in Starkville, Colorado similar to my Great Grandparents

Mr B's grandfather was the sheriff - second from right

That's when the light bulb went off!

 

His uncle also shot people like "Billy the Kid".....ever hear of Pat Garrett?  Well, that would be Mr. B's great-great uncle! Yes sir.

Larkin Randolf Lay and Margaret Garrett (Pat Garret's sister)

Imagine bringing that story into Kindergarten for "show and tell"

OK.....so we both have an interesting supporting cast of characters in our closets.

Times were tough during our grandparents days and they did what they had to do to survive. Whether it was making moonshine or destroying it.

When Mr. B and I were first married I had some time to do some genealogy work and to interview older family members.  I found it fascinating to hear the stories of how they came to be. 

                        Sophie & Art Malacarne

I spent days interviewing my maternal grandparents, with the clock ticking in the background and their canary singing from it's cage in the kitchen. 

Grandma would tell of having to ride on a horse drawn buggy going over the Raton Pass to get Moonshine from New Mexico to bring into Colorado. She spoke about having to clean out the saloon early in the morning as girls were not allowed inside during opening hours.

Grandpa would tell of life as a coal miner and rarely seeing the light of day and of nailing my grandmothers skirt (with her in it) to the top of the dog house "because she just talked too dang much!" and his childhood living in Starkville, Colorado. He also spoke of the Mother Jones meetings that his father took him to.

Mother Jones

Starkville, Colorado

Mr. B's grandmother came for a visit from Louisiana to California when we were first married and told us stories about going on a date in a horse drawn buggy. She was so......Southern and sweet and was delighted to be offered a bourbon-on-the-rocks, with just a splash of "branch water".

Mary Viola Harrell Lay & Matt Baker Lay

...a little "branch water" please.

I started going through my genealogy files today to collect some photo's and information.  I began doing research in the 70's.........before email and internet.  I have a receipt for a $4 check sent to England for a birth certificate.  Now, it is just incredible what you can find online.

Anyway, it got my juices flowing to try and pull our family trees together on this blog format.

 

My great grandparents Lucia & Pietro and my grandfather Art is on the far right.

"My address is like my shoes. 

It travels with me. 

I abide where there is a fight against wrong."

 -- Mother Jones