My dad used to talk about when he was young ...it provided an interesting contrast to the life I was living.

People back then ...as we often say, did live in relative poverty. Those who could celebrate their freedom, of not being in slavery, often drove themselves hard and to the point of feeling like they'd been whipped.  Though, it is always better to be self-driven.  No one should ever be whipped, and no one should have to be a slave. Animals shouldn't be subjected to that sort of treatment, and people should not be treated like animals. (One observation aside, though in poverty, they did know how to dress up for special occasions.)

He was living with his parents in Europe.  Times were tough, especially for those with large families ...which were not uncommon.  Dad's great great grandfather was only twelve years old at the time ...a time which looked to opportunity in America, where his older brother was.

Along with great opportunity, also often comes a bit of risk.  And while risk is often a tempting advantage for some ...it can bring an experience filled with a wide range of suffering for others. This mix of opportunity and adventure was to involve the older brother in taking a rather large herd of horses to New Orleans.

He was going to meet his twelve year old brother in America after he returned from New Orleans.  Reports of what happened were sketchy, yet word was that he never reached New Orleans.  Sadly, many outlaws also sought opportunity in those days.

When the twelve year old boy, soon to become a man, got off the ship ...his brother was not there to meet him.  At the time, no one knew why, and actually only the twelve year old was there to contemplate why.  Who knows what was going through his head, but eventually he had made up his mind to work for a man in the city to obtain room and board.

Yes, this twelve year old quickly became a man ...and he eventually got married, and had a son who had a son ...my dad's Dad, who is pictured here with my grandma. Grandma was someone we all loved very much.  Dad's dad passed away before he married ...but, we learned to love him too, through the stories Dad told.