Joe's Journal

From Joe's Journal

9" x 12"

pencil

As I was reading the journal of Margaret Josephine Miles, I could just visualize the people, the places, and events that she wrote about. This journal made history come alive, to me, finally.

I first sketched an image of "Joe" writing in her journal in her room in her father's home in Alabama.

This drawing is another one of those images that I imagined as I read near the end of the journal -and "Joe's" life in North Carolina.

I started out to draw several ladies, standing in front of "Joe's" house, but this drawing is what happened. I just moved my pencil around, and it appeared!

Of course, I have never seen any of those family homes from Georgia, Alabama, and in their early years in Texas-not to mention the homes in North and South Carolina, Maryland, etc.

Since she was a preacher's wife, and they depended on their congregation to live, their homes were not always the best, and they were often without food or money for necessities.

But, she felt her husband had to always make a nice appearance. He always was dressed well and had a nice buggy and horse. The clothes she had worn before she married had worn out and, with shortages and lack of money, she had to wear homespun. She quit going to church because she didn't have a proper bonnet to wear, only her sunbonnet, and her clothes were worn out homespun. They had little money for food, while her husband was probably invited to join community members for the best meals. She did without, along with her small son.

Robbie Lee Gillis Ross, Joe's granddaughter, believed that Joe died from malnutrition and lack of decent medical care when she had her last child. She died a few days after the baby was born. That was a common thing, but, from the things she said in the journal, it seems that she suffered, as did many people of that time due to the terrible war.

As I sketched, the figures and distant buildings, even the large tree, just appeared with my random pencil marks. The church just happened as I was trying to add a hedge. I thought that was appropriate since Joe's husband, Rev. Gillis, was a Methodist preacher. I have no idea if their home was next to the church, but, it probably was close since many churches and parsonages are built that way.

I imagined that, like when I was growing up during the years of WWII, when there were also many shortages and much sacrifice, many houses would be of unpainted wood, turned dark by the weather. A few places might have been whitewashed, and some places belonging to wealthier people, would have been painted white. I thought that Joe's house was probably one of those that went unpainted, with rustic wood shingles on the roof.

I thought of adding more figures, but made myself stop at this point. I may add more later, but I didn't want it to get too cluttered.

While I drew this, Ashton was doing homework. He was writing a letter to his parents, pretending that he was a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, for his history class.

We had a lot of history going in our den!

"Joe's Journal" was done with an HB pencil on acid free Canson 65 lb. sketch paper. And this about fills my current sketchbook.

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I did splurge and buy a sketchbook to start the new year. I intended to get one the size of my scanner, since things sometimes get cut off when I scan from the 9"x12" book or larger paper. The only one that I could find, at a reasonable price, was sealed in plastic. I looked at a couple that were almost 3 times the price but decided against paying that much. I carefully read all the details, tried to look at the paper through the plastic. I wasn't too thrilled about a soft cream colored paper, but thought I could live with it. Unfortunately, when I got it home and unwrapped it, the paper has a tooth to it (meaning that it is rough). I hate to touch rough paper! (Heavy watercolor paper is okay, but rough drawing paper is not, to me.) So, that sketchbook is not going to be used! Now, I've got to try to find another one with good, smooth paper.

I hate to order things or buy things sealed in a package. I have to touch them and examine them to make sure the texture is right and there are no flaws or damages. I bought so many things from catalogues when I was teaching, that were damaged, leaking, dried out, of poor quality, scratched, bent, etc. Leaking things damaged other things in the same boxes and were hard to replace. Now, if you order something and it is wrong, you have to pay shipping there and reorder the thing you wanted, plus more shipping charges back to you. It's cheaper to buy what you can examine and touch before buying! Sometimes it is worth paying a little more to get the right thing.

After my recent sketchbook experience, I am reminded of that. Don't buy anything you can't see and touch first! (And that have the prices clearly labeled!)

I could draw in my watercolor pad or on other paper, if needed, but that won't be in my 2009 sketchbook.

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You can find information about Alabama, including the journal, on the Alabama Department of Archives and History website. http://www.archives.state.al.us/ You can just find a listing for the journal. If you want to read it, you have to have a copy made.

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The ADAH calendar does list Janary 19 as Robert E. Lee's and Martin Luther King's birthdays.

In Texas, it was Confederate Heroes Day along with the observance of MLK's birthday. Of course, we didn't hear anything about Confederate Heroes or Robert E. Lee yesterday.

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It's awfully dry here, windy, and cold, for us. 59 degrees. It wouldn't be so bad if the wind were not blowing. We have another of those Red Flag Warning Days, when there is fire danger. There have been fires in our area , grass and house fires. And cold air is blowing across the floor. Vents in the floor would have been so much better, instead of these in the high ceilings. It's supposed to drop down into the 30s again. We did miss that Polar Express, though.

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Happy Birthday, Robert E. Lee

Capt. James DeGraffenreid Miles

7th Texas Infantry, CSA

of Lowndes County, Alabama, Freestone and Navarro Counties, Texas
Ellen L. Day Miles
Russell County, Alabama -Freestone and Navarro counties, Texas
wife of James DeGraffenreid Miles

Unknown Miles
Possibly a brother of James DeGraffenreid Miles


Sister of James DeGraffenreid Miles
children of Aquilla and Sarah Perkins Davis Miles
Lowndes County, Alabama
Family Photos

I'll bet that a lot of people are not even aware that today is General Robert E. Lee's birthday. I had not heard a word about it, until my daughter told me. I looked it up and, sure enough, his birthday is January 19, 1807. It's a shame that his day is not being observed anymore.

Vin advised me that in Texas, it is also Confederate Heroes Day Janeane also told me that, in Alabama, it is , officially, King/Lee Day.

I've been reading a very thick biography of Lee for a few years now. Reading has been pushed in the background in favor of drawing and writing, lately. It is interesting, but I don't get very many pages read before I have to do something else, it seems.

I found it especially interesting to read that he had been in Texas, of course. His trips that involved going along the Gulf Coast and stopping in Port Lavaca was also of interest.

He was certainly a talented man with his work in engineering and other areas.

I don't have any personal photos of Lee, but I always heard that, somehow, we were related to Light Horse Harry Lee. I don't have any proof of that, of course, but it's what my mother told me. Since I wasn't all that interested in history back then, I didn't try to find out more. Maybe one of these days, I'll find answers to the many questions that I have now.

I thought that, since I don't have anything personal on Robert E. Lee, I would share some ambrotypes and tin types that I have from the Civil War era. While J.D. Miles, shown at the top, did not serve directly under Lee, he was with another group when Lee surrendered. Another dark day in history. Miles was a captain in the 7th Texas Infantry, out of Freestone county. He had quite a career and life, going from Alabama to Texas. The top photo is an ambrotype of J.D. Miles Sr. (His son, my grandfather was J.D. Miles Jr. ) I have cleaned up the photo some on the computer, but I wanted to show the little frame, typical of the small pictures that people had made during that time, that is around the picture. All of these pictures on glass are in a little frame that has a cover to it.

The second picture is of Ellen L. Day Miles. This is a rather large tin type. The oval that you see on it is where it was once in a frame. I do have the frame, but I don't know if I should put those delicate tin types out in the open. They are in a box, in the dark, now. I did have some copies made that are what I put in frames.

I have wondered if this is a wedding picture of Ellen. There is a matching tin type of J.D. Miles, her husband, but it doesn't have as much color as this one. Ellen's mother, Lucretia Vann , married William Wiley Day, and they lived in Russell County, Alabama. Lucretia was part Cherokee, of the Vann family in Georgia. You can see the restored Vann Plantation online through Cherokee By Blood, and also on the website of the historical plantation.

Ellen and J.D. were a nice looking couple. He was said to be a wonderful man, too.

The third photo is a damaged ambrotype. I can't tell who this man is. But doesn't he have on a jazzy tie, compared to what you usually see!

Possibly, he was a brother to J.D. Miles. You can't see his face well enough to identify him. Something about him, though, makes me wonder if he could be someone from Ellen's family. I think it is the hair, or maybe I am totally wrong. His jaw area looks a lot like Aquilla, the father of the family. Probably it would stand to reason that these are all members of the Miles family. There is one more ambrotype that was in the same box and it is totally gone. Just a blank piece of glass. Another had just two eyes left on it.

J.D. had 3 brothers, all of whom served in the Confederate Army, as did the men who married the Miles girls. Of course, they were all from Alabama and Georgia. Wish I could find pictures of that whole family and their home in Lowndes county. I was told that it is still there.

The last picture is borrowed from Robbie Lee Gillis Ross(named for Robert E. Lee, of course!). Mrs. Ross died a few years ago and I really wish that I could get in touch with her daughter in North Carolina. Mrs. Ross wrote 3 wonderful family history books, "Your Inheritance", the second of which included our Miles family. Josephine Miles Gillis was Mrs. Ross' grandmother and I feel sure that there were photos and information not included in the book that would answer some questions and add to what I have on the family.

My mother corresponded with Mrs. Ross while she was writing her book and they shared information. One of the things they shared was the journal that Josephine kept just before, during, and shortly after the Civil War. Actually, this was the 6th journal that Josephine kept. The others were lost when she and her Methodist preacher husband were moving. Their wagon overturned in a creek and they lost a lot of things including the previous journals. The only one saved was the one she was working on, which happened to be in her purse. Wouldn't that have been something to have all those journals today!

Mrs. Ross donated the journal to the Alabama Department of Archives and History along with her author's notes and her book. I was so thrilled to be able to obtain a copy from the ADAH, with the notes. I've read it several times, although it is a bit hard to read due to the script.

Josephine was called "Joe", which reminded me of Jo in "Little Women". She liked to write, too.

I would recommend that journal as almost required reading. I could just picture the people, the places, and the events as I read it. After my mother read the journal, she insisted that I read the copy that Mrs. Ross let us borrow. She said that it sounded just like the way that I write!

It certainly gives a look at life in the south. Besides the copy of the journal, I have a copy of "Your Inheritance" Vol. II, which I use a lot. Very interesting and so much more than just dry names, dates, and facts.

Josephine was a beautiful lady from her picture. Tragically, she died, probably from the results of malnutrition after her second son was born, at the age of 29, shortly after the Civil War. She was able to write in her journal until a few days before her death.

Unfortunately, we have been told that the ADAH is cutting out its Saturday hours and some research services, and letting some employees go. I hate to hear that. I haven't used them much, but thought that I might at some time in the future. I was very pleased with finding Josephine's journal and their help in getting a copy. I'm sure that there is much more there.

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Today I'm thinking of Robert E. Lee, his namesake, Robbie Lee Gillis Ross, their places in history, and my own family from those times past.

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Congratulations to former Bryan resident, Raini Rodriguez, on her career as an actress. Be sure to go out and see her in her latest movie, "Paul Blart: Mall Cop". Teenage Raini plays the part of Kevin James' daughter in the movie. She was in Bryan for the opening of the movie. Look on the KBTX website to see a bit more about Raini. Her little brother, Rico, plays "Little Guillermo" on Jimmy Kimmel's tv program. It's great that Raini is giving Bryan some good publicity!

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And a big congratulations to Virginia Vaughan who is a finalist for Texas State Artist for 2009-2010. See her blog and website for all her news. That's a big thing to make it to finalist. Hope she wins!

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The Revolutionary War

Elizabeth P. Davis Miles

1808-1859
Family Ambrotype

The fifth grade had tests on the Revolutionary War yesterday. I thought that it might help my grandson to relate more to what he was hearing about, if he knew that some of his ancestors were involved in the events of that time.

The thing that I remember most about history from my days in Calvert High School was the time that I took my great-grandfather's sword from the Civil War to school to show my classmates that I really did have someone who served in the Civil War. Of course, I had things all mixed up, and it wasn't until a few years ago that I took the time to figure things out. The sword was actually my grandfather's father's sword. But, to me, I saw my grandfather polishing it, every time he came to visit, so I assumed that it was his. And, since my grandfather walked with his knees bent, I assumed, again incorrrectly, that this was due to the fact that he was hit behind his knees by another sword in a Civil War battle. It seems that he actually was injured by an axe while cutting wood as a boy. I asked about Grandpa, his knees, and the Civil War, but no one corrected me, so that is what I always believed. Not having a great sense of time or ages, it never occured to me that my grandfather would have been too young to have been in the Civil War. And no one ever talked about his family and my grandmother's family was heard about even less.
My mother and a neighbor decided to do the research to get into the DAR, the Daughters of the American Revolution. I think that Mrs. Porter got in. My mother said that she had all the work done, but my dad was not happy about spending money on that sort of thing. So, she put all her information away and turned to her painting and her music. All those names and dates gave me a headache, so I didn't pay attention. However she said that we do qualify, if we ever want to belong.

As I began my search for family history, after my mother died, I thought that all the research had been done and that everything we needed to know was in two books. One book on my mother's family is "Your Inheritance" Vol. II by Robbie Lee Gillis Ross. The one on my father's side is "A History of the Conitz/Keil Families" by Dione Smith. However, as I started trying to label old family pictures, I realized that I didn't know who many people were, and that there is a lot of information not included in those books.

The above picture is of Elizabeth P. Davis Miles, my great-grandfather's mother. This is an ambrotype on glass and is in a little case. My mother had this picture in a box, and, at one time, displayed it on a little round curio table in our living room. There is also a picture of her husband, Aquilla Miles, their son James DeGraffenreid Miles, and another man who I assume is another son. There were two more ambrotypes, but one is only glass now, with no photo, and the other only had two eyes left on it.

James DeGraffenreid Miles is my great-grandfather, the one who really did belong to the sword. Elizabeth is J.D.'s mother.
The relation to the Revolutionary War is that Elizabeth's father was Lewis Cookson "Old Club Axe" Davis of Autauga County, Alabama. Davis was a "fire and brimstone" Baptist preacher and, went into the Army during the Revolutionary War. He was not much more than a teenager when he went into service. He is listed as a private in the Virginia State Troops. He enlisted in the main army under General George Washington a few days after the Battle of Germantown and he was with the army in winter quarters at Valley Forge. He was also in the battle of Chesnut Hill, the battle of Monmouth, marched into New Jersey, and was at the storming of Soney Point. He served for three years, according to his pension application.
I don't have a picture of others in the Davis family, but I do have this one picture of Elizabeth. And, thanks to Cousin Larry, I have photos of the tombstones of Elizabeth, Aquilla, daughter, Josephine, the church and cemetery where they are buried.
With 16 children and two wives, there should be a lot of descendants of Lewis Cookson Davis. Hopefully someone out there has some pictures of them and their homes.
Elizabeth was the daughter of Davis and his second wife, Sarah Perkins. His first wife was Sarah Anderson.
There is quite a bit about Davis online and in old records. I thought that the story about his nickname, "Old Club Axe" was interesting. I've read this in several places, but this was posted by one of his descendants, Linda Davis.

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"On a Sunday in an Alabama Baptist church, Rev. Davis was presented with a problem by his deacons. It appeared that someone was stealing livestock right out of their pens in the middle of the night. No one could catch the thief.
Rev. Davis listened carefully to the complaints and thought for a while to consider what should be done. He then stood up, walking slowly toward the pulpit to start his sermon.
"The Lord has given me the wisdom to find a thief," he said. With that statement, he lifted a huge axe above his head and started swinging it in a circle, over his head.
"Lord, I am going to let the axe go and I know that You will let it hit that thief", Lewis cried in a prayer.
At this point, the thief jumped up from his pew and ran toward the door. The deacons were waiting for the thief, thus the thief was caught without throwing the axe.
From that day on, Rev. Lewis Cookson Davis was called "Old Club Axe Davis".
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While thinking about veterans, reading again about Lewis Cookson Davis, and looking at old photos yesterday, I thought that this poem by Linda Davis would be appropriate. I asked for and received her persmission to share it with you. This is a poem that she wrote for a D.A.R. competition. Thank you, Linda, for writing this and other poems that remind us of our heritage.

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They Simply Fought

by

Linda Davis

Oh, how our history has written about the tea,

in far Boston Harbor wasted for you and me,

You know, there were others who fought?

Yes, Southern men with fredom's thoughts

Brave men who paid their dues...

No uniforms of red, white, and blue

Militia brown this patriot's attire

Simple farmers, no country squire

While plowing fields, heard the call

Freedom is waitin' for us all.

Kissed the wife, grabbed the gun.

Thoughts of freedom for everyone

They too had their place in history

To them, neither honor nor courage was mystery.

God fearing frontiersmen in every way

Carolinians, Virginians, Georgians had their say.

In blood and ink 'twas penned,

The greatest document that has been

A battle called the Hornet's Nest

Each gave it their very best.

Gwinett, Jefferson, Lee, Lyman Hall,

Walton, Middleton, Penn, and that's not all.

They put in words their freedom's thoughts,

But please remember, the heroes who fought.

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I feel sure that we have more ancestors who were in the Revolutionary War. So far, however, I have found more about Lewis Cookson Davis. I haven't gone into researching the Miles, Day, Beckwith and other families who came to the United States in the early days of our country. We do know that there were Cherokee ancestors who were here to greet the others when they arrived.

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We backed out of going to the dedication ceremony at the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial last evening. Rain was moving in and there were tornadoes spotted by radar to the south and east. I didn't want to get caught outside if it should start to rain as I wouldn't have had a car handy where I could seek shelter. This morning, the local paper reported that, due to the weather, the event was being moved to a pavillion at the park. I wish I had known that before the ceremony!

Oh, well. Uncle Eddie's name has been added to the Memorial and, one of these days, we will get over there and take pictures.

I really would have liked to have seen the Aggie band, the Ross Volunteers, and listen to Chet Edwards speak.

I'm sure it was nice for those who attended. I hoped that my grandson would have been able to see it. We don't have enough patriotism today in school. He did say that they had a short video at school to celebrate the special day. Not nearly enough, to my way of thinking.

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Elizabeth P. Davis Miles (detail)