Trip 2011: Blog 7

Midway Museum

Gravestone of Susan's parents in Flemmington Cemetery

Flemmington 1st Presbyterian Church

Thur, 2 June

The 2^nd was a hot and humid travel day. We past through the city of Atlanta and had lunch with our former colleague Kurt Zeller. Kurt is a fine tenor with whom we both have collaborated, and he is a brilliant conversationalist. While we contributed our share, we could have simply listened to this brilliant and accomplished friend. After lunch we drove on and spent the night in Fosyth, Georgia.

On the way we passed through some more tornado damage.

Tornado damage: trees ripped out by the roots.

Tornado damage: the limbs have been torn off.

Friday, 3 June

We then went on to Macon, Georgia, where our friend, Susan Miller, grew up. There we gawked in true tourist fashion at the wonderful 19^th and early 20^th century architecture and had a excellent introduction to the city at the visitors center.

Unfortunately, Dick McIntosh was unable to travel to Hinesville to join me in meeting Jim Arnold and his family. Jim is the son of MaryEllen McIntosh who was key in my finding and understanding the descendants of Robert McIntosh, the identical twin of my great-grandfather, John McIntosh. We had a wonderful meal with Jim, his wife, Barbara and their two sons, Jim Jr. & Tyler. The conversations and exchange of information went on into the wee hours of the night. Their wonderful home is filled with pictures and artifacts of their family.

Saturday, 4 June

In the morning we went to the First Presbyterian Church of Flemington, GA where we thought nice thoughts at the graves of our friend Susan Miller's mother and father nestled under a lovely dogwood tree. We then went on to the colonial village of Midway, GA, and took a tour in the museum there. The museum lies next to a marvelous old church which survived the American Revolution and the Civil War, or as southerners call it, “The Wah.”

Midway Historical Museum

We then headed north to Columbia, South Carolina to enjoy the warm and wonderful hospitality of Pam & Don Hoffman. Pam is from my mother's side of the tree: the Edwards. Originally from Wales, the Edwards moved to Liverpool, England, where they lived for a couple of generations before my mother's mother moved to this side of the pond with her family. Pam found me on line while doing genealogical researdh, and Valerie & I were thrilled to meet them about ten years ago on yet another of our round-the-country tours. We spent the night in their wonderful home

Atlanta, Georgia

Sunday, 5 June

Pamela is a cellist, and I had given her my new game, FingerBoard, and after breakfast, we played a round. A good time was had by all (Don won). We had a wonderful visit and got to know this generous, delightful and talented couple better. Wish we lived closer. After the game we headed north again and ended up in an RV near Staunton, VA, high up in the Appalachian Mountains where we had neither cellphone connection nor wifi.

Monday, 6 June

To relieve the tedium of interstate travel on I-81, we opted for a stretch on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a magnificent, high national park on the crest of the Appalachian Mountains. To the east there were long views of neighboring mountains, and to the west far below—2,700 feet on at least one occasion lay the Shenandoah Valley.

Tuesday, 7 June

We returned to I-81 and continued north with hopes of meeting up with my cousin, Christine Lurk and her husband Paul. Christine—also known as “Blue.” Christine is from the same branch of the family tree as Gloria Dukeshire way back in Kingman, AZ (she is descended from Thomas Purves and his second wife, Nancy Hattery). We went out to dinner and then the girls returned home and talked about what I don't know, while Paul & I went to the Gettysburg Battlefield, not so much for the battle—Paul is deeply knowledgeable on the subject—but to look at what are almost surely dinosaur tracks in the rocks—Paul has done considerable research in this subject as well.

Wednesday, 8 June

We left the Lurks after a wonderful visit, sorry only that it could not have stayed longer. But we needed to mush on to the next stop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where we chatted with Jerry Bidlack and his family. Jerry was my music teacher in my last two years of high school. His influence has been a huge in my life, especially my musical life. Not only was he an outstanding musician and friend, he was immensely generous with his talents and time. Among other things he accompanied me in two recitals one of which included a sonata of his own composition.

We then reluctantly pushed on to Mountain Vista RV Park near East Stroudsburg, PA, where we will spend the night.