Pea Ridge Battle - The footsteps of Lewis Maris

While returning from visiting Grant in Columbia, Missouri, we made a side trip to dig up some of Sue's family roots.  The bloodline took us to Savannah, Missouri where Sue's Great Great Grandfather, Lewis Maris farmed after returning from fighting in the Civil War.  Though Lewis Maris was born in Pennsylvania, he moved to Missouri in 1857 and when the nation turned to a bloody Civil War to settle its differences over slavery, he threw his lot and loyalty in with his neighbors who had come to Missouri from Kentucky & North Carolina; joining the Missouri State Guard, allied with the Confederacy and served as a lieutenant under General Sterling Price.

Maris and the Missouri State Guard engaged Federal troops in numerous engagements. Lewis Maris was capture and sent to Johnson Island on Lake Erie as a prisoner of war after likely being captured when Vicksburg fell to General Ulysses S. Grant on July 4th, 1863.  After visiting Lewis & Martha Maris old farm and their final resting place in the Savannah cemetery, our last stop was to Pea Ridge National Battlefield in very northwest Arkansas, a battle in which Lewis Maris fought.

On the way to Pea Ridge from our overnight stay in Overland, Kansas (outside Kansas City), I stopped for gas in Fort Scott, Kansas.  Sue noticed the sign that pointed to the Fort Scott National Monument and suggested we not leave until taking a look.  We topped off the tank and spent a little more than an hour viewing the restored grounds of Fort Scott, and we were glad we did.

Fort Scott, Kansas
Headquarters & Entrance into National Monument

Powder Magazine
Dragoon Quarters to the right & Officer's Quarters to the left

Fort Scott (www.nps.gov/fosc/) was built to be a permanent in eastern Kansas as an outpost separating the European population to east and the relocated Indian population to the west.  Fort Scott was intended to enforce the "Permanent Indian Territory", a solution put in place by the Andrew Jackson administration to provide the Indians who were driven out of the southeast along the Trail of Tears and relocated beyond European settlement to the west.  The "Permanent Indian Territory" did not last long as European settlers ignored the restrictions and overran the Indian Territories.  Acknowledging the failure of the "Permanent" solution, the government abandoned  the fort, and auctioned off the building to the civilian population.  The US Government then re-established Fort Scott as a major supply hub to equip Union soldiers in the campaigns throughout the western theater of the Civil War.

In the afternoon we arrived at Pea Ridge, Arkansas (www.nps.gov/peri/) and toured the museum and the battlefield.  Pea Ridge Military Historical Site preserves over 4,000 acres that have been untouched since the battle.  Sue's Great Great Grandfather, Lewis Maris fought on the very ground on which we stood.  We drove slowly from Union general, Samuel Curtis' entrenched south-facing line across the important "telegraph road" where he hoped to engage Confederate General Van Dorn moving north from Arkansas to retake control of Arkansas and Missouri.  Gen. Van Dorn left his supply wagons behind and drove his troops at a feverish pace, intending to out-flank Curtis and attach with his 16,500 soldiers from the north, Curtis' rear.

Elkhorn Tavern
Much as it looked to Sue's Great Great Grandfather
Lewis Maris who stood on this ground fighting under
the Missouri State Guard Flag

Curtis was able after an unorganized onslaught by the Confederate forces, Curtis was forced back, but managed to regroup in the night and with his outnumbered 10,500 soldiers lined up shoulder-to-should in a solid line; and attacked Van Dorn's line at Elkhorn Tavern and drove the Confederates from the field.  A Union victory against superior numbers that essentially ended the rebel threat west of the Mississippi River in March, 1862.

Elkhorn Tavern
Union & Confederate soldiers fought for two
consecutive bloody days riight in front of the
Elkhorn Tavern
March 1862

Union Batteries lined up hub-to-hub
Mercilessly shelled Confederate Positions at the base of the Cliff
The Confederates retreated under artillery fire to Elkhorn Tavern
Where the Entire Union Line of 10,000 Men charged and Drove
General Van Dorn's Army from the Field of Battle
Pea Ridge - Day 2

General Van Dorn had much of his command removed and shipped to the east.   After several more defeats in engagements with Union generals, Gen. Earl Van Dorn was not trusted with the army and was given a cavalry command.  Earl Van Dorn set up his HQ in Spring Hill, Tennessee, where it might be said that  he focused his tactics on conquering the ladies in town - unmarried and married.  A reporter at the time dubbed General Van Dorn as "the terror of ugly husbands."  And so it came to pass, Earl Van Dorn was shot to death in his office by a local physician who explained that the General had "violated the sanctity of his home."  The doctor who fired the shot was at first arrested - but was never even tried in court.

Pea Ridge Monument
Erected by Union & Confederate Veterans
Returning to Pea Ridge on the
Fiftieth Anniversary (1912)
"The Proud Gray and The Unsullied Blue"
as carved upon the monument

Digging UP Roots

Who are you?
Who are your people?
What formed and influenced you?
Where have you come from... And where are you going?


As I have aged, I have gradually come to understand the transformative power of the narrative and even come to recognize the unsuspecting and undue influence of one's history upon the future.  I believe nature rules over nurture and the past, influence life's trajectory far beyond wishes and desires of the future.


One of Sue's assignments for her development as a Spiritual Director [see Spiritual Directions blog] was to investigate the stories and lives of her mother. her mother's mother and grandmother's mother.  The narrative of who you are and from whence you came, the anthropological "Origin Story" e.g. The Book of Genesis if you will; is an important chapter to write if you are seeking to discern your own place in the world and significant in directing others in finding their place too.  In researching her assignment, she was able to cast a light back through the generations and pry open doors all but sealed by the  passing of people and time.  She got just a glimpse of the life and times of her people that are now greatly a mystery to us, and their stories all but unknown.  The particular research brought her from the Pacific salt air of western Washington, back to her mother's ranch in eastern Montana where grandmother was raised her parents who had come from Missouri.


We had a trip scheduled to Missouri in early July to see our son Grant.  As long as we had a reason to be in that part of the world she reasoned, wouldn't it be an interesting sidetrip to see what kind of family roots could be dug up in the Savannah, Missouri?  I agreed, it would be an interesting jaunt to see a place in which our family is rooted.


We had a noon appointment with the staff genealogist of the Andrew County Historical Society Museum in Savannah, Missouri for July 3rd.  We were led down into the bowels of museum and by the young genealogist.  In the record room, several volumes were pulled from the shelf as we started at the end, the 1908 obituary for Lewis Maris, Sue's Great Great Grandfather.  He had come to Missouri from Germantown, PA as a young man, working as skilled carpenter in the area of Savannah and St. Joseph in western Missouri.  Tensions were already running high between the Free-State and slave-holding population in Missouri, being so close to "bleeding Kansas" where violence between partisans for Free State and Slave State frequently spilled blood on the soil of middle America, a prelude to the Civil War.

Searching  Genealogy Records
Andrew County Historical Society Museum

When war did come to the country, Lewis Maris his lot in with his slave-holding neighbors who had come to Missouri from Kentucky and North Carolina as they all joined the Missouri State Guard under General Sterling Price.  Lewis Maris we believe was a Lieutenant, fought in numerous engagements and was captured (Siege of Vicksburg?) and ship as a prisoner to Johnson Island Federal Prison Camp on Lake Erie.  Following the war, he returned to Savannah and married Martha Farrow, and began farming 160 acres on the west bank of the Platte River.  

Farmhouse (Likely not original) on the hill
Great Great Grandparents - Lewis & Martha Maris
Andrew Co., Missouri

Looking north along Platte River
Maris Farm extended to the West of here

Corn growing on land once farmed by Lewis  Maris

The genealogist helped us located the 1877 census plat that showed the location of the Lewis Maris farm as well as a few other documents that showed that they retired from farming and moved into a house in town on the corner of 1st Street and Main Street.  Martha was very active in the Methodist Church and was instrumental in aiding the reverend in reviving the congregation toward the end of the 19th Century.

Locating the Lewis Maris Farm
7 Miles east of Savannah

After Lewis' death in 1908, upon the recommendation of her doctor, Martha and her youngest daughter relocated to Los Angelos for health reasons.  Apparently it was good recommendation, as she thrived in California.  Upon her unexpected passing, she was buried next to her husband in the Savannah cemetery.


Once we had gather this elementary information, we set out to drive to the old Maris farm, and then returned to town to look at the houses at 1st and Main, the Methodist Church and finally we slowly searched the headstones in the Cemetery until we had located the family plot.

We paid our respects to the people who had gone before, to the land on which they made a life and then lamented that the surviving narrative is so short.

Lewis Maris

Born 1835 - Died 1908 

Yes, the dates are recorded, but what happened where those dates carved into the tombstone granite?

There was a young man leaving Pennsylvania for the American West, a war, many battles, a prison cmap, a farm and a family.  But what do we really know?  Having been there now, it helps us imagine.

The Maris retired from the farm and moved to town
lived at 101 Main Street

Savannah Methodist Church
Martha Maris was instrumental in
organizing and growing the congregation
in the late 1800's

Pre-Re-Gifting

"Regifting" - The giving of a gift you had received (but did not want) and presenting it to someone else, rather than giving a new, personally selected gift to the recipient.


Pre-Re-Gifting - I think we may have invented this phenomenon.  Read on McDuff!


On his birthday we treated Grant to an afternoon at the Rag Tag Cinema watching Moonrise Kingdom, (his request) a quirky and very enjoyable film shown at the art-house theater just a few blocks from Grant's place and later a dinner with his housemate Carson and Carson's family visiting from Chicago; it was then time to have cake and open gifts.  We had brought along a couple of household items at Grant's request, purchased some new tires for his car while we were in town and carried with us two wrapped gifts.  Grant's request was for a Texas State Flag to hang on his wall, the other gift had been sitting in its original mailing envelope on the dinning room table for weeks - if not months.  The envelope was addressed to Sue, and it she who told me that the package was a birthday gift for Grant from his sister Inga.  I did not question this stated fact.  Nor did any one of us open the envelope, since it was known to be a "birthday gift for Grant".


We had refolded the Lone Star Flag in a proper triangular fold.  Grant easily guessed the contents of his first present by its shape and fabric feel beneath the wrapping paper.  No surprise there.  


Once he peeled the gift wrap from his second present, he noticed the envelop was addressed to his mother.  Grant turned to his mother and said, "Mom? I don't think this is supposed to be for me.  This looks like it belongs to you.  Actually it looks like what I sent you for your birthday Mom."


Grant handed the mailing envelope to its rightful recipient, his mother, who opened up a DVD containing the first season episodes of the TV show, Northern Exposure.  A Big Happy Birthday Surprise!  Happy Birthday Everyone, albeit, 5 months late for Sue.


Basically the gift giving unfolded like this: Grant sends his mother a birthday gift ordered through the mail.  The gift arrives addressed to Sue.  Sue receives the birthday gift in the mail but does not open it and leaves it on the table, believing it to be a birthday gift meant for Grant from his sister.  Sue wraps her own unopened gift to deliver to her son Grant.  Grant opens his birthday gift only to discover it is the very gift he had sent to his mother for her birthday.
We believe this is the definition of pre-re-gifting.

Sue's face turns a to a festive blush
when the gift she gave to her son
turns out to be the very gift
her son had given to her
Season #1 - Northern Exposure DVD

Walkin', Walkin', Walkin' Through Missouri

We let Grant sleep in on his 19th birthday.  
But while we waited for him to get out of bed and put on his bunny slippers and get ready for the day, we were burning daylight.

While the newly minted 19-year old was catching ZZZ's;
we were ready to explore.  We drove down to Rock Quarry Road (a very auspicious start for two geologists) and found the trailhead for the Katy Reserve.


It was hot and steamy, but we crossed the creek on a bridge and peeled off down the bank to the stream.  We found a bunch of frogs the size of my pinkie nail.  Guessing they were just finished with their tadpole stage, and now hopping around on the cherty limestone cobbles in the creek bed.


I had read every single "Reptile and Amphibian" book in the Rancho Elementary School library; so I knew, if you find amphibians, there has got to reptiles nearby.  My instincts were correct, as I soon made friends with an Eastern Box Turtle that I met on the woodland trail.  


Having worked up a sweat and seen life in the woods, it was time to see if our own youngin had emerged from the box springs to celebrate the final year of being a teenager.

Sue crossing Katy Trail bridge off of
Rock Quarry Road

Laughing Lady looks upon lacy leaf

An Ornate Eastern Box Turtle
Meets & Greets in the Katy Trail Reserve

Then we met a poor little robin with a tear drop in his eye...
Walkin', walkin; walkin to Missouri - he can't afford to fly

Big Birthday Boy Bash

We had driven 575 miles for a number of good and proper reasons, but not the least of which was to arrive at Grant's summer locale in order to properly celebrate his 19th birthday - the last of those teen year, for better or worse.


Before leaving, his mother had baked a couple of cake rounds, and then wrapped them in cellophane and reinserted them back into their pans for travel from Texas to Missouri.  She had also prepared a raspberry filling and had a can of icing and (yes, we did remember) the candles - but forgot the matches.


To insure that the birthday was maximum festive (at least while his parents were in town), Grant's housemate and friend from the dorms, Carson, was invited to join us for dinner.  Also included were Terri (Carson's Mom) and his sister Connor and her boyfriend; all down from Chicago on their way to the Lake of the Ozarks for a July 4th vacation.  Did I mention it was 106 the day before?  All seven of us got a table at Flat Branch Brewery & Cafe and settled in for a good time.  


With dinner complete, it was back to Grant and Carson's duplex for cake (which had been assembled earlier in the morning) and opening of gifts.  Grant had already been given a Tiger-striped cowboy hat by Terri and Connor, which they had purchased in Hannibal, MO.  Once Grant put on that hat, I swear he looked just like Hannibal's favorite son; Samuel Clemens a.k.a. Mark Twain.

Grant
Wearing a hat from Hannibal, MO
A striking resemblance, no?

Mark Twain
Native of Hannibal, MO

Chris, Connor's boyfriend looks away as Grant gives a hearty hug to Carson and his Mother

It's a Tiger Hat Party!
Carson & Grant in their Party Pad Kitchen

A Birthday Gift of Home Decor
For a Texan's Home away from Home
The Lone Star Flag
It soon proudly hung from his wall

19 Candles on an
Imported Chocolate with Raspberry Filling
Birthday Cake
(Sue left off the picante sauce)

Missouri Loves Company

Obligations.  Those tethers that define adult life and ultimately provide meaning and identity for adult life.

Grant was about to turn 19, an adult, and Grant had obligations back in Missouri.  After a few days back in Texas at the end of the semester, he drove back to Columbia, MO to take possession of his subleased duplex.  He and friend Carson had lined up jobs in town and had arranged to move into 2 rooms vacated over the summer by a couple of coeds.  They had obligations.

With a birthday at the beginning of the month and the Fourth of July holiday thrown into the mix, it was an opportune time for his mother and me to make it a road trip; celebrate his birthday, and haul up some requested supplies.  

On the supply list was:

  1.  A free-standing floor fan (we bought him an new one rather than bring the old dilapidated fan from his room)

  2.  His two TV sets (a flat screen & an old heavy model) [Grant owns twice as many TV monitors as his parents]

  3.  PlayStation 3 controller & cables

  4.  We brought along a pair of shoes he left in the living room and some of his mail.

  5.  The makings for a layered chocolate birthday cake with raspberry filling.
  6.  Birthday gifts [or is it gift - singular?]
  7.  Acoustic Guitar (Actually belongs to his mother - and she was sorry to see it leave, but she reasoned it is an excellent chick magnet and could do her son more good than it was doing in the closet here)

Looking at the weather forecast before we left, it was clear that Missouri was going be misery.  A large high pressure system was sitting over Kansas City, bringing central MO to 106 degrees (F).  Right where we were headed, hot damn.

We pulled into town early evening, having been delayed by a detour caused by the bridge over the Osage River having been washed out.  But, once we found an alternated route over the troubled waters and made it into town, we unloaded the supply wagon, and then said those magic words to a college student, "How about dinner?  I'll buy."  We included his housemate, Carson (from Chicago) and piled into Grant's car as he drove us to his meal of choice, a Greek food/Pizzeria across town.


Grant and Carson's summer residence is just 3 blocks north of their Frosh year dorm, so it was easy to find; once I regained control of the vehicle after careening over the curb of some cockamamie traffic circle obstructing the intersection smack dab in the middle of the Medical District.


We had arrived with all needed additional comforts.  I think Grant was glad to see us in town - for a least a few days.  Missouri loves company, or so I am told.

Looking across College Avenue
at the University of Missouri

Grant on the porch of his Summer Residence Duplex,
Columbia, Missouri

She Died a Heroine

Not blessed with natural or even cultivated symmetry, ravaged by an Autumn squall that topped her upright upper trunk and left her with but one limb plaintively extended to the east.  She was not a beauty, but she was faithful and fruitful, shading the tortoise burrow beneath her and skirted in the Spring with a cluster of purple irises, she was a joy.


Despite the need to lop off two-thirds of her branches and foliage last September; given a wet winter and spring, coupled with a lack of late frost, she set a profuse amount of liquid pink blossoms in March.  The peach crop was abundant and of high quality, meaning a less than usual amount of spoilage on the tree and for some reason, the fruit seemed less picked by birds and and bugs this year.


While we were aware of the bumper crop, we were afraid to wait for the perfect moment to harvest, so we plucked a hearty amount from the branches and brought several buckets into the kitchen to process for cobbler and pies.  The next evening, the sole limb had a large "green stick" fracture longitudinally along laden limb.  The quantity of peaches set was too weighty for the tree to bear and it split the last remaining branch.


All in all we harvested (my guess) around 40 pounds of peaches.  Plenty of pies and cobbler have already been filled with the sweet taste of sunset colored peaches - no sugar added or needed!  The freezer holds bags and bowls of additional pared peaches for future treats.


Last weekend I amputated the splintered limb that is now devoid of fruit, but was a nice summer shade for the tortoise burrow, and hauled the sawed up chunks of limb to the curb for pick up by the city yard waste crew on Wednesday.  She provided a cornucopia of early summer fruit full of juice and taste.  And she broke under the weight of such immense fecundity.


She died a heroine,


Ahh, what is this?  New green shoots are now reaching a cubit above the point of the sawed off limb.  Perhaps we will harvest again in a year or two!


Life finds a way.  Perhaps peaches will not perish from the premises after all.