I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Our stories are not left with our descendants alone, but the people who surround us. No matter how well I do my job telling people’s stories, or how well I piece together the puzzle there will always be more to tell, and more to piece together. There is always one more friend whose great grandson has a box of “this and thats” in the top of a closet somewhere. And as the generations go on, new people become interested and look at the same documents with different eyes and renewed interest.

With modern day technology and social media it is becoming much easier to take the pieces in the top of one closet and match them with the pieces in back of another closet. This happened recently for my research at Carnton. There was a series of photos on County Historian Rick Warwick’s Flickr page, that I knew some of the people in the photos were the great-grandchildren of Joe and Clara McGavock, enslaved people owned by Randal McGavock in the early-mid 19th Century. There was nothing known about the pictures with the exception of “campers 1915” and the photos were from the Robert Murdic/Ethel Merrill family. 

I got a text last week from Christian Patton, who is the 4th great-grand-son of Joe and Clara. He and his father had been looking through old bins of family memorabilia and he found an old letter, he could tell it was important and could tell it was from a camping trip. He asked if I wanted to see it. OF COURSE I did, I was giddy from the moment he said “4 page letter.” It turned out to be a journal and as I read, I realized it was the same camping trip as all the photos from the Murdic-Merrill family collection! It was such a delight to put the photos into a document with the journal. Transcribing was days of staring at the faded damaged pages, enlarging, contrasting…uncontrasting. But it wasn’t a chore, it was wonderful. After much evaluation it was clear that Henrietta Otey Hughes had jotted down short synopsis of every day of camping. How the journal ended up with her sisters’ great grandson we may never know, but thank goodness he looked through that box. And thank goodness he shared.
So many descendants reach out and offer opinions, photos, stories. So to Bridgett, Christian, Damon, Detoria, Chuck, Candace, Lee, Johnna, Bernard, Reggie and so many others, I am grateful for your friendship. The trust you confide in me is not taken for granted. I am honored every time you think about me and share your ancestors stories with me. 

“Bug” was the youngest member of the camp and the only child present. His mother Henrietta wrote the journal and it is at moments so sweet. She captured darling human moments that allow us to get a glimpse into their lives for just a few days. Christian, I know you felt blessed when you found this. It was definitely a gift for me, but for your cousins, unknown to you until recently. This is a true gift. Little “Bug” was Reggie’s grandfather. Fannie was Chuck’s grandmother. I cannot imagine the joy they will have in reading these words and meeting their grandparents from this perspective.  Thank you for sharing. You are the future of your family’s journey, and I know they are proud of you.

Campground Near Forrest Home

Journal believed to be written by Henrietta Otey Hughes on letterhead of:

Dr. G. A. Wesley

Physician and Surgeon

418 Main Street¹

Note at top of first journal page: Fannie was the first (camper) to an accident being hit on the head with (unk..?) by Mattie.

July 19, 1915

We begun camp on July 19th 1915 party composed of Mesdames John Flemming², John Hughes³, Robt Murdic⁴ Misses Martha + Fannie Southall⁵, Sadie Murdic⁶, Alice⁷ and Mattie Otey⁸  Mr Esq. Mayes, John Fleming⁹, Robt Murdic¹⁰, G.A. Wesley¹¹, John Hughes¹²     Began/Begun raining in the evening, ladies retired early but did not sleep on account of nervousness. Sadie Martha + Ethel decided to keep the rest awake and but a few peacefully slumbered through it all the ladies were around with (unk?) an axe, a hatchet + (unk?) 44 we had supplies  about 7 days consisting of fruit …(unk?) scrambled ….she (unknown) to sleep the rest of the night with her feet on Martha’s cot. 

July 20, 1915

July 20- Arose about 6:30 every body had a fearful dream during the night, breakfast about 8:30 water began (r…) about 12:30. Mattie, John Jr + I went in water Martha, Dr. Wesley, Martha, Mattie + I made (p..) Louella, + sister¹³ cooked for the camp today.  Mattie Ethel  Bob + I went to target shooting. I was the last shot of the four, Martha took faster (or pastor?) all this morning. John Jr + I got to fussing before dinner John Hughes Sr walked into camp before we woke up about 6:00 oclock. We had a beautiful moon light night played corner¹⁴ during the early hours. Sadie, Lou Ella, Martha, Esq, John Fleming + G.A. Wesley went to the spring for water but brought a pole cat¹⁵ back instead which intertained [sic] us with its sweet odor for sometime.

July 21, 1915

21 Ethel + Alice cooked for the camp today.    Breakfast 8:00 oclock.   Sadie, Fannie, Lou Ella, Mattie, Esq. walked to Forest Home this morning before dinner.  Company for dinner.    Had big dinner sherbet, cabbage, corn, potatoes, butter milk    late in afternoon played several games.     Louella and Bob got sick and had to have the doctor,  Served sandwiches and sherbet for supper

Ethel and Alice Cooking!

July 22, 1915

22- every body better.  Mattie + Fannie cooked for the camp today frying fish, eel + turtle for breakfast. John Hughes +Dr. Wesley are cleaning more fish.  Others are getting reddy [sic] for a tramp before breakfast.  Took a long tramp. Bro Patton¹⁶ drove into camp before dinner and played baseball in the afternoon.  Took a long tramp in late afternoon   all retired late for a pleasant nights rest to be disturbed later by the men celebrating in their night attire thought they would scare the ladies +set the graphophone at our tent door but we upset their plan by pulling the graphophone¹⁷ in our tent, after which everybody slept.

July 23, 1915

23-Martha and Sadie cooked for the camp today.  We are all lying in bed talking except Martha + Sadie they are trying to get the fire made  having an awful hard time getting things straight  Fannie ,Bug +myself walked down the pike visiting.   Louella, John Jr, Bro Patton + self went to Forest Home¹⁸ for a few items. The bunch went out and made pictures after which Patton and Hughes left for home the rest went back to camp and retired a little early. 

July 24, 1915

24- up rather late this morning, sister + Bug cooked breakfast but had to wait until after 9 oclock for the mailman to bring meat for breakfast everybody was so hungry they ate too much Louella and myself emptied the (salphicated?) this morning   

(continues on next page, top very blurry)

No dinner cooked today. We lunched (unk?) every minute.  Fannie Sadie Bug + myself have a toilet down the pike which we visit quite often. Martha [Dr McCoy visited camp did not camp] keep some of us busy going to the S–T house with her. Martha, Sadie, Fannie Lou Ella John  Esq Dr are now usnder a big tree playing cards  Bug + I are on the (two words unk?) Bug is trying to pick a choice to go into (unk?)  I am talkin (unk?) Esq Sadie, Fannie, But, Martha D. Esq + Martha left camp about 7 oclock for a walk to Forest Home  Martha decided to turn back before we got very far Dr went back with her the rest of us kept going had a fine   coming back we passed a gray (strange) the fun had   it (unk?) but some of the (siyl?) looking men including bad eye came out on the street where we were resting + chatted a while then proceeded to show us how they take a (unk 2 words) + a run + stop by the road side + play craps  Dr met us way down the pike tried to scare us. Every one was in bed when we entered camp, we went out and all ate jam sand witches, then retired for the night. 

July 25, 1915

Sunday -25 Beautiful day. Louella + I were going to cook breakfast, but the whole camp took a part in helping. Fried chicken, fried corn, rice, tea, coffee, sweet milk, butter, egg bread,breaky bacon, light bread for breakfast. Ethel, Fannie, Bug + self took our usual trip down the pike. 

[Note crunched onto top of page: Tom Baugh¹⁹ brought John Hughes Sr²⁰ out in his buggy this afternoon + stayed to dinner. Then John Flemming went back to Franklin with Tom late in the afternoon.]

Bug, Fannie + Alice are now across where the other campers were in the shade of a big tree listening to the graphophone which sounds very plain + sweet. Bug is scratching Fannie’s head       the camp is very quiet today    we have begun dressing for the evening and guessing it to be about 1:30 0clock, about 2:30 oclock, Fannie, Martha, Sadie, Louella + Myself. Dr. Wesley, Esq. walked way up the road + took pictures    we sent the men on + we stayed + took some cute ones of we five ladies     came back to camp + enjoyed the graphophone  then told tales + all retired.

July 26, 1915

Monday 26  Up early, packing to leave for home.   No one wants to go home    all helped cook breakfast which every one enjoyed very much     Mattie is suffering with a chiger in the eye, several had to take a last look at the river, wagons arrived about 10 oclock to move us back to town    just as we were all ready to leave the grounds Wesley took the picture of us all.

1. Dr. Wesley’s office was above A.N.C. Williams’ store. Today occupied by “Avec Moi.”
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2. Louella Davis married John Fleming 18 May 1913, Williamson County, TN
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3. Henrietta Otey married John Hughes 20 Jul 1904, Williamson County, TN ↩︎
4. Ethel Merrill married Robert Murdic 23 Dec 1914, Williamson County, TN
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5. Martha and Fannie Southall were sisters. Members of Forget-Me-Not Art Club. The daughters of Patrick Henry and Ida Bunch Southall. ↩︎
6. Sadie Murdic was Robert Murdic’s sister? Member of Forget-Me-Not Art Club. ↩︎
7. Alice Otey-daughter of Flem and Malinda Southall Otey. Member of Forget-Me_Not Art Club. Married Bro. J.T. Patton 5 months after camp. ↩︎
8.  Mattie Otey-daughter of Ephriam and Martha Scott Otey, first cousin of Alice and Henrietta, married Noble Winstead. ↩︎
9. John Flemming WWI Soldier, Pvt US Army ↩︎
10. Robert Murdic, husband of Ethel Merrill, a taylor in Franklin, best friends with Bro. J.T. Patton ↩︎
11.  Dr. George Allen Wesley, WWI Soldier, Medical Corp, Married Martha Southall after this date! ↩︎
12.  Three-year-old son of Henrietta Otey and John Hughes Sr., also referred to as “Bug.” ↩︎
13. Alice Otey, sister of Henrietta Otey Hughes. ↩︎
14. Corner is a card game. ↩︎
15. HAHAHAHAHAH….someone got skunked!!! Southerners call skunks “pole cats.” ↩︎
16. At the time of this journal writing, Bro. J.T. Patton had been a widower for only 18 days. His wife Avaline Halfacre Patton had died on 1 Jul 1915. He was minister and undertaker in Franklin. ↩︎
17. record player ↩︎
18. This community, which appeared on a early twentieth century map spelled “Forrest Home,” is thought to have been named for Gen. Nathan B. Forrest, C.S.A., who found it a safe haven after his raid on Brentwood in March, 1863. Forest Home is near the center of what once were vast Perkins family plantations which included Hillside, Meeting of the Waters, Montpier, River Grange, Two Rivers, and Walnut Hill. For many years, two general stores faced each other at this intersection. McPherson’s store was the voting place for the 6th District. The nearby Perkins School for black children and Forest Home School for white children were closed by 1949. The Forest Home Church of Christ was organized in 1950.–Historic Marker for Forest Home ↩︎
19. Tom Baugh was husband of Gertrude (member of Forget-Me-Not Art Club.) Owned furniture store ↩︎
20. John Hughes was a barber, married to Henrietta Otey, died 1919 from tuberculosis. ↩︎