Saturday morning..

Went for a walk on the hill then home to clean house.  Did not see much on the hill, but now the house looks nice and clean.  This afternoon we may go to lowes and look at carpet for our bedroom, or maybe not.

Kids and their dad are going to see Planes at the movies this afternoon.  They really enjoy going to the movies with him on Saturday afternoon.

New school, new teachers

We went to the school last night and met the kids teachers.  We are pleased that Robert got a teacher that graduated with Greg and her mother worked with me.  He was shy and a little scared at the school, but afterwards he warmed up to the idea and said he liked his new school.  He will be sitting next to a Meek boy.  Hannah has a nice new teacher also, but I did not know her.  Hannah will be sitting next to a little girl with a south of the border name.  Hannah will do fine and we will all help Robert so he will do fine also.  Someone, me or dad, will take them Monday, but after that they will ride the bus.  I always thought riding the bus was more fun than school.

Lane got a new bicycle from his Dad.  I guess it might be a early birthday present.

Now Dad wants one.  Boy was really surprised.  

We still have two baby chicks.  Hannah likes to catch them and pet them.  There Mama has pretty much gotten used to Hannah snatching them.

Son is moving in tonight and tomorrow.  They have gone to collect the living room furniture right now.  I think he is planning on staying down there tonight.  He bought electric wire yesterday to hook up his rental RV.  They may wait til next week when kids are in school and let Grandpa bury the wire.  Then they have to put in the sewer for the RV.  Grandpa is looking forward to having his days back to do as he pleases.  The pile of brush is where they cut the lower limbs off all the trees in the yard.  With using the bucket on the tractor, they have trimmed the limbs up at least 15 to 20 feet on each tree.  George has mowed all the lawn down there and up here.  It looks really good.

First time for everything

I think Patsy is right, it is fall.  Middle of August and highs in the 70's all week.  Maybe the sun is going to shine for a while though.

Today is bill pay day.

Tomorrow is open house at the school.  I will go and Greg if he is local.  He has been working in Holister so far this week so he should be here tomorrow.

South of the Dan...

Betty's photo of The Dan in Halifax County, VA got me to searching for photos of the area.  We know that Charles Powell and his father-in-law, Anthony Gholson owned acreage south of The Dan in Halifax County in the 1770-1780 time frame.  Anthony's land was bordered by The Dan, and I believe Charles Powell's land also was on The Dan.  Charles' land is described being on Licking Creek and Deep Bottom Creek.  I have never found either of these creeks on any Halifax County maps, either present day or in the 1700's but I have seen many land descriptions from this time period naming these two creeks.  I had a one time determined that Charles Powell and Anthony's land was close to present day Turbeville, VA.  I know they were located somewhere between Danville and South Boston.  Anthony Gholson's land patent says his land was as below:

Halifax Co. Land Records Book 10 page 265 Dated 10 Feb 1777 Anthony Gholson of Louisa Co. purchased of John Williamson of Halifax Co. for 125 pounds 225 acres "lying and being on the South Side of Dan on the lower side of Deep Bottom creek...Down new Road" bound by John Dickies, William Wiley and Joyn Raney, Joseph Talbert, Elizabeth Miller-  "its being a tract of land bequeathed to Jacob Miller by the last will and testament of Harmen Miller Dec.  and conveyed by deed from the said Jacob Miller to John Williamson"

I have found a photo on the web of William Wiley's tavern, taken in the 1930's.  Cornwallis and Nathaniel Greene both used Wiley's tavern as headquarters at different times in their 'Race to The Dan.'  This tavern was located on VA Route 58 about 6 miles south of South Boston, VA.

When I look at Google Maps, I see areas along The Dan that appears to be bottom fields and other areas that look pretty rough like the terrain  of West Virginia.

I also know that Asher Reaves owned Charles Powell's land in Halifax and sold it back to Anthony Powell, Charles' eldest son.  In searching today, I found that Asher Reaves married Diana Miller. Anthony Powell married Elizabeth Miller, daughter of Elizabeth Miller.  I guess Asher and Anthony were likely brothers-in-law.

Sunday News

We are getting 6 to 10 eggs a day now.  Yesterday we got this weird looking egg.

Brother was getting his roof patched, yesterday.

Hannah took grandma down to the graveyard.

It looked pretty good.

Hannah said take a picture of the donkeys.

more dead

Goats on the hill.  We don't even shut the gate anymore.  They don't bother anything as far as I can tell since we fenced in the dogwood. 

We bought Robert a new mattress set.  I mean to get a full size, but it turned out to be a queen size.  So, we had to do away with the head and foot of the bed.  It looks nice and he likes it.