"My Family"

Below the flags, click to enlarge the tiny wide-screen. These are my Civil War ancestors. Col. William Stewart, a Confederate officer, and Josephine his beloved, and former slave. They're my great, great grandparents. Below them are their children my great grand's I think. The Darker of the sisters was by another man. For Heaven's sakes! Oh my family! Oh the South!

This below is part of my family now. Two cousins Dionne, and Monique,That's and my sister Sylvia in the middle. That's me below them a few years ago.









On the left, click to enlarge, is a Slave manifest from the ship the Pioneer. These persons were bought by my white great, great grandpa or perhaps 'his' father, not sure, in 1848. Josephine in not on the list as she was born on the plantation.




Good grief. The only worse thing about not knowing the truth is actually finding it. Raw, un-prettified, honest, and plain.

(Below is from "Finding Josephine." my cousin's website.)





FAMILY HISTORY

Josephine Burton Ford was my great, grandmother. My search for her and the rest of my family history began at age 12, when I asked a simple question: “Grandpa, are you white?”

My grandfather’s answer sent me on a lifelong journey to piece together our family story and reveal a not uncommon but often untold part of American history. His grandparents were a slave named Tempy Burton, and her master, Col. W. R. Stuart, pictured in the header.

Three decades after I first learned of this interracial, Civil War-era duo, I found another one of their descendants. Monique, my third cousin, once removed, is as passionate about our history as I am. Together, we’ve been reclaiming our family’s history which includes masters and slaves, Confederates and Senators, preachers and entertainers. Follow our journey at www.findingjosephine.com.

Dionne Ford Kurtti

Also from "Finding Josephine" Dionne finds my sister Sylvia,..and as an added bonus,..me.

My cousin Monique is now the queen of all Internet searches. It was her voracious searching that turned up my second great-grandfather’s **Civil War era sword** on ebay, a portrait of one of our ancestors at the Maryland Historical Society on their online database, and me on ancestry.com. Now, she’s done it again. Monique found another one of our cousins, again on ancestry.com. (I think that internet genealogy site is going to have to start paying her soon – she’s a walking commercial for their services!)



Meet cousin Sylvia Smith Isabel. She lives a short bus or train ride away in New York and is as passionate about uncovering our family’s history as Monique and I.

Keeping track of all these cousins can be confusing so here is how we’re all related:

The ancestors that all three of us have in common are Tempy Burton and Col. W.R. Stuart, aka The Colonel. Tempy was a slave in Elizabeth McCauley’s family. When Elizabeth married the Colonel, Tempy was given to the couple as a wedding gift. Elizabeth couldn’t have any children but Tempy could and did have seven, probably all with The Colonel. But two of her children were definitely The Colonel’s, documented through their death certificates. They were Alfred Burton Stuart, Tempy and The Colonel’s oldest child and Josephine Burton Ford, their youngest child. Alfred was Monique’s great, great-grandfather and Sylvia’s great-grandfather. Josephine Burton Ford was my great-grandmother. Using the cousin calculator that makes Sylvia and Monique first cousins, once removed, Monique and I third cousins, once removed and Sylvia and I plain ole third cousins.

(My cousin Monique's Family,..left.)

Two days after Thanksgiving, Monique and her family came over to our house and we had a few good hours of laughs over all the things we’ve found this past year and we were feeling pretty thankful, like we’d reached the peak of our genealogy mountain and could just take in the view. Then, two days later, with the discovery of Sylvia, we had even more to be thankful for, and more history to uncover (her dad grew up on Alfred’s farm and told her stories of Alf working as an unofficial town vet – news to us!). It feels like we’re at the beginning of another journey.

(Go to my cousin's site "Finding Josephine", www.findingjosephine.com. See link on right.)

As for myself is it possible to be horrified, and proud at the same time? For I am. **Btw, I want that damned sword!**







Sweet Briar Slave Burial Ground where some of my ancestors rest.

"Anti-War war toys"

"250+ Perish in Southern Storms"

Though the news puppets aren't connecting the dots this tragic event is another sign of ongoing planetary climate change. As we know the main effect of which is more extremes of weather. Hotter summers, colder winters, and bigger, and more violent storms around the world.

I really wish it really was just a conspiracy by assorted corporations or space aliens, but it ain't. It's real.

***(A sad update. There are now over 300+ dead from these storms.)

"Arming the Heavens"

"Focke-Wulf Fw 190"

"Hawker Hurricane"

"Spare Change?"

That me there when I voted for what's his name last time.

"And yet there is Hope"

"American Life"

Cops handcuffed a 7-year-old at a Queens school after he became upset while decorating an Easter egg, his mom said.

Joseph Anderson, a first-grader at Public School 153 in Maspeth, was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center in metal cuffs, even though his mother told school officials she was on her way to pick him up, mom Jessica Anderson said.

"He was crying and saying, 'I want Mommy,'" Mrs. Anderson said. "Why handcuff him? Why get the cops involved? He's only 7."

The little boy has begun wetting himself in the middle of the day and throwing up since the April 13 incident, his distraught mom said.

"If he hears an ambulance, he runs under the bed and screams, 'They're going to get me,'". "He's really traumatized. I don't let him watch the news anymore, because if he sees cops, he cries."

Anderson said the school called her about 12:30 p.m. to tell her Joseph - who has attention deficit-disorder was not having a good day, and she said she would pick him up.

Turns out, things were far worse than she imagined.

The boy told her he became upset because the color on the egg he was painting didn't look the way he wanted, and staffers threatened to send him to the hospital if he didn't stop crying.

Scared, the boy then jumped up on the table and said, "I just want my mommy," his mother said.

(NY Daily News)
___________________________________________________________________

Do I have to say the lad was Black. Also no way I'm posting his picture like the papers did to add to his trauma. I'm trying to imagine anything like this happening at the Wilson School or any of those other plutocrat incubators on the Upper East Side.

Lawsuit heaven!

"My Baby Grew Up"

This is my G-d Child Heather Leigh West. Yeah I actually have a family both chosen, and blood. My gawd look at my sweetie ain't she something! 'Course to me she's still 12 years old, and always will be.

Bless you kid you've made ya old Uncle proud!

Btw no that's 'not' me in supplication at her feet. That's an actor,...I hope.




Okay here's the question. Are there any heterosexual males in the video business at all?!!

I have to ask Heather.

Hey I'm a Queer from way back, but even I see it. Wow ya can't throw a hair roller without slamming a fellow traveler between the eyes,..especially on Heather's shoots.

Not that I mind ya understands. I'm just saying is all.

Still Bless your Heart kid, and keep'em coming!

"Brooklyn Space Agency"

Homemade Spacecraft from Luke Geissbuhler on Vimeo.

Two Brooklyn kids, and their swell Dad send a spaceship into space! These folks live near me too.

Stay Tuned.

"US of A, still under Construction"

For those out in the World "GOP" means Republican Party.

"The Emerald City this Evening"

"Bourgeois Escape Arks"

Looking for a way to save not only your hide, but you ill-gotten billions too. Well seems a Saudi company is designing a prototype city-sea ark for them that can afford a berth. Click on the images for details.

Shades of that scary flick "2012".

If they go through with their plans they intend to build, and launch several self sufficient "City Ships" to ride out the War for food, and water that's looming on everyone's horizon.

They say these tubs will be "un-sinkable".

This since half of the dough nut shaped vessels will be underwater to begin with.

Um, I'd prefer a stateroom 'above' the waterline if ya don't mind.

Just to be on da safe side.

This being a Saudi project the servants, and crew will be mostly slaves, and indentured "guest workers". I imagine the inevitable mutiny by these proles should kick in about year two or three of the voyage.

The ark being so high tech the plutocrats will be keel hauled via conveyor belt. The sharks will be well fed 'that' day!


Eat the Rich,...and their little dogs too!



Actually this flick has came, and went however it seems there was more truth to it that we imagined. The planet has gone nuts cities 'are' collapsing, and the world economy's foundations have cracked, and large chunks are breaking off.

Still all that's no reason not to go to Coney Island. The new season opens in a few weeks. If the city is still here then I'm going.

"The Land of Tomorrow"

Shouldn't this have happened by now?

"Get Ready!"

Comrades the National Freak-out is on the horizon,...get the hell ready!

While you can.

"Meltdown"

I just got a letter from the Obama 2012 campaign. I must still be on their mailing list from when I foolishly sent them $50. bucks the last time. Anyway they wanted more dough.

??!!!


Words cannot describe my reaction to 'this' missive. I considered Fed-X-ing a large box of elephant doody to these morons. However the time, and trouble involved put me off.

Right' I'm going to climb over the zoo fence at 2:00am with a shovel, and baggy,..forget it. That Bastard ain't worth it.

Instead I sent a copy of the receipt for that $50. money order. Yeah I kept it,..tax purposes. I sent them that, and told them I was on the damned street when I sent them bucks, and now I want my damned money back,..plus interest!

I also said I'm either staying home or voting for my sister in 2012, and to stop bothering me with their junk mail.

At this point I just don't give a damn about any of it. If they elect Himmler fine I'm getting a gun anyway. Oh yeah I forgot to tell you. I'm getting a home defense weapon.

Getting a license should routine.

I've 'never' been arrested. I pay my damned taxes,..mostly, and I'm a swell guy so like the rest of America I intend to be armed when I face the coming national meltdown, and assorted mayhem.



Yeah we 'have' come to this.

"Is it Easter Yet?"

Did I miss it like I missed Ash Wednesday? I'm not an active Christian exactly, but they still have a few subconscious hooks in me. I'm sort of like a Dodgers fan after they abandoned Brooklyn, and went to the Coast.

Bastards.

I don't care if it was 50 years ago we're still all pissed. Still have I missed it? Do I still have time to paint some eggs?

"This is gonna be Interesting"

Okay we know the drill by now. The Republicans are a gang of blood thirsty Nazi bastards. Our only hope is the Democrats. They're all that stand between us, and losing our jobs, and getting kicked out on to the streets.

Eh,...wait a sec,...

"Emerald City Shadows"

"Last Frost",...maybe

"First Buds"