Farm Fresh Blog

Saturday, February 25 2012

Susan in Texas sent the most delightful story that I simply had to share with you!

I noted your rock story.

I too have a rock.

It is red and looks like a liver. ok a big liver.

In 1888 when my grandmother was 2, her dad decided to move them from Indian Territory in northern Oklahoma, to live in North Texas.

They packed up their two wagons, and with 2 other families trekked as far as the Red River. There, her 12 year old brother became ill. (my grandmother later became a nurse and thought it was appendicitis from her mother's story of it) In any case, after 3 days he died.

They buried him on the banks of the Red River, probably just north of the Sherman/Denison now. They piled river rocks on the grave.

My great-grandmother took this as a sign from God that their family was not meant to cross the river into Texas. At her insistence, they started back north.. a few miles away, she realized she had no memorial of her boy. So my great-grandfather unhitched one of the mules and rode back and brought The Rock from the Red River with him.

That's the story of my rock.

I grew up an Air Force brat.. that rock has been to: The Red River - Freedom OK - Waukomis OK -- Weatherford TX -- New Mexico -- Amarillo TX -- Tachikawa Japan -- Denver CO -- Atwater CA -- Limestone Maine -- Sherman TX -- and come full circle (almost) to Enid OK - and now here in Houston TX

Susan in Houston

Posted by: forensicfarmgirl AT 05:42 pm | Permalink | 3 Comments | Email

Comments:

Hey - Thanks for sharing the story of our Family Rock. I'm sure there are other Family Rocks out there. Might have to start a whole new category for the blog! LOL

Posted by susan on 02/25/2012 - 07:38 PM

Lovely family heirloom (sp). I could not afford too many things of places I had visited in Europe so I bought back things such as chalk from white horse area in UK a bit of Scotish wool, A glacial stone from Switzerland. I have a fossil rock from the top of a Tasmanian Mt with shells in it and so it goes on.

Posted by Liz (Vic Aust.) on 02/26/2012 - 09:06 PM

They do make most sturdy heirlooms!

Posted by forensicfarmgirl on 02/28/2012 - 07:08 PM