Genealogy hunting & Museum hopping

My two favorite sports have become museum hopping (these pictures are from the Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art) and genealogy hunting.
When I reached Aunt Louise's house in Fort Worth (and slowed down for a while) I called Dorothy, a sister to Dean Lambert.  Dean had emailed me her phone number with the suggestion that she may know more about my father.



She did know more...that my grandfather had moved his family to Shreveport, and that a granddaughter still lived there, named JoBeverly Eddins. She also said she would try and find out how to get in touch with JoBeverly.
In only a few hours I had a call from JoBeverly and suddenly, all my questions were answered.
She told me that my father had no other children other than myself.  I also learned that he had become very ill while in prison and never fully recovered once he was released.

JoBeverly said she thought he had been badly treated while in prison including starvation, which took a toll.  She also said he was a 'wonderful person'. (Strangely enough, this is a phrase I have heard before--and more than once) but that he could not seem to stay away from trouble.  He was married and divorced a second time after prison and ended up living with his brother, Clarence, and father, Andrew, until he died at 58 years of age.  JoBeverly also said that he had so little when he died that her father, Clarence, had to go out and buy a suit for the burial.  That was sad to hear.  Now I wish I had met him before he died.

JoBeverly confirmed that I had stayed with her parents when I was only a few months old while my mother worked as a waitress to support us.  And she confirmed that my aunt and uncle had become very attached to me during that time.  Again, I regretted that I had not looked for them when they were still alive.




But I have met a cousin, (Jo Beverly),  several 2nd cousins (Dean, Terry, Dorothy) and made a lot of new friends.  So now, I feel my search is over for a while.  I plan to stay in touch with them and I hope to get back to that part of Louisiana sometime in the future to get better acquainted.  And there is always more research to do...Who was my grandmother and what is her story?

Requiem for a Beloved Aunt

When I opened my email each morning for the last 8 or more years I would always go first to the missive's with the moniker, 'Ladysewing'.  I knew--it would be another funny picture, joke or inspirational message from Aunt Pauline. That  connection from her computer to mine (and to most of her nieces and nephews) was the continuing reminder of her fun sense of humor --and I admit, sometimes it would surprise me (wow! Did Aunt Pauline send me that?) or (Uh oh! Not okay to open in the office.)



On this road trip I have had the pleasure of several visits with her.    Each visit gave me time to sit next to her and hear her reminisces about my summers as a teenager when I would visit her. And this has been another reason for me to relish the time I have had for reconnecting with family.



She was an excellent artist and loved flowers--both real and painted.  When I asked her what she remembered most about my blog she immediately answered, "The pretty flowers."




"Lady Sewing" was her identity.  She made dolls, doll clothes and wall hangings but her quilts were what everyone talked about. 

The handmade quilts were colorful and playful, original or traditional and all are treasured.

 

She created heirlooms for her family and friends....

 And for me she was a treasured aunt who will be missed. 

The flowers are for her.

From the Obituary notice in the Alexandria newspaper...

"Mrs. Pauline Maxwell Spivey, 82, of Ball, La.  passed from this life on November, 2012, at her residence. 

She was a member of the First Baptist Church, Ferriday, La. She was a loving mother, sister and grandmother that will be dearly missed."

For sale--Willie Nelson's ranch

Larry and John are two very nice, very interesting friends of Ken's that I met in the restaurant.  In short order we were sharing stories and soon I had an invitation to drive out to their ranch for a drink and more story-telling.  So Ken and I journeyed out there--and I stepped into another adventure....



About 10 miles from Calvert we turned onto a long, tree-lined country road and came up to this gate....

Encantado is a ranch that was built and owned by Willie Nelson in the '80's.   I am guessing that, when the IRS went after their share of Willie's fortune, he had to sell the ranch.

Immediately beyond the gate and tucked back from the road is a very nice guest house.

     Further on we came to this lake that I later learned  is in a horseshoe shape and completely surrounds the main house except for one small  driveway.  (Wow! It was like a western moat.)

Beside the moat there is a cannon to ward off trespassers.

The lake is kept stocked with fish and this boat is available if anyone cares to bait a hook.

The present owners, John and Larry, have lived here for some time and now they are looking to retire, move to Panama and build an even bigger and better ranch.

The house is in the long rambling ranch style and entirely out of rock--both inside and out. BTW,  those ceilings are 19' high!



The story goes that the ranch was used for some pretty heavy-duty parties that included gambling and marijuana--Come now,  you certainly didn't think Willie would be holding church socials here,  Did you?

The kitchen is large enough and equipped enough for a restaurant...

and this dining area looks out over acres of great shade trees and rolling meadow.

This room is used as a den/library and looks out over the herb garden. Yes, I checked but all I could see growing were the old standbys--parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

I'm not sure about these monkeys.  First Elvis and now Willy's house...Was this a trend I missed?

A sunken bathtub surrounded by a walled in garden--it's one of those small pleasures I truly miss in the RV.  

A bedroom....Wish I could show it all--the closet was bigger than my rolling home and way more organized.

  

and a pool.

And it is for sale, folks!  Completely furnished.  For less than a million!  The land covers 49 acres and includes the guest house and the main house.  I kept thinking...Bed & Breakfast;  Wedding location and/ or  Honeymoon getaway; Artists retreat.  If I were only 30 years younger--and wanted to work day and night.  Wait a minute!  Whoa, there.  I better climb back in that wheeled retirement villa of mine and mosey on down the road before I get into trouble.


On The Road Again--Willie Nelson

On the road again -
Just can't wait to get on the road again.
The life I love is making music with my friends

And I can't wait to get on the road again.
On the road again

Goin' places that I've never been.
Seein' things that I may never see again

And I can't wait to get on the road again.
On the road again -
Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends.
Insisting that the world keep turning our way

And our way
is on the road again.
Just can't wait to get on the road again.
The life I love is makin' music with my friends

And I can't wait to get on the road again.
On the road again

Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway
We're the best of friends

Insisting that the world keep turning our way

And our way
is on the road again.
Just can't wait to get on the road again.
The life I love is makin' music with my friends

And I can't wait to get on the road again.
And I can't wait to get on the road again.

Cocoamoda in Calvert, Tx

When I drove into Houston I decided to search for someone that I had lost touch with some twenty years ago.  This personality (I debated on using the word 'character' but thought I'll let you decide) had been a friend of my family and a chef extraordinaire at our restaurant in (approx) 1983.

Ken Wilkinson is from England originally but, when last I saw him, he had married a Texas gal and settled into Houston. However, I couldn't find a trace of him anywhere...until Google came through and gave me a link to an article  in the New York Times about a Chef Wilkinson in an out-of-the-way spot called Calvert, and a different kind of restaurant called 'Cocoamoda'.



Eureka!  I placed a phone call and heard that wonderful, very proper, English accent on the other end of the line.  When I revealed who I was the response was immediate and warm,
"Holy */@!!, Where the *+@! are you?!."



So I drove to Calvert and found this intriguing little town that sits on the very edge of becoming---well, something fun and maybe famous.
  

 

 Ken is now separated from his wife and there is a new person in his life-- Jacqueline Carnes.
And except for the grey hair, Ken has not changed at all in almost 30 years.



In the two days I spent there I ate some of the most incredible chocolate truffles I have ever tasted and met some very nice people, Phil and Jennifer Runford, who invited us to dinner in their turn-of-the-last-century, Victorian home.

Calvert is 1/2 funky old-west, and 1/2 ghost town.....

But the ghost town part is just waiting to become something new and interesting.

 

  Characters are everywhere and Ken knows--and appreciates--them all.

The restaurant is in an old bank building that he has, single-handedly, restored.  The New York Times newspaper article says that the bank was once robbed by Bonnie and Clyde.

Besides meeting up with an old friend, this was a  perfect addition to my one-of-a-kind list of unique restaurants.
And if you go into 'YouTube' and put in 'Cocoamoda' there are a number of videos that display the restaurant, plus Ken Wilkinson--on display with all his charms.

You can go to Ken's Cocoamodo website here.

My Lambert Quest, Part 2

It was the first Saturday in October when I drove into Robeline, La. and I was startled to find the following crowd all lined up along the road.

 

I quickly parked the RV behind the town meeting hall and rushed out to the street to see what was happening.
I was told by one by-stander that it was the Robeline Parade and Heritage Festival and Ellie May Clampett was going to be on the first float!  And, in case you are too young to know, Ellie May (AKA Donna Douglas) was the sexy young daughter on The Beverly Hillbillies back in the 60's.



People were dressed in their best parade attire and excitement was building as they waited for that first float.  (Okay, some were merely waiting for the candy that was sure to be thrown to the crowds)



I found a spot next to these lovely ladies and soon learned their names were Carlene Wyatt and Annie Fuller.  Between them they knew just about everyone in town--including several Lamberts,  and they offered to help me with my quest.  It took them all of ten minutes to find and introduce me to a nice man named Terry Lambert.
I explained to Terry that I had come in search of my Lambert roots and he promptly informed me, "You must meet my brother, Dean.  He is the family genealogist."
When I mentioned I was going to the reunion the next day Terry told me that he would have Dean look for me.



 And then the parade started.  

Cheers when up as Ellie May passed by.  That hat was so big and floppy that I could have been sitting on that truck and no one would have known the difference.  

The floats were not going to compete with Mardi Gras...

 

 But no one cared.  The onlookers knew the participants.... 

  

and the participants threw lots of candy and beads to the onlookers.



By the time the third float passed I realized I was getting more exercise than I had in the previous six months.  There was candy everywhere and the crowd (okay! including me) was in a frenzy to grab every piece.  

 

There were vintage cars...  

Funny cars....

 

 and Farm cars.  Please note, that future farmer is hauling live chickens. 

After the parade I thanked Carlene and Annie, said 'Goodbye' then headed back to the RV where I spotted Ellie May signing autographs for her adoring fans.


When she saw me with my camera she gave me a big smile.  Wow! She looks alright for being 79 years old!

I spent the night in the meeting hall parking lot then got up at 6 AM and drove to the cemetery.  I was determined to be there in time for the first arrivals for the reunion.



The little church sits right next to the cemetery and people started arriving about 9 AM.  I introduced myself to the minister and learned that there would be a church service at 10, a business meeting at 11 and a pot luck dinner at noon.  And I was invited!  Pot lucks are my favorite--it's from those old Baptist roots.  There are usually Beanie weenies and Funeral Jello but there will always be some real gems as well like pecan pie, squash casserole and fudge brownies.  This was going to be another Serendipity Day.

About 50 people showed up for the reunion.  They came from all over the state and the one common connection was that they each had a family member buried in the cemetery.



The church service was barely over when this amazing person tapped me on the shoulder and introduced himself,  "My brother Terry tells me you would like to have this information...."
 Whereupon Dean Lambert handed me a very thick packet of papers.  It was the Lambert family tree and history all the way back to the 1700's! 
What a revelation!  I now have the names of seven generations of grandparents!  And I learned Dean and his brother Terry are my second cousins, once removed (I think).  Their father and my grandfather were brothers.
In the family tree are farmers, landowners, slave holders, revolutionists, royalists and fighters for the Confederacy.  But, with all this information I am still missing a very large chunk.  Dean knew about my grandfather, (Andrew Jackson Lambert) and his first three children (Eugene, Amy and Kate)  but Dean did not know about my father, Mac, or his brother, Clarence.  So I still have trails to follow and more to discover.  Did Mac have any more children? Do I have siblings? Nieces and nephews?  Who were the wives and what are their stories?   And did Utice Drew Lambert become an honest man?

So I will have to come back here again someday and see what unexpected discovery will open another door.
Everyone was wonderfully friendly.  Mary Jones (in the blue jacket above) invited me to park my RV at her farm and "Stay as long as you like!"
Dean and his wife, Amanda (in the pink jacket), went out of their way to get me the family tree information and make me feel welcomed.

I don't know if Mother would be pleased with me but, after all,  I am her daughter,  and she would never have passed up an adventure like this. 

 

  The oldest grave in the Lambert Town Cemetery belongs to the 16 year old fiancee of James D. Lambert who died during the 1860's.  Her name is unknown.  The marker reads:
Sweetheart of J.D. Lambert
Died early 1860's