If Only
I spent the day with Dad, going from place to place, jotting down notes and taking pictures of tombstones and plots of land with our name on it.
Fairbank, Fairbanks, Sewell, Laird, Trice, Horney, Harrison...
From Easton to St. Michaels to McDaniel to Wittman to Sherwood. Sherwood cemetery was the best place for the name Sewell. We found where my great-great-great grandfather and grandmother were buried, along with their son, and his son. I was surprised to find three generations in such a small cemetery...and it was such a pretty place, right on the bay. (Of course all of Wittman and Sherwood are right on the bay. That's what makes them so expensive!)
I had so much fun with Dad today. He talked about going to Bozman (next on our list) to visit his grandfather (my great grandfather), and how he and his dad (my grandfather) used to go down to Langdon and look for arrowheads. We went through Langdon today, looking at the fancy houses and the grossly overdeveloped land, and I saw the look on Dad's face. It was hard to believe John Sewell, my great great grandfather, had all that land. It's so hard to believe my family had so much land and just sold it, like it was nothing. If only we still had it...things would be so different.
If only John hadn't sold it.
If only Rowena Trice hadn't been cheated out of her land.
If only the Favinger farm hadn't been sold.
We'd own waterfront and still be one of the richest families in Talbot County. We'd own half the Bay Hundred Area, instead of barely hanging onto some old house.
If only. Hm.
Fairbank, Fairbanks, Sewell, Laird, Trice, Horney, Harrison...
From Easton to St. Michaels to McDaniel to Wittman to Sherwood. Sherwood cemetery was the best place for the name Sewell. We found where my great-great-great grandfather and grandmother were buried, along with their son, and his son. I was surprised to find three generations in such a small cemetery...and it was such a pretty place, right on the bay. (Of course all of Wittman and Sherwood are right on the bay. That's what makes them so expensive!)
I had so much fun with Dad today. He talked about going to Bozman (next on our list) to visit his grandfather (my great grandfather), and how he and his dad (my grandfather) used to go down to Langdon and look for arrowheads. We went through Langdon today, looking at the fancy houses and the grossly overdeveloped land, and I saw the look on Dad's face. It was hard to believe John Sewell, my great great grandfather, had all that land. It's so hard to believe my family had so much land and just sold it, like it was nothing. If only we still had it...things would be so different.
If only John hadn't sold it.
If only Rowena Trice hadn't been cheated out of her land.
If only the Favinger farm hadn't been sold.
We'd own waterfront and still be one of the richest families in Talbot County. We'd own half the Bay Hundred Area, instead of barely hanging onto some old house.
If only. Hm.