-
Smith family history: Part 19
Reconstruction era – 1874-1877 Part of the ‘Smith family history’ series The Scofield v. McNaught case was decided in the Georgia Supreme Court January term in 1874. I’m certainly no lawyer and will spare you my attempt to try and interpret the decision, but feel free to read through it yourself. It is interesting to…
-
Smith family history: Part 18
Reconstruction era – 1871-1873 Part of the ‘Smith family history’ series In the early 1870’s Atlanta was still rapidly rebuilding, including the commercial and retail area of downtown. The (first) Kimball House hotel began construction in March 1870 and was still underway in October of that year. The Kimball House was an important symbol of…
-
Hope to action: Make Windows Safer, Day and Night
Part of the ‘Hope to action’ series The following is mirrored from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s “Seven Simple Actions to Help Birds.” I will add some additional localized context and resources below. The challenge: Up to 1 billion birds are estimated to die each year after hitting windows in the United States and Canada.…
-
Smith family history: Part 17
Reconstruction era – 1870-1871 Part of the ‘Smith family history’ series Robert and Mary’s family was enumerated in the 1870 federal census on June 16, 1870. In addition to Robert, Mary (M C), son Eugene Everton (E E), and daughter Evelyn Alexander (E A) the census lists a 28 year old domestic servant, Lucia Turner,…
-
Smith family history: Part 16
Reconstruction era – 1869 Part of the ‘Smith family history’ series In early 1869 Robert Windsor Smith and his wife Mary were living in Atlanta. Mary was pregnant with their third child. Their first had died after only 3 months in 1866 and their son Eugene had turned 1 in September of 1868. Robert was…
-
Hope to action: Introduction
Part of the ‘Hope to action’ series Please see my previous related thoughts on this matter:It is enough and Hope to action Contrary to what you may have heard, birds are real. Birds matter. There are approximately 10,000 known species of birds and they represent the most diverse terrestrial vertebrates on our planet. Additionally, they…
-
Smith family history: Part 15
Reconstruction era – 1865-1868 Part of the ‘Smith family history’ series V. T. Barnwell’s “Atlanta City Directory and Strangers’ Guide” was published sometime in mid-1867. It includes a “Condensed History of Atlanta” section that describes the circumstances of Atlanta residents returning after Sherman’s forces had effectively razed the city. By those who returned to Atlanta…
-
Smith family history: Part 14
Civil War – Aftermath Part of the ‘Smith family history’ series In early 1865 Atlanta lay in ruins, Abraham Lincoln had been re-elected, and Sherman’s forces had completed their March to the Sea, capturing Savannah. Robert Windsor Smith was registered as a deserter on March 9, 1865 in Charleston, South Carolina. One month later on…
-
Hope to action
Part of the ‘Hope to action’ series In my previous “It is enough” post, I discussed my own anxiety about the prospect of extinction, and ultimately tried to highlight a glimmer of hope for the future. This is not some kind of unfounded eco-fear-mongering, the situation is in fact dire. Skeptical? Spend some time looking…
-
Smith family history: Part 13
Civil War Part of the ‘Smith family history’ series I’m certainly not a Civil War historian, but I will try to provide some contextual information along with comments specifically relevant to the Smith family. On September 29, 1862 Robert Windsor Smith had written to his uncle William McNaught stating: The Conscription Act has concluded to…
Birds of Kirkwood 