May 22, 1961

The hits on the day I was born:

Billboard Magazine May 22, 1961
In case you have trouble seeing the Top Ten for May 22, 1961:
10) Linda Scott – I’ve Told Every Little Star
9) Ricky Nelson – Hello Mary Lou
8 ) Connie Francis – Breakin’ In a Brand New Broken Heart
7) Roy Orbison – Running Scared
6) Shirelles – Mama Said
5) Ricky Nelson – Travelin’ Man
4) Gene McDonald – One Hundred Pounds of Clay
3) Shep and the Limelights – Daddy’s Home
2) Del Shannon – Runaway
1) Ernie K. Doe – Mother-in-Law

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Do I Have a Favorite? (and other ramblings about reenacting)

Recently I was asked where my favorite place to reenact is.
Now that's a good question!
With roughly twenty-plus places to time travel, I can't just give one answer, because each place is special in itself. But, you must understand, it's not only where one reenacts but with whom. For instance, I could be in the most authentically accurate house, decorated perfectly for 1860, but if I have some goof-offs with me who don't take living history seriously and are totally "out of time," I might as well be in a computer store.
On the other hand, I could be in a canvas tent, which, in all honesty, is pretty farby for most of us civilians when you think about it, and yet able to transport visitors back in time 150 years.
So I suppose it's not necessarily where I'm at but who I am with.
That being said, if I had to choose my favorite spot to reenact and am surrounded by those who will do their utmost to make the past come to life, I would have to pick Charlton Park in Hastings, Michigan as my number one choice.
I know some of you are pretty surprised at this; you thought I would choose Greenfield Village, right?
Well, let me explain why I chose Charlton Park:

This picture of the battle's aftermath says a lot, with the involvement of the townsfolk caring for the wounded, the dying, and preparing the dead. Charlton Park at its finest!

Because of the way this open-air museum is situated - and because the good folks that run the park trust the reenactors - many of us that participate here are able to bring the hobby of living history a major leap forward...or, if you will, a leap into the past. I annually post an article about this amazing event here in my blog and how we practice our living history skills there.
Every year the Charlton Park reenactment tends to lift Civil War reenacting up quite a few notches. And we, as civilians, have been right there, showing every day life as once lived as authentically as we can. My wife and I with three of our offspring, along with our domestic servant, Carrie, usually take over the 1858 Sixberry House, making it our home. It's a civilian dream come true! Now, I have to say that staying in a period home all the day long is fantastic, but to include eating in a period kitchen with just my family and our domestic serving us makes it all the more like a time travel experience. You see, by suppertime all of the structures inside Charlton Park close to the public so we are able to eat with all the tranquility of an 1860's family.

Yes, we were served by our domestic servant here. This is perhaps my favorite part of the Charlton Park event - all period correct.

It's as close to being there as one could be; pouring our drinking water from a pitcher on the counter, eating period correct food cooked over an open fire (not in the kitchen stove, mind you, but at a campsite), with all farb hidden.
And just us there.
I am getting goosebumps writing this!
But that ain't all - - - - !!
For the battle itself, the Union and the Confederates utilize the village structures to whatever advantage their leaders see fit, sneaking out from behind one building, ducking back behind another, encircling each other on the village green; it is truly as if one were watching an actual battle unfold before our very eyes. And, yes, we civilians sometimes will go running from our homes and stores, the women screaming and the men hurrying them along. It can be unlike any I have yet witnessed or have taken part in, at least not around these parts! Definitely so much more authentic than the battles that are normally held on what could be along the lines of a football field.
This is the only event that I know of (in our general area) where this sort of thing takes place, at least to this extent, so you can see why this would be my favorite.
Greenfield Village is a wonderful event - very high on my list - but it's also a high-profile one, where literally thousands of visitors come daily (for three days!). Yes, we are totally surrounded by historic homes and buildings, which really lends a period feel. But, because of the nature of this open-air museum and of the structures, we cannot utilize them in the same manner as Charlton Park, so we all basically remain at our tents. However, we do get to walk around the place and visit with other reenactors as well as the many patrons.

Here's our camp set up next to an early 19th century silk mill in Greenfield Village

There are other places that will allow us to use period homes, such as Waterloo Farm and Historic Fort Wayne, and they can be great places to show the past, especially at Christmas time. In fact, for me it's at Christmas that these two places really shine. The one thing lacking here, however, is the all-important (to me) opportunity to eat our dinner and supper inside.

We really did it right during Christmas at Historic Fort Wayne. I believe we really were there!

Yes, there are tent events that can be pretty swell, too, such as Wolcott Mill, which normally takes place in the beauty of autumn in Michigan. And then there's Jackson. The interesting thing about Jackson is they created a makeshift town; by building wooden false-fronts to place in front of the tents, the impression of an old-time town comes to life. It's a pretty impressive sight. What I like most is waking up in the early morning to watch the sun rise while sitting on my 'front porch.'

Notice the false front buildings. It really adds to our town, taking the extra step beyond a tent city.

So...my favorite event is not necessarily a place, but, rather, how we are allowed to utilize what we have. And because Charlton Park gives us such an opportunity, I have to say that, at least for now, that's my favorite.

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Now, into another topic:
authenticity.
What would you say to me if I told you that you were reenacting wrong; that because you sleep in canvas tents you are as farby as it gets no matter how accurately you're clothed?
You wouldn't be very happy, would you?
There are civilian reenacting groups out there that will not participate in tent events at all. If they cannot be in a period home, they say, then it's not accurate. And they will let you know under no uncertain terms that your tent is farby because "people didn't live in tents back then!"
Do I really have to explain why we stay in tents?
*sigh*
Okay...here we go...again!
As a civilian from Michigan I would have been safe and secure in my wood-framed or brick home, just the same as most folks of the era. But, since we cannot bring houses with us (or, except for rare instances as stated above, use real period homes), one has to use their imagination a bit and think of our tents as our wood frame home.
But, I admire this thought...this idea of no longer camping in farby tents, pretending that they are really our homes.
And, of course, the nose in the air attitude of some of these folks.
But I would like to take it a step further:
I expect the percentage of women who reenact to dress according to their husband's occupation:
About 58% of the workforce during the Civil War were farmers, and another large percentage were what we modern folk call grunts. I expect the civilians, especially the wives/women of these hard-laboring men, to dress accordingly.

These two ladies are not afraid to dress as so many of the 1860's female population did.

I also expect the civilian reenactors to know about their everyday lives of the period.
Ladies - no more talking only about your different types of clothing, but to really be accurate, you should show the public how you do your daily chores and activities as an 1860's woman as well.
Men, you better have a period correct occupation to present.

Over on the military side of reenacting, the average height of the Civil War soldier was 5 ft. 8-1/4 inches, the average weight was 143-1/2 pounds, and the average age of the Union soldier was 25 years old.
I expect the military to be in accordance.
The military men must stay for the duration in military camp - even sleeping in their own dog tents. They would not have come home for a visit every night. Heck, it's only on weekends, they can handle it. When they were not drilling, which made up a considerable portion of their time in camp, soldiers  passed the time writing letters, playing games like checkers, dominoes and poker, drinking, smoking, whittling, making music and praying. One soldier summed it up when he wrote to his wife, "Soldiering is 99% boredom and 1% sheer terror."
I expect the reenactors to do the same.

Pretty authentic looking group of soldiers here, for the most part. Most are young, slim, and dirty.

This all sounds kind of silly doesn't it. I mean, if we went to this extent...there goes the (reenacting) neighborhood.
I am not, by any means, saying that anything goes, and that farb is okay.
What I am saying is that we must continually attempt to bring the past alive by doing our very best in all we do, through clothing, mannerisms, accessories, speech, etc. But there has to be some exceptions for things we have no control over to keep this hobby alive (i.e. tent cities, using inhalers, having a cooler to keep your meat cold, etc.) or you can kiss it goodbye.
Anyhow, those are my thoughts for the week. Next week: tons of photos from the Memorial Weekend/Decoration Day event at Greenfield Village.

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History in the News: The Past in the Present (part 2)

A few months ago I wrote a post called "History in the News: The Past in the Present" in which it seemed the past was finding itself in our modern news (click HERE to see it).
Well, recently, a friend of mine posted the following meme on Facebook. I found it to be unbelievable, for we all know about the false information found on Facebook, don't we?

Well, I researched it on my own only to find it to be true! How cool!! Combing through the internet, it seems that England's Daily Mail (?!) had the best and most in depth article.
This is from 2012 but the two grandchildren are still alive as of this writing.
Enjoy - - - - - -

Grandsons of tenth president John Tyler are STILL ALIVE... and were born 140 YEARS after their grandfather

• John Tyler's wife Julia was 30 years his junior
• Their son Lyon Tyler remarried in his 70s and had two sons in 1920s

By Beth Stebner
UPDATED: 15:11 EST, 26 January 2012 
 
John Tyler, the tenth president of the United States, was born in 1790. He grew up on a Virginia plantation, became a lawyer, and went on to the White House after the death of his predecessor, William Henry Harrison in 1841.
In the years leading up to his presidency, horse-drawn carriages were the mode du jour, Arkansas, Michigan, Maine, and Missouri became states, and across the sea, Napoleon Bonaparte was conquering Europe.
But it has been revealed that two of the president’s grandsons are still alive – and were born nearly 140 years after their grandfather was.

The patriarch: US president John Tyler, who was born in 1790, has two living grandsons

Grandsons of a president: Harrison Ruffin Tyler, left, and his brother Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr., call the tenth president of the United States their grandfather

Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr. was born in 1924 to Lyon Gardiner Tyler, the son of the late president.
His brother Harrison Ruffin was born four years later, according to records kept by the Sherwood Forest Plantation Foundation, the home of President Tyler.
This extraordinary feat was possible in part because their father had Lyon and Harrison whilst in his 70s.
Lyon Gardiner Tyler, Sr., after all, was born while the nation fought the Civil War.
His two surviving sons were with his second wife, Sue Ruffin, who was born in 1889.
The widower president John Tyler, who was dubbed ‘His Accidency’ for the unusual manner in which he won the presidency, rose to fame from the ‘Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too’ campaign.

Extended family tree: Both President Tyler and his son Lyon were married twice - their second wives, both much younger than their husbands, help explain the incredible time gap

The middle man: Lyon Tyler, Sr., was born in 1853, remarried in 1923, and had two sons within the next five years

He married Julia Gardiner, a woman from a wealthy Long Island family, on July 23, 1844.
She was 30 years his junior at 24. He was the first president to marry while holding office.

The couple had seven children, added to eight more from President Tyler’s first marriage, making his the most prolific family to inhabit the White House.
Lyon, Sr. had six children, according to his son’s biography. His son followed in his father’s footsteps and became an attorney, practicing law in Tennessee.

Loving wife and mother: First Lady Julia Gardiner Tyler married the president at only 24, though he was 30 years her senior

Harrison, meanwhile, has led several historical tours, and was the keynote speaker for the 250th Jubilee of the colonial settlement of Jamestown. 
The three generations have seen a multitude of change. In 1842, the word ‘dinosaur’ was coined and three years later, Charles Darwin published Voyage of the Beagle.
In Lyon Tyler's era, Theodore Roosevelt held office, the United Postal Service was founded, and a stone was laid to begin construction of the Washington National Cathedral.
His grandsons have seen the advent of airplanes, television, and the internet.
  
A FAMILY SPANNING THREE CENTURIES: TIMELINE OF JOHN TYLER AND HIS PROGENIES

29 March 1790: John Tyler born in Greenway, Virginia
1807: graduated from William and Mary; Passed the Bar Exam and became lawyer two years later
March 1813: Married first wife Letitia Christian
1811-1839: Served as United States representative, state governor and senator 
1841: Became president, known as ‘His Accidency’ after the sudden death of William Henry Harrison
1853: Lyon Gardiner Tyler born; becomes historian
18 January 1862: John Tyler dies, aged 71
10 July 1889: Julia Gardiner Tyler dies, aged 69
1923: Lyon Gardiner Tyler, Sr., marries second wife Sue Ruffin, two years after first wife dies
1925: Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr. born
1928: Harrison Ruffin Tyler born
12 February 1935: Lyon Gardiner Tyler Sr. dies, aged 81

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So, there you have it. Pretty cool, huh?

Yeah...I thought so, too!
See you next time!

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The Reenacting Season Has Begun!

This being the merry merry month of May in Michigan, it's the beginning of the reenacting season! Well, the official beginning, for a few of us really never quite stop (see my previous posting of the lantern tour and of my postings showing our various gatherings throughout the winter and early spring months).
April brought drenching rains throughout the month, but May has been picture perfect so far with beautiful spring weather at hand.
To begin with, Friday had members  of the 21st Michigan Civil War reenacting unit giving a school presentation to the teens and pre-teens at Kelly Middle School in Eastpointe. The kids were very attentive and asked well thought out questions.
Here, please allow me to show you a few photos:

Here I am speaking to the kids about, among other things, what the citizens of Gettysburg went through before, during, and after the great battle of July 1863, including the caring of wounded soldiers. By the way, with all of the controversy these days about keeping our 2nd aamendment rights, they were surprised to hear that school boys their age often carried pocket knives and even guns to school. You never know when a rabbit might hop on by on the way home!

Kristen spoke to the kids on the clothing of a well-dressed upper class woman. They were literally shocked to hear (and actually see) that she was dressed in nine layers of clothing!

Such purty stockings!

In fact, we all had purty stockings! (Great picture Kristen - thanks for allowing me to use it!)

My daughter spoke of her life as a northern farm girl and of her daily chores, including oil lamp duties, which consisted of cleaning the glass chimney, trimming the wick, and filling the oil fount. She also spoke of her other chores such as gathering eggs and milking the cow, and the one that got the best reaction from the kids, emptying the chamber pots!

Larissa, portraying her older sister, told of their farm clothing and the "recycling" of older clothing for other uses, such as being made into an apron. She also dressed up a few of the children - usually a talkative boy - in a slat bonnet and apron, much to his chagrin!

 

Between the four of us, we taught the children more about what their lives might've been like had they been alive in the 1860's than any school text book could. And considering most school books rarely touch on the everyday lives of the people of the 19th century, I suppose we really gave them quite an eye-opening lesson!

Oh, did I tell you the school principal fed us lunch? Yup - we had period correct pop and pizza! (Thanks, Kristen, for allowing me to use this photo you had taken of us!)

 

Our military also had hard tack and coffee - - I mean, pop and pizza!

The military men of the 21st Michigan fascinated the kids by bringing the Civil War up close and personal. They spoke of a soldier's life on the march and in camp as well as the horrors of the battles.

The long-haired boy and the hardee-hat wearing boy are my two oldest sons, both very much into and involved in reenacting, almost as much as their father! They, too, dressed up kids in full uniforms.

Yes, they did get to fire their muskets, much to the delight of the kids (and much to the disdain of the nearby neighbors, most of whom have dogs).

 The very next day was the first "official" reenactment of the 2013 season for us in southeastern lower Michigan: Walker Tavern. For the past three years this event has been cloudy, rainy, and cold.
But not this year: with the temps reaching into the 70's and the sun out in all its vitamin D glory, this was a picture-perfect event. Well, almost; it was very unfortunate that both of the historic buildings on the land were closed, including the tavern itself. I'm sorry, but the powers that be had this date on their calendar since last year and there was no reason the structures should not have been ready for the public to visit them.
(If you want to see and read more about this 1830's tavern, please click HERE).
But we had a fun time nonetheless - - - - - -
Um...did I say "fun"?

Woo Hoo!!! The reenacting season has begun!!!

The ladies of the 21st Michigan stand in front of the 170 year old Walker Tavern

I posed with the ladies on the side of the tavern

 

 The fence line along the Old Chicago Road made for a picturesque setting.

A lovelier group of ladies you will be hard-pressed to find! Even with my daughter in a tree!

 

We had heard what sounded to be gunshots and cannonading, so Kristen climbed a tree to see if she could spot the commotion

"It came from over there! Oh my! It looks like...like..."

"Oh! Oh! It's a battle! We must skeedaddle!!"

Kristen jumped from her perch. But it was such a long way down that she...

...crashed to the ground...dead...the first civilian casualty on the Battle of Walker Tavern.

Silly Kristen! It is just a battle reenactment!

And the men came matching out onto the battlefield

They prepared to squelch the rebellion

~The rebels~

The firing was pretty intense for such a small group of men. (I snapped this photo just at the right moment!)

The cannon fire was pretty intense as well

The Union plowed through and captured the Confederates. The battle was over for this day.

A couple of men that survived the horrors of the battle

A caught a couple of Confederates stealing a pie! (Actually, they won it at a pie auction.)

Some of the Union men that survived the battle had their tintype taken for posterity

I hope you enjoyed this little foray into our first reenacting weekend of the season. As you can see, though we take our hobby seriously, we also like to have fun as well.
On the way home, as we drove along the Historic U.S. 12 stage coach road, a few of us stopped in Clinton, Michigan, where we stood on what is, to us, hallowed ground, for it was the original plot of land that the infamous Eagle Tavern (now restored in Greenfield Village) once stood.
The Eagle Tavern is perhaps my very favorite place to eat, and not only because the food is outrageously good, but because of the historic feel and setting.

Here I am standing next to the historic marker for the Eagle Tavern. After restoring the dilapidated building inside Greenfield Village, Henry Ford renamed the tavern "The Clinton Inn" as a tribute to the town from where it originally stood.

The Clinton, Michigan post office now stands where the Eagle Tavern once stood. However, if you look closely at this photograph, you may see the ghost of the old tavern on its original ground. The Eagle tavern was about 11 miles east of the Walker Tavern.

The Eagle Tavern in its original location - this is a photo from the later part of the 19th century

The Eagle Tavern as it now stands inside Greenfield Village. This building will be revered and appreciated by millions for generations to come!

Good folks, I hope this day and the week ahead brings nothing but the best of blessings.
And we'll see you next tine in time...

More links for further research:
Old Chicago Road/U.S. 12/Michigan Avenue
The Eagle Tavern
Greenfield Village

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