How I Remember My Ancestors 2

Submitted by:   Charles H. (Chuck) Bobo (ChuckBobo@aol.com)

Temporary Dictator for Life, The BOBO Family Association

 

When it comes to ancestors, it is the ones whom I do not remember that cause me trouble. I remember my paternal grandfather and grandmother, for they helped to raise me, though both died when I was a lad. Things my father and mother told me were not much and little remembered. Both were dead before I really became interested in genealogy.

I am not sure if my father knew that we had a soldier in the Pennsylvania Line in the Revolutionary War. At least he never told me. He also did not tell me that his grandfathers fought on different sides in the Civil War (War of the Rebellion or War Between the States, or worse names, depending on who is telling the story). I have since proven that the "family tradition" story about them fighting against each other in "The Battle Above the Clouds" probably never happened, though one of my uncles took his son and grandson to the site to see where they had "fought against each other." The story is always repeated at family reunions.

Great Grandfather Arvi Joseph BOBO was in the Federal 2^nd West Virginia Calvary Regiment and Great Grandfather Starling SCRUGGS was in the 26^th/50^th Alabama Infantry, which did fight in that battle. I have searched the records of the 2^nd West Virginia, and have found nothing to indicate that any of its companies or individuals fought south of Virginia. Add to this fact a bit of information I did discover. Arvi Joseph was a messenger rider for the commanding general of the regiment, and he was thrown from his horse, injured and admitted to the Army hospital in Charleston, WV, during the time of the Battle Above the Clouds was fought. My guess is that the two "old soldiers" were telling war stories long after the battle and the "family tradition" grew out of that.

Let me tell you, if you want to upset family members, just destroy a family myth. To this day, some of the cousins will not even discuss it with me. Take my advice and don’t ever prove that family "war heroes" were not as heroic as the tales they tell.

Bank robbers don’t just borrow money from the bank and cattle rustlers are not out rounding up and branding stray "doggies" from the range.

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