Homeschool Day 2013

I've always heard the saying, "Better late than never".  I certainly hope that holds true today.  It has been nearly a month since we signed off on Homeschool Day 2013 and FINALLY this blog and its readers are getting to hear about the wonderful event!

To begin with, the weather was amazing!  We were thrilled with a forecast that for the first time in years featured these wonderful words, "Chance of Precipitation, 0%"!  Indeed cause for celebration.  Temps warmed into the 50's by late morning and nary a cloud marred the beautiful blue skies.

Over 400 people visited the Battlefield that day.  Excellent numbers for a late March Saturday.  Here's what one attendee had to say, http://mountainofgracehomeschooling.blogspot.com/2013/04/virginia-museum-of-civil-war-fieldtrip.html

Over 40 volunteers pitched in to make this day possible.  Hearty and heartfelt thanks go out to each and every one who contributed to the event.  That goes for our wonderful sponsors as well.  Any report on the event wouldn't be complete without thanking Lauren and the great team at Chick-fil-A of Harrisonburg, Jimmy and his team at Wendy's, our local Wal-Mart stores, and WPER Positive Hits.  Each of these folks and businesses shared their own special offerings to make Homeschool Day 2013 a rousing success.  We can't say it loud enough or often enough, THANK YOU!!!

Toward the end of the day, we were glad to welcome Micah Fleet of the Rockbridge Report.  He did a great piece on the event that you can view here http://rockbridgereport.washingtonandlee.net/?p=8373.

I hope you enjoy this peek into Homeschool Day 2013.  Our brains are already tossing around ideas for Homeschool Day 2014!  Hope to see you there!

Stacey

Love is in the Air

"The Country Wedding", an 1820 painting by German-American artist John Lewis Krimmel, depicting the marriage (at home) of the daughter of a moderately prosperous Pennsylvania farmer in the late 1810's.

If you've read the letters in your training manual (and I sincerely hope you have!) you'll know that Jacob Bushong excelled at writing love letters.  Remember this beautiful letter?

 

March 8, 1814

Dear Sally,

        I now am blessed with the opportunity of writing to you to inform you that my love yet remains to you and hope you have the same feelings for me as I have for you.  You may think that I am not as you would expect one who had informed you as I have.  You may think I would talk to you more than I do if I loved you as I have stated in my letters to you but Sally, I am no time happier than when I have a thought of you and think that nature never found me to love so dear and not to be thought the same of again.  This is all that keeps my heart from breaking and if you are not as I hope you are I shall be the most miserable wretch that ever was.  I have the hope to inform you of some of my mind before long and let me know your whole heart then Sally and I shall know my doom then and resign myself to the will of heavens.  If you are of the same mind as I am, bless the day of my birth, but if not I had better never been born for my fate would be hard and cruel.  My mind is so set in that point that I should never forget you in this life.  You may not love me but you can’t make me to not love you though you may make me miserable and unhappy.  Though I am not of wealth I have a treasury of love for you.  Though hardships I see, this always gives me pleasure when I hope you have a tender heart for me.  Though poor I am, to you only true and will be so while I have breath to draw and hope you will be so to me.  Can you deny your love to me and break a heart so true and tender to you as mine is?  So I must close my letter though I could write the whole night if it would be any pleasure to you.

 I must have some talk with you before long if you will have me do so.  I add no more but remain your friend/ J.B

 

Here's one you likely haven't seen.  We presume it was written around the same time as the letter above but by it's tone it is probably precedes it. The outside of the letter is addressed to: Sally Strickler, Brown House, Shenandoah County, Virginia.

 

Dearest honored fair one with grateful humbleness and gratitude I presume to write a few lines for your notice, hoping that they will meet your approbation.  Long time ago did your sweetness of person and temper cause me to be the victim of your love, which passion will never cease til I do cease to live.  And now if I have found so much favor in your eyes as for you to read this letter, I shall deem it a favor far beyond description.  A few weeks after I first saw you, I became your admirer and many is the hours that I have spent in thinking of your charms, which has caused my soul at time to rejoice with pleasure and at other times to sink in sorrows over my head.  All nature with it's utmost power could not explain my passion of love that mourns for you and you are the only person that can cure these wounds that you has wrought upon me.  I should be more happy than Jonah when he was delivered from the mouth of the whale if I had reason to think you have one tender thought remaining for me.  If you can feel another's pain, grant me the pleasure at some time when it may best suit you to tell personally the secret wishes of ...

 

Unfortunately the letter is torn and the final two sentences are missing.  Incompleteness aside, these letters provide a unique glimpse into the lives of Jacob and Sarah. 

 

Note: Spelling and punctuation have been adjusted to make the letters more reader friendly.

 

 

A Family Affair

Looking through old family photos is always a lot of fun. Especially when you get to one of those images that no one in the family recognizes. You wonder who in the world it is, and why in the world it's still in the box along with Johnny's first Christmas, and Cousin Laura's wedding.

Well, the Bushong family is no different. We have many wonderful images of the Bushong's and their friends and a number of fine pictures of "Young Miss Whoozit" and "Old Mr. Idaknow".

Enjoy looking through this album featuring all of the above.

Pull out your Bushong family tree and match the names with the faces to keep from getting yourself too confused.

Remember that you can click on each picture for a closer look.

Enjoy,
Stacey


Anderson Bushong, possibly in the 1870's,
the girls are unknown

Anderson, his second wife Deliah,
and their daughter Mattie
probably around 1887 or so



Anderson and Delilah, later in life, sitting on the steps of their home.
The identities of the laughing girl and cute baby aren't known.



Jacob, Anderson's son, and a friend sitting in the yard
on the east side of the Bushong house.



Jacob and a friend at the newly
erected 54th Pennsylvania
monument.  Jacob inherited
the main house and surrounding
land from his aunt Betsy.  He
donated this portion to the veterans
of the 54th, who erected the monument.

Jacob's daughter, Ida Bushong Revell, and a friend
in the wicker sleigh that is currently a part of
the Virginia Museum of the Civl War collection.
On display during the winter months, it is worth
a trip to see it.



An unknown lady near the front entrance of the Bushong house.
This photo shows wonderful views of the New Market Gap and
the eastern portion of the Battlefield, sans I-81.

Flashback!

Col. Heflin (VMI)
John Bushong
1966

Today, we're looking back to the year 1966. (clicking each image will open a larger view) Work was being done to rehabilitate the Bushong Farm and prepare for the opening of the the Battlefield to the public.  Col. James Heflin was the VMI officer assigned to work on the project, spearheading much of the research.  One of his greatest resources was John Bushong, grandson of Anderson.  John's sister Ida also shared her memories.  Both were the children of Jacob E. Bushong, Anderson's son who was born in 1867.  Jacob inherited the property from Elizabeth (Betsy).  John and Ida were raised on the farm and their

Bushong Farm, circa 1880

eye witness accounts were vital to the project.  Notice in the image on the left, John is holding a copy of the earliest known photo of the farm, circa 1880.




Main House and 1818 house

Take a look at this image that has both the Big House and the 1818 house in it.  There are several differences between how these buildings looked then and how they appear today.  How many differences can you spot?  It might be fun if everyone left their observations in the comments section.

Looking East toward the Barn.

Check out this view of the Barn and toolshed.  Notice the location of the outhouse.  Col. Heflin and Mr. Bushong are standing near the site of the Wheelwright's Shop.

The Summer Kitchen before being
dismantled and rebuilt.

This image proves that you're never too old to learn.  I thought for years that the kitchen was leaning heavily to the left before it was dismantled and rebuilt, but it was still mostly upright according to this picture.  It wasn't however in very good shape.  I think "breezy" would be a good description.  This does show what a great job was done on the rebuild.  The inscription on the back of this image indicates that the well was under the shed portion of the building.




Surveying the remains of the
Ice House.

Visitors frequently ask how we know the locations of the various buildings on the property.  As with the Summer Kitchen, the Ice House had enough structure left to guide the restoration, though in the case of the Ice House, it was little more than a footprint.
Here are several images of the rebuilding process.

Rebuilding the Ice House-1







Rebuilding the Ice House-2



Rebuilding the Ice House-3

Feel free to print these pictures and add them to your training notebook.

I hope you've enjoyed this blast from the past. If things go well this winter, I hope to share more historic images in the coming months.

Have a great day!
Stacey









2013 Calendar of Events

It does not seem possible that we are already planning the 2013 events, but we are!  Mark your calendars now so that we can enjoy seeing your smiling face at lots of events during the coming year.  We are so grateful for all you do and truly couldn't do it without you.  Stacey

Quilt Workday	2/27/2013
Quilt Workday	3/6/2013
Quilt Workday	3/13/2013
Homeschool Day	3/23/2013
Quilt Workday	4/3/2013
Park Day	4/6/2013
Sewing Circle	4/11/2013
Quilt Workday	4/17/2013
Weapons/Blackpowder Training	4/20/2013
Foodways	4/25/2013
Quilt Workday	5/1/2013
Sewing Circle	5/9/2013
Reenactment	5/18/2013
Reenactment	5/19/2013
Foodways	5/30/2013
Quilt Workday	6/5/2013
Sewing Circle	6/13/2013
Quilt Workday	6/19/2013
Foodways	6/27/2013
Day Camp	7/8/2013
Day Camp	7/9/2013
Day Camp	7/10/2013
Day Camp	7/11/2013
Day Camp	7/12/2013
Quilt Workday	7/17/2013
Senior Camp	7/22/2013
Senior Camp	7/23/2013
Senior Camp	7/24/2013
Volunteer Appreciation	8/3/2013
Sewing Circle	8/8/2013
Bushong Birthday	8/17/2013
Quilt Workday	8/21/2013
Quilt Workday	8/28/2013
Rat Day	9/1/2013
Foodways	9/12/2013
Quilt Workday	9/18/2013
Fall Living History	9/28/2013
Quilt Workday	10/2/2013
Sewing Circle	10/10/2013
Quilt Workday	10/16/2013
Spirits of New Market	10/26/2013
Quilt Workday	10/30/2013
Volunteer Training	11/9/2013
Quilt Workday	11/13/2013
Quilt Workday	11/20/2013
Christmas on the Farm	12/7/2013

Bushong Birthday 2012

What a wonderful event!  From the weather, to the food, to the fellowship it was an excellent day all around.  We had nearly 140 visitors come through the Park and many got to experience family fun, 19th century-style!  Thank you to each of you.  I was especially blessed by the initiative being shown.  No matter when or where you looked, there were several people involved in a variety of activities offering our visitors a range of choices.  Great job, team!  Highlights of the day?  Anna on her trip to Rome, chocolate ice cream, Evan and the peanuts and some superb music.  This list could go on and on.  Why don't you leave a comment and share your favorite moment of the day?  Don't forget to visit www.flickr.com/groups/nmbshpvolunteers to see pictures from the event.  Do you have images we haven't seen?  Join flickr and post them then send us a link. 

Happy, Happy Hoedown

Thank you to each of you who showed up to make our 2012 Volunteer Appreciation night a great event.  It is always so much fun to get to hang out and visit with all of you.  And of course, the highlight of the evening is our video presentation that ultimately reveals just how many hours you all have generously given to the Park.  This was a record year!  But to find out the exact number you'll need to watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30sBD0Bl23g.  So forgive the cornfield jokes and enjoy!  Pictures from the event are posted on our Volunteer Corps' Flickr account at www.flickr.com/gropus/nmbshpvolunteers  Please accept our most heartfelt thanks for everything you do.