THE Trip, THE Encore' :: Driving Natchez Trace, Day One

Copyright 2012, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

One of the bucket list items for THE Trip, THE Encore' was to drive the Natchez Trace Parkway south from Nashville Tennessee.  We actually did drive it one time several years ago, from Jackson Mississippi to Nashville, but, we were in a huge hurry due to a medical situation at home and we did not stop at the numerous pull-offs except for potty stops.  We knew we had missed much and have long wanted to repeat the experience. We had hoped that since we were leaving on this trip a few weeks earlier than our norm that we might even catch some fall color along the Trace.

The color has been spotty, but, quite sufficient.  We have stopped and hiked a little, read a bunch of signs, taken a few photos.  The photo below is soon after we hopped on the Trace just south of Nashville Tennessee.  You can see why they call it a parkway, they cut some of the "lawn" on each side of the two lane highway.  No commercial trucks are allowed on any of the Trace.  Only personal cars and RVs.  The speed limit varies from 40 to 50 MPH.  444 miles of pure quiet, beauty, buckets and buckets of history and soul healing beauty (ohhh, said it was beautiful did I??  well, it is and more).

We stopped along a slow moving stream for lunch.  The sun was out for only a few minutes longer, and it was starting to get cool, but, we did enjoy our lunch site!

Here you look down on a valley full of colorful trees.

Further south, lots of green and again, you can see that being called a "parkway" is perfect.

Some of the pull-offs had some very nice views indeed:

We stopped for the night in a Mississippi State Park, what an experience that was.  Stay tuned, I'll chat about it.




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2009-10 Winter Tana Tour, Nashville

It was one of those super duper weather days here in Nashville. Blue skies, warm sun, mild temps, no wind, SWEET! Rather than sit in Tana in the rodeo campground, we decided to take a few hour ride downtown.

We were not trying too hard, just found a parking spot for Big Butt, strolled down to 2nd Avenue and putzed away the time. We saw the Hard Rock Cafe, we saw, did not go in.

Wildhorse Saloon, did go in, had a beer, and took some cool photos, see:

Above, hanging near the stage.

Above, who needs a sign that says, Women??

Above:  Yep, he guides the fellas to the Men's Room.

Now, you are gonna have to work with me on this one, these full size horse statues are hanging from the ceiling, their hoofs are ON the ceiling, and they are hanging upside down.  Man said I could not get a photo, so, I had to try!  I really did not think I got anything, but, with the magic of a little digital editing, here ya go!

We saw one of Loretta Lynn's saddles, had a sandwich at Jack's Bar B Que (mine was great, Man's was so so). 

Goodness, we even saw ELVIS!

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Oh, pretty lady, who are you??

The challenge, from We Tree Talk about an orphan picture containing people you do not know. Provide comments on your best guess about date, place, subjects.

Here is the photo:



This photo was found in the collection of photos that came to me from my father. It is in rather pathetic condition. He, and most of his ancestors, lived along the east coast, hurricane country. The original is seriously faded, her image is barely there. Scanning and several of my feeble attempts at digital enhancement got the image this far. That is not saying a lot, but you can see her face and clothing.

Hints to help identify are slim, her hair style and clothing, are the two most obvious. There is something not seen in this presentation, information that the photo was taken in Knoxville Tennessee. After starting this blog I decided to see if I could discover more about the photographer, dug out a hard copy of the photo, and rescanned the corner with the name. With enlarged, enhanced scan and a good ole fashioned magnifying glass I discovered the name of the photographer to be Brakebill-McCoy. A google search found that some of their photos found their way to the University of Tennessee Special Collections Library. Another reference was found at Rootsweb.com, TNKNOX-L Archives, where a researcher with access to Knoxville directories found the photographer listed from at least 1901 to about 1909.

I am not the best at placing clothing and hairstyles in a time frame, so I went to Fashion-Era.com. On the page dealing with 1904 Weddings, we see similarity to the dress in this photo. Another page from Fasion-Era.com deals with hair styles, 1900-1914, see the drawing on the very first row, 1908, again, to me, and my untrained eye, similarity.

I believe this is the sister of my great-grandmother, Laverta or Leverta Eley. She was born between 1870 and 1872 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Family tradition has it that she was institutionalized. Family traditions continue by saying that her husband, may have been a "Yankee" and that she may have suffered a mental breakdown in childbirth.

I have a marriage for her in 1886 in Norfolk County, Virginia to one Joseph Etheridge, who was born in Virginia. I have no idea what happened to Joseph, 1900 census and directories for the area are inconclusive.

I have not found Laverta on the 1910 census. She is referred to as Mrs. H. A. Bates of Nashville Tennessee in her mother's obituary (1914). I did a detailed search of the Nashville Tennessee directories, the first reference to Laverta, is in 1914 for Harold A. (Laberta) Bates. I can find Harold as early as 1907 in Nashville. We can follow Harold and Laverta in the directories till around 1920, but, we have not located them on the 1920 census. By the way, never have found a marriage for Harold and Laverta.

In 1930 I actually find a Leverta Bates on the census two different times, one of those entries, we note, seems to support the family tradition that she was institutionalized.

1930 U.S. Census of Manhattan, New York City, New York County, New York: Harold A. Bates, rents home at $100.00 a month, owns radio set, age 54 years, married, age at time of first marriage 22, born New York, both parents born New York, sales manager for soap manufacturer; Leverta W., wife, age 46, age at time of first marriage 20, born Virginia, both parents born Virginia.

And

1930 U.S. Census of Middletwon, Orange County, New York, Middletown State Homeopathic Hospital: Leverta Bates, age 53, married, born Virginia, both parents born Virginia, inmate.

No death record has been found for Laverta.

I have studied my data base over and over, trying to discover other possibilities, could this be Lorena, Laverta's sister? I suppose so, but Lorena was married 5 times, was widowed several times, had 6 children with the first two husbands, ran a boarding house pretty much by herself, supporting herself and her children. Not sure she ever had the time to get to Knoxville. Other females that would be related to my father have also been eliminated (for now) from possible consideration.

Is this photo really Laverta? I believe so, but am not sure I will ever prove it. I have shared this photo with other researchers that are interested in this family/clan. So far, no one knows who this lovely young lady was.

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