What a difference a few days can make!!

Not only a few days, but a family reunion and a family "go-to" girl can make a big difference!  I am thrilled about the things I have learned about George W. Henderson.  Even though a lot of puzzle pieces are still missing, the form is taking shape.

George was born in England in 1827. Supposedly, his family died from an epidermic, and an uncle sent him to America as an indentured servant. It took seven years of service in the Cross Bridges community to pay for his passage.

At this point, no time line for George's early life can be determined.  There was a George Henderson, age 6, who appeared on the passenger list for the Ship Montreal. It departed from London, and later  arrived in New York on September 22, 1834.  Maybe more facts will surface to shed light whether this is our George.

George appeared on the 1860 census along with  Leecy  Henderson and two males ages 19 and 17 with the last name of McClure.  In reviewing Tennessee marriages, I found George  married Leecy McClure on Sept. 23, 1858. Apparently, she died sometime after 1860, and he remarried Susan Mills (my gg-grandmother) on Oct. 16, 1864.

George served in the Confederacy. He was a prisoner of war, but  I'll save that history for another day.

Back to the 1860 census, his occupation listed was stone mason.  At the reunion I learned George worked on the rock wall at the Pinewood Mansion in Pinewood, Tennessee.  After some online research I discovered the mansion burned in 1975. Disappointed with the news, I still had hopes the rock wall remained.

Today my cousin, Windie and I rode to Hickman County to find the walls of Pinewood. No disappointment today!! For the most part the walls are still intact. As I sat atop the wall posing for a picture, I felt a connection to the past and a sense of pride in the work 
my gg-grandfather did
over 100 years ago.