Do you ever wonder about the people who came before you? This week while digging through some family papers I came across this story, that apparently came from a family member’s dairy.

Melvin Laughlin,( I don’t know how many generations back!) was born on October 10th, 1810 in Morgan County, Indiana. Melvin’s family had settled on Big Sugar Creek at the mouth of Trent Creek in 1839. Melvin was killed during the Civil War on July 15,1863 at Granny’s Branch. The Laughlin’s were in the Confederate Army, Indiana was considered a southern state. The diary reads: There were about 12,000 Union Solders down in the cyclone area. The Union Solders found the Confederate Soldiers camping in a cave and the battle ensued. Melvin Laughlin was killed. His daughter Nerva, knew where her daddy was and when she did not hear from him, she went to check on him. She found his body and with the help of some other women; she took him to Bentonville Hollow and buried him. After the war she moved the body to Roller Cemetery.

In another place it talks about the pioneer school. The first teacher knew nothing about arithmetic, so only reading and spelling were taught. It was like opening a window into a whole different time and place. Makes me want to get in the car and head for Indiana. Do you think I could find Granny’s Creek or Bentonville Hollow?

Happy reading, Linda