MY PERSONAL PILGRIM

Granted, it is a stretch during this Thanksgiving season to call him a pilgrim, but he definitely was my personal pioneer. This is my great, great Uncle Asa.

Uncle Asa was a logger in Parkman, Maine in the 1860s. He was involved in a logging accident and lost his leg. They told him that there was no place in the logging business for a one-legged logger; so he should go West where he could ride a horse.

So, with $100 loaned to him by the local Masonic Lodge and only the possessions he could carry; he headed West on the train to Denver. Once in Denver, he then walked to southeastern Colorado to homestead to farm and ranch. The year was 1876.

After Asa's brother, my great-grandfather, was widowed he soon was lured to Colorado by the promise of free land. He came to farm, ranch and raise his sons alone. And that is how I became a Colorado native.

I've been fortunate to inherit what few possessions Uncle Asa had. Among them was this walking stick. With a peg-leg, I'm sure this was a very important belonging.

We don't know the story behind this sampler, but evidently it was brought from Maine on his journey and was important to him. Was it made by his mother, or perhaps made by a lost love? He was a life-long bachelor.

The kitchen tools of a pioneer were simple. Most of these were hand-made.

And probably the most special is this bible. It is only 3x5 inches in size, and the print is so tiny. The inscription indicates that it was given to Uncle Asa's mother, Nancy, by a friend in 1846. And, she passed it on to Asa for his journey in 1876.

I never look at these few material things without thinking about the hardships endured by the pilgrims and/or pioneers in their efforts to establish America. How blessed we all are to live here and celebrate Thanksgiving.

Cindy at My Romantic Home is hosting show and tell Friday. Please check out her blog for a list of the other participants.

I'm also linking to the weekly party hosted by Mary of Little Red House.
She will have a list of participants showing off their creative mosaics.

Be sure to check out Cindy's and Mary's blogs for a special treat.