Thursday, February 27, 2014

Memories, Ponds and Graveyards


This past week I spent a couple of days with my brother and his wife in Mississippi. Sorry to say it was not a fishing trip. The purpose of the visit was to clean up an old Trussell cemetery that was located in the back woods of Choctaw County in the Northeastern part of the state. We spent the better part of the morning moving small trees and brush from the 15 ft. by 30 ft. area. The cemetery is actually where my Great Great Grandpa is buried with his wife, one of their sons, and three other unknown individuals. Their graves only had rock markers with no names. During that day and time, the cemetery was usually located near the home.
We used marker tape to fence off the perimeters of the area so the timber company wouldn’t destroy the place later this summer. We will go back in a few weeks to place a permanent enclosure around the area. The graves date back to the 1840s.
This is a long inscription here on my Grandpa’s grave describing what he expected in the here after.
While we were in the area we decided to ride by our old home place about 10 miles from the cemetery. The house was located on this hill. We were both raised up here as boys and had fond memories of fishing in the pond that was located down below our house.
It had been over 40 years since my brother and I had seen this pond. A lot had changed as far as the area itself, but the memories remained where we went swimming, caught some of those large bass and super size bluegills. This pond is where Dad taught my brothers and me to fish.
I can still see my Mom landing huge bluegills using green grasshoppers that my younger brother and I would catch for her to bait the hook. We would bait the hook for her and she would let us land the fish. We were no more than 5 years old. A long cane pole taught me the art of playing a fish then.
The spring that feeds cold clear water into the pond was still pumping. We drink a lot of water from this spring over the years while fishing on those hot summer days. I know one can never go back in time, but if I could this would be one place I would surely visit.

27 comments:

  1. revisiting the past is so cool, fond memories you have there. I couldn't make out the inscription on the headstone very well but would be interested

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  2. Very nice post. Thanks for sharing your memories with us.

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  3. Glad you were able to make it out to your old house and relive old times.

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  4. What a cool story! Glad that you guys didn't let that spot be forgotten!

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  5. Wow Bill, that's very cool that you got to go back. I'd love to hear some more.

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  6. Blake
    It was quite long and the same inscription is on the wife's tombstone too. Thanks for the comment

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  7. Jay
    Really enjoyed the trip--thanks for the comment

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  8. Rick
    I even saw some bass swimming around some stumps and bush cover. Thanks for the comment

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  9. Howard
    You don't want to get me started about my research dealing with my ancestors. Thanks for the comment

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  10. I'm glad ya'll are cleaning it up. I used to do that for a local rancher I worked for in high school.

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  11. Bill it's quite nice to be able to go back to where much of your life was enjoyed.

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  12. Reminds me of my return visit to where I grew up in Florida after being gone 35 years. I still get goose bumps when I think about it. I hope you get them from this trip too.

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  13. Josh
    I hope someone in the family will continue to keep the place in order after my brother and I are gone. Thanks for the comment

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  14. Alan
    The pond really brought back some great memories. Thanks for the comment

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  15. Mark
    Hard to explained but as I walked around the edge of the pond I felt there was a kindred spirit there with me. The big stump was still there in the water where my Dad landed his last fish in the boat with me. He had the early stages of Alzheimer's at the time, and never got to go with me again. Thanks for the comment

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  16. Now that, was an excellent story, and a pleasure to read. You gotta remember your roots.

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  17. Justin
    I still have vivid memories of every aspect of the home place and especially the pond area. Thanks for the comment

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  18. Very nice post Bill
    Sagetrout out

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  19. Thanks for sharing that Bill, I really enjoyed it. That's some long family history, fascinating.

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  20. Luke
    We may go back and fish the pond in the near future. Thanks for sharing

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  21. Bill Thanks for sharing some amazing memories! If only all of us could go back to our childhood roots and be able to relieve simpler times! Thanks for the journey!

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  22. Wow. Thats all I can say. Good article

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  23. David
    Glad you enjoyed the post, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since I fished that pond. Thanks for the comment

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