| I remember as a small child at my
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| | discovered that Lester's trade was that
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| grandparents home, I would stare at them.
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| | of a wagonmaker and by 1840, America was
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| Those two old black and white pictures
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| | moving west. Rockport, Illinois was one
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| in an old frame that sat on my
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| | of the jumping off places for settlers
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| grandmother's shelf with her other
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| | moving west and it made sense that his
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| nicknacks. They showed a man on one side
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| | work would take him there.By 1861, Lester
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| and a woman on the other. It was assumed
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| | was about 40 years old. He and Lucinda
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| they were husband and wife from an
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| | had produced three sons and named the
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| earlier time."Who are they?" , I would
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| | oldest James, the middle one Charles and
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| ask my fathers parents. The reply was
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| | the youngest William who was an infant in
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| always the same. Oh, those are people
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| | 1861 and was destined to become my
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| from the family in the early times. " His
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| | great-grandfather. Apparently, their
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| name was Sylvester and we don't know what
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| | business was thriving but change in the
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| her name was", came the reply.As I grew
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| | country was fast approaching.Civil war
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| older, the pictures still held their
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| | broke out in America and Lester
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| spell over me and the desire to know more
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| | volunteered for service and joined the
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| about them was growing stronger with each
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| | 93rd Illinois regiment and was placed
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| passing year. My own father was of no
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| | into company A. He was older than many
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| help. He had no interest in such things
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| | and was enlisted as a private in
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| and my grandfather really knew very
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| | Infantry. Why he joined is a bit of a
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| little about the old pictures.Probably
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| | mystery because he was probably old
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| twenty years came and went without any
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| | enough to remain at home, however, it is
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| research being done on my part. I was
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| | my speculation that he had a deep sense
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| busy developing my career and raising my
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| | of responsibility to his country and
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| family. However, once in a while the
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| | answered the call.His letters tell of
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| desire to understand my roots was strong
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| | camp life and of the western campaign
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| in me and I would think of the old
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| | that was fought along the Mississippi and
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| pictures and something told me, they held
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| | down to Vicksburg. He was in some ground
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| the truth about my family and the secrets
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| | battles including the battle of Jackson,
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| of the past.When my grandparents died,
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| | Mississippi and the so called Yazoo Pass
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| the one thing that I received from them
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| | Expedition. He rode the gunboats down
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| was the old pictures. They knew I was
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| | the Mississippi with his comrades to
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| interested in such things and certainly,
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| | Vicksburg and participated in the siege.
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| the desire to know more at that stage of
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| | However, at the time of the siege, his
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| my life was strong. I was determined to
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| | letters take a darker tone and tell of
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| find out the story of my family and the
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| | his time of illness. It was an illness
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| truth of my roots.The man in the picture
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| | he did not recover from and shortly after
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| stared at me and I could tell he was
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| | the fall of Vicksburg, he fell gravely
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| wearing a military uniform probably about
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| | ill and died in a military hospital near
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| the style worn by troops about 1860. The
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| | there. Today, he lies on hallowed ground
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| lady wore the dress of someone also from
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| | in the Vicksburg military cemetery that
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| that time period.Then the big break came
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| | is groomed and cared for by our
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| when a cousin that had been previously
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| | government. Since he was in a military
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| unknown to me, contacted me about my own
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| | hospital at the time of his death, he was
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| family. We talked at length. She
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| | properly identified and lies beneath a
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| informed that she too was researching the
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| | military tombstone bearing his
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| family history and indeed, she even knew
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| | name.Today, when I look at those old
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| the names of the people in the pictures!
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| | pictures of my great-great grandparents,
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| They were Lester and Lucinda and yes,
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| | I have a sense of not only identity but
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| they had been husband and wife. They
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| | of great pride. I know where I came from
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| came from Rockport, Illinois and he had
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| | and the fact that my name carries with it
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| served in the American Civil War.
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| | an honorable past. As I stare at Lester
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| Further, I was informed of a distant
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| | and Lucinda in their clothing from
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| family member that actually was in
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| | another era, I silently thank them for
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| possession of letters written home from
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| | what and who they were and for making me
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| Lester to Lucinda while he was serving in
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| | a stronger person. I take strength in
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| the military.I lost no time in securing
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| | this knowledge of my family identity and
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| photocopies of those letters. The
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| | it sustains me.God bless you grandpa and
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| treasure trove of not only family history
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| | grandma.Rick Seward is a game warden for
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| that those letters provided but also of
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| | the state of Nebraska. He loves the
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| American history was absolutely
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| | outdoors and also has deep sense of
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| stunning!Lester Seward and his wife
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| | history and of family. He maintains a
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| Lucinda were from the Catskill Mountain
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| | website located at and invites everyone
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| area of New York State. When they were
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| | to look at it. The site will showcase
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| married at about the age of 20 years,
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| | the art work that he does in his off duty
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| they moved to Rockport,Illinois. The
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| | time and it will give the viewer a deeper
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| reason for this became clear when I
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| | understanding of what Rick believes in.
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