Finding Truanna

On Saturday, we headed up to Mansfield to have some bagels for breakfast. We went to Kohl's as well and got some new Winter gloves, mittens, hats, etc. Got home a little after 2pm and thought we would run down to Chesterville and find the Baptist Church Cemetery. Mom has been transcribing headstone info onto findagrave, and someone had eleven photo requests for Chester. Since it isn't far away, we decided to run over. Boy, was it fun! We took over one hundred photos!

It is kind of divided into two sections. There is a big strip of wet, overgrown area almost dividing the cemetery in half. In the back part, which is surrounded by younger trees, there is this huge monument. Before the trees were allowed to come up, it would have been overlooking the road at the edge of the cemetery. It is a beautiful lady on a tall base. Absolutely gorgeous. We were there over an hour before I saw the other section.



The monument is for "Swetland" and there is a mother and two babies buried there. One of the babies was only nineteen days old and her name was "Truannie". I fell in love with the name. Came home and Mom and I started uploading photos to findagrave. Then I started researching Truannie's family. Actually, since then, I have been researching Truannie's family.

Truannie's father is Joseph Carper Swetland, her mother is Emily Howard. Joseph Carper was a very influential citizen in Morrow County. He had almost 900 acres, raised sheep, was one of the first breeders of merinos, elected County Commissioner for six years and helped build the county jailhouse in Mt. Gilead. The two babies on that monument are their first children. An infant son and Truannie. I looked Joseph Carper up in the "History of Morrow County and Ohio" and found him in three separate volumes. He lists his children and Truannie was "Truanna". Truanna . . . such a cute, pretty name. Very different.

So, that is what is happening around here. Joseph Carper is buried in a cemetery down the road from Truanna, so later this week we want to head down and find his grave.

"Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you." - 1 Samuel 12:24

In Celebration of Roy Rogers' 100th Birthday - November 5, 2011

Today is Roy Rogers' 100th birthday! In honor of this, I finally made a tribute video using Dusty's wonderful song "The King of the Cowboys". Sarah and I have been planning this for the past year and a half. So for the past month I have been downloading movies, cutting the good clips, and trying to find a smooth flow to the music. I almost made an error. For some reason I thought his birthday was the eleventh. Was I surprised on Tuesday when I looked up his birth and death dates so that I could make the title slide at the end of the video! Boy, did I rush! In the finished video, there are fifty different clips from seventeen different films and from two TV shows!

Next October 31st is Dale's 100th birthday. So Sarah and I are already planning that movie. Hers will be funnier. Roy's had to be pretty, but Dale's needs all the funny moments from their films. They were so great. Together they were unbeatable! The King of the Cowboys and The Queen of the West. Happy Trails!

THE KING OF THE COWBOYS
He's rode across your silver screen
For over forty years
He's brought bad men to justice
he's seen laughter, and he's seen tears
and I know forever, in many hearts he'll reign
As the King of the Cowboys.
There is honour to his name.

He's a kind and gentle legend
a hero is his name
Showing young folks to see the right from wrong
And he's taught me the very same
And I know forever, in many hearts he'll reign
As the King of the Cowboys
There is magic in his name

He's the King of the Cowboys, a legend in his time
A man who loves his country
Where he will always ride
Saddled up on his golden Palomino
A six gun at each side
His spurs and boots and his white hat
Walks a man with a lot of Pride

He's the King of the Cowboys
A legend in his time
A man who loves his country
Riding off into the sunset
In a western sky of blue
He has given precious memories
and Happy Trails to me and you!