Where did you hang your hat as a child? I chose today's post to be about this famous picture of the log cabin that my Burnum grandparents lived in for a few years with all their children you see lined up. This is an edited image naming everyone from left to right. As per the date at the top of the image, this picture was taken in August of 1940. Amazingly enough, this very same log cabin is still standing today, and is located on West Shore Drive, Grand Isle, Vermont. It has also been labeled as the 4th oldest log cabin structure for Vermont's Historical Society. I have also been informed by a cousin that a descendant of the original family who built it is currently residing in it part time; using it as a studio. He had heard about this picture being taken, and asked my family's permission to screen print this image onto t-shirts to sell to tourists. I hope to own one of these shirts someday. My challenge to you today is to pick a family photo from your album, and write a story about it. In years to come, you will be immensely glad that you did!
One thing I have discovered in my adventures into my past, is the frequency of what I like to call "Inter-familial Marriage." Back before there were laws to prevent these types of marriages from occurring, it happened on a fairly regular basis. First and second cousins marrying each other, and in some cases, an uncle would marry his neice! Historically, the upper crust of society, those having royal or blue blood as they referred to it, would practice that idea of a family member marrying another family member with the thought in mind of "keeping the bloodlines pure". Later, history would prove that it was not such a good idea, as bad genes were created, and diseases were introduced to the line. so, I have asked myself, what were they thinking, when I found evidence of that practice occurring within a few of my family lines! It reminded me of the perverbial red-neck joke, "I would like you to meet my wife and sister", and there is only 1 woman standing there. It's no wonder, that our family is literally riddled with several hereditary diseases that have been passed down through the generations.How about an instance where a brother and sister choose to live together as husband and wife, and even produce children from their relationship?Could they have been considering a possible approach to the Mormon lifestyle? What if your siblings or children were to do that? How would you feel?
