My cousin Dave did some amazing genealogy work on the Ramsey family. It’s an intriguing read because we never really know much about our families except for a generation or two. It’s like a whole world has been opened up to me. I’m sitting here smugly knowing that I had a great great great grandfather named Benjamin Franklin Ramsey.
How cool is that? Benjamin Franklin Ramsey.
Well, not really that cool at all. But it’s amazing for me to see all these names in front of me. And I wonder. I wonder what ol’ BF Ramsey was like? Did he look like me? Was he artistic. I now know his name. And his wife’s name. But I really don’t know much more than that he lived and died.
My great great grandfather on my dad’s side was J.C. Eckles. I do know about him thanks to his memoirs. J.C. left his mark on Mississippi after the Civil War (and during it, but that’s another story.) He was a Methodist Circuit Rider in North Mississippi and co-found Wood College in Mathiston. He had two daughters, one who was my very talented great grandmother. But he also had a son. A son that I didn’t know about until I saw his grave.
J.C. Eckles, Jr. died at the age of 21 of appendicitis.
According to my dad, he was a very talented and popular young man. He went to college and died on a baseball field from an attack of appendicitis. All that talent. All that potential. Gone. My dad has my great grandmother’s locket. Inside of it is John Charles’ picture. I gasped when I saw it.
My oldest son strongly favors him.
In 150 years, maybe one of my decedents will look back and find my name. I wonder what he will discover about me. Will he find any trace of my existence on earth beyond my name? Probably not. But it makes me wonder what he’ll think about ol’ TM Ramsey.