Kristy's Blog

If you’re prone to fibbing – here is a list of tell-tale signs. The most interesting to me is that when lying, people tend to NOT use their hands.

http://www.forbes.com

Ok, you know I’m political – but this is the first time that I’m actually excited about a president. I hope this isn’t like a romance that fades. It probably will, but I’ll just enjoy the feelings right now.

And of course, my sister and I are celebrating like fine Irish women we are – we’re going to the “Barack Bar” (in real life it’s the “Rock Bar”) here in Denver to hoist a pint.

“People are born with certain faces, like my father was born with a face that people want to hit.”

“Being in a band turns you into a child and keeps you there.”

“I’m not afraid of computers taking over the world. They’re just sitting there. I can hit them with a two by four.”

“I can be very drunk in a club in Oxford on a Monday night and some guy comes up to you and buys you a drink and says that the last record you made changed his life. That means something.”

“Us on hard drugs? That would be horrible. We’d probably end up sounding like Bryan Adams.”

Bad idea! They are actually renting out dogs??!! NO! Here’s the article from the Wall Street Journal.

Penny De Los Santos wanted a dog but traveled too much to care for one full time. So, she opted for the next best thing: a time-share pet.
Georgia Perrone wanted her son to experience the joys of having a dog. But because her family travels so often, Perrone turned to a controversial solution: she started renting one twice a month. WSJ’s Anjali Athavaley reports. (Aug. 5)

For two years, Ms. Santos shared a mellow female Husky mix with her neighbors, who took the dog for about one week a month. They split veterinary bills and the cost of vaccinations and heartworm pills. The neighbors called the dog Nika. Ms. Santos preferred the name Monica.

“It’s kind of like Monica had two lives with two families,” says the 39-year-old photographer in Austin, Texas.

About a year ago, Ms. Santos and her neighbors agreed that Ms. Santos was finally in a position to take full responsibility for Monica. The neighbors retain visiting rights.

I received this via email…..

Age, I decided, is a gift.

So, to answer the question, I like being old. It has set me free. I
like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I
am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or
worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If
I feel like it)

..may hold great things.

But they are fading fast into the woods. We went to the Rocky Springs Cemetery in Laurens County to find the Hutchinson Family Cemetary – and at first could not see it. We went through all the grave stones and nothing. Then Dave walked off the 125 yards specified in the instructions – which led him into the woods. And there it was. Totally grown over and most of the headstones hidden. We could not find them all. Below is a photo of what the family plot looked like.

This is the burial ground of the original Hutchinsons that came over to America in 1775.

The following description is from the Hutchinson Family Book by Frederick McAlpine Hutchinson. The description and plot layout are from Frederick McAlpine Hutchinson’s visit in 1928 when the cemetery was intact. I gave my directions away though when you exit the interstate to Laurens, you can ask anywhere for directions to the Rocky Springs Presbyterian Church. It was easy to find, the Church, hat is.

Mary M. Hutchinson, daughter of James and Mary (Simpson) Hutchinson is buried in the actual church cemetery (not the Hutchinson Family Plot). She was the wife of Robert Speer. Engraved on her tombstone is this pathetic inscription: “Two infants by her side.” Her tombstone was in fairly good shape and as you face the church is to your right. Also, as you face the church the Family Plot is to the right at the bottom of the hill in the woods.

HUTCHINSON FAMILY CEMETERY
ROCKY SPRINGS
LAURENS COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA

This cemetery the oldest known burying ground of the Hutchinson Family, is located 125 yards northwest of Rocky Springs Presbyterian Church, lying south of and adjoining the public road, and is about 3 miles northeast of the town of Laurens. It is not a part of the church cemetery, but is a separate and distinct tract, roughly 60 feet in length by 50 feet in width. As nearly as could be determined, it contains 17 graves.
The author first visited the cemetery in September, 1928, at that time sketching the map and obtaining the rest of the data given below. The facts have a bearing upon the early history of the family and should be preserved. The map (revised) and data follow:

Grave No. 1
William Hutchinson

Monument: Slab of soft, gray soapstone 36” x 14” x 5”; broken into two pieces.
Inscription: To WILLIAM HUTCHINSON Who Died Oct. 19, 1804
Footstone; Small slab of gray granite; unmarked.

Grave No. 2
Mother Hutchinson

Monument: Slab of soft, gray soapstone 36” x 14” x 5”; broken into fragments; similar in all respects, except for more severe weathering, to that at Grave No. 1.
Inscription: None (it is possible that an inscription was never cut on this headstone, but more likely that its absence is due to the ravages of time).
Footstone: Samll slab of gray granite; unmarked.
Note: It is believed that this is the grave of the wife of William Hutchinson, but positive proof is lacking.

Grave No. 3
Elizabeth Bryson ?

Except for the mound, there were no indications of the presence of a grave. Judging from the size of the mound, this grave is that of an adult. Probably it is the grave of Elizabeth Bryson, wife of James Bryson, who was a daughter of William Hutchinson and a member of his household at the time of her death, May 30, 1804.

Grave No. 4
William F. Hutchinson

Monument: Slab of gray marble 48” x 18” x 2”.
Inscription: “To The Memory of WILLIAM F. HUTCHINSON Who Departed This Life on the 24th Day of May, 1818, aged 14 years and 16 days.”
Footstone: Slab of gray marble 18” x 8” x 2”; engraved “W.F.H./1818.”

Grave No. 5

Monument: Slab of gray marble 24” x 8” x 2”.
Inscription “T.D.H., Died April 4th 1823, aged 18 months & 7 Days.”
Footstone: None found.

Grave No. 6
James Elliott Hutchinson

Monument: Slab of gray marble 24” x 8” x 2”.
Inscription: “J.E.H., Died Oct. 20, 1824, Aged 5 Years & 8 months.”
Footstone: Small slab of gray marble, inscribed “JAMES ELLIOTT.”

Grave No. 7
Benjamin Franklin Hutchinson

Monument: Slab of gray marble 48” x 18” x 2”
Inscription: “In Memory of B. F. HUTCHINSON Who Departed this Life the 15th Feb. 1838, Aged 23 Years, 3 Months & 20 Days.”
Footstone; Slab of gray marble 18” x 6” x 2”; engraved “B.F.H./1838.”

Grave No. 8
John Stuart Hutchinson

Monument: Slab of gray marble 48” x 18” x 2”.
Inscription: “In Memory of JNO. S. HUTCHINSON Who Died 5th May, 1839, Aged 58 Years, 1 Month & 4 Days.”
Footstone: Slab of gray marble 18” x 6” x 2”; engraved “J.S.H./1839.”

Grave No. 9
James Hutchinson

Monument: Slab of gray marble 48” x 18” x 2”.
Inscription: “Sacred to the Memory of JAMES HUTCHINSON Who Departed this Life June 9, 1841, Aged 68 Years.”
Footstone: None found.

Grave No. 10
Mary Hutchinson

Monument: Slab of gray marble 48” x 18” x 2”.
Inscription: “Sacred to the Memory of MARY HUTCHINSON, Consort of James Hutchinson, Who Departed this Life Nov. 12, 1851.”
Footstone: Slab of gray marble 18” x 8” x 2”; inscribed “M.H.”
Note: This is the grave of Mary Simpson Hutchinson.

Grave No. 11
Margaret Burk

Monument: Slab of gray marble 48” x 18” x 2”.
Inscription: “Sacred to the Memory of MARGARET BURKE, Wife of James Burke. Died March 22, 1844, Aged 34 Years, 7 Months & 20 Days.”
Footstone: None found.

Grave No. 12
Louisa M. DeShields

Monument: Slab of gray marble 48” x 18” x 2”.
Inscription: “In Memory of LOUISEE M. DESHIELDS, Consort of Martin R. Deshields, Who Departed this Life Dec. 8, 1851, Aged 32 Years, 1 Mo., 17 Days.”
Footstone: Slab of gray marble 18” x 6” x 2”. No identifying marks.

Graves 13, 14, 15, 16, & 17

None of these graves, with the exception of No. 14 which had a footstone inscribed “W.H.”, bore identifying markers.

Page 6, The Hutchinson Family by Frederick McAlpine Hutchinson
MOTHER HUTCHINSON

There is in our ancient burying ground at Rocky Springs a grave, whose monument is broken into fragments, which bears no marks of identity, and of whose sleeper not even a tradition has descended; and yet to thousands now living that grave should be, it is believed, as sacred as that of Mother Eve herself. For the person whose remains are there interred was in all likelihood the wife of William Hutchinson, the founder of our family, and of this living multitude the common Mother.
This grave, judging from its dimensions, is that of an adult. It lies alongside that of William, on the left side thereof, separated by an interval of not more than three feet. The two monuments are composed of the same material, a soft, gray soapstone in common use in the area before the advent of marble. The one on the left bears no inscription, possibly due to the extreme weathering to which it has been subjected. Each footstone is an unmarked slab of gray granite. The relative position of these two graves in itself suggests that the bodies buried in them were those of husband and wife, the custom in this country of burying the husband on the right, the wife on the left, that is, as they stood in marriage, being a universal and old one. While we may not now affirm with certainty that the grave in question is that of William’s wife, there can scarcely be a reasonable doubt that such is the case.
Mother Hutchinson was recorded, it is thought, as a member of William’s household in the census of 1790, but is not listed in any subsequent census. It seems likely that she died in the 1790’s.

I am now in Atlanta at Becky and Dave’s house. Thank you all for playing *smooch*

Georgia state line!