Monday, February 26, 2018

History: Only the Tip of the Iceberg

February 2018
"Most human affairs happen without leaving vestiges or records of any kind behind them. The past, having happened, has perished with only occasional traces. To begin with, although the absolute number of historical writings is staggering, only a small part of what happened in the past was ever observed. And only a part of what was observed in the past was remembered by those who observed it; only a part of what was remembered was recorded; only a part of what was recorded has survived; only a part of what survived has come to the historians' attention; only a part of what has come to their attention is credible; only a part of what is credible has been grasped; and only a part of what has been grasped can be expounded or narrated by the historian." --Louis Gottschalk, Understanding History (NY: Knopf, 1969)

Wow, quite the quote to ponder. I came across these words while reading yet another book on Ohio's history: Ulysses Underground, The Unexplored Roots of U.S. Grant and the Underground Railroad, by G.L. Corum (p. 184). Makes me want to get Gottschalk's book and pick his brain a little more about history. What a perspective--profound and yet so amazingly obvious. Of course no one can record and pass on every detail of their lives, most wouldn't even care to. We never truly plumb the depths of our own family histories let alone the grand sweep of centuries. We only see a tiny tip of the great iceberg. Makes me respect historians even more, knowing what all they have to sift through.

I pass this historical cemetery (pictured above) on my morning walk and have done so for many years now. I often ponder what the lives of some of these people in my neighborhood were like 150 years ago. A stroll among the markers reveals the graves of two Civil War veterans along with a Civil War nurse, a marker listing the names of four children on one stone, and a mysterious little gravestone that simply reads "P.W." The grave for the patriarch for which the cemetery is named, John Henry Willsey (1798-1876) is there, as is that of his grandson, also named John Henry Willsey, who was killed in a robbery on his way home from the market in 1916.  Other markers name infants, toddlers, and teenagers as well as the older generations.

Just a bit of history from this little pocket of the world, a tiny sample of the uncountable stories that could be told in neighborhoods everywhere. A few details passed on, many lost. But enduring threads, though invisible and often nameless, carry on from generation to generation don't they? Threads like courage, perseverance, family, discovery, service, sacrifice. Isn't that ultimately what stories of the past teach us-- and inspire us to pass on as well?

What stories from history--family, neighborhood, or otherwise--do you find yourself passing on to others? What strikes you about Gottschalk's quote that you hadn't thought about before?
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9 comments:

  1. This was a lovely post. It really is startling to see it put the way Gottschalk articulates it. Such a little squib of history actually gets read, after all. Pure history. I imagine much fiction is fueled by the desire to grasp personal history. And memoir, of course. But I liked your mention of the stories that must abound in cemeteries. One could have a whole collection of short stories there.

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    1. Love your description, Elizabeth: "such a little squib of history..." Squib is a new word to me, but it fits here perfectly! And I agree that much fiction might be fueled by that desire to grasp personal history. I have a short 20 pp writing from my grandmother about her childhood I'd love to explore by writing a book about it one day...and stories in cemeteries? Imagine the possibilities! Thanks for your comments, enjoy hearing from you :-)

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  2. You captured this so well!

    Cemeteries fascinate me, too, especially the little ones I see along lonely country roads. There's one we pass when we visit my mom that is set well back in a field. It's tiny, looks to be maybe twenty feet square. And yet it holds more than a dozen gravestones. Were they moved to accommodate the large farm machinery now used to plant and harvest? Most likely they belong to one family. I always wonder about that cemetery and the many others I see.

    I also have a "thing" about those abandoned farmhouses and barns we pass, the ones that are falling down. I imagine the pride the original owner must have felt to see each one completed. So why was it abandoned? What happened to the family? Lots of stories!

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    1. Thank you, Peggy :-) And about the isolated little cemetery, I'd like to think that the generations that followed respected their family history enough to keep the cemetery in its original place and plow around it! What a great memorial to their history. That is, if the land is still owned by descendants which in this day and age can be doubtful :-( And I'm with you about abandoned farmhouses and barns...as they say, if those walls could talk! Thanks again. Have a great weekend ahead...

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  3. I often see historical places and wonder the same, what was life like for these people, etc. When it's closer to home, it especially causes me to wonder.

    This quote makes me think about my grandparents and other relatives who are gone. Makes me regret not writing more of their stories down. Glad you are enjoying history from your part of the world. Have a great rest of the week!

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    1. Karen, I think many of us wish we had listened better to those of the older generation in our families. All the more evidence of stories out there that go untold! Although I do have memories of some of my dad's stories, and I cherish what I learned. One thing he told me in his last year was that I had an ancestor who was a cook on a canal boat. I had never heard that before. I'm thankful we had that day together...

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  4. The quote is incredible. While reading it, I was thinking about the life of Christ. John (I think it was John) mentions in his gospel that so little was actually written about all the things He did. But the power of the living words (and God's spirit) have enabled billions of people to believe in him for the past 2000+ years.

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    1. Cathy--great observation! Thanks for pointing this out. You inspired me to look up the scripture that you referenced. It reads: "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written" (John 21:25). Wow! Truly amazing and something to ponder... Thanks again. I've enjoyed this conversation :-)

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    2. Thanks. I should’ve looked it up myself. Oh, to have walked with Jesus.

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