Johnny Mercer Plot, Boneventure Cem, Savannah

Songwriter and performer Johnny Mercer's Family Plot 

Click on the pictures to make them bigger and readable and you can see some of Johnny's lyrics.

More Mileage on the Pictures

Those Hunter boys -

Adam and Rocky at Universal Studios about 1992.

Rocky and Adam near Franklin, Macon County, North Carolina, on the property which belonged to their Great-g-g-grandfather John Ray in the 1800s.

Tuba Skinny and Washboard Solo

Above is the New Orleans hotel on Royal Street in the French Quarters we stayed at in  1994 on our last vacation as a family.   Ours sons were sprouting their wings.   It got our attention because it was hundreds of years old and was supposedly  the hotel Vampire Lestat de Lion Court  of Anne Rice's book INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE  stayed at when he was in New Oleans.

I have watched many videos of the Tuba Skinny street band in front of a hotel on Royal Street.  I  believe it is the same hotel.   Yep!  pretty sure.

Take it away Tuba!

PS.  I have been corrected.  My blogging buddy  Joe Stewart blog maser  of TALLEYHO sent me this:

I saw your post about tuba skinny on Royal Street. I remember you posted this once before.

The video you posted shows them in front of 623 Royal Street. If you look closely behind them

That address is now a coffee shop at 623 Royal called Royal Blend. When that video was made it was called Cafe au Lait.

 

However your photos of the hotel you stayed in in New Orleans is on the corner of Royal and St. Philip if you look closely.

That corner is in the 1000 block of Royal Street. I spent a good deal of time on google maps checking these locations.

Also I lived in New Orleans for years near those addresses. I know those streets like the lines on my face and hands.

 

The hotel you stayed in is now called the Hotel Royal. It is located at 1006 Royal Street.

Finer Eating and Musical Joints in the French Quarters

This is a postcard we have of Brennan's French Restaurant in New Orleans.  We have been to New Orleans at least three times but don't remember eating at Brennan's.  It is out of our price range, but I'm sure the cost of the postcard was reasonable.

However, we have been to Pat O'Brian's that has a similar courtyard as Brennan's and  next door to Preservation Hall, which is great entertainment of the jazz musicians keeping the New Orleans' music tradition going.

Also, the last time we went, there was an ice cream shop across the street/alley  from Pat O'Brian's.  We treated the boys for ice cream.  That was within our budget.  In the ice cream shop the people scooping and serving the ice cream had paper hats and  appeared to be a happy crew.  In fact, they were so happy they made fun of me.   An all smiling positive looking guy that worked there was singing a popular rock song very good, something like Y - M- C - A!  And each that he would put accent or bounce to he would point at me and smile wildly.  Good God!  See what I have to put  up with for trying to save a few bucks?

Our Asheville Trip, the pixtures

Hopefully you read the details in a previous post on this blog.  If not, if you see something of interest maybe you can go back and see if it was mentioned or not.



                    The Green River Bar-be-Que in Saluda, North Carolina

Asheville, North Carolina

French Broad Chocolates

Scattered pictures taken in Asheville:

The two above pictures are of a side of a building downtown that was built by Edwin Grove, the same person that built the Grove Park Inn.  See the distorted faces on the building?  It is that way on every level, any place you look.  According to two different tour guides a man owed Edwin Grove some money.  He told the man that if he didn't pay havehe was going to put little faces all over the building that would look like him.  The man paid Grove and the check bounced.  The distorted faces resembling the man went up and are still there.



Below:  The Basilica of Saint Lawrence Roman Catholic Church.  The building was built by Rafael Guastavino, a Spanish architect and builder.  He died in 1908, shortly after the church building was finished.  His last wish was that he be intombed in the cathedral and it was granted.  As our tourguide said, "His body and soul went into building this church.

Luella's Bar B Que

As I mentioned in the previous blog before this building was Luella's BBQ it was the original A & W Rootbeer Drive-Inn.  If I had know that before I took the below pictures I would have tried to accentuate the shape of the building more.  But, as you can see by the first picture the long cement walk where cars would drive up to be car-hopped.

The Oyster House Brewing Company

The Invisible Man was here and naturally was overlooked for a while.  It was the first time a host volunterily explained why he overlooked the invisible party.

The Tupelo Honey Cafe

Great Breakfast! (after about a 30 minute wait)

Next:  The Grover Park Inn

Asheville and Blue Ridge Trip

We just got back from a mini-vacation to Asheville, North Carolina.  We had three objectives in mind: see Asheville again,  see the fall leaves, and go to Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the United States east of the Mississippi.  We succeeded in two of the objectives.  Here is a compact overview of what we did (Remember - it took us longer to do it then you to read it).

After leaving Willow at the pet boarding place with her clawing and whinning with a bewildred look on her face, we headed north.

We first stopped in Saluda, North Carolina.  Saluda is a pleasant  scenic little communilty with about a 3 or 4 block downtown main street with old antique buildings.  We stopped there because we read nice reviews on the Green River BBQ just outside of town on a high hill.  On their menu they did not offer pulled pork but offered chopped pork.  We prefer pulled pork.  They had a few unique items on the menu, one being Tomato Pie.  Tomatoe Pie wasn't worth all the ooohs and ahs on the reviews we read either.  The pie was too buttery, which has a way of staying with you.

When we entered the restaurant, about 1:30 it was crowded.  One long table with nine women and one elderly man were having a lunch - I think they all belonged to the same organization or the same family or something.  Out the window beside our table we could see some outside tables.  One table had about four outside workers taking their lunch break.  Another table a young couple sat.  I noticed the lady had shorts on.  You pay at the counter.  When the young couple came inside to pay I saw that she was not wearing shorts, she was wearing tight-ass jocky underwear.  They even had little same little logo figures all over it.  Her arm was also in a sling, but I wasn't studying the sling.  Anna's back was to the counter but I couldn't tell her to look because it would be obvious what she would be looking at and then everybody might turn around and look.  Before we left a lady came in and asked were they still open and they they were and she said GOOD! - She drove all the way from Ohio and wanted to catch them before they closed.  Her lucky day!

Our next stop was Hendersonville which was about eight or nine miles up the road.  I have a special interest in Hendersonville and the surrounding area. I suspect my great-great grandfather Jason Henderson Hunter was born in Henderson County and Hendersonville is the county seat.  My plan was to look over the countryside and terrain to get an idea of how it might have looked in the early 1800s.  The whole frigging place is paved over and buildings shooting up all over - and I think the slopes and hills have been bulldozed away many years ago.  We had reserved a room at the Hampton Inn in Hendersonville.  I decided I would not gain any knowledge on Jason Henderson Hunter by staying overnight there.  In the parking lot of the Hampton Inn we had reservations.  We called the Hampton Inn in Asheville to see if they had vacancies, then called and cancelled the reservations at Hendersonville which we had until 6pm to do so, then called back the one in Asheville and made reservatons.

Our new iphone, s-4 became very handy helping us on this trip on GPSing for us and supplying general information of things we wondered about on the trip.

Asheville was just a hop, skip, and a jump to the Hampton Inn on Tunnel Road.  We checked in and got our luggage in the room and went back out and rode around in the downtown area learning our way around.

We found the chocolate/coffee house French Broad River Chocolates.   We heard about it from our son Rocky and his wife Sabrina, they were in Asheville the week before.   We enjoyed sitting and eating unique kinds of baked goods.  We liked it so much we went back the next night.  The 2nd night was fairly crowded with college age young people, all casually lounging and doing their thing on their lap tops.

The staff were  jovial and laid back and didn't seem to mind if you justified your seat with buying things or not.

Wednesday morning we went on a tour of the city . . . or several tours.  On our first tour on the tourbus the tour guide lady told us the bus will make 10 stops.  You could get out if you wanted to and catch the next tour bus.  You have a little sticker symbol on your upper torso and the tour guide will let you get on.  She went on to say she recommends that you make the tour without getting off and decide what you would like to get out and see more of.  And that is what we did.  After the first go around tour, we broke for lunch.
That way we got the benefit of hearing three different views of tour guides.  The bottom lines were all the same, but the buildup and comments were different.  You get a more rounded view that way.

Two people who became world know writers, O'Henry and Thomas Wolfe were born in Asheville and are buried in the same cemetery.  Not much was said about O'Henry but I heard two different stories about Thomas Wolf and his interesting money-grubbing mogel mother.  It made me want to read LOOK HOMEWARD ANGEL.

Another writer, F. Scott Fitzgerald lived in Asheville for a while at the Grove Park Inn.  His wife was an inmate at a nearby insane asylum.  She died in a house fire at the facillity.  It was said Fitzgerald drunk up to 32 bottles of beer a day while writing.  His room was very near where people checked in for a room, and if it was a young cute lady checking in he would make his move - so the one of the tour guides said.

Charleston Heston lived in town for a while where he picked up acting on stage and moved on to the movies.  Another entertainer who lived in town for a while was the Yodeling Brakeman, Jimmy Rogers, he had a  local radio show.

We went back and spent more time looking around the Grove Park Inn.  The Grove Park Inn was created by Edwin Grove who made a fortune on a patented Scarlet Fever preventive medicine. 

The Grover Park Inn is a luxurious resort, listed as one of the top 20 luxurious inns in America.  On one of the wide corridor's wall are pictures of 20 presidents (10 Republicans and 10 Democrats) who have visited the place and other famous people such as Will Rogers.  We were just checking on how the uppity 53% lived.

On our break between tours we ate at Luella's's BBQ.  The same as the Green River BBQ they did not offer pulled pork, only chopped.  Both places served hush puppies with the bbq.  It must be a North Carolina thing.  Another thing about Luella's's, according to one of our guides, the building is the original A and W Dogs and Rootbeer Drive-In building. 
The tour(s) were great and it appears that George Vanderbilt and Edwin Grove both got the city a power start into the 20th Century by their pet  enterprises.

When we finished looking at the Grove Park Inn we went to the spot to wait on the next bus.  I counted about 18 to 20 other people waiting.  We were just about a full load already, not counting the ones already on the bus.  Luckily enough, what I didn't realize there were two sets of people waiting for two different tour buses.  So it worked out.  I mean it worked out on that stop.  On the next stop more people got on than got off.  And the next stop we were more than the legal capacity.  Then we drove up to the crowd waiting to get on the bus in the art district.  The driver had to tell them he could not allow them on the bus, it would be illegal, so he called his supervisor and they bickered back and forth on the phone.  The funny part was that his speaker mike was still on and we all listened.  He said one time, "Well, I got to tell them something!"  He finally told the crowd outside they would be sending another bus out to pick them up.  It seems that would be a problem every day as the people of probably 32 tour trips went back to their favorite spots and at the end of the tour day, picking up the amout of tourists would snowball.  Oh well.

That evening we had dinner at the Lobster Trap/Oyster House and I tried out their own beer.  It was pretty good, with a heavy taste.  The food was good too, and as already mentioned we revisited the French Broad Chocolate place....which by the way, the river that flows nearby is the French Broad River.

I should throw in now that the French Broad River is one of the few of rivers that flow north and as one of our guides pointed out, it has something to do with the continental divide.  Also, speaking of the French Broad River one of my Hunter ancestors' son owned a tavern on the French Broad River  nearer to Tennessee.

While I am pointing out genealogical things about my relatives and Asheville, one of my Killian relatives was one of the early pioneers of Asheville and had church meetings at his house when the circuit traveling Methodist minister came to town.  One of his descendants lived on a small portion  that would be the Biltmore Estate.

The next day, the last day, we packed our car, checked out, went downtown and had breakfast at Tupelo Honey Cafe, a place known for their breakfasts.  We split a huge pancake, an omelet, and an order of apple cured bacon.  While we were waiting the waitress brought over biscuits, blueberry jelly, and honey.  When we left we were stuffed.

When we left the cafe and I was getting my camera out of the car a young man approached us and ask us to use our parking space.  We said it was OK with us, but first we wanted to take some pictures in the park across the street.  He told us to take our time.

While we casually took pictues in the park the young man set up his vender cart. He was ready to sell sandwiches, or whatever.  His car was right in the street near the left taillight of our car, with the emergency lights blinking.  As we pulled off, he pulled in.

Recognize the post card below?  It is by J. Scott Graham.  I think it is similar to the photograph that was on the book 13 MOONS by Charles Frazier.  It does well representing the Blue Ridge Mountain Chain.  In a old S H Kress Co Five and Dime Building that is now an art and antique mall a few doors down from  the Tupelo Honey Cafe  we found a large print of the one on the 13 Moons cover and bought it.

We headed north up the Blue Ridge Scenic Highway to Mount  Mitchell, the tallest point east of the Mississippi.

The leaves were just about at their peak, beautiful!  At one of the lookout places where you could see a whole valley or a ridge of mountains before you two young ladies were there that just came from Mount Mitchell.  They told us to turn back.  Mount Mitchell was in a cloud that day.  You couldn't see anything but white.  We scoffed at the idea, saying it was fog and it would burn off by the time we got there.  Another person, sitting in his car stuck his head out the window and said "No it won't!"  We found out the hard way they were right.

We kept on going.  Not too long up the ridge the whiteness of a cloud surrounded us and we could not see more than 15 or 10 feet ahead of us.  I had to stay on the car in front of my bumper to see his tailights.  We drove that way for ten miles at about 10 miles per hour.

Then we saw an angel in the cloud looking at us.  We interrupted her deep meditation time.  Naw, I'm just pulling your leg.

We saw a ranger's station and visitor's center and pulled in.  We walked in the buildling and ranger lady was standing by her heater.  Anna asked her, "What is out there?" 

The ranger looked a little scared and said, "I don't know!"

We both had to use the rest room.  The women's restroom was down steps one side of the building and the men's restroom was down the the steps on the other side of the buildng.   We decided to both use the women's restroom.  Why separate when it was in strange lands?  We were the only tourists around . . . we thought.

We both went into the restroom. I used one stall and finished before Anna.  I stepped out of the stall and the door opened and in walked a middle age woman.  I said, "Sorry about that."

She waved her hand and said  "No problem" .


On the way back down the road where we came from I had an addtional problem.  I had no tail lights to follow close behind.  Instead I followed the center yellow line.

After several minutes I looked in the rearview mirror and about four cars were following me.  The fools!

After we got half way down from the mountain range the day was as sunny as we left it two hours ago.

We got on a different route to go home.  We went on Highway 74 going west across North Carolina.  For a good many miles we followed the Natahala River.  The river is rocky and shallow, perfect for white water sports. Some people have put up raft rentals up and down the river for the young at heart folks.  For the old farts they put up a restaurant overlooking the river to watch the white water rafting.  Something for everybody!  The food was too greasy.

Interesting this recreation area  of the river is only about 4 or 5 miles west of where my Ray and Trammell ancestor families lived in the 1800s and a lot of the Ray descendents still do.  We have been there  several times.

We entered Georgia in Fannin County, near the town of Blue Ridge.

Our last stop of our mini 3 day vacation was to get apples in East Ellijay.   When you go through north Georgia in October you must stop and buy apples in Ellijay.  It's the law. The big barn where we bought apples, sweet potatoes, and apple cider, the old country codger who waited on us came out with his home made Will Rogers wit, his warm grandpa image, and fair acting business man, all rolled into one.  I bet he has to practice on all the personalities he puts forth there.

Now, home sweet home.

Pictues we took will follow in a day or so, as soon as I pick out the suitable ones.

DIXIE HIGHWAY, REVISITED

This book is better than my ramblings, read it instead.

In the 1940s and 50s we kept the Dixie Highway pavement and tar hot on our frequent trip up and down that 100 mile stretch between Marietta and Chattanooga.  

When I say "we" I mean some of my mother's siblings and their spouses and children and us.  My grandmother and some of her children lived near Dalton and Chattanooga and some lived in Marietta.

I felt I knew the road pretty good and felt that I wanted to see it again to see what changed and what has remained the same.  In today's terms, to ride up it to Chattanoga was on my "Bucket List".  And it was my birthday, so there.

I remember this same view when I was a kid.  Of course, it was black and white then.  I beleive this is the remains of a bridge I  read that Sherman had destroyed.  See the guy fishing?  Also, there is a certain comfort feeling of seeing things you haven't seen for a while and they are still around.

This is an Indian who looks like a warrier or a hunter.  I would think he is pissed off.  This is in Calhoun, only a few miles from New Echota, the then seat of the Cherokee Nation.  His leaders voted for all the Indians to give up their land and walk to Oklahoma.  "The Trail of Tears".  That would be enough to make anybody highly perturbed.

Notice the rock that make this arch?  Along the highway there are many structures made of rock.  It was probably easily accessible.  I think the two CSA soldiers are not following protocal.  If I remember correctly military statues are to face the direction of  their enemy - in this case, the north.  I think one was facing east and the other one was facing west.

Also along the highway there appear to be no zoning laws.  There are all kinds of houses, junk piles of junk in front yards, not to be confused wtih decorative little statues and things, which Anna said is "Yard Art".

The Resaca Civil War  Confederate Cemetery that probably holds the CSA soldiers from a battle about a mile away.  Marvin, a friend, lives near here and he told me he sometimes cuts the grass of this cemetary.

This was the train depot.  Now it is Ringgold's Visitor's Center, History Museum, and bluegrass concert hall.  I bet they have a gift shop too.  They are closed on Mondays.  This is also where James Andrews and his Raiders were caught up with in the Great Locomotive Chase.

The overpass down the hill ahead was there when our family came up often.  It is still there.  What I couldn't find was the Wedding Chapel.  The Wedding Chappel of Ringgold offered a quick bloodtest and a quick marriage.  Las Vegas may have taken notes.  I was told by a stranger when just outside of town at a Civil War skirmish marker that Dolly Parton got married in Ringgold.  The stranger with a white beard told me he was returning from Tennessee where he is practicing for the Baseball Olympics in the age 70 category.  He new all the good places to play baseball in Cobb County, such as Al Bishop Park.

Also, a distant relative of mine is a  resident of Ringgold and famous in an infamous kind away when the law accused him of locking his wife and mother-in-law up and starved them to death....it took 20 years.  He was found innocent in the court of law, but a TV special was made of him and his eccentric ways.  It is no crime to be a hermit.

I found some relatives through my Tyson branch on at West Hill Cemetery in Dalton up on a hill.  When alive they lived in Tunnel Hill, Georgia, then some of them went south and settled near Ball Ground, and one of the daughters married into the Tyson family, near Woodstock.

Burial place for Leander Newton Trammell

This is Leander Newton Tammell's family plot.  The big marker is his, the small one is his wife's.  Leander, or "The Colonel" is a distant relative - well, not that distant, we are first cousins (4 times removed).  He is the one that is responsible for the Trammell House in Marietta.  I found their plot when I visited West Hill Cemetery a few years ago.  This time in Dalton I noticed that  I crossed Trammell Street, on the north side of town.

This grave has my mother's sister and her husband Cecil.  Interesting couple.  I also found this grave years ago, but paid them another visit.  This time I noticed they are buried next to Cecil's parents. 

This is West Hill Cemetery's Confederate Graves section.

I found my mother's brother and his wife Mary Jo's grave.  It is the first time it has been visited by one of our family members as far as I know.

I went into the cemetary's office and asked if they had an index.  The lady said yes and she looked up Thomas Petty.  She found him.  She gave me a map and drew line on the route I should take to get to his and Mary Jo's grave.  She said something like this... "You take the Sermon on the Mount road up and turn right at the green gate - then you park and walk eight rows from the Sitting Jesus."  It sounded like a satire from a Kurt Vonnogut or Terry Southern novel

This is the Chapel in the cemetery.  I just wanted to point out that kind or rock again. There are plenty of structures are made of it.

On the way home we stopped at J.D.'s Bar-B-Que in Acworth.  Delicious!!