Dana's Family Gems

   I'm taking on Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge  "favorite photo" Week two 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks I wasn't even alive when this photo was taken, but it captures a moment that feels timeless. My Great Grandfather, Daniel Robert Dunn, stands at the center, surrounded by his children and grandchildren. He's showing the little ones a wind-up toy, and each child holds a special gift—a pretty doll for one, a cowboy costume for another. The joy and love in this photo take my breath away, reminding me of a time when families truly cherished these moments. On the coffee table, family photos are displayed under the glass, adding to the sense of warmth and connection. This might be my favorite photo because I remember my dad, Daniel Davis, saying his Grandpa Dunn was his favorite. He hunted, fished, and played ball like one of the kids. Dad helped his grandpa on the farm and with carpentry. This photo is a testament to family. It captures cherish...

  I'm taking on Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge  "In the Beginning" Week One 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks My interest in ancestry began around the fifth grade when our teacher assigned us a project: create a family tree and write a family history report. The instructions were clear—interview the oldest relative we knew. As luck would have it, my dad was planning to visit his Aunt Hester’s house to help with some yard work, and I tagged along. Aunt Hester lived in a tiny house nestled off Wears Valley. She was my grandmother’s sister, and I remember her vividly—her beautiful hair always swept up in a neat bun and the sweet scent of homemade sugar cookies. She shaped them with an old metal cookie press and always had baggies full of them ready to hand out to kids and adults alike. While Dad worked in the yard, I settled at Aunt Hester’s kitchen table, nibbling on one of her cookies and clutching my notebook. I eagerly began asking her questions about o...

Grandpa Dunn Didn't Tell a Lie   While gathering information for this Saturday’s upcoming Dunn family reunion, I stumbled upon a delightful story that brought a smile to my face. During the Civil War Centennial, many captivating stories emerged about the war, and one from the Townsend-Sevier community stands out. Mrs. Norma Wilson of Townsend shared a tale about Grandpa Dunn (Levi Patterson Dunn, born April 3, 1829, in Greene County, Tennessee. He passed away on April 25, 1885, in Townsend and is buried in Myers Cemetery). The story recounts how Grandpa Dunn skillfully avoided arrest while staying true to his reputation for honesty. Both he and his wife were Union sympathizers and strongly opposed to slavery. As a result, their home became part of the Underground Railroad. Of course, it wasn’t an actual railroad but rather a network of Union supporters who, often under the cover of night, helped fleeing slaves on their journey to freedom. From Sevier County, the next stop was typic...

    My fondest memories of my Daddy are probably the lessons he taught me. Some were big ones, and some were simply ones he taught me from my own trial and error while some were just little things that he probably did not even know I was learning from. He taught me to care, to look for the unexpected and not to fear anything. As I was learning to read, I remember wanting to read with Dad. It never had to be a child's book. I was interested in reading whatever my Daddy was reading whether it be a western, a history book or even a newspaper I wanted to share time with Daddy.      Some morning, I would get up early just to spend time with Daddy. I would find him in his chair reading the newspaper and I would want to read a piece too. The paper had these little space fillers in them. It was just a little brief tidbit a comment or short story that filled the gap of missing space between other stories. I guess with today's computer technology these little fi...

  Old picture of Caylor's Chapel church/school in Townsend, TN. My Granny Hazel Webb Ledbetter went to school here. I'm not sure how long ago the photo was taken but thought it was neat. I think the new building was built around 1940s. Also found a church record book from 1962 my grandmother Lillie Davis was the recorder of the record book. Average attendance in June was 44 and the total offering collected was $ 11.62. Wow could we even buy milk and bread for that today?

 At Granny Hazel's, the stockings were a spectacle of sparkling glitter, each one adorned with sequins that caught the light and the eye. She crafted one especially for me, Kenna Best and Chris Ledbetter. The joy of finding them brimming with surprises was unparalleled. In truth, the anticipation of discovering the treasures within the stocking often for me eclipsed the allure of any wrapped presents.  As we got older, she declared she guessed she would get us a better present and forgo the stocking. I begged her to get me a stocking telling her she didn't need to also get me a present I just wanted the stocking. The stocking, a symbol of Granny Hazel's love, was the true gift that warmed our hearts.