My Virginia

                                                                                                            Above: Crystal City, Virginia                                                     THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA  The dichotomy between the ...

Richmond, Virginia: A Northern City? I'm not exactly sure how, but recently, I stumbled upon this blog by one lady from Georgia, who says Richmond is NOT the South .  Make no mistakes about it,  to her , we might as well be Trenton, NJ. Now, I don't like to call out other people usually , but I couldn't help but notice several errors in her explanations. It's not like I can let it go, I can't. I'm a Southerner, damn it. My family has been in Richmond,  Virginia for centuries, and it stretches all across Dixie as well. My ancestors fought in both the American Revolution, and in the Confederate Army during the War for Southern Independence. When you say Richmond, Virginia,  is not the South, it's like saying ice cream isn't naturally cold.  It just doesn't sound right. I believe this is actually a very old article, and I do apologize.  But I want to address it, because it bugs me when  people make statements that aren't the truth. I am...

Paxton House: Powhatan County, Virginia. Near Tobaccoville (Built circa 1819) Above: Dr. John Gifford Skelton: My 3rd Great Grandfather, born at Paxton in 1815.  It came to my surprise when I found out the Skelton ancestral home was recently sold in 2017 and completely upgraded to full splendor! I was looking up the property online to see if some of the Skelton cousins and myself could visit the property as part of a family reunion . Years ago, I did film the outside, but I never was able to see inside. I found several pictures online available to the public which openly display the inside of the house- which is very remarkable, indeed! Because the property is privately owned, I know it would be difficult to arrange for all of the Skelton descendants to see the inside of the house. While we may be able to tour the grounds of the property, seeing the inside of the Paxton any time soon , seems unlikely. However, I was very thrilled that the estate has published pictur...

Virginia is most lovely in the Spring.  Some people love the fall color of the leaves, but nothing is sweeter than Virginia during the months of March through May. The weather is neither too hot, nor too cool. There are balmy breezes,  beautiful Magnolias in bloom,  the sound of the birds singing, and a rare, but promising glimpse of our beloved Cardinal.  Taking a stroll through a city park,  photographing the scenery along  a rural  roadside, or canvasing the local area for a nice picnic, all seem to be fun activities to do. Since I was born in the Spring, I feel a strong kinship with the Season.  Richmond is full of dogwood trees and cherry blossoms, much like our Nation's Capital. You can see a lot of animals come out to play during this time of year as well. This year, Easter fell in late April, and that is a wonderful thing, because it means it is warm enough for the men folk to bring out their Seersucker Suits for the Mo...

The Christmas Season has officially begun, at least in the sense of commerce.  Mechanicsville, Virginia  had their annual Christmas parade and a number of the Virginia flaggers were there. Living in the liberal cess pool of Richmond, it's kind of refreshing that there are places very close to home that still have that old Virginian spirit.  Although  it was a rainy day, there were many people in attendance.  The spirit of the South lives on through these brave people who fight to preserve our noble history, and let not the names of our ancestors be tarnished by the onslaught of political correctness. Some other traditions in the area, are to lay wreaths upon the graves of the glorious dead. Harking back to a day when people made their own Christmas presents, it is also a demonstration of the Victorian era gone by. Think of a Confederate soldier far from his family,yearning for a warm meal and to be with his darling wife and children. Many of these soldiers mar...

This last election was very painful for me to watch . It signifies the beginning of the end for Virginia. At least the one that I knew. I am sitting here thinking back to when I was a teenager in the 1990's. Fairfax and Loudoun County were deep red Republican.  We were a safe bet for wholesome candidates.  Marriage was believed to be between one man and one woman. Those wonderful , carefree golden days, when Virginia was conservative and Evangelical Christian   . The "swamp" was barely a puddle then. Virginia was largely comprised of White and Black voters. Never in my wildest dreams would I believe socialist friendly candidates could have a hope of winning in Virginia.  It was a good time for Virginia. But the D.C. swamp slowly began to rise, and it overflowed at the crevices of decent civilization.  No one knew what we were in for. Fast forward to 2018.  Gone are the days of George Allen, Virgil Goode, and Jim Gilmore. Hordes of illegal immigrants...

It's easy to determine the obvious. There is no question that Mississippi is the South. Or Alabama, or South Carolina.  Or Georgia.  But there's the "Deep South", and then there's "The South"... That Mason Dixon line is a good start, but the closer you are to the line, the more ambiguous.  I made some maps here as to what I determine the area of predominant Southern culture to be. Instead of making a black and white chart of "North vs South", I include "transition zones"- those areas that are kind of the in between region, or some times "no  man's land". In my maps, notice only the Eastern 1/3 of the country is shaded in. I do not generally consider Texas or anything west of it to be "South". But it can be considered a transition area. Unlike most, I consider the Mid Atlantic region to be a sub region of the South, and not the Northeast.  For that reason, I feel some states can be both Southern and Mid Atla...

By an overwhelming margin,  Richmond's city council struck down a measure that would request removal of the Confederate statues upon our famed Monument Ave. We Richmonders can heave a sign of relief- at least for now! There is no telling how relentless the history -erasing agenda from vigilante leftists will be. For  awhile now, it's over! We can walk in the sun once more. In an ironic twist to the anti-statue movement, Monument Ave has never been a more popular tourist destination. Many people lately are flocking to the streets from all over the world, to see the statues in all their glorious splendor. This is an ongoing war . The battle that we have won recently to save our Southern heritage is only that. Just a battle. These people are probably going to use legal limits and loopholes in the most undesirable ways possible. We must be not get complacent. I am so proud of the Virginia Flaggers for all they do. Without them, I'm not sure where would be. May God ble...

This is a picture of my third Great-Grandather, Dr. John Gifford Skelton.  He was born in 1815 at Paxton Plantation, in Powhatan , County, Virginia.He was a farmer in Powhatan County,  and was a country doctor, making rounds around the county . During The War-Between-The-States, he administered aid to both wounded Union and Confederate soldiers. He later retired to Richmond, where he helped in the establishment of the Medical College of Virginia (MCV). He was a member of Monumental Church in Richmond. He died at age 74 of apoplexy, and is buried in Hollywood Cemetery.

Above: Wise, Virginia. One of the most "Trump friendly" towns in America.  Virginia is something of a political paradox. It is a purple to blue state (depending on your perspective), but with some of the most Trump friendly towns in the United States. Wise, Virginia, went nearly 80% for Donald Trump , and towns such as Grundy and others in Southwest Virginia, have about the same demographics.  In fact, several counties in Virginia are as red as can be- with more than 70% of the votes counted for Trump in the 2016 elections. Virginia Beach - home of Pat Robertson and The 700 Club is the 3rd most conservative city in the nation, while just 200 some odd miles to the north, Washington, D.C. is the second most liberal city in the United States. As we know, Washington  sits directly across the Potomac river, enabling the vast expansion of suburbs into the northern part of Virginia.  Making matters more confusing, the majority of counties in Virginia are red, while ...

"Waffle House" is a very distinctly Southern establishment, with very few locations north of the Mason Dixon line. Most waffle houses are guaranteed markers that you are in the South! As you drive down 1-95, you start to see Waffle house locations creep up around the D.C./Northern Virginia area, signaling the gateway. Some argue over Waffle House and Cracker Barrel. I think Cracker Barrel is definitely more "family friendly" than Waffle House. Cracker Barrel is Southern styled too, although it has a lot more locations outside the South than does Waffle House. So if we need a new way to signal when you're in the South officially, maybe this will do it. According to the map below, Virginia is one of the leading states for waffle house locations. It shares the roster with West Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas. When visiting a waffle house, be careful not to go there too late at night. Many waffle houses are notorious for their uncivil disruptions and fight...

It turns my stomach when people have to turn everything into a political issue. Such was the case when the "Red Hen"- a  "farm to table" eatery in Lexington, Virginia , decided to casually dismiss Sarah Saunders as a patron. I don't understand the pettiness and the absurdity.  For heaven's sakes, why?  Why does it have be such an issue? Well, apparently, it was an issue because  the owner decided that her waitstaff was "uncomfortable" enough to be okay with serving Mrs Sarah Saunders. And it was because of her job.  Yes,  that's right. She was dismissed because she works for the President Of The United States. Golly, I'd hate to know what they think of people such as myself, who work for Chick-Fil- A :  A conservative and Christian friendly fast food establishment.  I better not mention I'm a Trump supporter at any restaurant I frequent. Liberals might spit in my food! The owner told Sarah Saunders that she did not reflect their "v...

As most Americans get ready to prepare the biggest meal of the year next Thursday, let us not forget the true story of how it all began. The first Thanksgiving in America was in early December. It was at the late Fall Season, and it happened where? Right here in Virginia!  On December 4th, 1619, the First Thanksgiving on record occurred.  There were earlier prayers given  of thanks at Jamestown, but this was the most official giving of thanks. This was two years before the New Englanders had theirs.The history books seem to ignore this, largely perhaps because of its Judeo Christian roots. The Thanksgiving was deeply rooted in prayer, rather than in elaborate meal or celebration.  More to the story as well: many think it was Abraham Lincoln who first declared Thanksgiving as a National Holiday in 1863. But it was actually Confederate President Jefferson Davis who did so, a year earlier.  Here is a video which explains the REAL first Thanksgiving on American soil...

If you're moving to Virginia from some place else and don't know where to start, let me give the low down on our fair Commonwealth. Virginia is a medium to average sized Commonwealth  that is divided into five main regions: Northern, Central, Hampton Roads, Shenandoah Valley, and Southwest/Highlands. Some of these regions overlap each other, and some have smaller enclaves within each region  As discussed before , Northern Virginia stretches as far south as  the city of  Fredericksburg, but to most people it is the immediate Washington D.C. Metro area (a radius of about 25 miles). In this post, I will discuss Northern Virginia, and what that means... Northern Virginia: (D.C. METRO, Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax County,  Reston, Herndon, Prince William, Loudoun (East), and Stafford County towards Fredericksburg) The Potomac River belongs to Maryland......... When people talk about "NOVA" this is it:  Washington, D.C. Anything that is within a 15-25 ...

As they prepare to take away more statues and monuments and history, I was wondering how we can manage to cope with negativity all around us. I have a firm faith in God, and I believe truth shall prevail. If you ask me, there is something very sinister and very demonic behind this sudden  purge of the monuments and this sudden attack on American historical figures . I don't know why this is happening so quickly, but I do know there is a culture war that is still being fought in America. Moreover, I believe this is an attack on  Christian America. They do not like Christianity. They hate the thought that we are a Christian nation. When they finish removing all things Confederate, the next step is our Founding Fathers. This is very relevant to Virginia, since we are the mother of 8 presidents here. And figures such as Jefferson and Washington, and "Lighthorse"  Henry Lee, have their very footprints ingrained upon Virginia soil. All we can do as a nation now is to pray. P...

Virginian names can be difficult. There are a number of towns, cities, and counties which seem to get a sour treatment in how they are pronounced. Even roads, for example. There is the "Powhite" Parkway here in Richmond. Many out of towners would say "po white" as in 'poor white'. Of course it is really pronounced "Pow-hite". as in Powahatan. Which brings me to another issue: "Powhatan". I was watching The Weather Channel not long ago and the tv news anchor called it "Pow hat'n" county" Yikes! Let's remember, it is  named after the great Powhatan Indians. It's properly pronounced "Pow- a-tan".  And what about Botetourt County? Named after Lord Botetourt this county is pronounced "Bo-tet-tort" . Yet some people say it "Bot - it tort". As in botanical... Ouch. I laughed when someone called my home county "Looden" (Loudoun). Its pronounced Low-den" as in "ow...

This being St. Patrick's Day, reminds me of how strong the Irish heritage is on my mother's side of the family. My most recent Irish ancestry goes to the Hagan family- originally O'Hagan in Ireland. They migrated to the Richmond, Virginia area just before the large potato famine in Ireland. The Patriarch, John O'Hagan,  was born in Clancoe- Tyrone County, Ireland (Now Northern Ireland). He was landed farmer and proprietor there with a nice living for himself in that area.  His son, John C. Hagan , was my 3rd Great Grandfather. He immigrated to Richmond, Virginia where he already had friends, family, and a church. He served in the Confederate Army. Much is written about the Hagan family in Richmond in this article here: The Hagans of Ireland and Virginia. Hagan, John Campbell This branch of the Hagan family in America springs from the O'Hagans of Ireland, the "O" being generally omitted on this side of the Atlantic. The family has been noted for prominen...

I may have rekindled new interest in my love of genealogical research! A family story passed down for ages to me that we were descendants of Pocahontas was confirmed by local Fredericksburg  historian, Bill Deyo. Pocahontas is my 11th Great-Grandmother- and I am descended through her through by her first marriage and her daughter, Kaokee! This was a real neat story to hear. Most people only recount Pocahontas and her marriage to John Rolfe.  Many people are unaware that she had been previously wed to another Patawomeck Indian.  With her first husband, she had a daughter Kaokee.  Kaokee would be my 10th Great Grandmother, and she married later Captain Thomas Pettus- an early Virginia Gentleman and Cavalier. This story is confirmed through the Patawomeck Indian tribe. Having attended the Rowe family reunion last year in Fredericksburg, we learned of many connections to the Virginia Indians in that family over the years. George Rowe and Lucy Rowe- are my 4th ...

Last week, January 19th, would have marked General Robert E. Lee's 210th birthday. He was born at Stratford Hall, in Westmoreland County, Virginia. In his writings, it was very evident that Robert E. Lee was a strong Christian. Here are some of his famous quotes: "We have fought this fight as long, and as well as we know how. We have been defeated. For us as a Christian people, there is now but one course to pursue. We must accept the situation." Robert E. Lee "Obedience to lawful authority is the foundation of manly character"- Robert E. Lee "It is good that war is so horrible, or we might grow to like it"  Robert E. Lee "I think it better to do right, even if we suffer in so doing, than to incur the reproach of our consciences and posterity"- Robert E. Lee " Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or keep one; the man who requires you to do so is dearly purchased at a sacrifice." " I cannot trust a man to con...

                                  Above: The Farmhouse in 2014  I lived in this house from 1995-1998 as a teenager Me on the Farm in 1997  UPDATE: I have retracted information regarding a certain situation with the previous owners of this dwelling, Mr. Hottel.  As far as the original date of the house, it is unknown, but I believe it to be 1904, because it was verified by a descendant of the original builder. If there ever was a place that would be the perfect setting for a movie, this would be it. I spent most of my teen aged years on this old farmhouse located near the small village of Philomont, Virginia, just 7 miles north of Middleburg. You'll notice that I keep a picture of this farmhouse on the title of this blog. That's because it holds a very special memory  to me. The farmhouse was built in 1904 by a Mr Luck , as a wedding pres...