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1) I said in my last post that my father in his 20s was thinking of becoming a modern monk like Vivekananda. He decided against this path in 1972, when at the age of 31 he and my mother got married. I think he didn't realize what a big effect this decision would have on his spiritual and psychological life. Following my father's nonchalant demeanor about the transition, when I was growing up my family treated it with casual humor. One of his uncles once said to me, "Your father was very set on becoming a monk. We all thought he would." Then he added with a chuckle, "He surprised us and got married."
2) What must it have been like for him to go from wanting to be a monk to not just getting married, but to wanting to get married? He didn't get married against his wishes; he actively wanted it. When my father and mother's arraigned marriage was set, he was quite romantic in wanting to take his wife to be to the park and for them to get to know each other – a rather progressive attitude in my family circles at the time.
3) I often wished my father would speak about the transition from wanting to be a monk to becoming a husband. But he never really did. In fact, he himself usually never referred to him wanting to be a monk. He would assert instead that spiritually it was important to embrace life in all its forms – including marriage and having children. I felt however that he doth protest too much. That while he genuinely and fully was happy to be married, he downplayed the psychological turmoil he went through in the transition.
4) What interests me especially is the effect marriage had on him in his expressing and sharing his spiritual life with others. When someone wants to be a monk – or a priest or even a professor – it is not just an expression of their spiritual interests. It is also an expression of how they feel moved to pursue spirituality: where they fit into the social and cultural matrix of the spiritual life of the society. The desire to be a monk is like a desire to be a teacher. One doesn't simply want to gain knowledge, but also share that knowledge publicly. For some people, these two things – the gaining and the sharing publicly – come apart. Like someone who is content to read or think on their own, without feeling the need to write books (or blog posts) to add to that public conversation. But for others these two are deeply fused together. Monks, priests, professors, authors – these are modern day shamans, exploring the collective unconscious and contributing to the conversations of humankind.
5) I am in the latter category: thinking and expression of my thinking in a public space are deeply interconnected. If I didn't live in a time of blogging, I would probably be working on a book which in my mind would connect me to public discourse. My father also had this side to him. I was to discover it in the way he was to share his philosophy with me when I was 16: his ideas, his questions, his place in relation to Vivekananda, Russell, Gandhi, Christ, the Buddha and in general to the history of philosophy, it all poured out of him like water bursting through a dam.
6) My extended family knew this aspect of him, but mostly it was treated as a personal idiosyncrasy. That was just "his personality". But as his son I knew there was more to it than his personality. For it didn't really make sense. He loved me, as he loved my older brother, unconditionally. I am lucky to have known that kind of fatherly love: I felt always that he would drop anything, at any moment, to be by my side and help me. He loved me as an extension of himself.
7) But I started to notice something a year or so into my philosophical conversations with him: he wasn't listening to me fully. This person who loved me as much as it is possible for one person to love another, couldn't hear me say, "Dad, please stop for a minute and listen to my perspective and my life situation from which I am talking." I was being thrust into a role beyond that of a son, and into that of a sishya (student). Or better put, I was being thrust into the role of a son-student, akin to how it was with some Indian sages and their children from antiquity.
8) The idea that two people simply talk as two thinkers is often a fantasy. Even when the conversation is about something as abstract as philosophy, we are navigating roles we internalized of how such conversations take place. It is possible for two people to talk just as two individuals, but that takes a lot of conscious work and mutual listening and understanding.
9) When my father and I started talking philosophy when I was 16, he had been married for 21 years. So if he was a philosopher, he was hardly so as a monk who gave up the married life. Nor was he an academic. But he wanted to share with me what he discovered in the course of his philosophical inquiries. Not simply share it as "Here is simply my opinion." Rather to share it the way a teacher passes on to a student: "Here is what you will learn if you dedicate yourself to this path you have chosen."
10) From the time of the Upanishads, about 2,500 years ago, there was already a form of a philosopher which could apply to my father – or so he thought. That was that of the husband-sage-teacher Yajnavalkya. I don't know if Yajnavalkya had children, but famously he was married to Maithreyi, with whom he had philosophical discussions. But once there is the image of a married sage such as Yajnavalkya, it is easy enough to image him with children. As he lived in his hermitage with his wife and children and students, Yajnavalkya would combine being a philosopher, husband, father and guru.
11) This was the context in which I discovered philosophy. I was an Indian-American going to an American high school, with the aim of going to an American college and living an American life in the most public sense. But like most immigrants, I also had a home life which was set apart from the outside American world – the Indian home life with my parents, brother, grandmother, uncles and aunts, cousins and so forth. In this Indian home life, my father as a philosopher was generally not to be found explicitly. He moved in it mainly as my grandmother's eldest son – firm in his convictions, but usually deferential to his widowed mother lest it break the harmony of the extended family (and when he was not deferential, there were generally family tensions).
12) And for me there was yet another inner circle – set apart even from the inner Indian, extended family home life, as that was set apart from the outer American life. And this innermost circle was the space of my father's philosophical world come to life in our dining room or living room as he gave expression to his inner philosopher-sage. In the hours he would talk about philosophy – often with the ecstasy of a Sufi mystic merged with the analytic analysis of a logical positivist, a Krishna-love intoxicated bhakti-yogin merged with an advaita defending debater – our living room would morph into a hermitage from ancient India, with my father as a modern day Yajnavalkya.
13) Talking philosophy with my father as I was discovering philosophy felt like Einstein's son being taught physics by Einstein. Except for one thing: it was all supposed to be a secret, not for public expression! No mention of it was to be made even to my grandmother or my cousins, let alone my friends from school, to whom in any case it would all be unbelievably foreign. It seemed foreign even to most of my extended family. Like most Hindu families, most people in my extended family don't read the Gita or the Upanishads, or think about Yajnavalkya, Badarayana, Shankara or Aurobindo. Most of my family's spiritual thinking is more religious, tied up with pujas, prayers and the social life of Hinduism. As most Hindus do, they know Vivekananda, but more as a cultural defender of Hinduism than as a Western philosophy educated, global minded, intellectual philosopher.
14) My father, ever one to embrace contradictions, was like an esoteric Yajnavalkya. A modern day Yajnavalkya, who instead of passing on philosophical insights in his hermitage or debating in front of kings, was passing it on just to his closest family members. For him our conversations were perhaps an elaborate version of a father whispering the Gayatri Mantram to his son during the son's upanayanam, the thread ceremony initiating the son into manhood and the search for knowledge. But with this one main difference: the whole ceremony is whispered, out of sight of others, as if the entire event itself was an esoteric act meant to be hidden from the public.
15) For me this esotericism merged the ecstasy of philosophy with my father with mental torture. It is one thing for a 52 year old man to choose to keep his philosophical visions private, after decades of publicly expressing his passion for philosophy with family and friends. It is another for a 16 year old boy, just blossoming into having a public identity, and discovering philosophy and falling in love with it, and wanting to share that love in the world, to accept that when talking with family and friends he should act as if philosophy was just for his inner soul and not for public expression.
16) Soon the pernicious side of the my-Dad-as-Yajnavalkya idea was all too evident to me – though it would be years before I let myself think clearly about it, let alone talk about it publicly. If no one saw him as Yajnavalkya, would he still be a modern Yajnavalkya? My older brother was away at college, and could come in and out of the hermitage conversations. My mother was as enmeshed in the hermitage conversations as I was, as Yajnavalkya couldn't be Yajnavalkya without his wife. But my mother, who is very spiritual but more in a bhakti manner, was not a Maithreyi, meeting Yajnavalkya as a conceptual equal, challenging him with pointed questions, forcing him to reveal his conceptual insights. Can Yajnavalkya be Yajnavalkya without a conceptual challenger, a philosophical interlocutor who can hold his own but who can also ultimately see Yajnavalkya's greatness?
17) There is no one answer to this question. But as a 16 year old, mesmerized by my father but also afraid for his health, to me the answer seemed obvious: my father as Yajnavalkya needed an other – a student, a rival, a challenger, a skeptic, an audience. To me the hermitage conversations in our living room were flowerings of the beauty of human potential – humans reaching for a higher consciousness. If I simply walked away from them – saying, "Sorry Dad, this isn't working for me; I am going to pursue my own path in philosophy" – what would happen to the beautiful philosophical garden in my parent's living room, and what would happen to my father as a modern Yajnavalkya? If he stopped being Yajnavalkya, what other mode of philosophical expression would, and could, he have? Monk and academic were already out. To see him as only his mother's son and his siblings' brother was too painful for me to contemplate. That family Satyam was real, but what my father showed me, as he showed also to my mother and brother, was the side of him he chose back then to not show his family. And if he was going to continue to be Yajnavalkya even after I walked away, now the burden of being Yajnavalkya's conceptual other would fall entirely on my mother, which would put her in an impossible situation.
18) As it was, my mother was already in a difficult situation. For nowhere in the Upanishads is there a discussion of how Maithreyi managed to challenge Yajnavalkya in philosophical debate while she also was the eldest daugher-in-law in an extended family presided over by her mother-in-law as a matriarch? Nowhere does the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, which sheds light on the deepest truth of truths, also shed light on how a modern Maithreyi can be a philosopher while also making coffee for her husband and his friends, cooking for her family, cleaning the house, managing the emotional needs of her in laws, keeping up with her own family's needs, raise two children in a new country, deal with her husband's health concerns and her own hearing issues, and also have a full time job, while at times facing harassment at work for being an immigrant and while commuting for two hours a day – to do all that, and then, also, when her husband wanted to morph into a modern Yajnavalkya, manage to herself morph into a modern Maithreyi, setting aside everything else and engaging in pure philosophy, and catching all her husband's references to philosophers and scientists, which she, as a woman in India back then, didn't have a chance to explore in her youth as her husband did. The Upanishads don't explain how anyone can do all that because no one can do all that.
19) My extended family was able to treat my father's philosophical interests as just "how he is", as if it were just a personality thing, because to them it was not that important. They didn't have to, and for the most part didn't want to, think more about it. But to me my father's philosophy raised really big, fascinating, challenging questions. Not just about the nature of Brahman and whether reincarnation was true, but also questions about what it meant to be a philosopher in the modern world.
20) Could a modern Yajnavalkya, who could channel the cosmic consciousness and know the ultimate Truth "knowing which all else was know", and who also loves his son more than life itself, yet not know his son's pain? How can that be?
21) It was easy to resolve this tension by merely denying that he knows the ultimate Truth. By asserting that my father was yet just another bumbling man who knew much less than he claimed to. Fair enough. After all, we are all just bumbling people. But it doesn't answer the deeper question: how would someone who was a better philosopher than my father have handled the situation? When I considered this question, it was hard to know who to look to as the better philosopher.
22) It was no use looking to Vivekananda or to Aurobindo, since they didn't have sons. The question at issue was: How would someone who sought to detach themselves from their everyday ego identity relate to his children, who are very much a part of his everyday identity? This was just a particular way of raising the deep questions of how the infinite and finite, the ethereal and the material aspects of human beings can coexist? It also was no use looking to academic philosophers, since philosophy in academia – at least in departments like Cornell and Harvard – side stepped entirely the everyday human dimension of the professors. What mattered were the professors' books, lectures, departmental duties – all squarely in the domain of the professor as a professional, as opposed to how they were with their family.
23) A couple of years ago I came across the film Decoding Deepak. It is by Gotham Chopra, Deepak Chopra's son. The film is about what it is like to be Deepak Chopra's son, as his father balanced his family and being a spiritual teacher to millions of people. Naturally, I resonated with a lot of the film, especially the close relationship between the father and the son. But with this obvious difference that Gotham Chopra was contending with his father's fame – indeed, with his father's desire for fame – while I was contending with my father's esotericism – indeed, with my father's stated desire to not be a public philosopher, even to his own broader family.
24) In later years my father changed in this regard. After his retirement, he wrote Knowing One's Own Self, a book based on informal lectures he gave to some extended family members. While it is an interesting book in many ways, for me it is hard to recognize in it the global-minded philosopher I know. The book is shorn of the references to Bertrand Russell or Shinto philosophy, to Darwin and to Einstein. Like with Vivekananda, who most see as mainly a Hindu philosopher in terms of continuing Hindu culture, my father's lectures can seem more as an expression of what a certain kind of advaita-adhering Hindu thinks, rather than what a global philosophy reflected through Hinduism might look like.
25) It was interesting for me to see my father give lectures to the extended family and write a book. By that time I had for the most part limited my talking philosophy with him – refusing to play the conceptual other to his Yajnavalkya. While I played that role with fervor from high school till the end of college, by the time I was in grad school it was too hard to balance trying to become an academic with being a modern Yajnavalkya's son.
26) This is one reason I didn't speak up about academia's eurocentrism while I was still an academic. For the difficulty I faced wasn't only due to academia. I was torn on both sides. On the one hand, academic philosophy's Eurocentric structures made it hard to speak as an Indian philosopher. On the other hand, my father's Hindu-centric Yajnavalkya framework made it hard to speak as an American philosopher. Both the Eurocentric and the Hinducentric frameworks were outdated and ill fitted me. It was only by stepping away from both that I could think more deeply for myself.
27) Just as there is the question, "How and why did Eurocentric academic philosophy come to believe that philosophy was a special European achievement?", so too there is the question, "How and why did my father come to embrace the esoteric Yajnavalkya framework for being a philosopher?" Surely many married Hindu men happily talk publicly about their philosophy, and not just in their home. In fact, my father was himself such a man in India, talking philosophy with his friends.
28) My father was in many ways an extrovert. So why did I experience his philosophy as a kind of esotericism, as something private, to be done away from the public gaze? And seeing it that way, why did I feel he couldn't see my sense of feeling trapped in it? As with academia, what needs elucidation here are not intentions or personalities, not whether one is a racist or a non-racist professor, or a good or a bad father. Such judgments get in the way of deeper understanding of the structural realities in which we are all enmeshed. In the next post I will talk about the structural features of Indian life, immigration and modernity which influenced my father's trajectory as a philosopher.
Author BharathPosted on November 30, 2020 November 30, 2020 Categories Uncategorized
5 thoughts on "A Modern Yajnavalkya"
subha says:
Very well written kanna especially the last paragraph throws light on your pain.
Love Amma
Thanks, Amma. 🙂
robertmwallace2 says:
Fascinating! Do you have no other info about your father's decision to marry? What was your father's profession? Your description of your mother's accomplishments is striking in its own right. I almost always have female figures in my dreams today, and I take them (following Jung's teaching) as representing aspects of myself. Certainly my mother taught me at least as much as my father did. And my wife is for me an indispensable teacher/interlocutor, as well. But of course a father plays a key role for a son. Now that my own son is in his 40s, I can see that process from both sides. All of this of course demands the question, what difference do "thought" and "philosophy" make in life?
I may have another post about my father's decision to marry and his career. And the ways in which I think my father's philosophical life is inseparable from my mother and his marriage. It raises interesting questions about the relation of philosophy to life, including to our most concrete relationships with the people in our lives.
Gautam says:
This excerpt (from the Introduction to Knowing One's Own Self – https://www.amazon.com/Knowing-Ones-Self-Satyam-Vallabha-ebook/dp/B00DF3T2IK/) probably captures of his animating spirit, at least for the latter half of his life:
"One thing I can assure confidently to everybody. This knowledge is attainable by ordinary people like you and me. This knowledge is meant for the people who are experiencing pain and suffering and want to know why they suffer, why they have pain, and how they can find true happiness. If you are under the impression, this knowledge is exclusively the property of a section of people, you are absolutely wrong. On the other hand, I would like to tell you that this knowledge is meant for common people like us with genuine aspiration and it is easily attainable. You have to put forth the efforts yourself. There are no short cuts. Lastly, no one give the knowledge to us. We have to earn it for ourselves".
The reference to "section of people" is, I think, directed at those who think that monastic life, or a life dedicated to scholarly study (or worse, some special privilege of birth, caste, or religion) is a necessary prerequisite.
Though Dad himself would not have put it this way, we can see embedded within the above excerpt a range of philosophical and religious debates. E.g.
* "suffering" -> cf. Buddhism
* "knowledge" -> as distinct from ritualism or specific religious practices
* "put forth efforts yourself" -> as distinct from Calvinist-like views of grace
* "ordinary people" -> cf. Martin Luther & anti-elitism
* "exclusive property" -> cf. anti-clericalism, also Theravada vs Mahayana Buddhism.
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Ravish Momin's Tarana have a very bracing, sometimes haunting, hypnotic new ep out, titled After the Disquiet. On a lot of it, the disquiet is still very much present. It's a duo project with eclectic violinist Trina Basu (also of diverse south Asian influenced violin/cello duo Karavika). Momin's signature sound comes from his syndrums: recorded live in the studio, it's electronically processed beats that swing much of the time – much as the sounds are chilly, the feel is organic rather than canned. Basu shifts allusively between terse pizzicato, plaintive chromatic lead lines and the occasionally aggressive staccato passage, alternately ambient and intensely melodic.
The first track, Disposable, works off a north Indian folk theme, edgily terse variations on what sounds like an Italian tarantella. It sets the tone for the rest of the album with striking warm/cold contrasts between violin and drums, Basu working her way up from minimalist pizzicato to stark melody and back down, and then finally a speedy crescendo where she goes high and eerily airy before both strings and drums meet in the middle. That one's just short of nine minutes of fun.
The second track, Night Song, a homage to the late jazz bassist Wilber Morris shifts from tabla and electronic efx with a somewhat anxious, repetitive violin hook, to a hypnotic blitz of electronic percussion, to a wary chromatic violin theme, to faster trip-hop with pizzicato that fades out gracefully and sepulchrally. An almost nine-minute jam, Black Teeth of Trees sets stately, chromatic pizzicato against a thicket of straight-up 4/4 efx. The final, rhythmically tricky cut, Hava, was inspired by the intricately air-cooled Hava Mahal palace in Jaipur, India. It's mostly echoey,minimalist drums with ghostly electronic embellishments til the violin comes in hinting at a major key or some kind of resolution, but not going there until almost three minutes in. After alternating passages of solo drums and violin again, it ends unresolved. Fans of adventurous, tuneful, eclectic string bands from Luminescent Orchestrii to Copal will enjoy this.


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I've enjoyed Saturday Night Live most of my life. When I was a freshman at Cal, we used to gather in the TV room on the sixth floor of Priestley Hall to watch Saturday Night Live. When I went to graduate school at Northwestern, we visited The Second City, whose ties go all the way back to the show's 1975 premiere and original cast members Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi.
We're still watching SLN. Tonight Ben Stiller lampooned Michael Cohen as Saturday Night Live took on the Trump lawyer after his office was raided by the FBI. What a hoot!
Second City !! John Candy, Eugene Levy and the Murray brothers. Not to mention Harold Ramis who wrote or co-wrote Animal House, Vacation, Stripes, Caddyshack, Groundhog Day, Ghostbusters……and more.
Was randomly trolling the internet tonight, and came across your post.
UC Berkeley Priestley Hall? Hell yeah, I was there with you. I was your roomie. I was a physics major. You were a journalism major. I think we got along well. Hope you have the same recollection.
You graciously invited me to spend a night at your parent's house. Saratoga, I believe, if memory serves. I have fond memories of your Mom and Dad. Truly excellent people.
Anyway, I'm married (20 years) now and living in SoCal and would love to reconnect with you and yours if that's possible.
If not, hope you and yours continue to thrive.
How great to reconnect with you after all these years!
Bed time now (I'm one year older than you and am a sleepy old man). But I definitely look forward to future communications.
Your LinkedIn account rejected me (perhaps it knows I'm not worthy?).
Appreciate the "brainiac" sobriquet. But it's clearly not true. Else I would have immediately recognized that the correct plural possessive of parents is parents', not parent's. I blame it on the beer (still a favorite hobby).
My email is jroberson@socal.rr.com. Drop me a note when it's convenient, and I will surely respond.
Will do. Great to hear from you "roomie" after all these years. Go Cal Bears!


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Trio Turmo is a young, newly founded Norwegian string trio that had their debut tour in November 2018. In 2019 they played concerts in Oslo and Bergen as well as in London, where they were invited to play at the Den Norske Klub. They are planning and looking forward to future tours in Norway and Europe. The members of Trio Turmo have a strong focus on presence in their performances, and their playing is highly influenced by their joy of making music and their good friendship with one another.
Elisabeth Turmo is a Norwegian violinist who recently graduated from the Royal College of Music in London, where she completed a Master's Degree in Performance. She was recently appointed artistic director of the Timani Chamber Orchestra and is due to release a CD with KNS Classical in 2019. Elisabeth has performed as a soloist with numerous ensembles, including the Arctic Philharmonic with conductor Christian Lindberg. In 2014, Elisabeth performed solo while leading the Oslo Chamber Orchestra. She has also appeared as a soloist in the Norwegian Opera House with the Barratt International Festival Orchestra under the direction of conductor Nicholas Carthy. Elisabeth received second prize at the Grand Virtuoso International Competition in 2017 with the Lucent Duo. Her ensemble, Trio Cantabile, received first prize in the National Norwegian Youth Competition in Oslo. Elisabeth is playing on a 1837 Charles Boullangier, kindly on loan from the Dextra Musica Instrument Foundation.
Elin Marie Christensen is both a violinist and a violist based in Oslo. She went to the Institute of Music NTNU where she studied with Marianne Thorsen (The Nash Ensemble of London). Elin is an active chamber musician and plays in several ensembles including Duo Rem with violinist Stine Rem Aarønes (KORK). Elin has also toured in Norway and Germany with pianist Tina Margareta Nilssen. As a member of the Sorella String Quartet, she has toured in Germany, Italy, the Faroe Islands, Denmark and Norway, and played at festivals including Vestfoldfestspillene and Norge og Summartónar in the Faroe Islands. In recent years Elin has been a part of the Folketeateret in Oslo, where she played shows including "Les Miserables" and "Phantom of the Opera." She also toured with a quintet consisting of musicians from the Sinfonietta Innlandet and soloists, Aslak Brimi and Mari Midtli, in April and August 2019. With the Trondheim Soloists she has been touring in Norway, most of Europe and in South America and been part of many CD recordings, among these Gjermund Larsen´s «Trønderbarokk» which was awarded a "Spellemannspris" in 2014 and «Reflections» which is nominated for 3 GRAMMY 2017 Awards.
Ragnhild Sannes earned her master's degree at the Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo studying under Bjørn Solum (principal cellist of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra). She is an active chamber musician throughout Norway. In addition to touring with Trio Turmo, she has played several concerts at the Festspillene in Bergen with music by Hvoslef, recorded music by Hvoslef and Vaage, played a world premiere with the young composer, Torbjørn Arnesen, at nyMusikk Bergen, and performed Mozart's Piano Quartet in G-Minor. She has also appeared in concert with musicians from the Sjøforsvarets Musikkorps and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as the Bergen Young String Quartet. Ragnhild has been invited to play with the Sarah Chaksad Ensemble in Switzerland in September 2019 in a newly formed, Norwegian string quartet. She has played with orchestras including the Trondheimssolistene, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Oslo Camerata, Ensemble Allegria and Opera Bergen.
© 2020 by Trio Turmo, photos: Lars Bryngelsson

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Small Life Form - Parts for Holiday Projects
4 tracks, 14 minutes
In truth sounds like the third programme of the spin cycle on an Indesit washing machine....
~ Mark Barton, The Sunday Experience
Small Life Form explores the secret sounds of jingle bells.
: Digital Booklet
It's Not All Milk & Cookies
I think we promised that Silber records would shortly be releasing a stack of Christmas related musical festivities – well they are out – so we've already briefly mentioned yellow6 so while we get around to sampling the delights of baptizer, ronja's Christmas witch, electric bird noise, remora and firetail here's small life form with 'parts for holiday projects' – which according to the press release was initially conceived as a conscientious stab at celebrating the birth of Christ before going a little awry. We've trained our ears on the centrepiece cut 'it's not all milk and cookies' and can quite confidentally confirm – well it's not quite Wham but then were you to expect such in these missives there would be the odd querying raise of the eyebrow and a firmly disapproving tut tut. Still what you get for your dollar is something rathermore very unseasonal unless of course I've somehow somewhere come to lose the point, plot and reason for being here. In truth sounds like the third programme of the spin cycle on an Indesit washing machine – model number WCM6165 in case you are taking notes – and we ought to know because we are midway through a wash right this minute and it sounds like this track is communicating with said washer in some strange droning dialect either that or some insane mind frying dream machine. Very odd though that said it ought to appeal to all you astral social club and trensmat admirers.
US project SMALL LIFE FORM is a self-described ambient venture, who place themselves in the electro-acoustic drone segment of this type of music. They have been active since the tail end of the 1990's. "Parts for Holiday Projects" dates back to 2014, and was released through US label Silber Records in December that year.
As with some other releases on Silber, Small Life Form, at least as they appear on this EP, doesn't have all that much in common with conventional music. Sounds, drones and effects are the dominating features here, without much room for melodies or harmonies even of a non-conventional manner.
In fact, apart from the compelling mood piece that opens this EP, revolving around dark, bubbly voice-like effects, this production hones in on what many would describe as noisescapes. Dark machine-like fluctuating sounds, harder edged instances of the same with a more massive wall of noise approach on the 9 minute centerpiece It's Not All Milk & Cookies, and then at last a lighter toned version of the same, with an opening hissing sound paired off with abrasive light toned noisescapes to create more of a cosmic tinged wall of noise in the concluding cut Wake Up.
While those fond of conventional music may not find this material all that appealing, those who tend to be fascinated by machine-like sounds and effects, noisescapes and noisewalls might want to take note of this EP. Those curious about such escapades might also want to have a listen to this material, as this EP does come across as a well made and well thought out specimen of it's kind.
~ Olav Martin Bjørnsen, House of Prog
Methinks on some level, the Parts for Holiday Projects EP, created by the group Small Life Form as part of Silber Records' 2014 Holiday EP lineup, is trying to convey the notion that underneath that bushy beard, Santa Claus may be getting fed up with the tiresome routine of Christmas (as are some of the rest of us...). Containing four tracks which are named in a way suggesting that they chronicle a typical Christmas Eve, the album is billed as an EP of "electroacoustic manipulations," but that term typically indicates that what we're left with is something that's not altogether musical. I'd go so far as to say that most people would find this as pleasing to listen to as industrial machinery clanking away, but there is a method to the madness here and I swear I can even hear jingle bells at least once during the course of the EP.
Bookended on the front side by the brief "slumber," which has a gurgly, underwater sort of sound to it, and "workshop," which imagines Santa's North Pole toy factory as a nightmarish, mechanized hell, the album's obvious feature track is the nearly nine and half-minute "it's not all milk and cookies." This track finds the affable, rotund fellow adored by children of all ages replaced by a metalized Santa that's sputters away as he goes about his business of providing toys (...or maybe miter saws...) for the world's children. Harsh and abrasive, the piece slowly builds from an almost hypnotic drone into what seems to be a pulsating rumble and whirr of spinning parts and pieces that doesn't so much conjure up images of flying reindeer as ones of the housekeeping staff vacuuming up after a particularly rowdy holiday gathering. The album's final piece "wake up" is similarly hard on the ears, with a continual, thick, and overwhelming hiss being the main (and pretty much only) element heard in the track. Honesty, if all you want for Christmas is hearing loss and a headache, you'll likely find just what you're looking for here.
Needless to say, Parts for Holiday Projects EP simply is not something that much of anyone would actively enjoy listening to (though it may be ideal as background white noise to fall asleep to while the kids destroy their gifts). From a conceptual standpoint, it's unusual to say the least and demonstrates that Small Life Form mastermind Brian John Mitchell knows a thing or two about producing and engineering bizarre and downright gut-churning audio. Still, this is exactly the kind of release that the concept of "2Deep4U" was intended for: something that few people would have any idea how to approach let alone any inkling to check out. Most people would be better off skipping this and frankly, the majority of Silber's 2014 Christmas release lineup, but I'm glad that lineup made a place for an album release like this: it's the perfect antidote for an overload of stale "holiday favorites."
~ Andy Armageddon, Bandjack


You probably noticed the # sign aka hashtag on social media used by many celebrities, business owners and regular people. They use it in daily communication on their social media posts, but have you ever asked yourself how to use it properly? What is a good hashtag? How much is too much? Hashtag is not just a thing that "looks fancy" but an inevitable "tool" in communication on social media. People use it to attract followers and to make their brand more popular.
For Twitter you already that you are limited to 140 characters. The optimum is to tweet using 1-2 hashtags associated with the topic. Although they might not have great popularity, hashtags are used on Facebook too, but not more than 4. Do not "use more than 10 hashtags on Instagram and Pinterest. You do not want to be one of those who #UseHastagsOnEverything.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine, G +, all of these networks support hashtags. But do not try to play and put hashtags on LinkedIn because this social network does not support that option. Note that hashtags do not support spaces, so you will need to connect words. For better visibility, it is recommended to write the initial letter of each word capitalized in order to facilitate reading the text, for example, #FridayFun.
Create a hashtag of your brand name and use it on your posts. You can easily see what others write about you just by using the hashtag. Make sure you come up with a unique hashtag that can have more than one word, and use it with your posts. Encourage your fans and followers to use the hashtag in communication or in reference to your brand. Not only will increase the visibility of your brand, but you can connect with fans and keep track of everything related to it.


Audrey's been a little snap happy the past few days, so I thought I'd share a few "moments" from her perspective... It's always refreshing for me to get a glimpse of how she sees things.
Aw I adore this! It's so funny to see the pictures that little ones take with camera phones and real camera... P.S. LOVE how your stack of gold rings is "stacking up"! I'm on my way to starting my own collection, too!
Is that a fiddle leaf fig? Gorgeous!
A very special post. A holiday one by your wee girlies would be lovely to see!
Adorable. Quite the little artist you have there. Although not so hip, we gave our 4 year old one of those kid-proof digital cameras because he likes ours so much. It's a blast to hook up to that digital frame someone gave me as a gift that I said I would never used. It's like a slideshow of his whole perspective.
how nice to get a different perspective on things! love the shot of the snowflakes! :) I think she may be onto to something!
Loving your stack hun! I think I spy an Odette arrow ring in there! YAY! ( did you get that for Christmas?) Lovely to see your beautiful home and girls and Christmas in these photos! Hope you had a beautiful one and so sorry for your loss. Wishing you all a peaceful new year.


text:
Q: android action bar subtitle text clipping on some devices I have and android support action bar and and drawer layout  in my android app and the subtitle text just clips from the bottom on some devices . How do I fix this
I am using the support action bar for this code
    public class ZMainActivity extends ActionBarActivity {
        @Override
        protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
            super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
            setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

                mTitle = mDrawerTitle = getTitle();

                navMenuTitles = getResources().getStringArray(R.array.nav_drawer_items);

                // nav drawer icons from resources
                navMenuIcons = getResources()
                        .obtainTypedArray(R.array.nav_drawer_icons);

                mDrawerLayout = (DrawerLayout) findViewById(R.id.drawer_layout);
                mDrawerList = (ListView) findViewById(R.id.list_slidermenu);

                navDrawerItems = new ArrayList<NavDrawerItem>();
                // Pages
                // adding nav drawer items to array

                navDrawerItems.add(new NavDrawerItem("Favourite", R.drawable.favourite));

                // Home
                navDrawerItems.add(new NavDrawerItem("Qibla", R.drawable.compass));
                // Photos
                navDrawerItems.add(new NavDrawerItem("Masjid Near Me", R.drawable.near));
                // Communities, Will add a counter here
                navDrawerItems.add(new NavDrawerItem("Find Nearest Jamat",R.drawable.loca_72, false, "22"));
                // What's hot, We  will add a counter here
                // Find Peopl
                navDrawerItems.add(new NavDrawerItem("Namaz Times", R.drawable.namaz_times));

                navDrawerItems.add(new NavDrawerItem("Notifications", R.drawable.notif, true, String.valueOf(_appPrefs.getCurrentCount())));

                  try {
                        ViewConfiguration config = ViewConfiguration.get(this);
                        Field menuKeyField = ViewConfiguration.class.getDeclaredField("sHasPermanentMenuKey");
                        if(menuKeyField != null) {
                            menuKeyField.setAccessible(true);
                            menuKeyField.setBoolean(config, false);
                        }
                    } catch (Exception ex) {
                        // Ignore
                    }
                // Recycle the typed array
                navMenuIcons.recycle();

                mDrawerList.setOnItemClickListener(new SlideMenuClickListener());

                // setting the nav drawer list adapter
                adapter = new NavDrawerListAdapter(getApplicationContext(),
                        navDrawerItems);
                mDrawerList.setAdapter(adapter);
                getSupportActionBar().setHomeButtonEnabled(true);
                TextView t = new TextView(getApplicationContext());
                t.setText("Meri Masjid");
                t.setTextSize(30);
                t.setTextColor(Color.WHITE);
                t.setTypeface(null, Typeface.BOLD); // Typeface.NORMAL, Typeface.ITALIC etc.
                getSupportActionBar().setCustomView(t);
                int actionBarTitleId = Resources.getSystem().getIdentifier("action_bar_title", "id", "android");
                if (actionBarTitleId > 0) {
                    TextView title = (TextView) findViewById(actionBarTitleId);

                    if (title != null) {
                        title.setTextSize(0.5f);
                        title.setTextColor(Color.BLACK);
                        title.setTextSize(25);
                    }
                }
                getSupportActionBar().setDisplayHomeAsUpEnabled(true);
                getSupportActionBar().setHomeButtonEnabled(true);

                mDrawerToggle = new ActionBarDrawerToggle(this, mDrawerLayout,
                    R.drawable.ic_drawer, //nav menu toggle icon
                    R.string.app_name, // nav drawer open - description for accessibility
                    R.string.app_name // nav drawer close - description for accessibility
            ) {
                public void onDrawerClosed(View view) {
                    getSupportActionBar().setTitle(mTitle);
                    supportInvalidateOptionsMenu();
                }

                public void onDrawerOpened(View drawerView) {
                    getSupportActionBar().setTitle(mTitle);
                    supportInvalidateOptionsMenu();
                }
            };
            mDrawerLayout.setDrawerListener(mDrawerToggle);

            if (savedInstanceState == null) {

                    displayView(0);

            }
        }

        /**
         * Slide menu item click listener
         * */
        private class SlideMenuClickListener implements
                ListView.OnItemClickListener {
            @Override
            public void onItemClick(AdapterView<?> parent, View view, int position,
                    long id) {
                displayView(position);

            }
        }

        @Override
        public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {
            /***/
          return true;
        }
        /* *
         * Called when invalidateOptionsMenu() is triggered
         */
        @Override
        public boolean onPrepareOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
    /*      // if nav drawer is opened, hide the action items
            boolean drawerOpen = mDrawerLayout.isDrawerOpen(mDrawerList);
            menu.findItem(R.id.action_search).setVisible(!drawerOpen);
    */      return super.onPrepareOptionsMenu(menu);
        }

public void displayView(int position){
if (fragment != null) {
            FragmentManager fragmentManager = getSupportFragmentManager();
            fragmentManager.beginTransaction()
                    .replace(R.id.frame_container, fragment).commit();

            // update selected item and title, then close the drawer
            mDrawerList.setItemChecked(position, true);
            mDrawerList.setSelection(position);
            getSupportActionBar().setSubtitle(navMenuTitles[position]);
            //setTitle(navMenuTitles[position]);
            mDrawerLayout.closeDrawer(mDrawerList);
        } else {
            // error in creating fragment
            Log.e("MainActivity", "Error in creating fragment");
        }
    }

}
        @Override
        public void setTitle(CharSequence title) {
            mTitle = title;
            getSupportActionBar().setTitle(mTitle);
            //getActionBar().setTitle(mTitle);
        }

        /**
         * When using the ActionBarDrawerToggle, you must call it during
         * onPostCreate() and onConfigurationChanged()...
         */

        @Override
        protected void onPostCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
            super.onPostCreate(savedInstanceState);
            // Sync the toggle state after onRestoreInstanceState has occurred.
            mDrawerToggle.syncState();
        }

        @Override
        public void onConfigurationChanged(Configuration newConfig) {
            super.onConfigurationChanged(newConfig);
            // Pass any configuration change to the drawer toggls
            mDrawerToggle.onConfigurationChanged(newConfig);
        }

    }

A: For those still looking for an answer, just setup your toolbar like this:
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:minHeight="?attr/actionBarSize"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
This site uses cookies to improve user experience and optimize its performance. By continuing to use this site, you agree to use cookies for use on this website. Read more
The story of Top Choice Poultry
Full production cycle
Highest animal welfare standards
Quality and food safety – our top priority
Experience and values
Home / Quality
The company attained BRC certificate in September, 2016. BRC Global Standards' guarantee the standardisation of quality, safety and operational criteria and ensure that manufacturers fulfil their legal obligations and provide protection for the end consumer.
See the certificate for the slaughterhouse
The company attained the ISO 22000:2006 certificate in 2013. This certificate certifies that products have systematically assessed to eliminate the risks for human health during food production – ranging from suppliers of raw materials and packaging, control and traceability of the production process, including the supply process right through to the client. Potential risks are identified during each state of food production and a risk control mechanism has been introduced to eliminate them.
See the certificate for the processing plant "Lielzeltini"
The company attained Halal certificate in January, 2016. The Halal certificate is a document that guarantees that products and services aimed at the Muslim population meet the requirements of Islamic law. Halal certification is a process which ensures the features and quality of the products according to the rules established by the Islamic Council. Halal certifies that the birds are slaughtered in a single cut, thoroughly bled, and their meat have not been in contact with animals slaughtered otherwise.
The Keyhole is owned by the Swedish Food agency and is a symbol that has existed in the Swedish market for 25 years. Foods labelled with the Keyhole contain less fat than food products of the same type not carrying the symbol. Key hole symbol on the package helps consumers identify the healthier options when buying food.
Product line "RAISED WITHOUT ANTIBIOTICS"
©2019 All rights reserved. Top Choice Poultry


The BikeDC Flickr map displaying photos tagged BikeDC from around the city.
What does biking look like in Washington, DC? Find out with the new BikeDC Flickr map created by Michael Schade.
It's a heat map of Flickr photos of bikes and bicyclists in DC. Areas with the most photos glow red while those with none are gray. See the favorite spots for pictures of bikes, taken by people on bikes, and ponder the empty quarters of the city. Zoom in to find your favorite trail and zoom out to see an overview of the Washington region.
When you take a photo on your iPhone, location data is captured. If you upload it to Flickr, that geolocation is included, joining a worldwide map of photos auto-generated by this online service.
Another little-known feature of Flickr is the ability to tag photos with keywords. Doing so helps you and others find your photos.
To build his map of biking in DC, Michael used Flickr's map and limited it to photos tagged with the BikeDC keyword.
The BikeDC Flickr map corresponds neatly with the Strava heat map of biking in DC. Most biking occurs in the Northwest section of the city. People go on bikes go to their jobs downtown and then on the trails during the weekends. Still, there are surprises in the data.
Anacostia Trail – why so few riders? This gorgeous new trail follows the Anacostia upstream by Kenilworth Gardens and the Bladensburg battlefield.
No one bikes to H St? After wrecking on the trolley tracks, I'm not a fan of biking to this neighborhood. But I know people do.
The Metropolitan Branch Trail is underrepresented. This urban trail is lined with beautiful murals and is an active commuter route. It needs photos!
BikeDC really loves Dupont Circle. It's a convenient meeting spot and where the DC Bike Party starts so it's a flaming red hot spot.
15th and P – en fuego! Okay, this is my fault. I'm a prime contributor to BikeDC photos and this is my neighborhood. I take a lot of photos of the 15th St bike lane, especially when the Awesome Foundation cheered on bike commuters.
Cyclecross in the City – BikeDC doesn't just happen on the roads. If you pan up to Park View, you'll see a bunch of pictures from DC Cyclocross, where city cyclists go off-road at the Old Soldiers Home.
BikeDC is just not DC – The BikeDC photo blob extends across the river, following the Arlington loop of bike trails as well as extending south to Alexandria and north to Silver Spring, MD.
Got a favorite bike spot that you don't see on the BikeDC Flickr map? Know a neighborhood or trail that's underrepresented? Upload your photos to Flickr. Make sure that your pictures include location info (if not you can add it in the Organizer) and tag them with the keyword BikeDC. Help build a pictorial representation of biking in the city.
If you have questions about the map, contact Michael Schade. He generously created this project on his own time. It's still a work-in-progress but demonstrates the breadth of BikeDC across the city and beyond.


text:
Home Chemistry The Third Law of Thermodynamics
The Third Law of Thermodynamics
The second law of thermodynamics leads to the definition of entropy and calculation of differences of entropy. We have seen that entropy is a measure of chaos in a system. When a system goes from an ordered state to a disordered state the entropy is increased. The converse is also true. But the second law does not allow calculation of absolute value of the entropy of a system. The third law of thermodynamics developed by Ludwig Boltzmann offers a method of calculating the absolute value of entropy.
The law can be stated in different forms;
(1) "It is impossible to attain the absolute zero of temperature". (W. Nernst, 1912)
(2) "The entropy of a solid or liquid chemically homogeneous substance has the value of zero at the absolute zero of temperature". (M. Planck. 1912)
An alternative definition of the third law of thermodynamics was given by Gilbert N. Lewis and Merle Randall in 1923-
"Every substances has a finite positive entropy, but at the absolute zero of temperature the entropy may become zero and does so become in the case of a perfectly crystalline substance."
The third law of thermodynamics gives us an opportunity to calculate the absolute entropy of a system at any specified temperature. Consider that at solid to transform at constant pressure from 00 C to some temperature, T, below its melting point:
Solid (0°K) → Solid (T)
The value of the entropy of an element at any temperature can be obtained from careful measurements of the heat capacity CP of the element from the desired temperature down to absolute zero. However, since the measurements of heat capacity at very low temperature, e.g. about 15 K or below, do not yield accurate results, use is made of Debye's equation for specific heat of solids at low temperatures; that is,
CV = aT3
where 'a' is a constant. At such low temperatures CP and CV are not different. Since the constant 'a' may be determined from experiments at the lowest temperature at which accurate measurements are possible Debye's equation is used to evaluate CP up to the lowest temperature of measurements, say 15 K. The value of CV = CP = aT3, is substituted in equation to obtain the entropy upto 15 K. When CP is not constant but is known as a function of temperature the entropy of a substance from 15 K to temperature T is evaluated by plotting either CP / T against T or CP against log T. The area under the curve is the value of the integral from 15 K to the temperature T. If there is a phase change in the interval of temperature used the entropy changes for the phase change is calculated in the usual manner. The sum of all these values gives the entropy of the substance at temperature T.
It should be mentioned that unlike the other laws of thermodynamics the third law is not based on experiments and is applicable only to special class of compounds, namely pure, crystalline solids. The law has, however, been extremely useful in obtaining absolute values of entropy. The agreement in many cases of such entropy values with those calculated from a totally different concept, namely molecular spectroscopy, lends support to the validity of the law.
Nature of Thermodynamics
Entropy Change in an Irreversible Process
Standard Enthalpy of Reaction from Average Standard Bond Enthalpies
Energy in Thermodynamics
Lavoisier and Laplace's law of Thermochemistry
Reversible and Irreversible Processes in Thermodynamic
Intensive and Extensive Thermodynamic Properties
Effect of Temperature on Heat of Reaction: The Kirchhoff Equation
Similar Chemistry Post
Why Relaxation Effect is called the Asymmetry Effect?
Effect of Pressure and Temperature on the Value of Mean Free Path
Explain Contact Process in terms of Chemical Equilibrium
Sample Question: Chemistry and Simultaneous Equations
Copper(I) Bromide – a Chemical Compound
Researchers discover how to Generate 2D Superconductivity at Higher Temperatures
Level Home acquires fellow smart home startup Dwelo, raises $100M
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Invitations Letter for Tea Party


text:
Joseph Hart and His Descendants
By Rev. Charles Coffin Hart (Published 1901)
GIDEON BLACKBURN AND HETTY A. (TAYLOR) HART AND THEIR DESCENDANTS.
Gideon Blackburn Hart, fifth son of Joseph and Nancy Hart, was born at his father's home, near Maryville, Blount County, Tennessee, Oct. 29, 1798. He bore the name of Rev. Gideon Blackburn, a distinguished Presbyterian clergyman and friend of the family. For that early day he had unusually good advantages for education, his father being a teacher. At the age of twenty he taught school in his native county and thus earned money to buy a horse and outfit, with which he traveled to Illinois in the spring of 1820. His first stopping place was at Palestine, on the Wabash river. Here he taught school for several months. Then he visited Vincennes, Ind., and from there he went to Columbus, Bartholomew County, looking for a suitable location for his father's family. In August, 1821, he returned to Vincennes, and from there he followed the military road laid out by Gen. William Henry Harrison, Governor of Northwest Territory, to the Ohio river, thence into Kentucky, where he met his father's family, emigrating to Indiana, and conducted them to their future home in Bartholomew County. Here he made his home until the time of his marriage. In this new and sparsely settled community he was considered the best educated man in his county. During the first year of his residence a vacancy occurred in the office of sheriff. Mr. Hart was appointed to fill the vacancy. At the next election he was a candidate for the office. He and his opponent were at a corn husking, where there were about twenty voters, Democrats and Whigs. It was agreed that the candidates should divide the pile of corn, choose an equal number of huskers, and whichever candidate beat in the husking should receive the votes of all the company at the ensuing election. Mr. Hart's side beat, he got all their votes and was elected. (I had the above anecdote from one of the huskers in 1840.—C.C. H.) Two years later he was re-elected. Thus he was sheriff of his County for five years. Nov. 6 1824, he was married to Miss Hetty Alexander Taylor, daughter of David and Nancy Taylor. They began housekeeping soon after in a newly built cabin on 80 acres of land bought from his father. One year later he sold this farm and bought 104 acres of land of Mr. Sanders, one mile northwest of his first home, since known as the Sand Hill farm, where they lived until the time of his death. He afterwards owned two other small farms joining, or nearby, the Sand Hill place. In 1823 he was made a Master Mason in the lodge at Columbus, and continued in fellowship with his lodge until his death. When the office of school commissioner was created he was elected the first school commissioner of his county, and term after term was re-elected, each time almost unanimously, until the office was abolished. He thus served nineteen years, yet he never canvassed for the office. Thousands of dollars of school funds, almost all in silver, passed through his hands during these years without the loss of a penny. For two years— 1849-1850—he represented his County in the Legislature, and then declined to be a candidate for re-election. In politics he was a Free Soil Democrat, as were many of his party at that day. He was a decided anti-slavery man, having inherited anti-slavery principles from his father in his youth. He was a great admirer of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," and warmly in sympathy with its anti slavery teachings. He was an ardent temperance man and advocated prohibition. He was the first president of the Bartholomew County Agricultural Society. At the time of his marriage his wife was a member of the Baptist church. A few years later, having changed her views on the subject of baptism, she united with the Presbyterian church. In the fall of 1828 he united with the same church, Rev. W. W. Woods being stated supply at that time. At once he took up the duty of family worship. The first evening he read a chapter in the Bible, he and his wife kneeled together, but it seemed as if he could not utter a word, and his wife prayed. He was so distressed that he could not sleep that night. The next day he wrote a short prayer and committed it to memory, but when they kneeled together that evening he could not remember one word of his prayer. Again the wife prayed. But he persevered until he could perform his service with comfort and pleasure. His prayers were a great help and blessing to all the family, and by them are treasured as the most sacred remembrance of our childhood home. Soon after the death of his father—June, 1841—he was elected an elder in the Presbyterian church of Columbus, which office he held until the time of his death. They had nine children, seven of whom are now living (1899), Viz: Nancy, born Oct. 27, 1825; Mary Elizabeth, born Sept. 16, 1827; Silas, born Sept. 14, 1829, died Oct. 4,1834; Sarah Jane, born Oct. 1, 1831, died April 26,1868; William Taylor, born Dec. 20, 1833; Harriet, born Feb. 22, 1836; Joseph Edward, born Nov. 14, 1838; Gideon Blackburn, Jr., born Dec. 2, 1840; Maria Louisa, born June 30, 1845. These were all born in the Sand Hill home.
The subject of this sketch was five feet, ten inches in height, weighed about 160 to 165 pounds, dignified in manners, neat in his dress, wore a silk hat and boots, and in early manhood, in cold weather, he wore a drab overcoat with a belt and large double capes, with chain and hook at the collar. He was kind and generous to all, but especially to the poor. He was the first in his township to own a clock, the first also to own a cider mill, which was made by his brother Charley in 1842, and was operated with a sweep and horse-power. He was universally respected as a man of honor and integrity. His life, both in public and private, was without reproach. His modest, consistent, every-day life as a Christian won for him the confidence of all who knew him. He was often sent for to pray with and comfort the sick and dying. He was a leader in every good and important work in the community such as education, the church, Sabbath School and Bible Society; and always a strict observer of the Sabbath day. For the want of good teachers, he was twice called upon to teach the winter school in his neighborhood. Up to this time pupils were required to study out loud, and a loud school they made of it. At the opening of his first school, after answering many objections, he was permitted, as an experiment, to introduce the system of silent study. The experiment was a success.
For nearly three years before his death he was afflicted with the third-day ague, which baffled the skill of the physicians. The day before his death his pastor, Rev. N. S. Dickey, visited him, and before taking leave of him asked if he had any message he wished to send to the church. After a moment's reflection he said: "Tell them to love one another." He died Feb. 22, 1854, in the 56th year of his life, and was buried in Sand Hill graveyard. His pastor preached the funeral discourse at the house, from Rev. 14: 13. The Masons conducted the ceremonies at the grave.
The first child of Gideon B. and Hetty A. Hart was born at the family home, Sand Hill farm, Oct. 27, 1825. She was given the name of her paternal and maternal grandmothers—Nancy. She attended the public school of the neighborhood with various teachers, two terms to her father. Early in life she learned the routine of domestic work of farm life. At the age of eighteen she united with the Presbyterian church of Columbus. Feb. 20, 1845, she was married to Mr. David Pence, whose father, Jacob Pence, emigrated from Sullivan County, Tennessee, to Bartholomew County, Indiana, when David was eight years old. Mr. Pence was a contractor and builder. For the first four years of their married life they lived on a farm and then moved to Columbus. To them were born ten children, viz: Emma, born March 24. 1847; Mary, born Sept.26, 1849. These both died of scarlet fever on the same day, Jan. 13, 1852. George, born March 15, 1852; Gideon Blackburn, born Aug. 25, 1854, died Sept. 14, 1856; Ella born Feb. 16, 1857, died March 3, 1857; Lafayette, born Feb. 23, 1857; Ada, born July 31, 1860; Charles Jacob, born June I6, 1863; William David, born Nov. 26, 1865; Edward Hart, born April 10, 1868. The following extract is from the Columbus Bulletin, Oct. 9, 1868:
"Died, in this city, on the 3d inst., Mr. David Pence, aged 47 years. For many years he has been the leading mechanic of our town. His variety of talent and skill in execution made him widely known and called his services into continual requisition. In politics he was a Democrat. He was an active member of the Masonic order; constant in his attendance at the courts of the Lord's house on the Sabbath day. His faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior was clear and firm. He was buried by his brethren with Masonic honors. The largest concourse of citizens ever present at a funeral in this city or vicinity shows the high esteem in which he was held by all."
George, third child of Nancy and David Pence, attended the schools of Columbus and graduated from the High School in 1869. Spent one year in Wabash College. In 1871 he joined a corps of engineers and assisted in surveying and locating a railroad in Illinois; also the Terre Haute & Cincinnati Railroad. In 1873 he was employed in the Treasurer's office of his county. In 1874 he accepted the office of bookkeeper in the First National Bank of Columbus; then assistant cashier, and later cashier, until 1883, when he accepted the office of treasurer of the Cincinnati Coffin Company. This he resigned in 1885 and returned to Columbus and became bookkeeper for the Cerealine Manufacturing Company, in which he continued until 1892, when he was elected county auditor and served four years. The Cerealine company having removed their plant to Indianapolis, he was employed as general accountant of the company, where he still continues (1900). In his youth he was converted and united with the Presbyterian church and has led a consistent Christian life. He is an active Mason. Oct. 15, 1874, George Pence was married to Miss Mary Ella Billings, of Columbus. To them four sons were born, viz: Arthur Hart, born Aug. 29, 1875, died in infancy; George Billings, born July 16, 1878; David Dwight, born April 14, 1880; Pliny Jacob, born Jan. 6, 1882, On Jan. 6, 1894, Mrs. Mary Ella Pence, a lovely Christian, a devoted wife and mother entered into the rest that remaineth for the people of God. Two years later George Pence was married to Mrs. Rose Billings Orr, the widowed sister of his first wife. To them was born a daughter, Rose Ada.
Lafayette, son of David and Nancy Pence, was born in Columbus, Ind., Feb. 23, 1857. Took the regular course in the schools of Columbus and graduated from South Hanover College in the class of 1877. In his youth he united with the Presbyterian church and was active in Christian Association work during his course in college. He studied law in the office of Francis T. Hood, and was admitted to the bar on the day he was 21 years old. He practiced law one year in Winfield, Kan., and one year in Rico, Col. Dec. 22, 1880, he was married to Miss Clara Vawter, a member of the Presbyterian church of Franklin, Ind. In November, 1882, he was elected to the legislature of Colorado. At the close of the term he moved his family to Denver. Here he served as county attorney for two terms. In 1881-82 the city of Denver was engaged in a lawsuit involving large interests which could be settled only by an appeal to the United States Supreme Court at Washington. This business was placed in the hands of Mr. Pence, which he presented before that court and gained the case. In November, 1892, he was elected a member of Congress. After serving two years in Congress he spent two years in railroad business in New York. To Lafayette and his wife Clara were born four children, viz: Vawter, Aug. 27, 1882, died in infancy; Lafayette, Jr., March 14, 1884; Dec. 19, 1895, twins, son and daughter; both died in infancy. The mother died the same day. On June 29, 1888, Mr. Pence was married to Mrs. Kate Simmons, of Denver. They are now (July, 1900) living in San Francisco, Cal.
Ada, daughter of David and Nancy Pence, was born July 21, 1860. Graduated from the High School of Columbus, was a student in Oxford College, Oxford, O., one year, giving special attention to music under the instruction of Prof. Carl Mertz. She was converted in early youth and at the age of twelve united with the Presbyterian church, and from that time to the day of death she was a member of the choir, either as singer or organist. She had a sweet, well cultivated voice, and was a skillful performer on the piano and organ. On Nov. 8, 1882, she was married by her pastor, Rev. Alexander Parker, to Mr. William D. Stansifer, a young lawyer of Columbus. She died Nov. 23, 1883, leaving a daughter two weeks old, Ada Hart, who also died after three months. One who knew her well says: "Columbus never had a more noble Christian woman than Mrs. Ada Stansifer. She literally sat at the Master's feet, always watching for an opportunity to serve Him. Her sun set in glory before the meridian."
Charles Jacob, eighth child of David and Nancy Pence, was born June 12, 1863. He was converted in early youth and united with the Presbyterian church. Graduated from the High School of Columbus. Attended the law school at Ann Arbor, Mich., and was admitted to the bar on his twenty-first birthday, June 12, 1884. He at once entered into partnership with his brother in Denver, Col., in the practice of law, Pence & Pence. They were successful lawyers until the senior partner went to Congress, November, 1892. The partnership was dissolved and the junior went to Salt Lake City and pursued the practice of law four years. While in Salt Lake City Mr. Pence went to Washington, D. C., and gained an important case in the Supreme Court, for which he received much praise from the press and his clients. When he and his brother returned to Denver, and Pence & Pence again became partners in their profession. On the 8th day of June, 1887 Charles J. Pence was married in Martinsville, Ind., to Miss Mary Edna Sorg, a member of the Presbyterian church of Martinsville. They have two daughters, Mary Ada, born May 22, 1889; Edith Ella, born Sept. 27, 1890. In September, 1898, the Pence brothers moved to San Francisco, Cal., and opened a law office Pence & Pence, where they are now (July, 1900) successful lawyers.
William David, son of David and Nancy Pence, was born Nov. 26, 1865. He was converted in early youth and united with the Presbyterian church on the day he was eleven years old. Graduated from the High School of Columbus. Ill. September; 1883, he entered the State University, Champaign, Ill., and graduated in the class of 1886, with the degree of C. E., having made civil engineering a special study. From 1886 to 1892 he was employed by the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad Company in the capacity of roadmaster and assistant engineer and maintenance of way. On Dec. 31, 1889, Wm. D. Pence was married to Miss Lotta Gaston, a member of the Presbyterian church of Columbus, Ind. Their first home was in Temple, Tex. Having been elected to the chair of civil engineering in his alma mater— Illinois State University—he removed to Champaign, Ill., where he was a popular and successful teacher for two years. Here he was elected an elder in the Presbyterian church. Having been elected to the chair of civil engineering in Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind., he removed to Lafayette in August, 1899, where he is a successful teacher. They have two children, Nellie Ada, born Aug. 23, 1890; Hellen Lottie, born Nov. 23, 1892.
Edward Hart Pence, tenth child of David and Nancy Pence, was born April 10, 1868. He united with the Presbyterian church at the age of twelve years. Graduated from the High School of Columbus, and also graduated from South Hanover College in the class of 1889, and from McCormick Theological Seminary in April, 1892. May 1, 1892, he began his labor as stated supply of the Presbyterian church of Georgetown, Col. On the 28th of June he was married to Miss Jessie Archer, of South Hanover, Ind., who was his classmate in college. For eighteen months his labors in Georgetown were successful. In October, 1893, he accepted a call to the church at Janesville, Wis., and was soon after installed as pastor. Here his labors were abundantly blessed. In January, 1900, it was stated that during the six years just past "there has been steady growth in this church. In this time there have averaged twelve accessions at each quarterly communion." To them were born three children: David William, July 6, 1893; Jessie Norma, July 9, 1895; Edna Louisa, Feb. 14, 1898.
In March, 1900, a committee from the Fort Street Church, Detroit, Mich., heard Mr. Pence in his pulpit morning and evening, and returned without making their business known to the young pastor. But in less than a week he received a unanimous call to the pastorate of the Fort Street Church, which he accepted and was installed in the following May. For further matter relating to E. H. Pence, see Preachers' Chapter.
Mary Elizabeth, the second daughter of Gideon B. and Betty A. Hart, was born at Sand Hill homestead, Sept. 16, 1829. She received her education at the public schools, partly under the instruction of her father. She was converted and united with the Presbyterian church in early life. At the age of twenty-one she taught school in Decatur County, twenty-five miles from home, making her home with her uncle, James Taylor. On April 17, 1851, she was married to Mr. Robert Bradell, a prominent farmer and live stock dealer of Decatur County, Indiana. Four children were born of this union, viz: Frank Hart, March 7, 1852; Emma Louisa, Nov. 9, 1853; Anna Elizabeth, June 10, 1856; Edith Roberta, Oct. 10, 1861. In May, 1861, Robert Braden offered his services to his country in the civil war then in progress, and was made First Lieutenant in Company D, Seventh Regiment of Indiana Volunteers. After one year's service in the army of the Potomac he returned to Indiana and raised a regiment to repel the famous John Morgan raids, and was commissioned its Colonel by Governor Morton, but was killed Aug. 24, 1862, in the first engagement, near Henderson, Ky. Thus Mrs. Braden was left a widow with a family of children to raise, and all the cares of business which her husband left her. How well she accomplished this task may best be told by pointing to the positions of honor and respectability occupied by those children, all of wholly have grown to years of maturity, and all but one are now (June, 1900) residing in St. Louis, Mo., where she makes her home with them. True to the faith of her fathers, Mrs. Braden has since her early youth been a devoted member of the Presbyterian church and has had the pleasure of seeing the names of all her children enrolled in its list of members.
Frank Hart Braden received his early education in the public schools of Greensburg, Ind. At the age of seventeen commenced the study of law in the office of Judge Henry Hayden in Breckenridge, Mo. Finished his course of study in the office of Hon. George R. Gardner, and was admitted to practice in October 1872. Was elected prosecuting attorney of Caldwell County Missouri, in 1882, and served two years. Was elected member of the Legislature for Caldwell County in 1884 and served two years. Moved to Kansas City. Mo., in 1887, and to St. Louis in 1889, where for several years he filled the office of assistant prosecuting attorney. He has practiced law continuously since 1872. In 1886 he received the third degree of Masonry in the lodge at Breckenridge. April 10, 1877, he was married to Miss Mary Elizabeth Stagner. Four children were born of this marriage: Robert S., born Jan. 27, 1878; Lytle H., Dec. 5, 1879; Walter A., May 3, 1881, died in infancy; Lotta A., July 15, 1889.
Anna Elizabeth Braden was married Jan. 19, 1885, to Mr. Spencer Tompkins, a prominent attorney of the Illinois bar, and for several years active in the politics of that State. They have three children: Edith Mabel, born Dec. 23, 1885; Hazel Louisa, born Aug. 16,1887; Ethel Mary, born June 10, 1889. The family resides in St. Louis, Mo. The children are in the city schools. Mr. Tompkins is engaged in the practice of his profession. He is especially skillful as an abstracter of titles of real estate.
Edith Roberta Braden was married January, 1886, to Mr. George E. Quimby, a real estate broker of Boston, Mass., where he belongs to an old and prominent family, and where they still reside. They have three children: Bessie Louisa, born Nov. 29, 1886; Ada Bernice, born Jan. 30, 1888; Charles Norman, born Jan. 5, 1890.
Emma Louisa Braden was trained to dressmaking and for several years carried on a large dressmaking business in Kansas City, Mo. In 1892 she moved to St. Louis and makes her home with her sister, Mrs. Tompkins, and is employed in the millinery department of the Grand-Leader store.
Sarah Jane, fourth child of Gideon B. and Hetty A. Hart, was born on Sand Hill farm, Oct. 1, 1831. She received the name of two of her maternal aunts, Sarah and Jane Taylor. Her education was such as could be obtained in the public schools of the neighborhood. She was converted in early life and united with the Presbyterian church of Columbus. At twenty years of age she was married to Mr. Newton S. Jones, an enterprising farmer. To them were born seven children, viz: Laura Alice, Sept. 22, 1852, Gideon Blackburn, Dec. 6, 1853, died Aug. 5, 1854; Mary Kate, Aug. 9, 1855; Hattie Eva, Feb. 18, 1857; Miranda, March 8,1860; Emma, April 28, 1862; Rovilla, March 29,1864. Sarah Jane was a noble example of a Christian wife and mother. In her marriage she became surrounded by those of another denomination. She was always loyal to her own church, and in this her noble and faithful husband was a worthy help. She died May 25, 1868, in the thirty-seventh year of her age. Her pastor, Rev. N. S. Dickey, conducted the funeral service, after which she was buried in Flat Rock cemetery. After the death of the mother the care of the family fell upon Laura Alice, the eldest daughter, who had remarkable patience, skill and tact for a girl of 16, and became mother and sister to the other children. On Oct. 16, 1873, Hattie Eva Jones died, at the age of sixteen, of pneumonia. She seemed to be the stoutest of the family fond of outdoor exercise, so much so that she was often called her father's boy.
During the summer of 1874 the community was scourged with flux. Many died. Two of this family suffered, Miranda nigh unto death, and on August 20, Laura, the stay of the family, died of this scourge. In December, 1875, Mary Kate Jones was attacked with smallpox. She was immediately quarantined at her uncle's, where others had the disease, where she died December 31, and in the darkness of the night, as the new year was being ushered in, her body was laid to rest by the side of those who had preceded her to the better land. She was highly accomplished in music and taught the art to many pupils in the community. She attended the High School in Columbus, but her health did not permit her to graduate. She and her older sister were members of the Christian church at New Hope.
Miranda Jones completed her common school education and what was equal to two years' work in the High School, and then, at the age of seventeen, she obtained a license to teach in the public schools of the county. She taught nearly three years in the primary department of her home school. On the twentieth anniversary of her birth, March 8, 1880, she was married to Mr. Elijah S. Carter. The same day they commenced life together on a farm four miles southwest of Edinburg, Ind., where they still continue to reside (1900). At the age of eighteen she united with the New Hope Christian Church. After her marriage her church relationship, and also that of her husband, was transferred to the Kansas M. E. church. Her training in the public school prepared her for active work in the Sabbath School, in which she became a primary teacher worthy of the name. The County Sunday School Association, at three annual conventions, secured her to present a model recitation before the convention. To these parents were born two sons: Ralph Emerson, Feb. 5 1881; Carl Jones, Aug. 12, 1883. Ralph graduated from the common schools and also from the Edinburg High School. At the age of twelve he united with the M. E. church, and during the same year he won the first prize in the county oratorical contest, after having won first place in the township contest. Six days after the President issued his call for volunteers in the Spanish-American war he signed the enlistment roll at Edinburg, and passed the medical examination.
Carl Jones Carter united with the M. E. church at the age of thirteen. At fourteen he graduated from the common schools having carried off the honors of the county in scholarship, and first place in a recital contest in the home school. He entered the Edinburg High School in September, 1897.
Emma, sixth child of N. S. and Sarah Jane Jones, obtained a common school education, and also took advanced studies in the home school. On Sept. 20, 1882, she was married to Mr. J. E. Burnett, of Columbus. To them were born two children: Lila, Aug. 7, 1883; Nell, Dec. 7, 1888. Emma united with the New Hope Christian Church, and is now a member of that church in Columbus. Mr. Burnett is a traveling salesman. They have lived in St. Louis, Mo., and Des Moines, Ia. Their home is now (1900) in Columbus, Ind.
Rovilla, the youngest of the family of Newton S. and Sarah Jane Jones, grew to womanhood with the same advantages of education that the other daughters had. At the age of twenty-two she united with the New Hope Christian Church. On Feb. 14, 1894, she was married to Mr. Edward Chambers, an active young farmer near her father's home. They now (1900) reside on a farm two miles southeast of Nineveh, Johnson County, Indiana.
NOTE—The history of Rev. William Taylor Hart, fifth child of G. B. and H. A. Hart, will appear in the Preachers' Chapter.— C. C. H.
Harriet, fifth child of Gideon B. and Hetty A. Hart, was born at the Sand Hill homestead, Feb. 21, 1836. She received her early education in the schools of the neighborhood, was converted early in life and united with the Presbyterian church of Columbus, of which her father was an elder. In 1853 she was married to Mr. George M. Trotter, a teacher of Hope, Bartholomew County. When President Lincoln called for 75,000 troops Mr. Trotter enlisted in Company B. Sixth Indiana Volunteers, commanded by Augustus Abbett, of Columbus, Ind. After three months' service as noncommissioned officer he was honorably discharged and returned home. In August, 1862, he raised a company for the .... Indiana Volunteer Infantry, of which Governor O. P. Morton commissioned him Captain, in which he served until May 20, 1865, when he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment, and held that rank until he was finally discharged, June 8, 1865. One of his campaigns was with Gen. Sherman in his march to the sea. In the fall of 1865 Mr. Trotter and his family moved to Breckenridge, Caldwell County, Missouri. He bought a farm three miles from Breckenridge, where he is one of the leading farmers of his township. He is a Mason and has been ever since he was twenty-one years old. He and his wife are members of the Congregational Church of Breckenridge. To them were born five children, viz: Charles Franklin, Minnie, Harriet D., George A. and Josephine, who died at sixteen months. Charles F. united with the Congregational church in his youth. Graduated from Kidder College in the class of 1887 anti soon after was elected professor of the High School in Leonard, Tex. On Thanksgiving day, 1898, he was married at Water Valley, Miss., to Miss Hattie V. Newell. She is a member of the Presbyterian church. He is a member of the order of the Knights of Pythias. They have one daughter, Naomi Edwinnie. Early in 1899 Charles F. Trotter was appointed by the government superintendent of the Tuskahoma Female Institute Lyceum, Indian Territory. Their home is at the Lyceum, Tuskahoma.
Minnie Trotter is a member of the Presbyterian church. Graduated from Kidder College in the class of 1887. She was married June 26, 1890, to Mr. Leslie R. Thwing, a farmer. They live near Hamilton, Mo. He is a member of the Presbyterian church. They have three children: Bessie Merriet, born April 26, 1891; Eleanor Pearl, born April, 1897; Charles Franklin, Feb. 15, 1900.
Hattie D. Trotter is a member of the Congregational church. Graduated from Kidder College in the class of 1891. She was married to Mr. Nathaniel Reynolds, a telegraph operator, in charge of Lexington station, Henry, Ray County, Missouri. He is a member of the Congregational church.
George Albert Trotter is a student in Kidder College and will graduate in the class of 1900. He is a member of the Congregational church of Kidder, and a member of Odd Fellows Lodge in Breckenridge.
Joseph Edward, seventh child of Gideon B. and Hetty A. Hart, was born in Bartholomew County, Indiana, Nov. 15, 1838. Received such education as was obtainable in the common schools of that period, and when the war of the rebellion began was attending school at Milford, Ind., preparing to enter college. Left school April 15, I861 and enlisted in Company B. Sixth Indiana Infantry, at Columbus, for three months. Participated in the West Virginia campaign and was discharged Aug. 2, 1861, re-enlisting on the same day, in Company D, Seventh Indiana Infantry. The regiment was sent to Western Virginia and was engaged at Greenbrier in one month from the date of organization. Was attached to Lander's, afterwards Shield's division, in the Shenandoah Valley, and participated in the battles of Winchester and Port Republic. During the winter's campaign he contracted a severe cold, which necessitated his discharge, June 28, 1862, on surgeon's certificate of disability, for "disease of throat and lungs." Returning home, he remained a private citizen until July 15, 1862, when, in connection with his brother-in-law, George M. Trotter, and his brother, Gideon B. Hart, began enlisting a company for the service, which went into camp at Indianapolis, August 10. The regiment was organized August 16, and this company became Company H. with Geo. M. Trotter as Captain and Jos. E. Hart First Lieutenant. Left the State August 19 and was engaged in the disastrous battle of Richmond, Ky., August 30. The regiment suffered very severely in killed and wounded and was compelled to surrender. Being paroled in a few days, returned home and on exchange in November following, the regiment went to Memphis, Tenn., and participated in the campaign of that winter, preparatory to the investment of Vicksburg. Joined the force in the rear of Vicksburg in June, 1863, and was, immediately after the surrender, attached to Sherman's command and took part in the movement against Johnson at Jackson, Miss., and in the fighting which resulted in the capture of that city. In September the division was brought to Memphis and marched to Chattanooga, participating in the battle of Missionary Ridge, in which the subject of this sketch was wounded. Owing to the progress of disabilities incurred the previous year, he was compelled to again leave the army, and resigned February 15, 1864, and returned to his home at the "Sand Hill." Was married August 3, 1862, at Milford, Ind., to Edith, daughter of James and Sarah Mandlove. The children born of this marriage were Joseph Edward, Jr., born July 8, 1863, and died March 1, 1880; Stella, born August 12, 1865; Florence Emma, born Feb. 4, 1868, and died March 22, 1869; Edith, born Oct. 19, 1869; Hetty, born July 19, 1872, and died Sept. 11, 1878; James William and Charles, born Jan. 17, 1875; and Louise Goff, born Feb. 24, 1885. After the war he removed to Breckenridge, Mo., and remained there until 1869. Afterwards located at New Martinsville, W. Va., where he remained until 1890, being engaged for a number of years during that period as editor and proprietor of a newspaper. In October, 1890, was appointed to a clerkship in the Pension Bureau at Washington, D. C., the family removing to that city in April, 1891. He became a member of the Sand Hill Presbyterian Church in 1853, and is at this writing (1899) a member of the Metropolitan Presbyterian Church of Washington, D. C. His wife, his son, Dr. J. Wm. Hart, and daughter Stella are also members of the Presbyterian church, while his daughter Edith is a member of the Protestant Episcopal church.
Dr. James William Hart, son of J. E. and Edith Hart, was married to Miss Grace Duncan, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., Jan. 25, 1899. To them a son, Charles Edward, was born Jan. 17, 1900.
Gideon Blackburn Hart, Jr., was born Dec. 2, 1840, at the Sand Hill homestead. He was the fourth son in the family. He received his education in the public schools. In his youth he united with the Presbyterian Church of Columbus. In 1862 he enlisted in the Twelfth Indiana Volunteer Infantry in Company H. He was, successively, Orderly Sergeant, First Lieutenant, and discharged in June, 1865, with the rank of Captain. In August, 1865, he went to Breckenridge, Mo., where he engaged in the hardware business and afterwards in farming, feeding and shipping live stock. In 1893, after a hotly contested primary election, he was appointed by President Cleveland postmaster of Breckenridge, which office he held for four years. He is a Mason and Knight Templar. On Oct. 30, 1866, he was married to Miss Eliza 0 …….., in Breckenridge. To them were born five children: Charles E., who died in early infancy; Walter 0., Lucy D. and Maria Taylor. This family are all identified with the Presbyterian church.
Charles E. Hart was born Feb. 28, 1869, at Breckenridge, Mo. He received his education at the High School in Breckenridge. On April 16, 1899, he was married in Kansas City, Mo., to Anna Thomas, of Caldwell County. He is now and has been for several years living in Muscogee, Ind. Ter., in the employ of the Patterson Mill Company as a salesman in their general store. They have one child, a daughter, born in February, 1900. He is a Mason and a member of the Knights of Pythias.
Walter O. Hart was born on a farm near Breckenridge, March 8, 1871. He graduated from the Breckenridge High School in 1888.. Went to Annapolis in the spring of 1888, as the result of a competitive examination in his congressional district, but failed to enter the Naval Academy because of defective vision. Has been in the employ of the savings bank for the last ten years, as bookkeeper at first, and the last four years as cashier. In June, 1896, he was married to Miss Lulu Murphy, of Breckenridge. They have two children: Mary Virginia, born Oct. 20, 1897; Florence, born Nov. 31, 1899. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, of which he is also a ruling elder. He is a Mason and has served as master of his lodge.
Lucy D. Hart was born June 21, 1879, at Breckenridge. She graduated from the Breckenridge High School in 1896. She is an active member of the Presbyterian church.
Maria T. Hart was born May 8, 1883, in Breckenridge. She is a student in the Breckenridge High School and has already gained considerable local reputation as a writer.
Maria Louisa, ninth child of Gideon B. and Hetty A. Hart, was born July 30, 1845, at Sand Hill farm. She received her education in the public schools. In 1865 she accompanied her mother and other members of the family to Breckenridge, Mo., where on July 16, 1867, she was married to Mr. Joseph D. Thompson, of Breckenridge. Mr. Thompson was brought up on a farm in Ray County, Missouri. In early life he was employed by a relative in a store in Breckenridge. In a few years he purchased the store, and for thirty years he carried on a general mercantile business. He is also the owner of one or more good farms near Breckenridge. They own a beautiful residence and other property in Breckenridge. In 1898 Mr. Thompson sold his store and closed that branch of his business and has since been engaged in banking. He and his wife are members of the M. E. Church, South, and are faithful attendants at the Sabbath School and the midweek prayer meeting. He is also a Mason.
Elizabeth Hart, the only daughter of Joseph Hart, and whose mother's name was Nancy (Shanklin) Hart, was born in the family home, three miles northeast of Maryville, Blount County, East Tennessee, Jan. 1l. 1802. She had the usual advantages of education of her day, but being the only daughter in a large family, a large share of domestic labor fell to her lot. When but five years of age her mother died. Two years later, to her delight and comfort, the father married a second time. Under the guidance and training of the stepmother, Elizabeth grew up to womanhood, and seldom have stepmother and stepdaughter been more genial and kind to each other. Under the ministry of Dr. Anderson she was converted at an early age and united with New Providence Church. At about twenty years of age she was married under rather romantic circumstances. She was engaged to Mr. William Trotter, a young farmer and "singing school master" of the neighborhood. Early in the autumn of 1821 her father started to emigrate to Indiana. Mr. Trotter was to go to Indiana in the spring of 1822, be married and there make their future home. But about sunrise the next morning after the family started on their journey, William Trotter and his brother Isaac came to the camp and proposed to have Elizabeth return to Maryville and be married that day, to which all agreed. The Trotter brothers, Elizabeth and her brother Silas, all on horseback, returned to the house of Dr. Anderson, and by him William Trotter and Elizabeth Hart were married. They settled on a farm near Maryville. William Trotter was of Scotch descent, a native of Virginia. His father, Richard Trotter, was a soldier in the American Revolution, and emigrated from Virginia to Jefferson County, Tennessee, about the year 1800, when William was eight years old. Later on the family moved to Blount County. There William was converted at an early age and united with New Providence Church. He had a good voice and some training in vocal music. Frequently taught singing school, and for many years led the singing in the church. He enlisted in the war of 1812-15. Was in Gen. Coffee's mounted battalion, in the Southern division of the army under Gen. Jackson. Late in the war his battalion was detailed for special duty at Baton Rouge, La., from which place they were ordered to make a forced march to New Orleans, which they accomplished in two days and nights, reaching New Orleans at noon on the memorable 8th of January, 1815. After his discharge from military service he returned to Tennessee. After their marriage, as noted above, they lived on their farm in Blount County twelve years, when the family moved to Bartholomew County, Indiana, in the spring of 1833. In February, 1836, they moved to Washington County, and in the spring of 1839 they moved to Blue Lick, Clarke County, Indiana. There they bought a farm of 120 acres, where they spent the remainder of their days. Mr. Trotter was a tall, straight man of military bearing. He had deep, positive religious convictions, a clear knowledge of God's word and was a strict observer of the Sabbath. He was invited to superintend the Sunday school in the Protestant M. E. church, three miles from his home. He declined, saying he wanted a Sunday School where his own children and immediate neighbors could attend. He organized a school in the school house of his district, which was largely attended, summer and winter, for many years. He frequently had preaching by the pastor of the church in Charlestown, nine miles distant, to which he and his wife had attached themselves soon after coming to Blue Lick. In a short time the Presbyterians of the community and a few others were organized into a branch of the church in Charlestown. Mr. Trotter was made an elder. This organization gave great joy to him and his wife. They had stated preaching for several years and a well-organized Sabbath School; but the elder's health failed, and in March 1870, he died, aged seventy-eight.
NOTE—Though living 350 miles distant, I visited my sister once in two years, during her widowhood, and usually preached at her house. My last visit was when she was nearly eighty years of age. Her sight was clear, her hearing good. Six months before that, while going to meeting on horseback, her favorite mode of travel, her horse became restless and threw her over his head. Though badly bruised, no bones were broken. She had never been sick so as to need a physician. She and I talked until midnight. Among other things, she said: "I shall never be able to go to meeting again, and we have no preacher now. When I die will you come and preach my funeral sermon?" I told her I would if I was notified in time. She died April 4, 1883, at the age of eighty-one. She was buried by the side of her husband. To my great sorrow, I did not receive notice of her death until a week after her burial.—C. C. H.
She was small of stature, her mind was well stored with a knowledge of God's word, her Bible was her daily companion. She greatly enjoyed the preaching of the gospel, and often entertained the preachers. William Trotter and his wife were the parents of eight children.
Nancy Ann, born in Blount County, Tennessee, June, 22, 1823. She became a member of the Presbyterian church in early life. She was married to Mr. William Baughn, a carpenter. They had one son, who died in infancy. The mother died May 10, 1853, aged 30 years.
Isaac Campbell, born June 18, 1825; died Aug. Is, 1831.
Joseph Albert, born July 31, 1828. He learned the carpenter's trade and afterwards became an expert machinist and millwright. For many years he was engaged in finishing the inside and putting the machinery in mills and factories. In this work he labored in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and West Virginia. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, a Sir Knight Mason and unmarried. His home is in Columbus, Ind.
Martha Elizabeth, born Aug. 21, 1830; died May 26, 1837.
Eliza Jane, born Sept. 13,1832; died June 16, 1852. She was a member of the Presbyterian church.
William Harvey, born Oct. 20, 1834; died Aug. 26, 1851.
John Richard, born May 11, 1838; died June 27,1839.
Eleanor Serena, born March 4, 1841. She was married to Mr. James A. Townsend, a farmer, Dec. 24, 1865. They have three sons: Albert Trotter, born April 7, 1867. He is a teacher and Charles Hart, born Feb. 1, 1873, a farmer. These brothers are unmarried (1900). Post office, Blue Lick, Clarke County, Indiana.
James A. Townsend, Sr., died at Blue Lick, Ind., about the year 1883.