Anita's known ancestry has a much longer tenancy in North America than Ed's. It includes the Mullinaux family, originally from France, who first emigrated to Lower Canada (now Quebec). Over several succeeding generations, they moved farther south, first to Illinois and then across the Ohio river into Kentucky.
Of course, Anita has several other names in her family tree. At the moment she knows of ancestors named Hisky, Poindexter, Harwell, Carroll and Clarke (which also appears in Ed's family tree--hmmm). The origins and movements of these families is unknown at this time.
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In the years around the U.S. Civil War when the family lived either in Kentucky or Tennessee, a young girl in the family fell in love and asked her family's permission to marry. But when the family learned the groom-to-be was the son of northern sympathisers, they forbade the marriage. Family ties were strong and the young girl, undoubtedly heartbroken, had to stop seeing the young man.
But youth is resilient and she soon fell in love again. Youth may also be overly romantic and even fatalistic because the new young man came from a family that had been feuding with the girl's family for generations. And so, this marriage was also forbidden.
Finally, and probably with some wisdom about who to ask and who not to, when she fell in love again, she married the young man before telling the family. Rumor says their marriage was a stormy one but ten surviving children says a lot, and so does a relationship that lasted decades into old age and eventually, the passing of husband and wife.
Who is to say what gave that relationship the ability to last?
Battle of Shiloh The second great battle in the American Civil War, also called the battle of Pittsburgh Landing, April 6 and 7, 1862. Both sides lost in excess of 10,000 men and, although the Confederate troops were forced to withdraw, the heavy losses crippled both sides. |
Concerning her Tennessee roots Anita points out, "Many of my ancestors, especially the Poindexters and a couple of Carrolls, lived near the Shiloh church in southern Tennessee. That was the scene of a huge Civil War battle that took place, literally, in the backyards and fields of my family."
On a recent visit to the church's cemetary, Anita found the grave markers of many of her direct ancestors.
"But I really want to find my French roots," Anita says.
In February of 2001, Anita and Ed made the trip. They spent two weeks in or near Paris and, while there, discovered the environ of the Issy de Moulinaux, a suburb of Paris itself.
Could this be the same Mullinaux? They travelled to the area one day "just to see what it looks like."
Many, many years ago it was probably a separate town and not part of the Paris metroplex. Walking the streets, Ed and Anita found what must've been the old town center complete with businesses, shops, brasseries, cafes and restaurants. Stopping for an early dinner near the central square, they struggled to order food because, unlike central Paris, absolutely no one would attempt to comprehend English. It was either order in French or go hungry.
Then, waiting for the mystery food to arrive, Ed and Anita studied the people streaming by outside. Periodically, large groups of individuals would erupt from the underground Metro station on their way home from work. They would disperse into shops and cafes or congregate at bus stops. A few hiked up or down the sloping streets into the surrounding neighborhoods.
About the time Ed and Anita finished their meals of something-meat and something-pasta, both with something-sauce, Ed studied Anita's face as if for the first time before saying, "You know, quite a few of the people walking by outside look like you. Their faces have the same shape, their eyes are the same color and size, and their hair is very often almost the exact same shade of auburn."
And it's also fair to report that on more than one occasion, a tourist came up to Anita and asked for directions to some Paris location. They obviously took her for a Parisian.
Perhaps she is.
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In her childhood, Anita has fond memories of the Porter-Leath Home in Memphis. She remembers Sky Blue popsicles on hot, summer days, walking to the Guthrie Elementary school, and getting out of school to attend the Mid-South Fair each year.
And Anita is quick to point out that her school was near Humes High School; "I probably walked right past Elvis Presley every morning!"
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Anita's mother was a riveter in an airplane factory. (If only her name had been "Rosie.")
"We have lots of relatives in Kentucky, around Paducah, and most years there's a big reunion. We're pretty far away now but Ed says he will attend the next one with me.
"Anyone named Carroll or Poindexter or any of a half-dozen other names is going to be related."
Ed smiles, "I'll bring the computer."
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Revised 15 August 2007