Giving a lesson in living history - Browns Farm - Lower Yoder Township

Had the pleasure to host a living history lesson up at Browns (Laurel Hill Settlement). In the above picture - that is my research partner - Elaine Adams giving a talk on the Smiths, Harshbergers, Dormans and Browns.
I kicked things off explaining how the families came to call the mountain home. Twenty-two people made the trek up (no easy task for some) including: members of the Brown family - which I have to say - it was truly an honor to be with them, members of the Johnstown Branch of the NAACP and three DCNR Rangers -  Kim Peck, Jeremy Peck and Bob Hook - that was special to me because the site is also part of Laurel Hill State Park and they walked up with us. It was great to see that lots of kids were also there - for some of them - I am known as the storyteller - for years I have been passing down all the tales I know about the mountain to them.

Along with a poster board of pictures from Browns - I also had some light refreshments on hand since we were there for a couple of hours. The project of restoring the cemetery to its former glory is ongoing and will continue to be so for a while. The hardest part is done - this fall we will be putting in a native flower garden and hopefully next spring will be planting a heritage garden at the site which is another thing I have always wanted to do and with both of those projects we will be working with the state. There are some people that I want to thank: Roger Edwards, RJ Edwards, Kelly Edwards, Elaine Adams and Joann Mock - without all of us working together - this project would never have gotten off the ground. Also a special shoutout to the folks that helped the day of the hike - Misti Piskura and Linda Marker.

This day meant a lot to me - I'd started work on the cemetery in April - and this quickly put together tour started taking shape in early June - so I have to admit that I enjoyed showing the place off - especially given the date - June 19th - which is Juneteenth Day - fitting for the two Black Civil War Veterans buried in the cemetery. Alan Cashaw, President of the Johnstown Branch of the NAACP led everybody in a circle of prayer.

There were five members of the Civil War Group - Susanna Cook, Tent 61 with us including: President, Deedee McGowan and her daughter Julie (members of the Brown family), Linda Marker and her granddaughter Jeannette Metz and Dr. Barbara Zaborowski from Penn Highlands Community College. To wrap things up, Linda Marker played a very fitting tribute - 'Amazing Grace'. She says she picked the number because it's been intertwined with Black culture in many ways - it's was written by John Newton - CLICK HERE to learn more about the British Sailor and Anglican clergyman. But she adds, there is a movie from Nigeria called 'The Amazing Grace' that claims that the tune is a Nigerian tune that he heard on the slave ships.

I think the spirits of the mountain were happy with the fact that they are not forgotten. I'd remarked the next day - if anyone else felt a cold chill in the air (I had goosebumps) for a brief time - others said yes.
I think it's fitting to end this post with a comment from one of the Brown descendants who walked up with us - she says: "I believe they were thankful and appreciate the love and respect shown . The very fact that they still have an impact on their family, even to this day proves that everyone of us has an impact on the world around us. It up to us what that impact is.."