Simple Annals : 200 Years of an American Family

Like a patchwork quilt made from family memories, Simple Annals is an American saga that spans two centuries, from Revolutionary times to the present day. In the tradition of Robert Frost and Edgar Lee Masters' Spoon River Anthology, Robert Allen has documented in prose and poetry the folklore and history of his Tennessee clan. More absorbing than any dry recounting of the tragedies and triumphs of the Allen family could be, this unique album-in-words sings of war heroes, farmers, God, graveyards, and violent death; of "hoop snakes" and ghosts; hard times and occasional, fleeting moments of joy and celebration. It chronicles the American Revolution, the Civil War - Tennessee, where Allen's ancestors fought for the Union, saw some of the most savage border fighting - and Allen's own extraordinary personal leap from backwoods poverty to life as a university professor. Simple Annals......Page 1 PREFACE......Page 5 I— BEGINNINGS......Page 6 I......Page 7 II......Page 11 III......Page 13 IV......Page 15 Reuben Burrow Wakes at Night......Page 17 Pioneer Bible......Page 20 The Seventh Tennessee Cavalry, Federal......Page 22 The Seventh Cavalry in Kentucky......Page 24 Rebeccah Singleton Thomas (1826–1891)......Page 27 Josiah Bateman......Page 30 In Old Nineveh......Page 31 II— IN A QUIET PLACE......Page 32 The Lonesome Remember......Page 33 A Sense of Place......Page 34 The Cradle......Page 36 John Slickum......Page 38 Siney and the Stockings......Page 39 Opp......Page 40 Opp Speaks......Page 42 Con Green......Page 44 Lige Autry and the Comb......Page 46 Aunt Ida......Page 47 Aunt Ida's Hair......Page 50 The Three Little Pigs......Page 52 What He Said......Page 55 The Buzzards......Page 57 Luther Lynch......Page 58 The Preacher's Britches......Page 60 Hands......Page 61 Zade......Page 63 Her Mother's Second Husband......Page 64 Fable......Page 67 Aunt Medie......Page 68 A Horseman on the Bridge......Page 69 Jim a-Courting......Page 71 Pa Buys Salt......Page 72 Cousin Steed......Page 73 Hampton......Page 74 Mart Butler......Page 75 Jim Thomas......Page 76 Aunt Marth......Page 78 Ed Loses a Race......Page 79 Jim and the Ghost......Page 81 Lillie Loreen......Page 83 Jim Towns' Funeral......Page 84 To Tell My Tale......Page 86 Trojan in Carroll County......Page 88 I— Levi's First Theft......Page 89 II— Levi's Song......Page 91 Delia Explains......Page 92 III— Levi's Wedding......Page 93 IV— Levi's Building......Page 94 V— Ulan......Page 96 VI— Levi's Killing......Page 98 VII— Delia Tells What Matters......Page 99 VIII— Joney Remembers......Page 100 ii. Delia, His Wife......Page 101 iii. Clara, His Daughter......Page 102 A 'Possum Tale......Page 104 I......Page 105 II......Page 108 III......Page 111 An Angel of the Darker Wine......Page 114 In a Country Churchyard......Page 117 Natchez Trace......Page 121 In a Garden......Page 123 Marksmanship......Page 124 Lizzie's Tale......Page 125 Cu Sidh......Page 126 Cousin Peter......Page 127 Oliver Grogan......Page 129 Winter of 1941......Page 130 Cousin Loney......Page 131 III— BREAKING—A NEW WORLD......Page 133 Snow......Page 134 Purple......Page 136 Going Home......Page 137 Picnic on the Fourth......Page 139 Strangers in the Ruins......Page 144 Leaving Nashville......Page 148 On a Weed-Grown Hill......Page 149 IV— THE LOST FATHER......Page 150 Preface......Page 151 Clara......Page 152 1605 North Grand......Page 166 The Jackson Movie Theater......Page 168 At the End......Page 170