This project was definitely a departure from my usual work – but don’t get me wrong, it was a fun and rewarding one! I had the privilege of being able to look through my husband’s family treasures that were passed down through the generations – from his great-great grandmother, grandmother and great-great uncle and kept safe by his aunt. Amazingly, most of these pictures, writings and scrapbooks were in relatively good shape considering they are over 100 years old.
I wanted to find a way to preserve the memories and priceless photos for future generations so I decided to put everything into a book format. Therefore, I embarked on the adventure of organizing and scanning everything. It has been a huge task that still feels unfinished, but it has also been very rewarding. Somewhere along the way, I found myself feeling a bit like an “amateur archivist” and I have loved every minute of it.
My next goal is to create a series of “Family History” books on each individual family member, specifically the ones that I have the most photos and stories about. I decided to start with one of the more colorful characters in the family: Pierce Mason Butler Wait or P.M.B. Wait or simply Butler Wait. He is my husband’s great-great-great grandfather. Around Senatobia, Mississippi, his name still comes up from time to time possibly because there is a plaque on the home he built which is still standing today. Not to mention, the occasional newspaper article about his adventures that still manage to pop up now and again.
Some of the records about Butler include references to the Civil War, his involvement in it, and later reunions. I’ve included those pieces solely for their historical context, not to offend anyone. Butler, like many men of his time, held beliefs that are difficult to understand — and impossible to agree with — today. My hope is that readers will view that part of his story not with judgment, but as a reflection of history, and appreciate how far we have come — and how much further we can continue to grow in understanding, kindness, and acceptance.
I hope you enjoy this first “Family History” book as much as I’ve loved putting it together. It’s been such a special project, and it means a lot to share it with all of you. Thank you for taking the time to read, reminisce, and help keep these family stories alive.
I did have some difficulty with Butler’s siblings. This is page is a work in progress. His daughter had a handwritten list of the family, but I am not completely sure about the spelling of some of the names much less what happened to them.
Now, I must get started on cleaning P.M.B. Wait’s monument – thankfully, it is not too dirty!
Epitaph – “His many virtues form the noblest monument to his memory”
My son and his wife, Kyle Lee and Kathryn C. Baker have the home now. It is beautiful.