Chapter 3, Episode 6 - Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

January 1999

This series of posts on each Friday, henceforth, moving forward during 2015 will continue the stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the Homeplace,” which ended as 1997 began. Earlier, we have seen the community move from January 1997 through December 1998. We now move into January of 1999, in novel format…

Chapter 3 - Jennifer; Episode 6

[From the end of Episode 5:

Jennifer turned and walked out the door, to return to her nearby office.]

It was a cool, crispy day in this Ozarks valley; temperature was about 40 degrees. Walking briskly, Jennifer hardly noticed the chill in the air. She was already thinking ahead to a couple of phone calls she needed to make before she returned to the clinic work that needed done. There were no animals requiring her attention, at the moment, but the paperwork was calling to her. He smiled, thinking about ‘paperwork calling...’

First, she returned a call to Sarah (Campbell) Flanders, the new President of the Oak Springs Historical and Genealogical Society for the 1999 year. The Society was starting its third year, and things seemed to be going well. Sarah, the very conscientious wife of Bank President, Harry Flanders, seemed to continue to need reassurance that she was doing her volunteer role very well.

Jennifer answered a couple of specific questions Sarah asked. With the experience Jennifer had in a leadership position in the Society from the beginning, they were easy questions to answer. However, she appreciated that Sarah exhibited enough concern for her job to actually ask the questions. She smiled, as they continued their conversation.

Momentarily, the subject of the conversation took an unexpected turn. Harry had brought home a box of books and papers he said he had found at the bank, when they were moving some materials in the far back corner of the vault. He said he never recalled seeing the box before, but it appeared to have belonged to Sarah’s father, Theodore Campbell, president of the bank before Harry. Theodore had begun working in the bank, with his father, Vic, in the 1920s.

“I had just opened it a few minutes before you called,” Sarah continued. “One of the books I pulled out appears to be a journal written by your ancestor, William McDonald. I’ve not looked at it at all yet, but I’m sure your family will find it very interesting.”

“Of course,” Jennifer said, “that is a great find. Take good care of it and we’ll take a look at it first chance we get. Thank you for mentioning it. What a find!”

“I was sure you’d feel that way. It could have valuable family and community information, and we weren’t even looking for it.”

“It will be interesting to see if you find other similar material from other families in that box, even your own, perhaps.”

Sarah seemed to pause, “I hadn’t thought about it that way. I think I’ll go get back to that box and check out the rest of the stuff in there. Thanks for the reminder.”

“Great. I’m very anxious to see William’s journal. Perhaps I’ll stop by your house later and pick it up.” Jennifer began to show a little anxiety in her voice.

“Please do that. I’ll be here. I’ll talk to you then.”

Jennifer next called Brian, to assure that he would be picking up Ashley from day care.

She next called Christopher. Jennifer didn’t want to delay in being sure that Christopher knew that Beverly was back in town. Now, it was also important that he know about the William McDonald diary. As she made the call, she recalled in her mind, that William McDonald was her 2nd great-grandfather: Bart > Margaret > Joseph >William.

[To be continued - next Friday]

"May everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."

Dr. Bill  ;-)