Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Here Lies Our Family History

We went down to Mill Creek on Sunday to look at a house that my brother and sister-in-law are renting in one of those new developments (more on THAT tomorrow.) My family used to own most of the land in that area (my GGGG grandfather had 640 acres.) My great-great-great grandfather, Domingo Pacetti, received 50 acres from his father, on which he raised his 300 head of cattle (I told you we were crackers!) That area is now...ugh...But I digress...

While we were in the area, we decided to stop by Mill Creek Cemetery, where we knew much of our family was buried. In fact, I knew that Domingo was buried here soon after our trip to The Mission a couple months ago (I don't know why my parents thought so surely that he was buried there.) Anyway, we found a few things there that I thought I would share with you.

Great grandparents...Great people. My mom loved her Grandma Dora. She was only about 5 feet tall with silver, curly hair. We have short videos made in Mill Creek back in the '60s, when all of the family would be together, and many, MANY chickens would be seen grilling over a fire in the front yard. When Hurricane Dora came through in '64, there was a lot of ribbing going on :-D. My mom loved her Grandpa Harry and Grandma Dora. The house in which they lived still stands, I believe, on a piece of our original 640 acres. It's an oasis right now.

Peter Pacetti (also known as Pedro Pacetti) is my great-great-great uncle. He fought alongside his brother (GGG Grandpa Domingo) in the 2nd Florida Cavalry Regiment under Captain J.J. Dickison (famous in Florida as "Swamp Fox of the Confederacy.")

This intrigued me because I had multiple ancestors who fought in 3rd Florida Company B. They fought in numerous battles, most notably at Chickamauga. I am learning much more about this right now, and I will be able to post much more in depth about their movements in future posts. But for all I know, this guy could be a distant cousin, too.


This right here was a very pleasant and relieving surprise. Do you know what it is? FC, you are not allowed to answer this one :-D

11 comments:

Paintsmh said...

Is it maybe a gopher tortoise burrow? It doesn't look quite right, but pretty close. Or maybe a dillo? It seems a little more like one of them. I'm probably not even close but I am trying. lol.

SophieMae said...

My first thought, too, was gopher, though it looks a bit narrow.

So glad to hear you found Domingo! I went through something similar a few years back, looking for an ancestor's grave. I did finally find it with one of those new CSA headstones. Knowing so much of your family history is a wonderful gift. I have only one person, an uncle, that I can actually go to with questions. He only knows the history of one line, of course. Everything else, I have to dig for. It's often frustrating, but I love it. 8-]

MinorcanMeteorolgist said...

paint - well, I do believe this is a gopher hole. I asked my mom and she said it was...and she has extensive experience with these, as she used to...um...well she used to see...yeah, see...them a lot :-D But now you've got me wondering...maybe the all-knowing FC will intervene :-D

sophie - I am fortunate when it comes to family history because one particular person had extensive knowledge, and it is logged in a book and on a website. Unfrotunately, she and her great knowledge are falling to alzheimers.

Paintsmh said...

Why do I think there is a rather interesting story behind those gopher toroises and your mom, beyond she used to 'see' them a lot. (giggle...chuckle)

Word Verification: maskgwvu
What fun could we have with that?

R.Powers said...

Looks good to me and cemetaries are on high ground which they like. Hurricane Dora was scary.

"allknowing"
... AS IF!!

MinorcanMeteorolgist said...

paint - We're perfectly innocent :-0

FC - Yeah, there was a nice pile of sugar sand behind the hole. I love gophers.

Paintsmh said...

Sure you are. Sure you are. ;)

Anonymous said...

I do have many intersting stories about gophers; and extensive expereince. Some maybe a bit different than other "Crackers" though.

One story involves my neighbor's dismay (she was originally from Canada and then to Florida through Dallas). When we moved into our neighborhood 13 years ago, we were gifted by a recipe book by the bulders at closing: "True Florida Eats" or something like that. Anyway, after looking through hers,she asked, "Oh my God, did you know that they cook gophers down her?!?" I knew what she was talking about; the furry kind, the only ones she was familiar with! I had a heck of time convincing her otherwise! I assured her that when invited to my home for dinner, she would not, and I repeat, WOULD NOT, have to worry about being served this!!! Still not sure she gets it.

The earlier childhood stories about gophers are different however. As A child, I was taught how and went on "gopher pullin'" trips into the woods. I love the woods and loved these cute critters("cute is in the eyes of the beholder I reckon), and surely thought they might become a nice pet to crawl around the yard. Well, my idea of what I was pullin' for was drastically different than what true fate was in store for the "cutie." For those of you who are familiar with the fate and have assisted in helping the "cuties" to it....need I say more? For those of you not quite sure, we Minorcans licked our lips as the tasty, brown stew was sopped up with our biscuits and rice.

I would not have made a great provider for my family with meaty bounty from the land! Seafood, another story. I netted many a shrimp and mullet in my day, cleaned them, and learned to cook them....fried of course...is there any other way? Also butchered and plucked and prpeard many chickens; this skill taught to me by my grandma, one of the greatest ladies ever born. And gophers, yep, know how to fix them too! But I was always sad at their unfortuanate demise. (I am an animal lover and prefer to buy food at the local market where they no longer look like a lovable animal.) But back to the gophers. I did end up pullin' about 8 or so to live in my yard as pets. They tunneled under the house and went front to back of the house as they desired. Their fate kept them happy and contented, free of the stew pot, and placed back in the woods when they became protected!

Anonymous said...

Hi, I found your blog while I was looking around at Pacetti history. My maiden name is Pacetti and my grandfather was born in St. Augustine. My husband, daughter and I just moved to St. A and that has renewed my commitment to find out our family history. Sadly, I have very little to start with and wondered if by chance our Pacetti's were connected. My grandfather was William Bartola Pacetti (DOB8/19/1911) he lived on Osceola St. His parents were Anthony Andrew Pacetti (born about 1882) and Mary Capallia (born about 1888). If by chance you have any information please contact me, email is angie.mcinnes@yahoo.com Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Henry George "Harry" Pacetti (1884 - 1965)

relationship to you: nephew of husband of 2nd cousin 3x removed



John Stephen Pacetti (1854 - 1942)

Father of Henry George "Harry"



Domingo Pedro PACETTI (1828 - 1893)

Father of John Stephen



George Primus PACETTI (1859 - 1939)

Son of Domingo Pedro



Florence Mary ORTAGUS (1895 - 1932)

Wife of George Primus



ANTONIO A. ORTAGUS (1853 - 1932)

Father of Florence Mary



MARIA DE LA MERCED MASTERS (1825 - 1910)

Mother of ANTONIO A.



Antonio Juan Fernando MASTERS (1795 - 1862)

Father of MARIA DE LA MERCED



JULIANA PAULA "JULIA" MASTERS (1843 - )

Daughter of Antonio Juan Fernando



Alice MAY SALLAS (1876 - 1970)

Daughter of JULIANA PAULA "JULIA"



LEONORA GRACE BURROWS (1898 - 1986)

Daughter of Alice MAY



MILDRED MARIE COX (1920 - )

Daughter of LEONORA GRACE



SUZANNE MARIE COFFEY (1943 - )

Daughter of MILDRED MARIE



LANDA PATRICIA BLAND

You are the daughter of SUZANNE MARIE COFFEY BLAND


LANDA BLAND KEANE ... LKEANE@TAMPABAY.RR.COM

Unknown said...

i too have minorcan ancestory masters capallia pinal andreu