Above the zoo for first time since 2003.
Our Pittsboro Leach cousins whom we haven't seen since 2003 also. The fourth from the right is Cousin Dixie mentioned below.
Picture above dated, needless to say. :)
This is the great, great, great
granddaughter of Needham Leach, Aunt Angela, holding my daughter Dixie,
the namesake of Dixie Washington Leach. Great Aunt Dixie also had
another namesake who recently died in Pittsboro, Angela's aunt.
Angela's Aunt Dixie, in turn, has a namesake, her Cousin Dixie, in
Pittsboro.
My Great, Grandfather Private John Pelopidus Leach wrote:
"Needham and Jack, faithful and devoted
servants of my Brother Geo. T. Leach who then commanded my company, and
Capt. Richardson who was captured at Fort Stedman, informed of the
surrender, came to the front in search of my Brother and myself. They
awoke me and gave me the first information I had of Lee's army, which I
did not believe, until returning with them past the courthouse to the
bivouac of the remnant of my company I saw the open field about the
village full of straggling men, moving in aimless fashion, artillery,
ambulances and wagons gathering in parks, many men crying, some cursing
and all in pitiful distress."
"My command stacked arms in front of the victorious federals on the 10th
of April, with one lieutenant, nine white men--all with guns-- and two servants, Needham Leach of Chatham and Jack Richardson of Johnston County." (The Lieutenant was my great Uncle, George Thomas Leach)
"I with Needham, as my
only companion turned south to my home, Pittsboro, NC, passed through
Chapel Hill and the Federal brigade of Gen. Atkins stationed there.
At Byrnums Mill on the Haw River, Needham
and I were rowed across the stream in a bateau carrying the family
servant of Maj. London, Sr. returning home with a bag of corn meal which
he carried on the back of a mule."
Great Aunt Dixie's grave in Pittsboro.
Mammy, and Great Aunt Dixie. Great Aunt Dixie would have been 44 and Mammy was probably between 62 and 66. (1907)