Dear Tim, I am so grateful for your 2014 posting on Egg Fighting. My father hailed from Cherokee County in far western rural NC. And our family now is scattered far and wide with no one left in Andrews, save the Valleytown Cemetery Conley grave plots where many of us will ultimately rest. But the ancient family tradition of egg fights on Easter continue in Austin Texas, Kansas City, Charlotte and here in Chicago with me. We had often wondered why it was only our family that knew this tradition. Your (delightful) explanation of this tradition as originating perhaps in England but thriving in pockets of western NC was PERFECT. Thanks so much for painting a cultural picture frame around our beloved Easter family tradition. Sincerely and gratefully, Claire Conley claireconley@me.com
I ran across your article "A plane went down" the other day and thank you for writing about my uncle, Lt. Hugh Winfield Shelden. You posted a picture of most of the family from the NC State Alumni Association archives. However, you missed my father, Howard Wayne Shelden. He passed several years ago and was the last of that generation. He flew P47's in Germany toward the end of WWII, returned home and went to State on the GI Bill. I was born while he was there and I also graduated from State in 1969 (class of '68). There were actually six Sheldens overseas in both theatres, at the same time. In order of age they were Hugh (in your article), Robert and Rebecca. (twins), John, Howard (my father) and James. My grandfather served as an officer in a German POW camp during that war as he was up in age - he served in the army artillery in WWI. All but Hugh (see your article) attended NC State after the war. Four eventually graduated. As the oldest grandchild I write this for my children and grandchildren, and to set the record straight.
Kenneth Wayne Shelden, oldest son of Howard Wayne Shelden.
Dear Tim, I am so grateful for your 2014 posting on Egg Fighting. My father hailed from Cherokee County in far western rural NC. And our family now is scattered far and wide with no one left in Andrews, save the Valleytown Cemetery Conley grave plots where many of us will ultimately rest. But the ancient family tradition of egg fights on Easter continue in Austin Texas, Kansas City, Charlotte and here in Chicago with me. We had often wondered why it was only our family that knew this tradition. Your (delightful) explanation of this tradition as originating perhaps in England but thriving in pockets of western NC was PERFECT. Thanks so much for painting a cultural picture frame around our beloved Easter family tradition. Sincerely and gratefully, Claire Conley claireconley@me.com
ReplyDeleteI ran across your article "A plane went down" the other day and thank you for writing about my uncle, Lt. Hugh Winfield Shelden. You posted a picture of most of the family from the NC State Alumni Association archives. However, you missed my father, Howard Wayne Shelden. He passed several years ago and was the last of that generation. He flew P47's in Germany toward the end of WWII, returned home and went to State on the GI Bill. I was born while he was there and I also graduated from State in 1969 (class of '68). There were actually six Sheldens overseas in both theatres, at the same time. In order of age they were Hugh (in your article), Robert and Rebecca. (twins), John, Howard (my father) and James. My grandfather served as an officer in a German POW camp during that war as he was up in age - he served in the army artillery in WWI. All but Hugh (see your article) attended NC State after the war. Four eventually graduated. As the oldest grandchild I write this for my children and grandchildren, and to set the record straight.
ReplyDeleteKenneth Wayne Shelden, oldest son of Howard Wayne Shelden.