The Hermitage: President Andrew Jackson's estate- Nashville, Tennessee (July 28, 2026)

 There are many historical aspects to viewing and walking the grounds of the Hermitage. 

As I walked the grounds, I took cell photos of the different tree species that I saw. A beech tree, pecan tree, Ohio buckeye tree, and a yellow wood tree. Why am I intrigued about these trees? Before phones, cars, internet, radio, and planes individuals and families wood grow seedlings of trees and sell, trade, barter for different tree species. It was a way to socialize. It was also a way to symbolize church communities. Many old time grave sites had Cyprus trees, old oak trees, and other trees for religious needs. Also, fruit bearing trees were planted at gravesites. I viewed a cardinal sitting in a tree by the plantation gravesite. Birds could have been transported to the Hermitage as well. It is a possibility.

Inside the house were sitting rooms for different occasions. One of the rooms on the first floor was a library study. were Andrew Jackson would discuss issues of the day. During this time period Lewis J. Cist, some of the Glendale Allens, and LaBoiteaux families had a strong possibility of staying here. 

Why do I say this? Henry Clay was a cousin of Marston Allen. Clay came from New Jersey in the early 1800's. In my research papers from the rare books department at the Lexington, KY it showed that both Henry Clay and M. Allen (Marston) were members of The American Colonization Society. Both men along with freeman and slaves would travel back and forth from Lexington, KY and Ohio.  Marston Allen was a graduate from Harvard University Class 1808.

Miles Greenwood of Eagle Iron Works was also a cousin of Marston Allen. Greenwood also came to Cincinnati, Ohio in the early 1800's from New Jersey.

Both men, Henry Clay and Marston Allen owed slaves. What makes this statement interesting is because Marston Allen was on the Union side in Ohio. Henry Clay was in Lexington, Kentucky. Both freemen and slaves traveled back and forth from Glendale, Ohio and Lexington, Kentucky. I believe there was a secret group within the Underground Railroad that traveled back and forth from the Mason Dixon line.

This brings me to a personal question I am asking myself. Did Uncle Alfred from the Hermitage part of a secret group of men and women who traveled from Nashville, Lexington, and Ohio? Uncle Alfred is an interesting gentleman. He lived to be 98 years old during the early formation of our nation. He died in 1901 according to his gravesite. The photo of him at the museum shows a modest gentleman, but he lived during the war of 1812, The Civil War, Reconstruction, and into the 20th century. I was born in the 20th century too. This hits home in terms of a time period.

Brigadier  General Henry M. Cist was in Nashville, Tennessee during the time period of the Hermitage during the Civil War.

On page 98 of the official guidebook Andrew Jackson's Hermitage it shows a picture of two of farmhouse and the kitchen looked in 1867. The Cist family archives at the Cincinnati Historical Society had photos of Civil War photos of Nashville, Tennessee during this time period. When I say Lewis J. Cist took photos of this area, I believe there was a group of individuals who treated the camera as a community object, thus it is a possibility that Uncle Alfred took this picture with this Cist community owned camera. Could this open up a new dialogue of Civil War photos and who took them in order to record American history? 

I will leave you with this... I believe that the LaBoiteaux/ Cist family album of the 1850-1860's is more than a family album, but a documentation of a Culver spy ring next generation 2.0.  This will be another blog post.

Symposium—Revealing Communities (Christopher Lindner)

The Crittenden- LaBoiteaux Families

 The old family photo of Eliza Crittenden dressed in her Black Death Star eventing wear has always intrigued me as a young historian trying to locate lost family history. 

At the time of my visiting local re-enactment events of both the American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and the American Civil War, I gathered information that I later put to use weaving the life of Eliza Crittenden.

Just image the time it took to make this totally black dress. First you would wait for the black walnuts to fall to the ground in late fall, then take the hull and boil it down to a black, thick liquid to dye the wool from the sheep that had to be soon into wool. It took awhile to let the wool soak in the black walnut base then let it dry, then cut into shape.

There is also a connection with the Grant family in Crittenden, KY.  This is still a gathering place for present day generations.

This is a photo of the rare books department located at the J.R. Clarke public library in Covington, OH.

I ask myself, why are Confederate soldiers in Toronto, Ontario during the Civil War? Why is there a Crittenden- LaBoiteaux family connection is all of this.  I have learned about this at the Covington, Ohio library.

Ruffner Family Reunion 2025

     The Ruffner Family reunion took place at the Ruffner homestead in Luray, Virginia. Many dependents of Peter Ruffner from Bern, Switzerland, 1739 were in attendance for different presentations. 

    One of the more interesting presentation was by a Ruffner who started the Glasshouse Butterfly Company. She informed the gathering about the mating places in Mexico, the chemicals that are harmful the a butterfly's habitat, and the pollination effects that help the human population grow food.

    The Glasshouse has a website:

Amelia@GlassHouseButterflyFarm.com

phone # 540.975.3060

I am studying connections with Charles Cist, the Ruffners, the Browns, and other European families that sponsored ships to the British Colonies during the mid 1750's.

Windsor Ontario Art Gallery 04-22-2025

 The Plenty of Seeds exhibit by Obi-Cree artist Jessica Rachel Cook was worth the drive to Windsor.  Here are a number of interpretations from my own journey.

The wall installation of Under the Blanket offered many interpretations beginning with the idea of a person sitting at a dinner table and reviewing in one own mind of how to use the eating utilizes at a formal dinner party. The salad fork, then the main course fork and knives, then the dessert spoons, etc. One the left side of the pew wheel are five typically male tools, wheat cycle, saw, pick fork, larger wheat cycle, etc. on the right side are typical ladies tools, washing board, scissors, meat slicer, etc. which one to use first.  Which tools to start the day with, others to uses in the afternoon. Of course, starting out the day in prayer is a reflection of the pews with different items inside the refurbished church pews reflect. I am still looking at the different colors at the end of each pew, black, red, yellow, white.

I found this exhibit to be very respectful. Something that is respectful, but has been possible under the blanket and is being aired out.

Attending to Spiritual Life in Mt Healthy, Ohio

The Significance of Religious Freedom in Mount Healthy's Early Settlers

Religious and political freedom played a vital role in the lives of early settlers in Mount Healthy. Many of these individuals held deep religious beliefs that shaped their daily lives and community interactions. Among them, German immigrants sought refuge from religious persecution and the political unrest plaguing their homeland. Consequently, local Lutheran, Methodist, and Catholic churches conducted services in German, a practice that persisted until the World War I era when anti-German sentiment rose.

In 1826, the Mount Pleasant Union Meeting House was founded as a welcoming space for all denominations, embracing the principle of "the use of all denominations and the exclusion of none." The first congregations to utilize the meetinghouse were Presbyterians, United Brethren, and Lutherans. Over time, as these small groups of worshipers expanded, they eventually built their own churches. By 1853, the majority of these congregations had transitioned into their own church buildings, contributing to Mount Healthy's skyline, characterized by a multitude of church steeples.

The Church of the Assumption congregation, meanwhile, gathered in nearby Catholic churches until their community grew large enough to warrant constructing their own place of worship. While several of the churches organized at the meetinghouse continue to exist today, others, such as the African American church and the Presbyterian church, have since disappeared. Notably, the Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church ceased operations in 1874 after numerous Presbyterians migrated closer to the newly established College Hill Presbyterian Church.

Throughout its history, the meetinghouse also hosted a variety of other religious groups, including Christian Connection, Swedenborgians, Restorationists, Unitarians, Universalists, Old School Baptists, Mormons, and Quakers. However, many members of these groups eventually moved on to join other churches and communities.

Early Mount Healthy pioneers were frequently laid to rest in family plots on their farms. The city is home to several cemeteries, with the Hoffner Graveyard once serving as the yard of the United Brethren Church. The Steward Graveyard eventually transformed into the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, featuring three distinct sections: Protestant, African American, and St. Mary Catholic. Additionally, the Arlington Memorial Gardens, opened in 1932, remains an active burial place for Mount Healthy residents.

Although this chapter primarily examines the earliest churches in Mount Healthy, it is crucial to recognize that numerous young and thriving churches continue to shape the area's spiritual landscape. The ongoing diversity of religious beliefs in and around the community serves as a testament to the enduring importance of religious freedom in Mount Healthy's rich history.

"Aunt Sallie" LaBoiteaux, as she was known, was a lifelong member of the Mt. Healthy Christian Church. For over 50 years, she taught primary age boys in Sunday school. On her 86th birthday, her boys sent postcard greetings from around the world. She was the daughter of early pioneers Ben and Mary (Gogin) Runyan and the wife of Frederick LaBoiteaux, whose grandfather plotted Mount Pleasant in 1817.

Jacob Cist

 Jacob Cist, born on March 13, 1782, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a man of many talents and accomplishments. His contributions spanned various fields, including entrepreneurship, art, science, invention, and entomology. Cist's diverse skill set made him an influential figure in the early 19th century, particularly in the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania.

Educated at the Nazareth Boys' School of the Moravian Church from 1794 to 1799, Cist developed a passion for drawing and painting under the tutelage of French drawing-master M.A. Benade. His artistic prowess became widely recognized, with his sketches of "Solomon's Falls," "Buttermilk Falls," and an array of plants and insects showcasing his keen eye for detail and beauty.

In 1803, Cist demonstrated his inventive spirit by creating and patenting a mill for grinding pigment. This invention not only streamlined the process of pigment production but also contributed to the growth of the paint industry in the United States.

Cist's creative talents extended beyond the visual arts. He also designed banknotes for The Susquehanna Bank of Wilkes-Barre, marking an early effort to establish a local bank in the region. These banknotes, adorned with intricate designs, were testament to Cist's versatility as an artist and his impact on the financial landscape of the area.

As an entrepreneur, Cist made a name for himself in the anthracite coal industry. He became a pioneering figure in the marketing of anthracite coal and was highly regarded for his extensive knowledge of its economic potential. Cist played a crucial role in promoting the use of anthracite coal as an alternative energy source, thus contributing to the development of the Wyoming Valley.

Apart from his artistic and entrepreneurial endeavors, Cist was also a dedicated naturalist and entomologist. His curiosity and passion for the natural world led him to study and document various flora and fauna, making significant contributions to the field of science.

Jacob Cist's life was tragically cut short on December 30, 1825, but his legacy as a multi-talented pioneer endures. His accomplishments in art, science, and industry have left a lasting impact on Pennsylvania's cultural and economic landscape, cementing his place in the annals of American history.