My father and I have had many conversations about the life of Charles Cist. As a young boy growing up, it was not so much a conversation, but me just listening to his stories about his ancestors. My father worked at a law firm for forty years. I am thankful that he was home every night to share family time with his children. He taught me the importance of the oral history traditions and the validity of family history passed down from generation to generation. As he approaches his eighty-fourth birthday, it is still a pleasure to talk with him about Charles Cist. It is a connection that we have together. Now it is my turn to share questions about Charles Cist with my father. I share my questions, for example, did Charles Cist have any brothers, or sisters in Russia? Is there a side of the family over in Russia today that is thinking the same about us? Has there been an oral history passed down from a Russian family about an uncle that escaped to America? Perhaps, this blog can connect stories, reunite/start relationships, answer puzzles.
There are some challenges that I want to over come. Charles Cist had children. One of them was Lewis J. Cist from Cincinnati, OH, no offspring. He was a little eccentric When he passed away he had perhaps the largest and best autograph collection in the world. The collection had autographs from poets, world leaders (ancient and new), signers of the Declaration of Independence, and so much more. The auction catalog is now a collector's item. Moving forward, the collection was settled and the proceeds were placed in a Cincinnati bank. The bank went under with the business cycles of financial depressions and prosperity of the 1800's. Well, it was told to me that the other side of the family on the East coast blames our side for the loss and the two sides have not been in communications for a very long time. Hopefully, the internet can get people talking and helping to complete the story of Charles Cist. People should realized that I was not even around during the 1800's and I had nothing to do with the outcome. Hopefully, this will work in my favor. As the older generation passes away, this can be an extension of a conversation in word art. Once again we are dealing with a life story that encompasses the ideals about freedom and painting a story about a man of individual freedom struggles, but also spent his life with the printed forms of educating patriots during the American Revolution. The printers of Cist and Steiner's most famous printed pamphlet was Thomas Paine's Common Sense.
I will share my creative writing. I will specify that I am in dream mode. Dream mode is when I can imagine what could have happened based on the history that has been passed down. I will state the separations for the bloggers. For example, history has been passed down that Charles Cist escaped from Russia during the coup of Catherine the Great's reign. How did he escape? Who did he encounter? How long did it take him to reach America? How did he end up marrying General Jacob Weiss's daughter? General Weiss was a general under George Washington. These are a few of the questions that I have for this blog.
My next blog will deal with the Great Escape from prison and evading a long, lonely ride to Siberia.
Andrew C. Allen 4/4/13
513.638.7140
pewabic34@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment