Defending Your Country

Sometimes folks die in defense of their country, but not during a battle. Memorial Day is actually about honoring those who have died defending America.

My grandfather Thompson deserves such an honor. Below, he's the young man on the right, in the hat.

My brother pulled down an old trunk in the garage today and we went through it to pull out the papers in there, so they don't crumble to dust and disappear.

One of the things we found which I now treasure is the wedding announcement of Algernon Thompson and Cordelia Henderson, my father's parents.

My grandmother was an "old maid" when she met Grandaddy - about 30. He was about 34.

Thompson was a soldier in World War I.

If you want to know the complicated technical reason for World War I, have at it. Basically, Franz Ferdinand got killed and everyone in Europe got mad at each other and started fighting. It was an incredibly stupid, senseless war that started in 1914. We didn't get involved at first. However, America finally entered the fray in 1917.

Thompson had been a soldier for years, and had fought Pancho Villa. By soldiering, he was able to help support his mother and younger siblings, sending money home for years from his Army pay. His dad had died when Thompson was about 12 and he had had to go to work. As a result, he didn't even finish high school.

He went to war for America when he was needed, in World War I.

I wish I had known him. Of all his grandchildren, he didn't know any of us well except the oldest, Frann. He and my grandmother babysat for her a lot when she was small.

Thompson died in 1957 from emphysema, 5 years before I was born. He never smoked. He was gassed in World War I. In my mind, he died for his country, just not in 1917. He lived 40 more years and fathered three sons. His last 10 years he was an invalid, but Cordelia took care of him.

His wedding announcement made me remember that incredible love and devotion.

So this is my way of memorializing him, and my grandmother, who only lived 2 years after Thompson died. She did not want to live without him. Despite stress and poverty and sending their oldest two sons off to World War II, they had an incredible love.

I typed out a transcript of the announcement because it's a bit hard to read. I wish I had a wedding photo, but I've never seen one. That's OK. They live on in the memories of those of us left behind, and they have 7 living grandchildren and 10 great granchildren carrying on - oh, and two great great grandchildren (thanks to Frann).

THOMPSON – HENDERSON

Mrs. J.L. Henderson, of Hepzibah, announce the marriage of her daughter, Cordelia, to Mr. A.L. Thompson, of Albany, Ga., Sunday, February 25, at the parsonage of the First Baptist church, Rev. E.L. Grace officiating. No cards.

The above announcement will come as a surprise to many friends who, while knowing that this young couple were engaged, had no idea when the marriage was to occur. Sunday afternoon they came in from Hepzibah, were quietly married and left for a trip to Florida before going to their home in Albany.

Mrs. Thompson is a beautiful girl, a perfect blonde.** She is the youngest daughter of Mrs. Henderson and is very popular with all who know her.  Mr. Thompson is a well-known young railroad man with headquarters in Albany.

[handwritten on back it says Augusta Herald]

 

**I sent the image of the wedding announcement to some of my Thompson kin and my aunt Diddy sent me a note saying "My mother knew her when they were girls and called her a ''strawberry blonde"."

Other folks have told me her hair was more reddish, and that's where I get my reddish brown hair.