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Memorial to a Family of Veterans

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Over the years we have been privy to family history and what a history it is.  From Jamestown to Nashville. From Patriots to Indian Fighters. These early settlers were a tough independent group of God centered folks and they fought for our Independence and Freedoms in a variety of ways. I will be eternally grateful for their sacrifices. Below is an excerpt from one of their encounters. Check out our www.rockwoodfamily.com

In 1764 a party of Indians raided the House of David Cloyd near Amsterdam in Botetourt County,killing his wife, Margaret and son,John. An account of this massacre is given in Waddel’s “Annals of Augusta County”, written in 1843 by Mrs. Letitia Floyd, wife of Gov. Floyd and Daughter of Col. William Preston. “One day in March 1764 when Col. William Preston had gone to Staunton, Mrs. Preston early in the morning heard two gun shots in quick succes­ sion in the direction of David Cloyd’s house half a mile distant. Presently, Joseph Cloyd rode up on a plow horse and related that the Indians had killed his brother John, had shot at him (the powder burning his shirt) and having gone to the house had probably killed his mother. Mrs. Preston immediately sent a young man to notify the garrison of a small fort on Craig’s Creek and then dispatched a white man and two Negroes to Mr. Cloyd’s. They found Mrs. Cloyd tomahawked in three places but still alive and conscious.She told of the assault by the Indians, of their getting drunk, ripping up the feather beds and carrying off the money. They were pursued by a party of militia including the Cloyd’s son, Michael and his two Neeley brothers-in-law. One of the Indians was killed near 1ohn’s creek, thirtymiles or more from the scene of the massacre and robbery. One hundred and thirty-seven pounds were found on the body of the dead Indian. A disputed ten pence was returned to Cloyd. Each militia man was paid five pounds. Part of the stolen silver was also recovered.”

My Cloyd Grandparents joined with the Overmountain Men to fight the British in the Carolina’s during a turning point of the Revolutionary War. With them were Col Preston, Campbells , Kents , McGavocks and Crocketts. All of them placed their lives on the line for our freedom.

Thank you for all that you have done for our Country. I am honored to be one of you. My son and myself are US Army Veterans.

Frank Drummond

True Love Stories Never Have Endings. ~Richard Bach

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Rockwood Manor would like to help create your love story. Show the one you love how special they are by taking advantage of our two nights/ three days Special for Valentine’s Day. While you are in town plan to attend Pulaski Theatre’s “Closer Walk With Patsy Cline” It is a loving tribute to her spirit and celebration of the music of her life.  When you make your reservation on line for Friday, Feb 12th – Feb 14th you will be given a 15% discount.

Honeymoon Ideas for the Newlyweds

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If you are currently planning a wedding, you are likely to have run into more than your fair share of stressful situations. While the big day is surely going to be one to remember, it is the honeymoon where the fun really starts – no more flowers to order, no more bridesmaids to organize, and no more lost wedding invitations to deal with.

Once you have made the most important speech of your life, all that’s left to do is hop in the car, head to the airport, and prepare to jet off somewhere spectacular. But wait, how are you supposed to afford an amazing honeymoon after spending a considerable amount of money on the perfect nuptials? The good news is that there are a hundred and one alternative honeymoon ideas that can be done on a budget.

These quirky honeymoon ideas for newlyweds will help you to make sure that your big day is followed by an even bigger holiday.

Charter a sailboat

If you love the water, why not think about chartering a sailboat? While a week spent on a formally organized cruise could set you back anything from $1,500 to $4,000 per person (depending on the itinerary), short-term boat charters tend to come at a much lower price. It could be time to take a lesson from entrepreneur Lord Laidlaw, who has spent much of his fortune investing in remarkable sailboats and traveling the waters of the world – he is also responsible for the Laidlaw Research and Leadership Scholars.

Go all out at home

If the bank balance is looking a little sad post-wedding, and you are stuck for budget travel ideas, why not dispense with the travel altogether and go for all-out luxury in or around your hometown? It might sound strange at first, but if you forgo the need to shell out for expensive flights, you will be able to afford luxury treatment everywhere you go – just swap your flight money for an all-inclusive package at a local spa or resort.

Take a road trip

Who said that the honeymoon has to be all about the destination? You could load up the car with supplies, grab a map, and set off on an epic road trip. In the US, this kind of holiday is an endless treasure trove of adventures and surprises – the country is just so big that you could drive for weeks and never get bored. If the purse strings really are tight, go old school and stop off for snacks and lunch ingredients at convenience stores and supermarkets along the way, instead of eating out at fancy restaurants.

Use your imagination

The reality is that anything is possible if you just invest a little time and imagination in making it happen. There are no hard and fast rules governing what you should do on your honeymoon, so make the break yours – forget island resorts if you are more of a pedal to the metal road trip kind of couple. If the thought of lying on a beach all day bores you, start planning something that feels right for you.

What is Memorial Day?

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Ten years ago we came to Dublin Virginia to take on the project of restoring the old family home Rockwood. While repairing everything I noticed the lower level plaster walls were covered in graffitti. Names, drawings, trains, horses, wagons and some dates. Facinating history. Like looking at a prehistoric cave wall.

One very elaborate signature stood out “Elliott Hampton Howe 1897” written in a giant scrolling script. I wondered who he was and why the signature was here. It wasn’t till years later I was given a book “Listen to the Mockingbird” written by Lt Col Daniel Dunbar Howe about the Howe, Hoge, Tyler familes and our  connections. I learned from this that Elliott was born 1880 and was 17 years old and our cousin visiting the home at the time.

Fast forward to World War One and young Lieutenant Howe was 38 , married with children, and serving our country in the great Battle of the Meuse -Argonne. Leading his platoon he was struck by a German artillary shell and died there in France.

Memorial Day is set aside to Honor our fallen soldiers who have given the greatest sacrifice for God & Country and I am proud to have learned of this unknown member of our family and what he did for the USA. Thank you Elliott for this.

There are a lot of family members who served in various wars and branches of service back to the French Indian and Revolutionary War and up through the current time. Some of these are being posted in our http://RockwoodFamily.com website.

Our new Website is now here and LIVE!

After months of working on the new responsive website we have now taken it Live. Still items and bugs to work out but for the most part I am quite happy with the new look.All sorts of pictures but only a small part of what we actually have from years of happy occasions. I actually feel it finally does the home justice and we are actually updating and adding new content on ourselves and our wonderful Virginia Blue Ridge. This blog post is also a test of that in this new site. Thanks for following us a we grow.

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