mangum
Bronze Member
- Jul 2, 2012
- 2,319
- 3,525
- 🏆 Honorable Mentions:
- 1
- Detector(s) used
- AT Pro, MXT Pro Back-up
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
Hello all. I've been meaning to share this story for a while, just haven't gotten around to it. A few weeks ago I went back to my hometown to visit my Mom & do some detecting. Saturday morning I decided to forego my usual spots and try something new. I had been wanting to get permission to detect my great great grandfathers homeplace for a while so I decided I would take the morning & try to secure permission. I pulled up to the house & it was abandoned! Btw- I DID NOT take that as a sign that it was Ok to hunt. I went to the home next door & no answer. I knew a relative that lived close by so I stopped by to see if he could point me in the right direction. He told me the guy right across the street from him owned the property (his mother who was living there is in the nursing home now). I went across the street and alas I secured my permission! I had been hunting for an hour or so & the landowner pulled up to see if I had found anything. We were chatting about this & that, then he starts telling me a story about his great grandfather. He said "he was in the 5th NC Confederate cavalry in the Civil War & had 3 horses shot from under him". I stopped him & said "you're talking about CC Wheeler aren't you?" He replied "yes!" CC Wheeler was my great great great grandfather! You may be saying, "big deal", but this was on my mothers side, the house I was hunting was on my Dad's side. I met another relative! I continued my hunt (didn't find much surprisingly, for as big as the home & the family was this place has been hunted before, more than likely by trespassers) and stopped back by his house as promised to show him what I had found. He invited me in & it turns out he had a photo of our ancestor I had never seen before & I was able to get a copy!!! That was definitely the find of the day & priceless in my mind. He also had an original pic of a photo I had a copy of & I was able to get a better one. CC Wheeler had his leg amputated after the third horse was shot from under him at Wilson House Va as you can see in the photo. He rode under the command of Jeb Stuart & mentioned his death in a letter home. I've also included a pic of him when he enlisted from a NC history book. You never know who or what you will run across in this hobby. I was lucky enough to meet a distant relative & a new friend. He told me to give him a heads up the next time I drive up & he'll show me some more spots! Score! I've also included pics of my finds from my great great grandfathers home, the finds weren't much but I will cherish them & keep them in the family! Just thought Id share this cool story with everyone, I got something very special & I didn't find it with a detector!
A link to a website that a relative set up in honor of my ancestor, really cool. I've tried to get permission to hunt his homesite but don't think I'll get it unfortunately.... http://blueandgrayancestors.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-2nd-great-grandfather-private.html?m=1
A link to a website that a relative set up in honor of my ancestor, really cool. I've tried to get permission to hunt his homesite but don't think I'll get it unfortunately.... http://blueandgrayancestors.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-2nd-great-grandfather-private.html?m=1
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