Senior Moments

On a sad note we learned that Betsy’s brother, Ray, died yesterday (Friday) afternoon.  Please keep Betsy and Ray’s family in your prayers.  Our posting and visiting your blogs are likely going to be hit and miss for the next few days.

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Betsy in Grace Episcopal Church, Yorktown, Virginia. June 22, 2007.

While we were in Virginia in 2007, we visited the town of Yorktown, Virginia as well as the battlefield there.  The town was formed in 1691, and was a thriving port at the time of the Revolution.

There were three things that we found to be of particular interest in Yorktown.  The first was Grace Episcopal Church, which was built in 1697 and is still in use.  The churchyard contains the grave of Thomas Nelson, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Nelson’s home is still standing and we were able to go inside.  Thomas Nelson was  a general in the American army during the Siege of Yorktown.  When he heard that Lord Cornwallis was using his house as headquarters, Nelson directed the artillery that was firing on the house.  There is still a cannonball in the outer wall of the house on the side facing the American siege lines.

The third interesting thing for us about the town was the Ballard House.  Betsy’s mother was a Ballard and Betsy thought there might be a connection between her and John Ballard, the owner of the house.  She has since learned that John Ballard was an ancestor.

To see more of our visit to Yorktown click HERE.