So… living in the area where my grandmother’s ancestors settled in 1816 has it pluses and minuses. The pluses of course are easy access to records, you can visit the places they lived and the cemeteries where they are buried to make research a little easier. The minuses are watching the homes that are still standing crumble and fade away due to neglect.
The “Homeplace” has many fond memories for my cousins and family members. Even though I only visited it once (when I was in 6th grade) after it had long been sold out of the family, my grandma often talked of how she wished she could have been able to buy it and fix it up again. Now that she is gone, it seems to be a wish that I have. I have an strong desire to own land first purchased by the Thomas family. Land that still has homes those ancestors built. To have that connection to my ancestors not only in thought but to have a place for family to gather once again and visit and tell stories of what they remember about their childhood. Three homes once stood on the land purchased in 1816. One brick structure that burned in 1939 that is believed to have been built in the 1820’s that belonged to Dr. John Thomas; the 2nd that was built in 1830 by Dr. John’s son James Peirce Thomas (still standing but needs to be saved in the next 5 years) and the third built sometime after 1850 which is where 6 generations of Thomas’ once lived.
This whole resurgence or desire of wanting to live a simpler life in the country running self sufficient, hobby type farm and owning the homeplace has been on my mind for some time. But now, after recently driving past the farm, an overwhelming sense of desperation overtakes me as I see that the barn roof has collapsed. Yes… structures don’t last forever… but they do last longer when maintained. I suffer from a sense of pride for what my ancestors accomplished and have difficulty sitting by and watching what they built with their very lives disappear into oblivion. Great memories that will soon be forgotten as family members pass on.
If ever there was a time to buy a lottery ticket… I guess now would be it. Even though the farm is not for sale… I wonder if someday it will be. So, here I sit hoping for some miracle to happen to get us out of small town city life into a refuge of solace, peace, simplicity and a reconnection to ancestors and family who had the right idea of country life.
rwilliamsgenealogy 
I envy you for living in the same area as your ancestors. I wish I lived in Richmond, or at least Wayne County, so that I could go to the cemeteries, the courthouse and the libraries in my spare time. Living an hour and a half away is just prohibitive enough that I never get around to going. But hopefully in 2011 I’ll be able to make a few trips over that way and do some research.
And I feel the same way about the ancestral land and buildings. It’s almost painful.