My family were PA coal miners and railroad workers. My German grandfather that was in the mines fought against Irish in their small town. Life was different in the 1920s.
My family came over from Wales in the early 1700s...into South Carolina. All the up up until 1860...none of them ever owned slaves. All pursued their own small farm and their chunk of the American dream. As I look across at this vast agruement that people want to drag up...I guess I'm missing the boat because I just can't connect myself or my heritage to any part of this entire argument. There are alot southerners like myself...from Scotland or England...who had no ownership connection. As I look across at home county in north Alabama in 1850...less than 5 percent of the adult male population could claim ownership of any slaves. That means 95 percent weren't practicing or participating in the business.
As I look across the line at what lives were expended in this grand civil war...the number of lives lost to bring both the war and slavery to an end...there is an element of payback (in advance). Unlike today's soldiers who die in line for the country...your family in 1865 got nothing much for the life given. Its funny how we will never hear a single black say a word of appreciation for Union soldiers and their fight to the end.