Honoring Veterans

Civil War Grave in the Forest

I honor veterans — those who made the ultimate sacrifice. No matter the outcome, the sacrifice is often more than what we civilians comprehend. I continue to honor them for their service today and every day.

The graves pictured here are in the White Mountain National Forest. I hiked there on my way to Thornton Gore — the ghost town where my ancestors (Native and Colonists) lived so long ago.

A. Wyman Pettengill (Amasa Wyman Pettengill) served twice during the Civil War and died of disease at Fort Mansfield, Maryland, on March 14, 1865, at the age of twenty.

I visited the remnants of my ancestors' (Mrs. H. Pettingill) farm as indicated on an old, hand-drawn map. Like countless other communities, the lumber industry wiped out these places, leaving them abandoned by the death of the forests.

I trace my roots back before they arrived in America, where my Native ancestors were already in place. Highlighting this complex history can inspire us to appreciate the depth of our shared past and foster respect and acknowledgment. What we think we know is but a fraction of the bigger picture. Unraveling and shining a light on this is my life’s purpose.

Gravesite in the White Mountain National Forest