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From: "Carol A. Johnson" <>
Subject: Re: [ILJOHNSO-L] Buncombe
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2000 23:20:30 -0800
References: <003901bf95fa$d9fa85e0$050810ac@linda> <000b01bf960d$a679bac0$8a6cd8cd@pavilion>


"When you say Egypt are you talking Lake of Egypt?"


Chris and Group,

When I mentioned Egypt, I was referring to the southern 1/3 of IL. The
story goes that there was a big drought in the northern and central part of
IL. The only place to get grain was in Southern Illinois. Folks from the
north would say that they were "going down into Egypt."
Don't know how much truth is here, but that's the story I heard. Tim, can
you help me out here?
Can't remember where I read it.

My g-grandparents are burr in Union County, by Wolf Lake, In the Shawnee
Nat'l Forest.
Some "Cousins" have a cottage on the Lake of Egypt.

Tim, I love the grandpa story. That's what makes genealogy fun. Not just
collecting names and dates, but the stories. . .

One thing I know from my "southern" (at least south of here) Mama, is that
they do love a good story. She had several. I cherish every one.

A few years back we were in Carbondale, and a professor there gave a talk
about the folks who in the 1800's migrated from TN,KY and NC. He said that
they were "poor whites following poor whites into Illinois." That was true
in the case of my gg-grandfather. He then added "they dearly loved a good
ghost story." That was true of my mother. . .she could scare the bejezus
out of us with her story about her "Aunt Maude, who was a witch woman."

Cheers, Carol





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