Bedroom Window on the old Kennington House, watercolor.

The old Kennington house has been on my mind this fall.  

The bedroom window happened to make a pretty good composition.

 I think of who would have looked out the window on a cold winter day or felt the breezes through it in July, when there was good news, and when there was bad news.  

 It's been fun to try in a couple of different sizes.  I'll probably try it lots of times.  

 This was a time when art was simply therapeutic.

The old Kennington House is no more

Thought you might like a final look at the old Kennington house site on the Swift Creek Road. The lot hasn't looked like that in 107 years.   Time marches on...

Mission photo upgrade

George Seward Kennington

Dorothy had this in her family history box.
Details are always better from the original.
Thanks for sharing it Mom.

Mississippi Mission Conference, 1906

Close-up of George sporting a handle bar mustache.

Elders Mississippi Conference May 28, 1906

Back Row - W.H. Hopkins, D. Gourley, R.M. Jyppson, W.N. Wignall, D. Powell, W. G. Hopkins,
O.R. Williams, C. Jenks, W.A.H. Hatch, L.W. Woolsey,
Middle Row - B.M. Crump, J.E.Gurler, D. Rowley, L.R. Baker, Pres. E.D. Buchanan, G.S. Kennington, G. Berry
Front Row - D. Smith, C. Lilyinquist, J. Jepsen

According to Wickipedia, there were 1018 members in the Mississippi Conference in 1906. Anyone know of a mission journal or other surviving artifacts from this period of George's life?

George Seward Kennington and Martha Emma Weber

George Seward Kennington and Ada Caroline Kimball

South Afton Sunday School 1929

"Compliments to Mothers
South Afton Sunday School
Mother's Day 1929"

What a great photo! Another slice of life for the Kennington family. You'll want to pull your magnifying glass out for this one.

• George, who was serving as Bishop, is second from the left with Garth next to him in a striped tie.
• Audine and Forrest are on the front row right above the "SOU" in "South". She has her hands clasped and he is in a dark sweater with a white shirt.
• Gwen is directly above Forrest 4 rows with her head cocked to our right.
• Cliss and Berniece are to her right - same row (on the left of the pillar).
• Bev is right below them and looks just like Audine, only bigger.
• Is that Gordon on the left of Garth - dark hair parted in the middle? If not, how about the boy over the top of the little boy in the bow tie on the front row - barely forehead and eyes showing.The little boy above Forrest in the checked sweater is dressed in a simular way to Forrest ; could that be Gordon? Any one able to help with that? Maybe Jeri can look?
• I couldn't find Martha, then it dawned on me that she would have been home with the new baby, Craig, just a few weeks old.

George Seward Kennington in his younger years

George Seward Kennington at the time of his mission to the Southern States. The caption on the lower photo says that it was taken after a bout of malaria and when his mother saw how gaunt and thin he looked, she cried. He seems thinner in the upper photo to me...anyone have an idea?

Update, Nov 6: Talked with Dorothy (Mom) this weekend and she remembered the pre-malaria picture to be below (leaning on his hand) and the post-malaria photo to be in the oval frame above where he is so much thinner.

Date unknown, but he seems in his 30's or 40's.
The hair has changed a little, from Missionary times, and his face looks older.
Anyone know more?

George S. Kennington farming

From Maude R.'s photo album with her caption. Forrest had reproduced this photo.

"George Kennington Farm" written in Aunt Cliss's hand.
In Forrest's hand below, "North of Afton about 1935"

Burton Store & Afton reunion

George Kennington "tending store" at the Burton Store Branch at Freedom. There he met Ada Kimball, his first wife, standing to the left.

Back row l-r: Dorothy, Forrest, Art, Gordon, Craig, Gene. Seated l-r: Gwen, Cliss, Carol. Audine, Helen, Colleen.

Children of George, Ada, and Martha with their spouses gather in Afton during the 1990's at a Reunion.