September, 2024
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Photo Gallery

Ancient Castle Ruins

New Guinea Tribesman

Man Viewing Field

Crowd of Natives

Bruce with Dog Beneath Driftwood

Blacksmith Smelting at Forge

Antique Jug

Yellow Flowers on Stone Wall

Woman at Bakery with Bread

Waterfall at Cliff

Village and Hillside

Trees and Field with Church Spire

The Chief Engine 62

Tall Palm Trees

Stone Wall with Stucco Spire

Stone Wall with Spire

Stone Cliffs and Mountain

Snow-Covered Village

Snow-Covered Village

Sam at Basketball Event

Rustic Village and Street

Rooftop Village View

Riverside Village with Bridge

River with Surrounding Village

Panoramic with Bridge and Mountain

Open Street Market

Once Upon a temple in Bali

Old Historical Passport Document

Monkey Batu

Mine Shaft Cart-way

MINE-Ne Prilazite Sign

Man with Smart-phone

Man Seated at Gravesite

Man in Field with Sheep

Lilacs in Snow

Life in Croatia Graffiti

Large Brown Dog

Historical Black and White Group Photo

Gravesite with Trees

Grassy Knoll With Spire

Giant Chess Game

Gateway Entrance Through Stone Arch

Garden and Forest

Field with Gardens

Dirt Road Beside Buildings and Field

Church Spire and Old Building

Church on Street

Catacomb at Graveyard

Cat Beside Wooden Fence

Bubbling Brook

Bruce Seated with Two Men

Bruce Seated for Lunch

Bruce in Front of a Temple

Bruce During Street-food Transaction

Black and White Men with Horses

Black and White Barn

Beekeper and Apiary

Apartment Complex with Field

Antique Monochrome Church Photo

Antique Jug

Antique Jug

Antique Jug

Antique Jug

Antique Jug

Ancient Stone Fortress

Ancient Church
Sharna’s Great Great Grandmother
Christina LeVant was born enslaved in 1842 on a plantation in Marion S.C. Her father Frank LeVant and his wife were bought over on a slave ship from the east coast of Africa. Christina, known as Tina, worked as a lady’s maid to her slave owner Mrs. W.J. Baker. When Tina’s mother was on her deathbed, she begged her owner Mrs. Baker, not to sell her children. Mrs. Baker granted her request and later in her will, left Tina and her older sister to her brother.
Mrs. Baker died the summer before the Civil War broke out and Tina, then 17 was put in the fields by her new owner, to work as a water girl. She would fill a heavy wooden pail with water, carry it on her head and walk a mile around the plantation many times a day to carry water to the slaves working in the fields. In addition to carrying water, Tina also watched for the overseer and warned the slaves so that he wouldn’t catch them praying. She continued this work until the age of 20 when the war was over.
When the Emancipation Proclamation was in effect, many of the freed slaves stayed on the plantation under contract with the owners who agreed to give them part of the crops raised. Tina stayed for some time. During her stay, a Negro Clergyman named “Smith” went to Marion to organize a church. He distributed Bibles. Tina kept hers close to her heart and read it faithfully. She was one of the lucky slave children who was taught to read and write by her owners. One of the plantation owners gave them an acre of land to build a church. The site of the church was called African Methodist Hill.
As time went on a lay preacher, named John Platt was in charge of the African Methodist Zion church in Marion, S.C. Tina later married the son of John Platt Sr in 1868, and together they were able to save enough to buy a small plot of land for a house and garden. They raised vegetables, chickens and a few pigs. Tina spun cotton cloth to clothe her children. She also made her own bread and soap. In 1905 John Jr and Tina moved to Waterbury CT where they helped organize the Pearl St. Church. Tina and John had 11 children (Elliot, George, John, Arthur, Mary, Fannie, Daisy, Florence, Ruth, and 2 died at birth). Tina and John worked hard to give their children an education.
Three of the girls attended Livingston College and one of them became a Domestic Science teacher. Arthur graduated from Boston university Law School and practiced in Spartanburg S.C. George became one of the best trap drummers in the theater and worked with bands in Hollywood. John also graduated from Livingston College and was an ordained minister in 1915. He became a supply Minister for the New England District of the AME Zion Church.
Tina later moved to Medfield MA where she lived with her daughters Fannie and Ruth. Together they had a large garden 150 chickens and 4 pigs. In addition to her 11 children, Tina had 26 grandchildren and over 22 great grandchildren. John died in 1930 at the age of 83 but Tina lived until 1943 dying at the age of 101.
MISCELLANEOUS

