When you are invited to visit a place that is historical and welcoming, do not hesitate. Recently, I had the privilege of visiting a very special place called Stone of Scone Farm in Littlestown, Pennsylvania, right outside of Gettysburg. I was the guest of Patricia Green-Rodgers and her husband, Bob Rodgers, and their hospitality was exceptional.
Season of Greatness circle member, Dr. NaNotchka Chumley, introduced Patricia and I through email and through that connection, a friendship was formed with the focus and purpose to build bridges and understanding across the country with women who have a passion for knowing their history so they can better understand their story.
I think of Patricia Green as the Cultural Ambassador for Adams County, Pennsylvania because she has a heart and desire to open the minds of people, especially African Americans, to know that they too have a place in history in areas such as Gettysburg. Gettysburg is known for the infamous battle during the Civil War that was a turning point and where President Lincoln stated his famous speech, “The Gettysburg Address.”
We do not often think of the role African Americans played in the Civil War, but we had a presence as well. To help keep our history alive, Jean Howard Green runs and manages the Lincoln Cemetery, where Black citizens of the area were buried, including some of her ancestors. The cemetery also pays tribute to Black soldiers from the various wars.
Patricia and Bob also took me to the Dobbin House for dinner. The house also served as a passageway for enslaved Blacks through the Underground Railroad. These were just a small representation of our culture and presence in the Gettysburg area.
Although my paternal family hails from Texas, by way of Virginia and Mississippi, and my maternal side comes from Wisconsin by way of Germany, I still was very interested in learning as much as I could while I was in Gettysburg to see if I personally had any connections. Due to the catastrophe of slavery, many families were either forced to move around or chose to go where they could in search of a new life.
Pennsylvania was not a slave state, so it could easily attract the enslaved people who were on the run. I always like visiting cemeteries and historical centers to see if any of my relatives might have lived there and made an impact. Unfortunately, although the cemetery had Reed’s (my paternal grandmother’s maiden name), and Jean believed there might have been a Harris or two (my paternal grandfather’s family name), I do not think I am related to any of them, but you never know.
During my stay, Patricia set up several meet-and-greets and I was able to meet women from across Adams County. They were very welcoming, and we talked about various subjects around forgiveness, building bridges, and cultural understanding. Truth be told, we all have ancestors whose blood runs deep in the roots of every battle fought for justice.
We also recognize there is still work that needs to be done to make our country truly united. Historically, women have played a pivotal role in communication, connecting, and moving the needle forward when faced with serious issues. Now is no different.
Let it be in the battlefield of our hearts that we fight for truth, righteousness, love, compassion, and greatness, not for our own self, but also for our fellow man. The women I met were on the same page of hoping to achieve the goal of coming together to know our history and fix our issues in hopes of a better tomorrow.
The term “The Stone of Scone” is a Scottish symbol of power and is also known as the stone of destiny. When I asked Bob how he came up with the name, he said it is in honor and recognition of his Scottish heritage and both he and Patricia hope that when people visit, they will feel like royalty.
I must say that their desire was achieved. I definitely felt like royalty while visiting them and I believe it was part of my destiny to visit so I could share this story with each of you.
Healing Without Hate: It’s a choice. It’s a lifestyle. Pass it on.
Visit www.WendyGladney.com and www.forgivingforliving.org to learn more. Wendy is a life strategist, coach, consultant, author, and speaker.
