Meet Our Members ~ Lori Crecelius Roberts

Lori Roberts is an educator, historian, author, and presenter for historical events and workshops. She has taught for twenty-seven years. Currently, she teaches United States History at the Middle School level and presents the personas of Mrs. General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson (Mary Anna Morrison Jackson), as well as Corrie Ten Boom, Concentration Camp survivor, the 1st First Lady of Indiana, Ann Gilmore Hay Jennings, and First Lady Martha Washington.

Lori writes historical fiction and paranormal/mystery. She lives in rural southern Indiana with her husband. She has three grown children and eight grandchildren.

Because of her busy schedule, she is taking a few months off from blog posting, but you can read her prior posts and check out her links by clicking MEMBER PAGE

The First Moon Walk ~ by Lori Roberts

     It’s hard to believe that in July, the first moon walk will be 50 years old. I was six years old in 1969, and I don’t remember watching the historic walk. We had been to a church picnic that day, and I was tuckered out by the time the astronauts made the touch down.
     Even though I fell asleep before Neil Armstrong took those famous steps on the moon, I’ve always been interested in the space program. I grew up in southern Indiana, about forty minutes from the home of a pioneer of the space program.
     

I grew up knowing about Virgil “Gus” Grissom. He was born and raised in Mitchell, Indiana. His biography is impressive prior to coming to NASA. He served in both WW2 and the Korean War. He graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I didn’t realize he was famous when we visited the small museum containing the small Liberty Bell spaceship at Spring Mill State Park, in Mitchell. As a child, we visited often, and I remember how tiny the spaceship seemed to a 4th grader.

      Over the years, I came to know more about the space program and the bravery those early astronauts displayed during the early days of the space program. Grissom was selected to command the first manned mission of what would become known as Apollo 1. Unfortunately, Grissom and the rest of his crew, Ed White and Roger Chaffee, never made it into space. They died on January 27, 1967, in a fire during a pre-flight test at the NASA Space Center in Cape Kennedy (now Cape Canaveral), Florida. Grissom left behind a wife and two children.

     

In the late nineties, my ex-husband was transferred to CraneNaval Support Center, and we moved to Bedford, IN. Mitchell and Bedford are in the same county, less than 5 miles apart. Driving into Lawrence County from all directions, one is greeted with a large sign: “Welcome to Lawrence County, home of astronauts Grissom, Bowersox, and Walker. Yes, that’s correct, three astronauts all from the same small southern Indiana county.

     Our county is proud of the accomplishments of these men, and their families are still part of the community. I’ve had the grandchildren of Mr. Walker in my class at school.

     As authors, we may never make the best-selling author list, or make a tidy sum in royalties and sales, but we are leaving a legacy to our children and grandchildren. When someone checks out my books in the library or purchases them at a signing, I’m living my dream, just like Gus Grissom, Kenny Bowersox, and Charlie Walker.

Seeing Double ~ by Lori Roberts

     You know what they say, “Everyone has a double somewhere!”  Well, I believe they are right.  I see people everywhere I go that looks like someone else.  My first memory of seeing a doppelganger was in my youth.  My dad was a doppelganger of his uncle, Knoful.  I remember seeing him at family reunions and thinking how much they resembled each other, but my dad wasn’t gray yet, so the resemblance wasn’t striking.
     Fast forward to my early twenties.  My father would stop on his way home from work at the local grocery store near my house.  His uncle also lived nearby.  As I made my way into the store, I saw who I thought to be my dad.  I even called out, “Dad!” to which Uncle Knoful turned.  Since he was the father of twelve children, he assumed I was one of his.  We both got a good laugh out of it, and I went on to tell Dad the next time I saw him.
     This happened one other time, but with my best friend. She saw Uncle Knoful dining with his wife at a local restaurant.  My best friend didn’t know him but told her husband that my dad was sitting across from them, only he wasn’t with my mom.  You can image! She called me later to tell me she saw my dad. I already knew before she finished. My parents were on a trip to Australia, so I knew who she’d seen.
     I’m sure you have similar stories or experiences. I have been doing research for a new novel I’m writing, set in the 1910-1912 Edwardian era. I was leafing through countless images and came across the story of a lady who’d survived not only the Titanic sinking, but two other disasters at sea as well. 
   

 Google Violet Jessup. She is quite the story. When I posted her picture on my history site, I started getting comments about there being a resemblance to me and some asked if this was a picture of me in character.  Of course, I didn’t see the resemblance, but out of the comments the post received, many saw something I didn’t. I share Violet’s photo aboard the Titanic, and myself as a historical character.

     I can think of several occasions throughout my life when someone approached me, thinking I was someone else. It happens to us all, I’m sure. I became interested in the idea of doppelgangers and did a bit of research after seeing an image of Nicholas Cage and his Civil War doppelganger. So, I will share a few of the ones I found. There are many! See if you agree, everyone has a twin.

Jennifer Lawrence and Zubaida Tharwat

Nicholae Grigorescu and Orlando Bloom

Ginger Rogers and Christina Aguilera

Jack Black and Paul Revere

Zora Neale Hurston and Queen Latifah

Conan O'Brien and Marshall Harvey Twitchell

unknown gentleman on the left

Maggie Gyllanhaal and Rose Wilder Lane

WWII General Douglas MacArthur and Bruce Willis

     After looking at my examples, do you agree? 

     I’ve enjoyed taking a side bar while researching. I think I’m easily distracted, which is probably why I get research for other books on my gallivanting around in history.

     I hope to have a future paranormal book (book 3 in my Lowcountry series) about something similar, only with our ancestors. I’ll keep you posted!

Heirlooms~ Gifts from our Ancestors ~ by Lori Crecelius Roberts

I love history. I’m a history geek and claim it. I’ve always loved antiques for as long as I can remember. Through the years, I’ve been blessed to have in my possession many heirlooms from my family. As a historian, I see the value in those items that were part of my ancestors’ lives.


My father’s ancestors came to America from Germany in 1764. For as long as I can remember, the stories about their emigrating to first Philadelphia and then to picturesque eastern Tennessee in the 1780s piqued my curiosity. It’s no wonder the genealogy bug bit me at a young age.

My grandmother and I spent many hours talking about the family. She and my grandfather lived on the same home place that my great-great-great-grandfather and grandmother lived before Indiana became a state in 1816.  

As an author, the names and stories passed down through my grandmother and family members have found their way into the pages of my novels. The items from their past appear in the scenes of my stories.

I use family names in my stories as well. In my latest book, the main characters are my Crecelius ancestors who came to America from Reichelsheim, Germany in 1764.

My grandfather’s pipe from the early twentieth century was the first heirloom I received. It still has the smell of the tobacco inside. A shaving mug and brush, razor and strap, land deeds, and family Bibles are treasures that I hope to pass down someday. 

My great-great-great-grandmother’s spinning wheel that traveled from the mountains of eastern Tennessee to the hills of southern Indiana remained in the homestead until the 1960s when it spent the next fifty years with my aunt. Upon her death, the heirloom was passed to me. 

A cast iron bean pot that also came to Indiana was used during the 1700s and placed in the fireplace of the Indiana homestead. It stayed with my mother and father until this year. 

Slowly, items from the first generation in America have found their way to me. Perhaps it is fitting and proper, one who loves family history should be the keeper of the heirlooms. The items can only be enjoyed by those who see their value.

Christmas Past by Lori Roberts

photo: Pinterest

The older I get, the more I wax nostalgic. It seems like there is a memory attached to everything during Christmas. My memories aren’t limited to Christmas, but so many memories are tied to Christmases past.

While putting up the different trees in the house, my mind wandered back to the memory attached to the ornament or decoration I was holding. Growing up, my mom bought ornaments for my sister and me each Christmas. The earliest one was 1973. I was ten years old and I have all the ornaments since that Christmas. 

Most brought a smile, while a couple brought a tear. The snowman ornament she made for us the first Christmas after my dad passed is one that still puts a lump in my throat when I hang it on the tree. His hankie, shirt, and a sock were the material used to fashion this treasure. 

Another special ornament is a pair of crocheted ice skates with paperclips for the blades that my grandmother gave me. They have been on my tree for at least 3 decades. The ornaments my children made for me bring back wonderful memories when they still believed in Santa Claus.

I have the records I listened to as a child and have purchased replacements now that vinyl records are making a comeback. Listening to Andy Williams, Bing Crosby, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and Judy Garland transport me back to a time of innocence and wonder. I remember the excitement of listening to the large cabinet style stereo playing, a fire in the fireplace, and watching the lights of the Christmas tree. Life was simple and safe then.

photo: Pinterest

Family was and is a large part of Christmas. As a child, we always went to my maternal grandparents’ house on Christmas Eve. I can still smell the cedar tree covered in large bubble lights and tinsel in their living room. The house was full of my aunts, uncles, and cousins. Those memories are still vivid in my mind. 

photo: Pinterest

Last weekend I was part of a Christmas bazaar where I had a table to sell my books and book related items. Beside me was a vendor with doll clothes. I saw the Barbie clothes and was instantly transported to my childhood. My paternal grandmother gave all of the granddaughters a box of handmade Barbie clothes. I still remember how excited I was to open the box and see the tops, slacks, ballgowns, wedding dresses, and coats. She made each one with love.

I hope those who read this will be transported by their memories and I wish you all a blessed Christmas and blessed 2019.

Plugging Along ~ by Lori Roberts

I’ve been writing since 2011. Blogging isn’t something I enjoy doing, so for those of you who have a blog, my hat is tipped in your direction. When I’m writing a novel, there’s a good possibility I’m plugging along with a few other things.  
    Like all of you, I keep busy. I teach U.S. History during the day and write when home and on the weekends. The rest of my time is spent researching. It’s like the thrill of the hunt for me. I love going on location. My husband and I have a 5th wheel and during the summer and fall we try to plan our vacations around my time off from school and locations near my research sites.

    I can’t imagine writing a novel without first being where my characters will come to life.  I’m not knocking writers who aren’t able to put boots on the ground, so to speak.  It’s just how I roll.

    My parents were always traveling with my sister and me from the time I could walk. I credit my parents for instilling the love of American history in me.  

    Writing came about from characters wanting to tell their story.  It happened at the right time, as these things usually do.  I became a grandmother twice in two months, and it was for my grandchildren that the stories flew from my imagination to my computer.  It was my gift to them, should anything happen to me before they could know me. I even used family names, some centuries old, as characters in each of my books.

   Eight years, eight grandchildren, and five novels later, I’m still plugging along.