Friday, October 3, 2025

About Questions and Answers

Once upon time, more than a decade ago, I stepped into a little store with “esoteric” type goods. I had never visited it before. The lady who ran the establishment asked me to think of a question/something I wanted to know and next, draw a card from a Tarot card set. She offered  that to every customer who came to her place, to read the Tarot message for that particular person. I told the lady that I did not need that as that was how I felt about it.

The store keeper insisted – she wanted to learn why I said so. So I did draw a card. The message was:  “All the answers are within you”. It was no surprise to me and that was exactly what I thought rejecting the lady’s initial card reading offer. However, the store keeper seemed rather amazed. She said nobody else had drawn that card before. Perhaps not enough persons had come to the place? Who knows.

I do believe that the answers we seek are within us and, surely, I do not mean here the questions related to General Knowledge. That is a totally different matter.

Many people look for the fulfillment and comfort in the outside world only. Whatever they find there, though is temporary and fades away quite quickly. Thus, they need to be constantly surrounded by people and/or make another purchase again, and again, to keep the fulfillment flowing. It is like pouring water into void, a closed circle that never ends.

If you cannot find what you seek out there, perhaps it is time to look within?


It is quite common we choose to blame others for our failures and unsuccessful life. How convenient it is, blaming others and not taking any responsibility for our own life. Does it help us improve anything, though? 

I used to know a lady who had a good job but was not happy with her life. She found it boring and she blamed her parents and her social background for her situation. Whenever I met her, she kept saying she would like to learn a foreign language, join this and that club so that her life could be more interesting and exciting. The time was passing and she did nothing regarding what she was talking about. I came to a conclusion that she enjoyed it all - that narrative, blaming others and using it as an excuse for her own inertia. It grew so old that I stopped meeting her. 

Stop self-pitying. It does not improve anything and leads to nowhere. If you wish to change something in your life, act on it. If one direction does not work, try another one.

Another acquaintance once said, 

“I have been messed up because my father was …. (put an adjective or a noun of a negative meaning here).”


When we were children we could not do much about our life circumstances, I agree to that. Nonetheless, what if those conditions were given to us not as punishment but as a learning lesson? To learn from them, draw conclusions, and move on?

We are not our parents, you are not your mother, father. You are YOU so be yourself. Each of us is responsible for our own beliefs, thoughts, and emotions. They all carry positive or negative energy, depending on what our beliefs/thoughts are. If you believe you are nothing more than a product of other people’s actions and situations created by them, you are like a steerless boat thrown by the winds and storms of life from one side of the ocean to the other.


Be your life Captain,  bless the ones who you think have harmed you or influenced your life in a negative way. Let them go. Clinging to dark feelings/memories of traumatic moments/the past/ holds you back.  Sending those people negative thoughts is hurting you mentally and physically, not them. Do you really need that? Whatever was, was. Everything has a reason and nothing happens by accident. What we do and how we deal with it is another matter.

It is quite common that when a person happens to make a mistake, they say, “How stupid of me/ how clumsy I am” Are you such a person? Saying so, you express your negative belief about yourself and put yourself in a negative judgment frame. Why should you do that? Everybody makes mistakes, it is part of our lives. However, if you do not believe you are good enough who else will? Nobody.

Look at every moment and other people who surround you as part of life learning process. Somebody claims you will not succeed or are not smart enough? Why should you care? Perhaps they project their own anxiety on you. They are NOT you. If you believe them, you let them lead your life. You are the Captain of your life, your thoughts and beliefs. However you direct them, you direct your reality, as well. Focus on the positive.

Yes, it is possible. Discipline your thoughts. Our mind constantly talks to us, brings doubts and all that gloomy and fatalistic visions which create fear. Mind that hurting others, even if in thoughts only, is a road to self-destruction. Send love to others as whatever we send ripples back to us. It is not fantasy. Remember Physics and “every action creates reaction”?

Let all the grudges and regrets go. The past is the past, gone, the future has not happened, yet. Choose love, peace, harmony and the good. Focus on the current moment. Replace fear with positive thoughts and keep repeating them again and again. Love, Peace, and Harmony. You can create your own positive mantra such as for example, “God loves me and looks after me.” It is all not about any religion. It is about the universal laws of life. Whatever you focus on in your thoughts will amplify in real.  If  the word “God” does not resonate with you, use another one e.g. the Source or the Ultimate Creator. The meaning stays the same: “the source of life and everything that is”.

Be the Captain of your mind, thoughts, and beliefs.

Be the Captain of your life.

Saturday, September 20, 2025

Napoleon B. Breeding & Family - Part 3

28 December 1843 – Napoleon’s father David W Breeding passed.

 14 March 1844Richard Landy, Napoleon's brother, married Miss Artimecia Ware, in Colorado, Texas (4). The lady was born on 17 November 1827, in Gwinnett, Georgia. She was the daughter of Thomas Ware and Phoebe Peeler, sister of  Louisa, John’s wife. Richard Landy ran a mercantile business.


🔹Alexander was born to the couple in about 1846.

1847Fidelio, Napoleon’s brother, sold his share of the father’s estate to brother Benjamin, and in 1848, served with the U.S. Army in the Mexican.

🔹Josephine came to this world in abt. 1848.

👉 1848 – Napoleon owned 1376 acres of land (value $1376) in Colorado County (5).

1849 – Napoleon’s brother Fidelio passed in San Antonio. Together with his brother Benjamin, the man was going to go to California to look for gold.

🔹Cornelia M was born on 9 September 1850.

👉 About 1850 – Charlotte’s brother Alfred left Texas. Alexander, the oldest brother of Charlotte’s came to Texas and settled with his family on the land that belonged to his mother Mary.

🏠 Census 185029 August – the family of Napoleon B. Breeding was recorded in Fayette County. Napoleon was a farmer.   The value of his real estate was given as $2000. Mr. R Wilson, blacksmith, age 37, lived with the family (6).

Among the children registered by the clerk was also Mary Elizabeth, born on 20 January 1836, in Alabama. It seems, she was the first child of Charlotte’s, from her previous marriage to Mr. Temple (7).

 20 January 1853Mary Elizabeth married James L Harwell (8). 

1853Benjamin paid taxes in Fayette County for 3 horses and 60 heads of cattle (9).

In about ♦ 1854 – Napoleon’s mother Sally died.

1 November 1856 – Charlotte’s brother Alexander left this world.

18 July 1859Sarah Jane, age about 17, married Mr. Sidney S. Pollard in La Grange, Fayette, TX (10). He was born in about 1834, in Gonzales County, TX to William Roy Pollard, Sr. and Elvira Smith Pollard.

♦ Daughter Josephine died  by 1860.

🏡 Census 1860, 15th June – Napoleon (age 46), his wife Charlotte (age 40), and children, David (age 20), Benjamin (age 16), Alexander (age 14), and Cornelia (age 9) lived  in Fayette County, TX, Post Office Fayetteville. Napoleon was a farmer. His real estate was worth $1000, and his personal estate value was estimated for $4000.

⇒ Napoleon’s brothers – John (age 52) and Benjamin Wilkens (age 40) lived with their families in the same area, not far from each other (11). John’s wife was Louisa (age 36), the children who lived with them were Columbus (age 16), Sarah (age 14), David (age 12),  John (age 10), Thomas (age 8), Josephine (age 6),  Arthie (age 3), and Robert (age 2). A Mr. W. J. Shakelford (age 25, born in Georgia), a superintendent, lived in the household as well. John’s real estate value given in the record was $5000 and the personal estate was worth $14000.

⇒ John was the County Sheriff until 1840. Following that, he took part in the three month-long campaign against Comanche Indians serving under Colonel John Henry Moore. John and Louisa Park Ware (born on 6 July 1824, born in Gwinnett, Georgia) were married on ⚭ 10 February 1842, in Colorado City, Mitchell, TX (12). John was 34 on the day of their marriage. Louisa was about 16 year younger.

⇒ Benjamin Wilkens fought in the Texas Revolution when he was 16. In 1840, together with Napoleon, he was part of the Comanche campaign.  Two years later, Benjamin participated in the Vasquez and Woll Campaigns.


Benjamin Wilkens Breeding was 32 when he married  Miss Catharine Mayhar on 2 February 1850, in Colorado, Texas (13).

From census 1860: Benjamin W.’s Catherine (age 26) and their kids (according to the 1860 record) were Don R (age 6), Ada (age 5), Fidelio (age 2), and Mary (3 months). Ben was a farmer as well. His real estate was worth $12000 and his personal estate value was given as $10000.


Clipping source:
 The True Issue. (La Grange, Tex.), Vol. 9, No. 41, Ed. 1 Saturday, July 23, 1859newspaperJuly 23, 1859; La Grange, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1294586/accessed September 20, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fayette Public Library, Museum and Archives.

👉 It seems by the end of 1660, Napoleon’s wife had been registered as the owner of their property as it was her name only that appeared in the County taxes records. Perhaps, Napoleon’s health deteriorated (?). Anyhow, by then, the number of their cattle had risen to 75 heads. They also had 5 horses (14).

Napoleon Bonaparte (Pole) Breeding passed on 22 January 1861 (15).

TBC

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Other Posts about Napoleon B. Breeding

Part 1 - Napoleon Bonaparte Breeding & Family

Part 2 - the letter related to Snively Expedition

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This post is part of our series "They Lived in Texas"

Sources:

1.      4.  "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-2010", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV14-45M5 : Sun Jul 07 08:13:52 UTC 2024), Entry for Richard L Bruding and Artimecia Ware, 14 Mar 1844.

2.      5.  "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ8P-SWGV : Sat Mar 09 11:47:59 UTC 2024), Entry for Napoleon Breeding, 1848.

3.      6.  "United States, Census, 1850", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXLK-SCG : Wed Jan 22 11:54:19 UTC 2025), Entry for N B Breeding and Charlott Breeding, 1850.

4.      7.  Findagrave.com

5.      8. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-2010", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV14-71LS : Fri Jul 12 01:51:14 UTC 2024), Entry for James L Harwell and Mary E Breeding, 20 Jan 1853.

6.      9.  "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-4QKS : Wed Mar 06 17:07:17 UTC 2024), Entry for Sharlotte Breeding, 1853.

7.     10. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-2010", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV14-WZ7B : Fri Mar 08 06:08:33 UTC 2024), Entry for S S Pollard and Sarah J Breeding, 18 Jul 1859.

8.     11.  "United States, Census, 1860", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXFY-YLQ : Mon Jul 08 23:33:36 UTC 2024), Entry for N B Breeding and Sharlot Breeding, 1860.

9.   12. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-2010", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV14-4XM5 : Thu Apr 17 16:44:28 UTC 2025), Entry for John Breeding and Louisa P Nare, 10 Feb 1842.

"T  13. Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK8T-K53W : Wed Jul 10 10:55:55 UTC 2024), Entry for Benjamin W Breeding and Catharin Mayhar, 02 Feb 1852.

1014.  "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-4NK3 : Fri Mar 08 22:49:33 UTC 2024), Entry for Charlotte Breeding, 1860.

11115.   "Find a Grave Index", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVG4-4H4S : Mon Mar 17 22:59:06 UTC 2025), Entry for Napoleon Bonaparte Breeding.


Sunday, September 14, 2025

Napoleon B. Breeding - Part 2

 In 1843, Napoleon was part of Snively Expedition.

The note you can read below was posted by the Expedition participants (including napoleon and his uncle Benjamin Wilkens) to clear misconceptions that arose around the Expedition purpose/circumstances.





Source: Cruger & Moore. Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 44, Ed. 1, Wednesday, October 18, 1843newspaperOctober 18, 1843; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48256/accessed September 12, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

TBC

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Other Posts

Part 1 - Napoleon Bonaparte Breeding & Family

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This post is part of our series "They Lived in Texas"

Friday, September 12, 2025

Napoleon Bonaparte & Charlotte Breeding + Family

I learned about the couple from a history piece on the pavement when we visited La Grange, Fayette, Texas. I thought I would find out more about the couple. The research brought six pages of information related to Napoleon, Charlotte, and their relatives. I decided to break it into a series of posts, and here is the first one.


Napoleon Bonaparte Breeding came to this world in 1815, in Christian County, Kentucky. He was the third son of David W Breeding (born in 1776 in Virginia) and Sally Davis (born in abt. 1771 in Virginia).

His brothers were 

John, born on 16 October 1807, in Virginia

Richard Landy, born on 15 October 1810 in Kentucky,

Fidelio Sharp, born in 1818 in Kentucky,

Benjamin Wilkens, born on 10 January 1820, in Kentucky,

and Davis, born/died in 1828, in Kentucky.

👉 Mr. David W Breeding his wife and five sons came to Texas in 1832/1833. Napoleon was about 18 then. The family found his home in Mina Municipality along Cummins Creek.

In the second half of the year 1833, Napoleon’s cousins joined the family in Texas. They were George W., Edward Judson, James, and Gustavus, the sons of John breeding and Elizabeth Russell. John Breeding, the brother of David W., passed on 16 July 1833, his wife Elizabeth died earlier, in about 1827.

The boys attended the only school in the area – run in a log cabin on the land that belonged to the breeding family.

👉 In December 1835, Napoleon Bonaparte Breeding was a second sergeant and, together with Thomas  Alley’s Company, he fought in the siege of Bexar. Both Napoleon and his brother John served as Texas Rangers. Later, from 1835 to 1836, the man served in the Texas Army. At first, he was with Capt. William J. E. Heard’s company, however, due to an illness the man did not fight  in the Battle of San Jacinto (*). John, his brother was ill then as well, they both stayed in the camp. In the next year, Napoleon was with Steven Thousand’s company.

 14 December 1837Fayette County was created. Mr. David breeding served on the first Board of the Land Commissioners and was a juror during the first  session of the District Court.


Clipping sourceCruger & Moore. Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 3, No. 1, Ed. 1, Saturday, December 16, 1837newspaperDecember 16, 1837; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth47965/accessed September 12, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

⇒ 1 January 1838John, Napoleon’s brother, was elected the first Fayette County Sheriff and soon received 1/3 league of land there.

⚭ On 19 January 1838, 23 year-old Napoleon B. Breeding married Miss Charlotte O’Bar  (born on 7 May 1818, in Alabama). It happened in Fayette County, Texas. Their marriage was the first one recorded in the county (1).  Charlotte was the daughter of John O’Bar (native of Ireland, born in 1778) and Mary E Reed (born in Virginia in 1782).

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John O’Bar, Charlotte's father,  passed before 1837. In September 1837, Ms. Mary O’Bar came to Fayette County area, Texas with her children (Lucinda + husband Thomas Hodges, John + wife Nancy, Carson, Alfred, and Charlotte) and grandchildren. 

Charlotte stayed at home with her mother Mary who was granted 1280 acres of land in Warrenton Community.

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⇒ In 1837, Richard Landy, Napoleon's brother,  hauled lead for the government. On 2 February 1838, he received payment from the land Commissioners – 1/3 league of land in the Fayette County.

🔹1838 -  on 5th August, Napoleon and Charlotte’s first son, David S. was born.

👉 22 October 1838 – Napoleon breeding served as a juror during the first session of the District Court. Later, he was also was part of  the first Grand Jury.

👉 1838 – Napoleon  paid taxes (2)  in Colorado County for 1 horse (worth $40) and 7 heads of cattle (worth $100).

🔹Sarah Jane was born to Napoleon and Charlotte a year later, in 1839.

In the same year, Napoleon had 4 tracts of land in Fayette County (3).


Clipping source: Cruger & Moore. Telegraph and Texas Register (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 5, No. 7, Ed. 1, Wednesday, July 31, 1839newspaperJuly 31, 1839; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth48064/accessed September 12, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

1840 Lucinda, Charlotte’s sister died.

July 1842, her brother John passed.

🔹In 1843, the second son, Benjamin J. , was born to the family of Napoleon and Charlotte's.

TBC

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More about the Family

N B Breeding - Snively Expedition

Napoleon Bonaparte Breeding and Family - Part 3

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This post is part of our series "They Lived in Texas"

Sources:

"Daugthers of Republic of Texas. Patriot Ancestor " Album vol.1 - Turner Publishing Company, 1995

• Fayette County Founders

1. "Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F6YT-RTG : 22 January 2020), Napoleon B. Breeding, 1838.

2. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ8P-S3RM : Sun Mar 10 14:13:48 UTC 2024), Entry for Napolean B Breeding, 1838.

3. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-WYZN : Sat Mar 09 09:51:28 UTC 2024), Entry for Napoleon B Breeding, 1839.


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This post is part of our series "They Lived in Texas"  dedicated to those ones (their families and descendants) who at some point in their lives relocated to Texas/lived in Texas.

Wednesday, September 3, 2025

V-J Day at Local Museum

on 2 September, we attended a very interesting V-J Day Commemorative Event at the local museum - National Museum of the Pacific War. We were glad we had found out about it and were able to participate.


With the buffet treats and drinks, in a way, it was as if we had celebrated the end of the war 80 years ago (considering that, according to quantum physics, past, presence, and future happen at the same time, now).

The program of the commemoration, with the national Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance was quite patriotic.


The presence of the two WWII made it all quite special.


From the right (in white shirts) - Mr. Donald Graves and Mr. Ken Jones (USS Colorado veteran).


Introduction by Mr. David Shields, the Museum Director,


was followed by the lecture delivered by Mr. Jonathan Parshall.


During the event, I thought about my grandfather Józef, who was a POW and then a labor camp for five years of WW2.



We were honored to meet Mr. Donald Graves - Iwo Jima survivor.

Corporal Graves was a flamethrower of the 5th Marine Division, 28th Regiment, 2nd Battalion Dog Company. He was 17 when he joined the US Marine Corps in 1942.

An expected survival time of a flamethrower at Iwo Jima was 4 minutes. Miraculously, Mr. Graves lived through the battle with no harm to his body. You can learn more about the man from the interview with Mr. Graves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=N6naKvmyWAw

PS

Listening to the lecture mentioned above, I realized that at the history classes I had attended in my childhood (Easter European block), it was never mentioned  the Soviet entered Japan after the A bombs were dropped on the country by the US. I thought I might be wrong so asked my sister about that. She confirmed that she had not been taught about that either.

Friday, August 29, 2025

Universe Is Speaking Again

We were to watch a movie and I was planning to do some ironing while watching the show. The film began when I was still getting my “ironing station” ready. The very first scene of the movie - the characters of the show exchanged the lines:

- “I am making coffee. Are you coming?”

- “No, thank you. I have some ironing to do”.

How did they know I was about to start doing the latter as well? It was a musical and had nothing to do with ironing. We just laughed and laughed at it.


Sunday, August 24, 2025

About General Knowledge

When I was working with students, I often tended to hear their questions or incorrect answer to various questions. That was no surprise – the kids were learning, gaining their knowledge and had a lot to process.

These days , meeting with various people (who are mature, often with college degrees, who have traveled to many places in the world, and, in many cases, held important position at their work places), I am repeatedly stunned with “thunders” our interlocutors throw from time to time. 

Here are some examples: 

- The word "Colombian" relates to a coffee brand (no clue that Colombia is a country?).
- There is no such city in Mississippi as Greenville – from a person who originates in that state and lived in Mississippi for many decades (well, I checked, Greenville is the county seat of Washington County, MS) .
- Yuma? – from a person who has lived in Arizona for some years and still lives there – they did not know what we were talking about – they had never heard of Yuma, AZ.
- A song in English which lyrics mention “Zulu” and “Africa” is a Polish song and relates to Polish traditions – according to a native American-English speaker.
- Chianti? Is it a dance? (no, it is a type of wine)
- “I did not know you have corn in Poland.” (???)

I am aware that no human is all-knowing and I am no different in that matter. No judgment here – I do not write about it to criticize anybody, simply do not know what to think about such peculiarities considering those persons experiences and education.

Talking about general knowledge - I am aware I have forgotten a lot of information we were expected to memorize when I was going to school. In the school system I have experienced, all the school subjects were mandatory – there were no optional ones. Most of them were purely theoretical. Even at Chemistry classes it was all about learning by heart, no practical experiments at all. Although I did not complain about that then, the level of knowledge expected to be digested by us, students, was often beyond general. Since I was not going to become a chemist, I did not have the heart to fill my mind with all the atomic numbers of each end every chemical element  (which was required by our Chemistry teacher). I remembered only a few, the most useful ones regarding solving chemical equations. 


I must admit that my approach brought me some difficulties during written tests - when we were to solve given chemical problems and were not allowed to use any reference resources beside our brains. Anyhow, nowadays, of all the atomic numbers, I can only recall 1 - the atomic number of Hydrogen.

Another example - in Physics, we needed to memorize not only the SI units terminology. The older system of units was preferred by our teacher. Why? Nobody knew. The lady just liked it better.

Within the years, a lot of what I was taught/learned has faded away. Not everything, though. Occasionally, I exercise my gray cells trying to remind myself this and that. An example here are the names of the countries and their capital cities which we also had to memorize when we studied a particular continent. Then, we were expected to recite the names and show those countries and cities on the map. I did not like that part - any hesitation was disapproved by the teacher. Besides that, during tests, we were given a diagram of the continent we currently studied and was told to complete it with the names – countries and capital cities again. 

As I said before, the knowledge that has not been used fades away. However, it does not disappear completely. When I look up the names of capitals cities I cannot recall, they seem obvious and come back again.


Every day, no matter how old we are, learning opportunities come to us. Whether we are or we are not open to them is a totally different matter.