Talbot County, Maryland is old. Very old. One of the earliest buildings dates back to 1682, a Quaker Meeting House, the site of the oldest religious building still in use in the United States. But more than the origin of its buildings, three favorite sons of the county encapsulate its history in different but fascinating ways. Two were symbols of the Revolutionary War, the other of the Civil War. One a resident (though he wouldn’t have been considered so at the time…) of St. Michael’s, another Oxford, and the third his very own island, Tilghman.

Let’s start with one of my favorite destinations in Washington, DC. Located high atop the Anacostia River is Cedar Hill, the home of Frederick Douglass, a structure which matches the man in stature, eloquence and grandeur. Douglass, whom many consider “the most eminent and respected African American of the 19th century,” was a runaway slave in 1838 at the age of 20. And it was an aha moment on a recent trip to Talbot County, Maryland to discover that it was that very county of his slave birth from which he ultimately escaped.

Several tours take you past his childhood home, areas he played in as a boy, and farms where he was indentured, as well as those areas he visited when he returned in his ’60s. Douglass recounted in multiple autobiographies the influence of Talbot County on his life and consequently, the influence of Douglass across the county and across the decades.

In St. Michael’s, we drove along the road he walked when his master, Thomas Auld, in 1834 rented the difficult Douglass to Edward Covey, known as the cruelest “slave breaker” in the neighborhood. I wanted to drive the seven miles as slowly as possible so as to put off the metaphorical but inevitable lashes as long as possible. Douglass endured many.

From St. John’s Methodist Church, you can see the field of the Covey Farm where Douglass toiled in between his oft-earned punishments. Another area of Covey’s personal homestead, where his whip was often engaged, literally – and ironically – was located in a part of town known at Mount Misery. More ironically, Mt. Misery Road is juxtaposed to nearby Mt. Pleasant Landing. The extreme evil that is evident throughout Douglass’s early life is symbolic of all enslaved people and should reverberate through to today as too many wish to re-write history.

It’s one thing to intellectually know about the many cruelties of slavery – another to experience it through the eyes of an actual person who happened to also be a slave. Douglass finally escaped in 1838 to Baltimore and went on to become the icon we all revere today. But he did return to Talbot County – having said of his hometown, “It is always a fact of some importance to know where a man is born, if, indeed, it be important to know anything about him.” That tour was one of triumph.

Another famous name associated with Talbot County, Robert Morris, is one who unlike Douglass, spent little time there – just two years originally in his early teens – and yet the most famous inn in the area bears his name. He went on to become a very prominent merchant and as one of the nation’s Founding Fathers, was considered the “financier of the American Revolution.” He also was one of only two men who signed all three of the nation’s principal documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.

The Robert Morris Inn, which opened in 1710 as the River View House – the oldest full-service inn in America – still retains so much of that century’s ambience that I could easily picture him in the room next to mine. Not really such a far-fetched idea as he lived there as a child. He also later dined there with a friend of his – George Washington. Four of the 314-year-old rooms were indeed slept in by not only those Founding Fathers but many other dignitaries of the day – and since. As much of the original structure remains today, the inn exudes history.

As does the town it’s located in. Oxford, founded in 1670 and still looking much the same, is more than just a step back in time – it’s a visceral re-emergence into a pre-Revolutionary War timeline.

A town where people still do not lock their doors; so quiet it closes up by 9 p.m. on a Saturday night; old homes, waterways and few cars contribute to the sense of calm and isolation that pervades the town, a veritable throwback to congenial Americana. Benches at almost every street corner invite you to sit, relax and watch either worn working boats traversing multiple waterways or old homes such as the Barnaby House, dating back to 1770, with 95% of its original structure still intact. There are many of them. Even more inviting? A sign that says, “Welcome to our porch.” As one shopkeeper opined, commenting on the cohesiveness of the community, “I have to go downtown to find out what my plans are each day.”

Less a household name (except perhaps in Talbot County) is Mathew Tilghman.

Matthew Tilghman came to Talbot much later than the other two gentlemen and without some of their distinction though he, too, served honorably in the American Revolution, as well as the head of the Maryland delegation to the Continental Congress. He later served as a state senator. By a fluke of family providence, he inherited in the mid-18th century a tiny island at the end of the Chesapeake Bay, three miles long by one mile wide, that became a sanctuary for oyster-dredging waterman – and hasn’t moved much beyond since. Tilghman Island – whose street signs are shaped like little boats – makes Oxford look like a metropolitan thoroughfare.

The sign at Dogwood Harbor – basically a small pier – reads: Home of the last working fleet of skipjacks (First built in the 1890s for dredging oysters) in North America and Chesapeake Bay commercial watercraft. One of those is the Minnie V, a Chesapeake Bay skipjack built in 1906 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Down Walnut Creek Road with its vast expanse of the Chesapeake, several newer boats perpetuate the island’s heritage.

Sure, the Robert Morris Inn screams its connection to the financier; as does Tilghman Island its benefactor – but the many areas of Talbot County connected to Frederick Douglas are more subtle – you have to look for them but the story they tell is indelible. For more information, visit tourtalbot.org.

The post Talbot County, Maryland appeared first on Traveling Archive.

To see US Presidents and their Pets, Part I, visit Presidents and Pets: A T-Boy Odyssey Into Why They Loved One Another. For Part II, see Pet Owners Who Love Their Pets: Precious Pix, which includes many photographs of owners and their pets with uplifting texts.

Our first president, General George Washington, never lived with pets in the White House – it was not completed until the administration of our second president, John Adams. President John Adams is credited with owning the first White House Presidential Pets: two mixed breed dogs, named Juno and Satan. John Adams’ tenure in the White House was short-lived (he lost reelection later that year), but many dogs and cats have served as First Pets ever since.

Abraham Lincoln and Fido

Like Barron, Rover and Spot, the name Fido has long been a popular one to name a pet dog. The birth of the name was coined by an English language newspaper, asking for help, finding a small white Greyhound with a Collar, who answers to the name of ‘Fido.‘ But the popularity of the name started in the US during Abraham Lincoln’s life in Springfield, Illinois. Five years before becoming the 16th president of the US, Lincoln was a victim to many episodes of depression and Fido helped to relieve him from the pain.

Throughout his childhood and into his presidential years, Abraham was kind to animals and always made time for his pets. Fido is taken from the Latin word “Fidus,” which means, always faithful, instilling a similar sense of loyalty. Semper Fidelis (also from “the faithful”) is the motto of every US Marine. It is an eternal and collective commitment to the success of our battles, the progress of our Nation, and the steadfast loyalty to the fellow Marines we fight alongside. Semper Fidelis was also the motto of my US Marine Corp father, Louis Boitano, who participated in D-Day: Battle of Iwo Jima and D-Day: Battle of Okinawa. I still remember his words today when I was a child: Eddie, You see a lot of guys today sitting around playing video games and talking about battles, but I doubt they‘ve experienced a ‘real’ battle.

Fido didn’t get to live in the White House. Instead, he stayed in Springfield, Illinois. Sady, both Lincoln and Fido met a similar demise, both assassinated in different venues and with different weapons. Lincoln took a bullet hole in the back of his head, by the culprit John Wilkes Booth at Ford Theater in Washington DC, and Fido took a knife deep into his gut, by a drunken culprit on a derelict porch in Springfield. Fido would become euphoric upon seeing other people, and had an excitable tradition of standing on his two back legs and embracing them with his two front legs, leaving his stomach vulnerable to attacks. But the drunken vagrant took exception to this; why should a mongrel mutt bother me when I’m in a drunken bliss? Apparently, Fido survived the initial attack and managed to run away, but was discovered months later in his deathbed below a dilapidated shack.

Thomas Jefferson, our third US President (In office 1801-1809) was the second US President to maintain a farm, after George Washington.

Dick was Jefferson’s favorite of his four mockingbirds; Bergère and Grizzle were shepherd dogs from France; two grizzly bear cubs were gifted from Captain Zebulon Pike; Caractacus was a horse named after a 1st-century British chieftain. Beginning in 1807, the president bred sheep from, Four of the most remarkable varieties. By spring 1808, there were nearly 40 sheep grazing at the president’s house.

William Henry Harrison served the shortest presidential term in history, dying 32 days after his March 4, 1841 inauguration, but still had the energy to own two pets; a cow name Sukey and a goat, whose name is still unknown. For now, let’s call him Ringo.

Franklin Pierce made history when his miniature teacup Japanese Chin dog was part of a gift exchange with Japan following the Perry Expedition.

President LBJ owned Him and Her, that is the beagles, Edgar and Freckles. Yuki was a mongrel dog, famous for “singing duets” (howling) with Johnson for White House guests.

LBJ and his Beagle

In 1964, when President Lyndon Baines Johnson lifted his pet beagle by its ears in front of reporters, he enraged animal lovers and animal rights groups around the world. Johnson, a Texan and dog lover, pulled the stunt to make the dog yelp before some visiting businessmen, according to Life magazine, and said “It does them good to let them yelp.” He claimed he didn’t think he was hurting the dog, but Humane Society spokespeople begged to differ, and Johnson caught heat from activists’ public statements and newspaper editorial pages. It was a public barking match that LBJ was not going to win. Today, the photo and the botched response stands as one of the most memorable presidential gaffes of all time.

Richard M Nixon and Checkers

Before Richard M Nixon was vice president, he was hounded by the human press, when he accepted a pet dog named Checkers. Nixon had been accused of improprieties relating to a fund established by his backers to reimburse him for his political expenses. His place was in doubt on the Republican ticket as vice president with General Dwight David Eisenhower, who was on a quest to become our 34th US President. So, Nixon flew to Los Angeles and delivered a half-hour television address, known as Checkers speech, in which he defended himself and attacked his opponents. During his speech he stated that he intended to keep one gift, regardless of the outcome: a black-and-white Cocker-Spaniel that his children had named Checkers.

Donald J Trump and Malice

Former president Donald Trump never had a pet while in the White House. And all the animals in the world now pray, that he’ll never have a chance again. Many pet owners were riled up, when the former president would refer to the human species of women as dogs, horsefaces, pussies and pigs. It seemed to imply that animals and the human species of women were inferior to him. And the more they thought about it; shouldn’t it be the other way around.

And how his human cultists would laugh, when he’d do crude pantomimes, mocking members of the human species due to their mental and physical disabilities, stuttering, and because some are below average height. Something that no animal would ever do. Animals are known to help other animals when they’re hurt and distressed. And, often times, when they are abandoned, regardless of whatever species they are, they adopt each other, making it a wonderful large family of love and acceptance. Animals also defend us from perpetrators. I remember that was something that a few US politicans had sworn an oath to do. But how can all the animals throughout our Republic ever defend us from a powerful army of a human monarchy?

President Jimmy Carter and President Ronald Reagan

And hail to the Commanders and Chiefs, Jimmy Carter, a peanut farmer, and Ronald Reagan, a rancher, who were once adversaries. Eventually they forged a friendship, but not certain if it was because of their pets.

Lieutenant James Earl Carter Jr., USN: Georgia Governor and Our 39th American President

I have one life and one chance to make it count for something… My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference. – President Jimmy Carter.

Jimmy Carter was awarded the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for work to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development. He was often labeled a dove and a pansy by the right-wing media and politicians, but they never seemed to notice that he was a graduate from the US Naval Academy in 1946. He spent a number of months in the design and development of nuclear propulsion plants for naval vessels. Starting in March of 1953, Lieutenant Carter was preparing to become the engineering officer for the USS Seawolf, one of the first submarines to operate on atomic power. 

However, when his father died in July 1953, Carter resigned from the Navy and returned to Plains, Georgia to manage his parent’s interests. When he saw the condition of their family farm, he realized his family was hopelessly in debt. Jimmy moved his wife, the former Rosalynn Smith, a noted author and humanitarian, and their three young kids, settling into a shack on a dirt road, where the area was almost entirely populated by impoverished African-American families. Through this, Jimmy and Rosalynn saw first-hand how tragic racism really is. They were stunned that African-Americans, many who had protected our nation in the Second World War, were forced to live in such deporable conditions.

Later, the USS Jimmy Carter, the third and final Seawolf-class nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines in the United States Navy, is named in his honor due to his courage in defending the values our nation.

President Carter was fond of pets and also of children. When he was in the neighborhood, he would secretly teach Chrisitan Sunday School to kids. But why did he do it in secret? Once again, Jimmy had remembered the US Constitution, where there was a thing about a separation of church and state, and that our nation does not have a national religion. Jimmy looked at the theocracies of Iran, Sudan and Saudi Arabia and saw that our Founding Fathers were right. There was never a theocracy in world history that was fair to all of its citizens. Later, when our Nation issued a ban of all Muslims entering the US, including American citizens, Jimmy tried to warn us that some politicians were trying to redefine our Republic as a theocracy.

Nonetheless, President Carter marched on, continuing to teach Christian Sunday School in secrecy. But once again, why in secret? Jimmy realized that this would be offensive to our US citizens who might believe in Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and so many more that it’s made the US a rich tapestry of different cultures. Imagine our Republic without beans, maize, pizza, chili pepper, Wiener Schnitzel, sushi, and pumpkin pie and the Mexican Turkey Hen for Thanksgiving. And, most importanly, pet food from England for our animals to survive.

President Jimmy Carter: Born October 1, 1924, reached his 100th birthday on October 1 ,2024, the first time an American president has lived a full century and the latest milestone in a life that took the son of a Depression-era farmer to the White House and across the world as a Nobel Peace Prize-winning humanitarian and advocate for democracy.

Happy Birthday, Jimmy –

America really does love you. Some of us were just too busy to tell you.

The defining image of you that many of us will always remember, is when you’re smiling and wearing you work clothes, holding a hammer and pounding nails, building a home for forgotten Americans who need shelter and unconditional love.

Ronald Wilson Reagan: Governor of California and then the 40th president of the United States

President Reagan was a man who also loved his pets. But even more so, he loved Reaganomics, which meant economic deregulation and cuts in both taxes and government spending.

Reagan left the presidency in 1989 with the U.S. economy having seen a significant reduction of inflation, the unemployment rate having fallen, and the United States having entered its then, longest peacetime expansion. At the same time, the national debt had nearly tripled since 1981 as a result of his cuts in taxes and increased military spending, despite cuts to domestic spending.

As the right-wing Republicans, whose logo is an elephant, were hard on Carter, the left-wing Democrats, whose logo is a donkey, were hard on Reagan, too, due to his harsh cuts to domestic spending. America’s poor and homeless felt abandoned. Even more so with the cut backs on children’s free lunch programs for they really did need to eat in order to survive and be attentive in our nation’s classrooms to learn how to read and write. If you’re someone who never inherited a large amount of money, education is often the only way to succeed financially in life without being a criminal.

Today, Ronald Reagan is often regarded as one of our greatest presidents; but for the poor, the forgotten, ethnic minorities and the U.S. citizens who were condemned to death by a new pandemic called AIDS, he is regarded as something less.

But, on a personal note, I will always admire him, back when he was caught in the illegal Iran-Contra Affair; for he did something that our later despicable, cult messiah would never do. He sat in the Oval Office and looked at America’s cameras directly into their lenses and said: I made a mistake.

Yes, President Reagan loved his pets. In particular his dog, Lucky, a female Bouvier des Flandres, who was given to first lady Nancy Reagan by the 1985 March of Dimes poster child, Kristen Ellis. The dog was named after Mrs. Reagan’s mother, Edith Luckett Davis. Lucky was moved from the White House to Rancho del Cielo during the 1985 Thanksgiving holiday, because she was getting too big for the White House.

The Reagans went dogless in the White House for a while, but Nancy was known to be clairvoyant and didn’t want the First Family to end up like a later president would, a later president who would compare his own stature to her husband, President Ronald Reagan. So, their next new puppy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, was named after Rex Scouten, the White House chief usher.

One of Rex’s first official duties was to throw the power switch to light the national Christmas tree in 1985

Because Rex planned to leave his luxurious doghouse at the White House at the end of President Reagan’s second term, he was presented with a new doghouse that was a mini-replica of the White House. Lining the inside was a piece of familiar carpet from Camp David.

Frequently Asked Questions

The animals whose abuse is most often reported are dogs, cats, horses and livestock. Undercover investigations have revealed that animal abuse abounds in the factory farm industry. But because of the weak protections afforded to livestock under state cruelty laws, only the most shocking cases are reported, and few are ever prosecuted. Data on domestic violence and child abuse cases reveal that a staggering number of animals are targeted by those who abuse their children or spouses. There are approximately 70 million pet dogs and 74.1 million pet cats in the U.S. where 20 men and women are assaulted per minute (an average of around 10 million a year). In one survey, 71 % of domestic violence victims reported that their abuser also targeted pets. In one study of families under investigation for suspected child abuse, researchers found that pet abuse had occurred in 88 % of the families under supervision for physical abuse of their children.

What is the most common animal cruelty?

Neglect is the most common type of animal cruelty. Hoarding is a severe form of neglect in which the owner accumulates an excessive number of pets, is unable to provide even minimal care.

Is kicking a dog or cat abuse?

Animal cruelty involves inflicting harm, injuring, or killing an animal. The cruelty can be intentional, such as kicking, burning, stabbing, beating, or shooting; or it can involve neglect, such as depriving an animal of water, shelter, food, and necessary medical treatment.

Can a dog be emotionally abused?

Yes, dogs can experience emotional scars as a result of traumatic events, abuse, neglect, or the loss of a significant person or companion animal in their life.

Are you hitting the animal and causing it pain?

If yes, it’s probably abuse, because hitting an animal doesn’t teach it anything in a way it can understand – it just teaches the animal to be afraid of you and the circumstances in which it’s being hit. A gentle tap to get an animal’s attention is one thing – and that should be tailored to the animal’s capability, so for example a kitten might require a literal finger tap on the flank, while a horse might need a nudge with your heel – but if you’re doing anything that makes the animal yelp or otherwise indicate PAIN, you’ve got it wrong.

Are you withholding food, water or other necessities for more than the duration of a short training session?

If yes, then it’s more like neglect (and is abuse). Although an animal can understand “I didn’t get a treat for what I just did” they are not capable of understanding “I did a bad thing so I don’t deserve my meal.” If the dog doesn’t sit when you ask it to do so, it doesn’t get a treat right then, it should still be fed its normal meal at the normal time.

Are you isolating a social animal away from you or the rest of its social group for more than the duration of a short training session?

Withdrawing attention briefly in order to negatively reinforce a behavior is one thing – turning away from a dog that’s jumping up, for example, until he puts all four feet on the floor. But throwing that same dog into a crate in a back bedroom because he’s jumped up at you, and leaving him there, is again running into the neglect side of things.

How to Heal the Emotional Scars of an Abused Dog

To help an emotionally abused dog, you should first seek veterinary care. It is important to rule out any underlying physical issues and to get a thorough health evaluation. Then slowly and gradually expose the dog to new experiences, people, and other animals in a controlled and positive environment. Encourage the dog’s good behavior with treats, praise, and affection. Avoid using punishment or force-based training methods. Provide a stable and predictable routine: Regular meals, exercise, and plenty of rest can help establish a sense of security and stability. A veterinary behaviorist can help create a tailored behavior modification plan and provide support during the recovery process. Healing takes time and patience. It is important to remain consistent in your approach and to never give up on the dog. Offer the dog plenty of affection, love, and positive reinforcement. Show the dog that they are safe and loved. Remember, healing from emotional abuse is a slow process, but with patience, love, and the right support, many dogs can make a full recovery.

Do dogs get traumatized when you hit them?

Yes, dogs can get traumatized when they are physically punished, such as being hit or kicked. Physical punishment can cause fear, anxiety, and aggression in dogs and can result in long-lasting emotional scars. It can also damage the bond between a pet and its owner and can lead to trust issues. Using physical punishment is not an effective or humane way to train or discipline dogs. Instead, positive reinforcement training techniques, such as rewarding desired behaviors and ignoring undesired behaviors, are more effective and do not cause emotional harm. If you are struggling with training or behavior issues, it is best to consult with a professional dog behaviorist for guidance.

WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than 6.5 million members and supporters. PETA exposes animals suffering in laboratories, in the food industry, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry.

Advocating For Animals | Nonprofit For Animals

List of Animal Welfare Nonprofits in Los Angeles | Deep Sweep

We have a moral obligation to report any felon who is abusing an animal, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, wealth and political domination. Feel free to contact Traveling Boy directly **@tr*******.com and we’ll do everything in our power to bring the felon to justice.

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.– Mark Twain

Happiness is a warm puppy. – Charles M. Schulz

Animal Trivia

Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee; let’s see how well you do with these 25 Question Trivia Game about Animals

To play the 25 Question Trivia Game about Animals, see below:

First Animal Trivia Set

Are Pigs smart enough to play video games? Name the most intelligent animal in the world? Do Elephants never forget? Is the Grandview rattlesnake the most venomous snake on earth? In The Beatle song, Martha My Dear, is “Bungalow Bill’s Mother,” a code name for “Martha?”

No one will see your answers, except for you.

Second Animal Trivia Set

Is the Giant Rat  invisible when seen in infrared cameras? Is it true that we call a group of Kangaroos a “Kangaroo Court?” Did Winston Churchill say something alarming, which caused Richard Burton to throw his MBE back into Queen Elizabeth, Number Two’s face? How much wood does a woodpecker chuck wood per second? Did the Scottish poet, Robert Byrne, write the poem, “Howl?”

And remember, no one will see your answers, except for you.

Third Animal Trivia Set

Do horses sleep while standing up? How can you tell if your pet dog is dreaming. Can camels go without water for over a month? Panda Bear’s sleep the longest of all animal species. Is the Yakima Yellow Tail the most poisonous critter on earth?

As noted above: No one will see your answers, except for you. And all winners, not suckers and losers, like Trump said about courageous Americans who join the military to defend our way of life, will be awarded prices. And this will be on an honor system; so good luck with that, too! — The T-Boy Staff

The post US Presidents and their Pets: Part III appeared first on Traveling Archive.

– Josh Billings, US humorist writer

Many of America’s presidents have found friendship and solace in their pets. It’s a tradition that goes all the way back to our first president and founding father, President George Washington, the founding father who was also the first president to have bred foxhounds.

As of today, 46 U.S. Presidents have had pets while they resided in the White House. And, like many of us today, the pets became part of their families, offering courage, patience, forgiveness, comfort and unconditional love, particularly during stressful periods in office.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michele, accepted a puppy as a gift from Senator Edward Kennedy. The dog was a Portuguese water dog that they named Bo. Then in 2013, the Obamas brought home a second Portuguese water dog, name Sunny.

White House Animal Paths

Historically, the pets at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue have mirrored national trends in animal ownership. Early presidents had working animals such as hounds for hunting and horses for transportation, but a wider variety of animals soon made their way to the White House.

In the 1920s, President Coolidge’s animals included a bobcat, a donkey, lion cubs, ducks, a wallaby pygmy hippo, and a raccoon named Rebecca, who walked on a leash.

From William Taft’s cow, Pauline Wayne, to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Scottish terrier, Fala, and George H. W. Bush’s English springer spaniel, Millie, many White House animals have achieved celebrity status.

US Presidents with the Most Pets

Tabby and Dixie were cats, and Abraham Lincoln once remarked that Dixie is smarter than my whole cabinet.

James Buchanan received a herd of elephants from the King of Siam.  But as elephants are the largest land animals alive today, Buchanan found them to be too large for the White House, and sent them to the zoo.

Misty Malarky Ying Yang was Jimmy Carter’s daughter’s pet Siamese cat. An Elephant was given to her, but again too big to fit in the White House rooms, and was sent to the National zoo, too.

The True Story of Teddy Roosevelt and the Teddy Bear

In 1902, Teddy Roosevelt accepted a hunting invitation from Mississippi governor, Andrew Longino, and they traveled with their guide, who was determined to find a black bear for Roosevelt to shoot. It was easy for the guide to corner an old bear, and decided to tie the bear up, making the shot easier for Roosevelt to fire.

When Roosevelt realized what the guide had done, he was astonished and fired back in anger and said that such an act would be unsportsmanlike to shoot such an old and vulnerable creature. The news of Roosevelt’s act of compassion spread across globe, and in his honor that is why we have the Teddy Bear.

Our 26th, President Theodore Roosevelt began his presidency in 1901, along with six children and more animals than the White House had ever seen before. The Roosevelt children’s family of pets included a small bear named Jonathan Edwards; a lizard named Bill; guinea pigs named Admiral Dewey, Dr. Johnson, Bishop Doane, Fighting Bob Evans and Father O’Grady; Maude the pig; Josiah the badger; Eli Yale the blue macaw; Baron Spreckle the hen; a one-legged rooster; a hyena; a barn owl; Peter the rabbit; and Algonquin the pony. President Roosevelt loved the pets as much as his children did. Algonquin was so beloved that when the president’s son, Archie, was sick in bed, his brothers Kermit and Quentin brought the pony up to his room in the elevator. But Algonquin was so captivated by his own reflection in the elevator mirror that it was hard to get him out!

The Theodore Roosevelt family were dog lovers as well. Among their many canines were Sailor Boy, a Chesapeake retriever; Jack the terrier, Skip the mongrel, and Pete, a bull terrier who sank his teeth into so many legs that he had to be exiled to the Roosevelt home in Long Island. Alice, his daughter, had a small black Pekingese named Manchu, which she received from the last empress of China during a trip to the Far East.

Alice once claimed to have seen Manchu dancing on its hind legs in the moonlight on the White House lawn, though it has never been determined if there ever was an elephant dancing on its hind legs in the White House rooms. But, apparenty, there is one today in a very different kind of room.

Another Kind of Elephant in the Room

As of late, fake news outlets have been on fire due to a particularly large elephant in their broadcast rooms with the recent release of South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem’s ghostwritten book, No Going Back.

South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem takes a cheap shot at “fake news” for the backlash against her killing an untrainable 14-month-old wirehair pointer, named “Cricket,” 20-years-ago in a gravel pit on her family property, moments before her children arrived from school!

But, later, she had the courage to hurry back to her pickup, grabbed another shell, went back to the gravel pit, and put him down; “Him” being the demon goat, which had a wretched smell, who often chased and knocked Noem’s children around.

I’m aware that a parent who knocks their kids down is the greatest sin ever committed by a parent, who deserves a one-way ticket to a lifetime in prison. But should an owner who knocks down a kid goat deserve less? And the one with a such a wretched smell, something I never seemed to notice when I petted the kid, Billie Goat, at Seattle’s Woodlawn Park Zoo, when I was a kid, too.

Noem said to her ghostwriters in her ghostwritten book. No Going Back, which includes the fictional meeting with North Korean dictator, Kim Jong Un. The North Korean dictator who she’s sure he underestimated me, having no clue about my experience staring down little tyrants (I’d been a children’s pastor, after all), which she now blames on her ghostwriters, but refuses to walk them back and retrack the words she commanded her ghostwriter’s to ghostwrite in her ghostwritten book.

Oh, how I kid South Dakota Republican Governor Noem, why I only heard about her on Fox News TV, where she informed viewers that she was on a mission to tell us the REAL meaning of Thanksgiving: Here the poor Pilgrims were close to starving and they shared their last food with Native-Americans (the 25 Tribal Nations of the Wampanoag People) it was all part of God’s Divine Providence.

“God’s Divine Promise” fulfilled, and illustrated in “The First Thanksgiving,” a reproduction of a painting by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, courtesy of the Associated Press.

Did the Pilgrims use “God’s Divine ‘Providence” as an excuse to sit in Plymouth Harbor and wait on the Mayflower for the final act of “God’s Divine Providence” to be done? Were they just too excited and couldn’t wait to siege the Wampanoag People’s Tribal Land for just a few more days? When they arrived there were many felled fields to plant, but surround by many dead bodies of the 25 Tribal Nations of the Wampanoag People. Apparently “God’s Divine Providence” was first issued to the Spanish Conquerors, who shared no food, but only European diseases which the Wampanoag People had no immunity from. But with no gold to be found, the Spanish Conquerors left Plymouth, leaving only endless Wampanoag dead bodies scattered around, some still alive, desperately crawling on the ground. The few people that manged to stay alive, where left for the Pilgrims to fulfill “God’s Divine Providence” and get the job done.

The next Thanksgiving celebrated was 1637 when Massachusetts Colony Governor John Winthrop declared a day of thanksgiving after volunteers murdered 700 of the Tribal Nation Pequot People. As we remember the celebration of Thanksgiving, sharing indigenous food from the New World, I recall that the American-Indian Tribal Nations consider it as a Day of Remorse.

Historians are hailing Congress to elevated Ulysses S. Grant to the military’s highest rank, calling it a rehabilitation of his political and racial legacy. Photograph courtesy of Newsreader1.com.

On June 18, 1870, our eighteenth president, Ulysses S. Grant, signed into law the Holidays Act that made Thanksgiving a yearly appointed federal holiday. Grant preferred horses above all other animals as pets, but he and his family members did have other pets with them in the White House, including two dogs. One was a Newfoundland named Faithful, but the other was a dog named Rosie, who was rumored to be a black-and-tan dog of no determinate breed. According to Seymour Reit in Growing Up in the White House, Grant would often take dinner in the stables and talk to both the horses and to Rosie while he ate.

Fala: The Most Famous Dog in America

President Franklin D. Roosevelt had a lifelong affection for dogs. They were a constant presence in his life from his early childhood. FDR owned a number of dogs during his lifetime, but his best-known was Fala, the Scottish terrier he was given in August 1940.

Fala quickly became his constant companion. He slept in a special chair at the foot of FDR’s bed and every morning had a bone that was brought up on the President’s breakfast tray. Fala is buried in a marked grave about ten yards behind the Roosevelt tombstone in the Rose Garden at Springwood, beside Chief (1918–1933), the Roosevelts’ German Shepherd.

The first U.S. President with pets who maintained a farm was George Washington

Like South Dakota Republican Governor, Kristi Noem, George Washington was a farmer who had pets, though it’s never been determined if he had the courage to put any of his pets down in a gravel pit. I have many friends and families who are farmer with pets, who are aware that their pets were once wild animals, but they chose to domesticate their wild critters into something more profound. And once this transition was completed, the pets loved them and they loved them back. I read somewhere that there is no such thing as a bad pet dog, only a bad owner, who made them be like that. Was there a reason why Noem’s 14-month-old pet Cricket, didn’t love her; is it possible she never loved him, and that’s why he never loved her back?  

Washington’s pets included, Sweetlips, Scentwell and Vulcan – American Foxhounds; Drunkard Taster, Tipler and Tipsy – Black and Tan Coonhounds; an Andalusian donkey (a gift from King Charles III of Spain); Nelson and Blueskin – horses ( that were Washington’s wartime mounts); Snipe – parrot (said to have been owned by First Lady Martha Washington); and the Stallions, Samson, Steady, Leonidas, Traveller and Magnolia.

Cornwallis was a greyhound, named for British General Cornwallis, though not sure if the stallion served as a trophy due to General Washington’s victory at Yorktown, or an homage to the man he defeated, giving up any chance of winning the Revolutionary War.

Pushinka (Russian: Пушинка), known to us as ‘Fluffy’

Pushinka was a dog who was given by the Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to the President of the United States, John F. Kennedy in 1961.

Words taken from White House dog handler Traphes Bryant

“Pushinka (which the Kennedy family now refers to as Fluffy), struck up a romance with the Kennedy’s Welsh terrier, Charlie. In June 1963, Pushinka had puppies. Caroline and John-John named them Butterfly, White Tips, Blackie and Streaker. JFK referred to the puppies as pupniks since Pushinka was the daughter of a dog who had been to space on the Russians’ Sputnik 2. When the puppies were two-months-old, the First Lady picked two children from the thousands that had written to the White House asking for one of the pups. That’s how Butterfly and Streaker got adopted. The other puppies were given to family friends.”

“The father of the puppies, Charlie, was large and in charge. He bossed the other dogs around and made sure he got first dibs at dinnertime. When given the chance, he showed humans who was boss, too. If a visitor ignored him, Charlie peed on that person. Although he was not an official watchdog, he growled if someone got too close to JFK.”

Bryant describing events in the Oval Office during the Cuban missile crisis:

“I was there in Jack Kennedy’s office that day. Everything was in an uproar. I was then feet from Kennedy’s desk as Pierre Salinger ran around the office taking messages and issuing orders while the President sat looking awfully worried. There was talk about the Russian fleet coming in and our fleet blocking them off. It looked like war. Out of the blue, Kennedy suddenly called for Charlie to be brought to his office. After petting Charlie, his Welsh terrier, the president relaxed, returned Charlie to the kennel keeper, and said, ‘”I suppose that it’s time to make some decisions.”“

In his book American Legacy: The Story of John and Caroline Kennedy, author David Heymann relates a story from White House nanny Maud Shaw: “Caroline and her nanny encountered Pushinka as she was being walked by a kennel worker on the White House grounds. As Caroline reached to pet the dog, Pushinka growled.”

“Instead of recoiling, Caroline stepped behind the dog and gave it a swift kick to the rear end,” Heymann writes. “Emitting a howl, Pushinka turned tail and raced off into the night.”

When Shaw related the story to JFK, the president smiled at his daughter and said, “That’s giving it to those damn Russians!”

Animals in Judaism & Christian Theology

The photograph above is a Peruvian school’s Nativity Scene, taken by former Peace Corp. Volunteer, Alex Brouwer. The Nativity Scene depicts the Virgin Mary and Joseph solemnly looking down at the infant, Jesus, the new king of Israel, surrounded by an array of different animals, for he is their New King, as well, and they will inherit the earth, too.

Saint Francis of Assisi & the Nativity Scene

Saint Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Animals, is credited with creating the first live Nativity Scene in 1223 in order to cultivate the worship of Christ. He had recently been inspired by his visit to the Holy Land, where he’d been shown Jesus’ traditional birthplace in Bethlehem. Saint Francis’ pantomime of the Nativity Scene is the first real symbol of Christmas. The scene’s popularity spread throughout the world, inspiring other countries to stage similar Nativity Scenes.

To find out more about St. Francis and the Nativity Scene, why the Roman holiday of Saturnalia became the Happy Holy Days (Happy Holidays) and the Mass of Christ (Christmas), CLICK HERE.

Do animals praise the name of the Lord?

Psalm 148 commands all of creation to praise the Lord, including animals: “Wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and maidens, old men and children. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.” (vv. 10-13).

What would Jesus do?

Don’t give holy things to dogs, don’t throw your pearls to pigs, lest they trample them under their feet and, turning, tear you to pieces. – Matthew 7:6. (English language translation by Francis Bacon).

What would Reverend Billy Graham say?

God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he’ll be there.

Heaven-bound persons who are offended at the thought of dogs and cats frisking on the golden streets will have a difficult time with the odd beasts gathered around the throne as described in the Book of Revelation.

Or Mark Twain?

The dog is a gentleman; I hope to go to his heaven not man’s.

President William Jefferson Clinton first arrived at the White House with Socks, who in 1991 was reported to have jumped into the arms of daughter, Chelsea Clinton after piano lessons while the Clintons were living in the Governor’s Mansion in Little Rock. He was later joined in 1997 by Buddy, a Labrador Retriever, who was named after a longtime Clinton family friend who died around the time they adopted the dog.

During President Clinton’s second term, the two reportedly did not get along, with Bill Clinton later saying, I did better with the Palestinians and the Israelis than I’ve done with ‘Socks and Buddy.’

Presidential Pets and the Media

The first White House dog to receive regular newspaper coverage was Warren G. Harding’s dog, Laddie Boy.

When FDR’s Fala’s fame spread, he became the subject of books, including this 1942 picture book titled The True Story of Fala. He even starred in two MGM newsreels shown in movie theaters: Fala, the President’s Dog and Fala at Hyde Park.

Fala’s growing popularity is reflected in the thousands of letters he received from the public, where they are all preserved today among the papers stored at the Roosevelt Library.

The book, Dear Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids’ Letters to the First Pets was written by First Lady Hillary Clinton, and later appeared as cartoons in the kids’ section of the first White House website.

Millie was an English springer spaniel that was the first President Bush’s family pet. She gave birth to Spotty, who moved into the White House with the second President Bush. H. W. also had two Scottish terriers named Barney and Miss Beazley, but Spotty was the only pet to live in the White House during two administrations

“Study hard, and you might grow up to be President. But let’s face it: Even then, you’ll never make as much money as your dog.” — President George H. W. Bush, to a graduating class, referring to Millie, his dog, who earned $889,176 (about $1,979,459 today) in book royalties.

George H. W. Bush and First Lady Barbara’s Millie is the only first pet to actually write a book, Millie’s Book. And their son, George W. Bush’s Scottish terrier, Barney had his own website and appeared in Barney Cam videos.

Presidents and Pets: Bits & Pieces

• President Thomas Jefferson bought his dog, Bergere, in France. She had two puppies onboard the ship heading back to the United States.
• James Buchanan is the only president who never married. His large Newfoundland, Lara, kept him company in the White House.
• Woodrow Wilson, in office 1913-1921, owned a pet ram, named Old Ike, who was known for chewing tobacco and cigars, which makes sense as North Carolina is often referred to as the Tobacco State.

• Top Five Dog Names of 2023
  
  Girl: Luna, Bella, Daisy, Maggie and Willow
  Boy: Max, Charlie, Cooper, Teddy and Milo
  
• Goat on the Loose!
  
  Benjamin Harrison, our 23rd President ran down Pennsylvania Avenue holding on to his top hat and waving his cane, but his pet goat kept running, only stopping later after numerous Washington, D.C., residents had seen the Commander-in-Chief chasing the runaway goat.

Commander & Chief, President Joseph R. Biden

The Bidens added a puppy named Commander to their family, following the death of their beloved German Shepherd, Champ, who passed away at the age of 13. But in 2018, all the abandoned pets throughout the U.S. rejoiced when the Bidens adopted the German shepherd, Major, from the Delaware Humane Association.

Major arrived at the White House to great applause, but his time at the White House was short, after a series of biting incidents. Major was sent to Delaware in April 2021 for training, and then the White House announced that Major’s permanent home would be elsewhere, a decision based on consultations with veterinarians, dog trainers and animal behaviorists.

While it may have disappointed those hoping Major would usher in a new age of presidential shelter pets, Major’s story shows that shelter dogs, like any other pet, need time and patience to adjust, and sometimes need to find a better match.

Andrew Jackson, had a pet, a grey parrot named Polly, who learned how to swear. She later attended Jackson’s funeral but had to be removed due to loud and persistent profanity. Perhaps Polly had not forgotten that Jackson had forced thousands of American-Indian Tribal Nations to leave their ancestral homeland in his illegal Indian Relocation Act, which led to countless deaths on the Trail of Tears. And remember, like the remaining tribal nations have never forgotten, never use a twenty-dollar bill as the tyrant, Old Hickory’s face is on it.

The Cherokee People and their pets and animals on the “Trail of Tears.” Painting by Robert Lindneux, courtesy of National Geographic.

It seemed curious at first that the U.S. President Trump selected Jackson as his favorite among our past presidents. But as his years in the Oval Office progressed, it became clear that they were both cut from the same white cloth.

For more on Jackson’s illegal Indian Relocation Act, the Trail of Tears and the plight of the Cherokee Tribal Nation, CLICK HERE.

The state which has the strongest animal abuse laws

For the second year in a row Maine maintains its first-place rank, followed by Illinois (2), Oregon (3), Colorado (4) and Rhode Island (5).

New Mexico remained in 50th place, with Idaho (49), Mississippi (48), Alabama (47) and Utah (46) rounding out states with the weakest animal protection laws.

“BONNER COUNTY, Idaho — The Bonner County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) has filed charges for animal cruelty and abandonment against 45-year-old Jacob M. McCowan and 31-year-old Jessica L. Smurtwaite, after 31 Husky-type dog were found across North Idaho.”

“Sugar” is pictured resting after being adopted by Heather Toliver. The medical team from “Better Together Animal Alliance” believes she was a week to days away from dying based on her condition when she arrived at the facility in mid to late January.  Photograph courtesy of Heather Toliver, “a modern-day Patron Saint for abused animals.”   

California’s Animal Cruelty Penal Code §597(a) makes it a crime to intentionally maim, mutilate, torture, wound, or kill a living animal. Violation of CPC §597(a) can result in three years in a state prison, a fine of up to $20,000, or both a prison term and a fine.

The penalty for abuse was much worse in Ancient Egypt, where killing a cat, even accidentally, was punished by death.

The White House Wall of Shame: Presidents with no Pets

Donald J. Trump, James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson did not have any official pets while in office. But Andrew Johnson reportedly left flour out at night in his bedroom for a family of mice.

The worst presidential pets in the history of the US goes to President John Quincy Adams’ First Lady, Louisa Catherine Adams. According to one of Adams’ diary entries, she kept several hundred silkworms that she raised herself for their silk. Silk is nice, but let’s face it: Silkworms make terrible pets. They are, after all, worms. And technically, they’re caterpillars, too.

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
— Mahatma Gandhi

It is much easier to show compassion to animals. They are never wicked.
— Haile Selassie

Millard Fillmore named his two horses after the surveyor Jeremiah Dixon and astronomer Charles Mason, who guided them both to the new land of America, and created the Mason-Dixon Line. The border marked the line between Maryland and Pennsylvania, which was significant during the War Between the States, as it is significant today, drawing a line between the politics of the Northern and Southern states.

Let’s close on a happy, nonpartisan note, which I did cross the line a couple of times, and listen to Mark Knopfler’s tribute to Mason and Dixon with his song, Sailing to Philadelphia, which includes the voice of James Taylor in a duet of the song.

Attention: T-Boy Readers, Friends and Families

We hope you enjoyed Presidents and Pets, Part I:  A T-Boy Odyssey Into Why They Loved One Another. Please consider sending us photographs of your own sacred pets, including those who passed, but will never be forgotten. Your photographs will be included in the T-Boy article: T-Boy Readers and Their Pets. We can also include your name, address and narrative about your life with your pet. But it’s up to you if you’d like to do that, and we promise to send you a proof to revise. Please send to **@tr**********.com , and we will be excited upon seeing them.  

Stay tuned for Presidents and Pets, Part II: A T-Boy Odyssey Into Why They Loved One Another

Abraham Lincoln & Fido, who once had the most popular dog name in the U.S; Plantation Farmer, Thomas Jefferson & Peanut Farmer, Jimmy Carter; Lessons learned by Marine Corp’s Louis Boitano, a man with a disdain for cowardly flag wavers, in particular for ones who never experienced a real battle; Reagan Rex’s White House dog house; and (How Much) is that Doggie in the Window.

The post Presidents and Pets: A T-Boy Odyssey Into Why They Loved One Another – Tales of nonpartisan, unconditional love appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Despite his dream of building a capital city along the banks of the Potomac River and unlike the real estate cliché “George Washington slept here,” America’s first president never once laid his head down on a pillow within the District of Columbia, aka Washington, DC. The closest he ever got was a good night’s sleep at his homestead in nearby Mount Vernon, VA.

Some 228 years later, our nation’s capital welcomes more than 22 million visitors a year. A world-class city embedded with a vibrant history, spectacular monuments, outstanding museums, plentiful parks, lush gardens and exceptional chef-driven cuisine, Washington, DC is well worth a visit. But, don’t just take my word for it, join me as I take the lens cap off and document this monumental city originally planned by Pierre L’Enfant.

For starters, there’s the Smithsonian Institution, a collection of 19 massive, artifacts-filled museums and galleries and the National Zoo, many standing shoulder-to-shoulder on either side of the two-mile long National Mall, “America’s front yard.” Art, history — natural and chronicled — science, and red-white-and-blue ingenuity to rocket into space, are all on display inside these titanic buildings. And, the best part? Entry is absolutely free for we, the people.

Bookending the Mall is the Capitol Building at the eastern end, where the legislative branches of government apply their checks and balances atop old Jenkins’ Hill, and the awe-inspiring Lincoln Memorial, where Honest Abe sits in deep contemplation at the western edge along the banks of the Potomac. And, smack dab in the middle of it all stands the Washington Monument, a 555-foot marble obelisk — the tallest structure in the District — honoring the “Father of His Country” that’s encircled by 56 American flags, one for each state along with the five territories and the District of Columbia.

Our historical walk around the Mall also includes a bevy of memorials: Jefferson, Vietnam and Korean War Veterans, Martin Luther King, Jr., FDR and World War II. Join the lengthy queue to get inside the National Archives to view John Hancock’s John Hancock on the Declaration of Independence, along with the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. Book way in advance for access to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the newest venue on the Mall. Spend an entire day exploring the myriad of exhibitions at the National Galleries of Art and Portrait. Reach for the sky and the stars beyond at the National Air and Space Museum. And, stop long enough to smell the plant life inside the US Botanic Garden.

The United States is a cultural melting pot and its capital reflects the nation’s sea-to-shining-sea international roots. Heavily influenced by Egyptian, Greek, Roman, medieval European and 19th-century French architecture, wherever you look, especially up, you’ll see an abundance of tall columns, massive domes and the occasional flying buttress. From the White House to the U.S. Capitol, from the Washington Monument to the Library of Congress, from Union Station to the National Cathedral, a simple stroll around architecturally impressive DC alone is well worth the airfare. Right?

The District’s a showcase of American performance arts and is home to such iconic venues as the National Theatre and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

In the early 20^th century, jazz music had a dizzying effect here as DC natives, like Duke Ellington, played the night away on stages up and down famed U Street. Years later, homegrown go-go, a blend of funk, R&B and hip-hop set the beat around clubs and out on the street.

And, let’s not forget that John Philip Souza came marching down Pennsylvania Avenue at the dawn of the 1900s leading the Marine Corps Band, the oldest musical group in the US. Today, Souza’s iconic march music is one of the highlights at the annual A Capitol Fourth, the national Independence Day celebration that unfolds at twilight on the West Lawn of Capitol Hill.

The White House, Congress and the Supreme Court, the three pillars of the US government, all punch their clocks here, while the Pentagon, the State Department, the World Bank and embassies from almost every corner of the globe float around their orbit. Power, those that carry it and those eager to wrestle it away, is why DC emits such a 24/7/365 buzz. Can you feel it?

Washingtonians, all 700,000+ of them, know full well the difference between the city itself and the District of Columbia, aka “inside the beltway.”

Beyond the high profile attractions, the politics, the leaks, the lobbying and the “fake news,” the city, all 68 square miles of it, is made up of small, distinctive neighborhoods where normal folk live and breathe. Here, restaurants, cafes, bars and nightclubs are hopping; Ubers are hailed and bicycles and electric scooters are shared via smartphone apps, and one of the cleanest metro systems in the world moves the populace quickly; and, where friends share a laugh, like my DC-based fam, on colorful row-house front porches or on terraces atop apartment complexes with fab views of their fair city spread out below.

While we’re here, let’s grab some cutlery and tuck in to one of the country’s hottest food scenes. The District is a can’t-miss epicurean destination touted by the likes of Bon Appétit, the Michelin Guide and Zagat, and where celebrity chefs like José Andrés, Tim Ma and Marjorie Meek-Bradley conjure up their culinary wizardry.

From food magazine-worthy dishes created and plated at coveted tables around Penn Quarter, to local favorite half-smokes served at a 24-hour diner up in Adams Morgan, to one-stop grazing at foodie mecca Union Market, just about every kitchen on the planet is represented within DC.

Regardless of your crave, one thing’s for certain: it’s all delectable no matter where you dine. Uh, I’ll have the Maryland crab cake sandwich topped with crispy bacon, please.

With loads of attractions and activities for every visitor, budget-minded and value-added, Washington, DC is teeming with a good-time vibe. Affording unmatched free access to museums, monuments and memorials and one-of-a-kind events, like the National Cherry Blossom Festival, not to mention five pro sports teams — Redskins, Nationals, Wizards, Capitals and DC United — the District is in a class all by itself.

Washington, DC, America’s monumental city that our first commander-in-chief envisioned, is all grown up now. I’m just happy that you let me show you around.

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