If he hadn't have made it, I wouldn't be here.



My Great Great Grandparents, 
Mary and Luman Walker LeMaster, Jr 

My Great Great Grandpa Luman was shot right 
through the left breast while fighting the Civil War in 
Tennessee in 1863 as a volunteer 
when he was 21 years old.

The bullet went through his first and second ribs on 
his left side and lodged within the thorax. 

He spent months in 2 hospitals before being 
discharged with 1/2 disability.

He then met and married Mary Keziah Chew who was 
the daughter of Dr. Ezekiel Cooper Chew. 

Some of us have wondered through the years if Dr. 
Chew was helping treat Luman's wounds, and that is 
how he met Dr. Chew's daughter Mary. 

We can only guess.

What I do know, is if Luman had not survived that 
gunshot wound so close to his heart, 
my grandmother and my mother 
would never have been born.

I would not be here. 

My children would not be here. 
Neither would my grandchildren. 

And all of my loved daughters in law 
would not be in our family. 

My nieces and nephews and their children 
would not be here.

The list goes on and on.

I just don't believe we are all here by chance of one 
bullet, and which way it landed.

I know our Father in Heaven is in charge.

The older I get the less I believe in 
chance and coincidences.


Someday I will get to thank my Great Great Grandpa 
Luman LeMaster for his service. I will also thank him 
for fighting to stay alive.

We owe our lives and happiness 
in many ways to our Veterans. 


6 comments:

Travis LeMaster said...

What a great tribute, cousin!

Robin said...

Nice post and he was a snappy dresser!

Richard said...

Lots of interesting experiences and surprises await us, I'm sure...

Anonymous said...

Of course it's chance! r to put another way, thnk of all the people who are not here because of different chances.

Grandma Honey said...

I understand, I've thought of that too. But I don't believe we are all just here randomly. We each have an eternal plan. We may not know what that plan is, but our Father in Heaven knows and thankfully he's in charge. I've watched family members die who I thought left us too soon. There is much I don't understand, and that is okay for now. Someday we will have an understanding that we don't have now.

McKay said...

I loved getting to read this. I hadn’t heard this story. I’m grateful for Luman!

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