GTT

I've run across this common notation in 19th Century documents many times. Especially in the Southern states, this mysterious note may have been the last mention of a person or family in local records. It meant, of course, Gone to Texas, signifying that the person or family had decided to give in to the temptation for adventure, the promise of prosperity, the need of desperation and go to the wide open wilderness of Texas. Although such moved often heralded success for the family, it also signified a separation of the extended that often lasted for the rest of their lives, so mixed in with the excitement of the journey was also mixed with the sadness of parting.

As of Friday, June 26th, I can write GTT for my daughter and her new husband. Of course, they were only going from Oklahoma, where she had gone to school and they had met, and he is a Texas native anyway, but GTT came to my mind. And, of course, they aren't gone, perhaps never to be seen again. It's no longer a long day's drive to see them, but is instead a two hour flight, and we hope to go down in October, so it's not nearly the same as when my great-great grand-father's brother left the family in Kentucky to go to Alabama and then was GTT, but this has made me sympathetic to the brothers who never saw each other again.

For now, we wish them the best, rejoice for their adventures ahead, and are glad they have family and friends already in place.

But, please, no Longhorn tee-shirts!