Flat Stanley and his friend, Captain Abner Pinney

Hello, it's Friday and I'm here to tell you about my new friend, Captian Abner Pinney. I'm inbetween his old original stone (on the right), and his new marker and military marker. His old stone isn't in good shape, the information about my friend isn't readable any longer. He lived a long long time ago. Abner was born way back in 1750. If you want to know how long ago that was, grab a piece of paper and pencil and subtract 2010 (our current year), and 1750 (the year he was born). The answer you get tells you how long ago that was. Did you get 260? Whew, that really is a long time ago. Abner was an important man, a man I want to honor. He was born in Connecticut and was a drummer and served in The American Revolution.
Here's a close up of his modern day stone. He was a Captain and fought for our Independence from England. Because of Abner and brave men like him, we celebrate The 4th of July. He lived only a short time in Worthington, Ohio. He traveled all the way from Connecticut to Worthington, Ohio and was one of the original 38 members of The Scioto Company that took up land in this far away land after The Revolutionary War. He died on November 23, 1804. When he died his estate was valued at $452.51. He owned a pair of oxen, a wagon, harness with yolk. Those were very valuable to people who were trying to clear land and make a new home.

When you're having fun watching the fireworks, or picnicking or playing games with your friends and family on The 4th of July, please think of my friend Captain Abner Pinney. He's buried in a very historic church graveyard (St. John's) in Worthington, Ohio.

This is a great way to teach respect of those that came before us, that paved our way. Take the kids to a cemetery and look at a couple of older stones. Think about something that happend that connects with the dates. Do math, how old is the stone compared to them? Get a map find where people are from, use more math to calculate how many miles away it is. Make a drum, and pretend to be Capt. Pinney. Ask the kids why they think having an oxen would be valuable? Talk about the importance of a wagon. All kids have a wagon, what do they use it for? They put things in it, you put them in it to move around. Make the history of the story come alive and have meaning to them. Help them understand what the 4th of July is, why people ware red, white and blue. Talk about why people fly their flags on that special day. Make a word list that connect to what you've seen. Super way to learn new words.
Example:
Militia
Oxen
Revolution

Remember other good activities with kids, maps can be colored and all kids love to color. Flags of the states or the countries involved can also be fun things to color. If you missed it, pop back for Stanley's last adventure and you'll see a word puzzle; that's always something you can do as well with new words.

See you next Friday on the 14th of May. Until then, Flat Stanley out.

Flat Stanley's Previous Adventures:
First adventure, books and libraries
Second Adventure, Hero or Traitor