Breakfast was truly the most important meal of the day when I slept over at my grandparents house. It was “alone time” with my grandfather, Basil. My grandmother rarely roused from her slumber before 10 a.m. I think. She sat in her recliner working crossword puzzles and watching television into the wee hours after my grandfather had retired to the “front bedroom” where he slept and I to the basement apartment that I had to myself. So we never saw her at breakfast.

There was no need for an alarm clock. Grandpa’s footsteps on the kitchen floor above me signaled when it was time to get up. I’d throw on my clothes and make my way up the steep and narrow staircase that would NEVER have passed a modern safety inspection. I always felt a sense of relief when I made it to the top safely and closed the door behind me. The staircase led to the eat-in dining room portion of their kitchen. It was cozy and the warm aroma of Grandpa’s breakfast always greeted me before he did. He’d be wearing a t-shirt and slacks with a belt and house slippers. The sound of coffee percolating punctuated his movements as he gracefully moved between the skillet and the toaster or pancake griddle. Invariably we’d have fried eggs and sausage patties that were not much bigger than a quarter in size. I suppose they made his silver dollar-size pancakes look that much bigger.

Since my grandmother was still sleeping and my parents were miles away, I felt okay about drowning my pancakes in maple syrup – Grandpa never seemed to mind. Maple syrup, however, was not Grandpa’s condiment of choice when it came to pancakes, toast or canned biscuits. He preferred the mysterious dark liquid that kind of oozed from the jar when he poured it: sorghum molasses. I tried it once but it was too strong for my liking.

What could possibly be the point of this gratuitous trip down memory lane?

Fast-forward to July of 2017 as I painstakingly scan my first role of microfilmed newspaper looking for any mention of my ancestors in Mississippi. And what is the first thing I learn about my grandfather’s grandfather, John S. Boren?

He manufactured sorghum evaporators.

This ad appeared in The Prentiss Plaindealer newspaper July 26, 1894.

Kenfolk: Tranthams
Relationship: 2nd great grandfather
Common ancestors: John’s parents were Absolem and Harriett (Pearce) Boren, my 3rd great grandparents