SAFE IS THE HEART

I'm a man who dreams like all men dream
   of mountains to conquer
      places unseen
         sites to escape to the happiest hours---
   to retreat
      to the loneliest nights
                          alone.

Whenever the sea storms over the land
   I still dream of castles
     it can't knock down---
         to places unknown
            hurt of any kind.

Dreams are dreams
   hearts are hearts
      and together they are
         forever and ever---
   weathering the storms of darkest night
                   gloom without end
   when the aches and pains of emotions and feelings
      cut deep the very core
         of the living soul---
   taking hearts and dreams and making them laugh
      turning them right around
         and making them cry.

Oh, how I've tried and tried to explore
   of how the heart climbs and soars
      to heights unknown to any man---
   and how it can plunge to the lowliest depths
      when even the soul
          can't be much help.

But, alas!
   You came along
       threw out your hand
          and I reached out
             where the heart is safe;
   and to castles we have flown
      where storms can't destroy
         tho' they try and they try
            to knock at the door:
               to get to our hearts
               to pull them apart.

G. Franklin Pruitt
      Published:  The DeKalb Literary Arts Journal, DeKalb College, Clarkston, GA., 1979

1800-1865

   In the early census records of Wilkes County, 1784-1787, the names Joseph Pruitt and Isaac Preston appear.
   In the 1790 census, Jo Prewitt is there, but not Isaac Preston.  Neither is Joel Prewitt in this 1790 census even though he was born in 1786 to Jo Prewitt.
   Furthermore, in all Federal census records of Wilkes County, from 1800-1860, the Preston surname does not appear again in any of the census records in the time period of fifty years.
   On October 21, 1835, however, a marriage bond was issued for Charlotte Richardson and Isaac Preston.
   Strangely, on that exact date---October 21, 1835---a marriage certificate was signed for Charlotte Richardson and Isaac Preuett.
   Joel Prewett is the son of Joseph Pruitt, and Joel and Polly____ had the following children:
      1810, Isaac
      1812, Polly
      1815, Joel, Jr.
      1821, Jeremiah
      1823, Sally
      1827, Hardin
   Children of Charlotte Richardson and Isaac Preuett are these:
      1838-1922  Pheraby:  she is buried at Dehart Baptist Church.
      1841, Mary
      1843, Preston
      1846, Isaac
      1848, Nancy
      1850, Celia
      1852, Joel
      1856, Hardin
      1858-1928, John A. married Irene Billings (1858-1918).  They are buried at Rachel Baptist Church cemetery in Roaring River.
   In Marriages of Wilkes County, North Carolina 1778-1868, there were no marriages with the surname Preston, and only seven marriages with the surnames Pruett, Pruit, Prewit, Prewitt for the same time period of 1778 to 1868.
  So was the name of Isaac Preston on the marriage bond of 1835 a mistake, which was corrected on the marriage certificate on the same day?  Or should we use the names of Isaac Preuett and Charlotte Richardson for future generations with Isaac being the son of Joel Prewit?  And what became of Isaac Preston?
   On May 7, 1787, a marriage bond was recorded for Isaac Low and Mary Preston.  But after the date of that marriage bond, I have not been able to locate another document for Isaac Low or Mary Preston in Wilkes County.  Perhaps they moved out of the county, or out of the state.
    Isaac Preston is also named as a head of household in 1790 with a total of five people in his house, but the names of his wife and children are not recorded.  Could Mary Preston be the daughter of Isaac Preston?
   Meanwhile, Isaac Prewett and Charlotte Richardson had a total of nine children and one of the sons was named Isaac, born in 1846.