Click a link below to open a photo page:
Appleby Photos, Page 1 : Eliza Crawford Appleby, James Barney Appleby, John T. Crawford, Martha Crawford, James Sawyer Crawford house, headstones of Eliza and James Appleby, headstone of James Sawyer Crawford: Suzanna Strickland Appleby, James Newton Appleby, Jimmie, Net, Kate, Emma Appleby
Appleby Photos, Page 2: Under construction
It was a dark and stormy night,
a story of mythic proportions
This is the only known painting by Carlton H. Schurdeleau (open link and forward to page 53) , created circa 1829. Carlton was known for his fictional writing. It is also rumored that he was a child prodigy in the culinary arts, and when not yet 10 was involved in founding the first ever Taco Bell. As family history goes, he formulated the recipes that made Taco Bell the booming business it is today. Family members recalled that one night, after long hours in the kitchen testing his recipes, little Carlton was suffering from a stomach disorder involving “toxic rumblings and explosions” and was unable to sleep. Finding a number of cans of paint left over from sampling potential restaurant wall and sign colors, he began to pour them onto an old board. What resulted is this painting, which he called: “It was a dark and stormy night.” Guess we know where Bulwer-Lytton found the inspiration for his famous opening line of the novel “Paul Clifford,” don’t we? Note: Should you come across other artwork bearing the familiar Schurdeleau name, the family would be excited to hear from you.
(Would we kid about a serious matter like genealogy? )