Why a 150 year old piece of log cabin is sitting in my kitchen

I must start this post by stating "I LOVE the citizens of Lincolnville, Indiana!" 

Not only have they been instrumental in identifying many Brane family members in the reunion photo, but they managed to save a piece of my family history for me. A piece of the log cabin that my g-g-g-grandfather, Daniel Brane lived in.

Here's how the story goes.  Remember our genealogical angel, Ann?  Well, when Ann met us to pick up the photo she mentioned that Daniel Brane's and Bruce Brane's farms had been bought and the homes were about to be torn down.  This set off a panic in my mother!  She had been told that the home that now sits on Daniel's farm was built around the original log cabin that Daniel lived in.  Daniel was deeded the land in 1859 making the cabin at least 150 years old if not older!

The citizens of Lincolnville once again came to our rescue.  They immediately went to the site where all the windows had already been removed.  Upon inspection they reported back to Ann that they saw no sign of the cabin inside the home.  My mom responded "I've been told if you pull back the siding you will find it."  Back to the site went our saviors with their tools.  This time peeling back the siding and revealing the log cabin inside! 

But they didn't stop there!  They pulled out a saw and cut a section of one the logs.  Now my mom and I each have a part of my g-g-g- grandfathers log cabin.  Amazingly, some of the whitewash used oh so long ago still remains.  And if you get close you can still smell the wood. 

So why is it sitting in my kitchen?  Because I'm afraid to move it any further away from the door.  In case of fire I'm grabbing 3 things: my family, my pictures and this piece of wood.

They are my most treasured possessions........