Remembering May 1, the date my maternal grandmother was born – May 1, 1872 May 2, 2018

   Not quite the photo I was looking for – this is my grandmother as a young mother holding my mother born April 7 1912 in Minneapolis Minnesota

50 Years Ago April 2, 2018

  50 years ago in February 1968 this starry-eyed couple were wed in St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Nairobi, Kenya

We haven’t celebrated the actual date – I was visiting one of our sons in London and Dublin.  And Ian remained here in Seattle – too infirm to make the trip.

I’ve been wanting to mark the 50 year milestone though by writing a bit on my blog and including some photos taken long ago in those early years.

to be continued

I Have Been Away February 18, 2018

A marvelous trip to London and Dublin to visit family and friends.

   Son Andrew and his 2 daughters Alannah 12 and Isolde 7 in their home in Rathgar, Dublin, Ireland

  In a pub in Terenure, Dublin   Same pub, Vaughn’s, Alannah, Kerri-Anne and Amanda.  Amanda is Andrew’s wife and Kerri-Anne is her sister.

Following lunch the granddaughters and I went to the small but very good Village Bookstore 2 doors away.  During my trip I visited book stores at every opportunity.  My failing?  My interest!!  Alas, I didn’t come across any yarn stores in my travels.  It’s just as well, I could hardly shut or lift my suitcase for the return trip back to Seattle.

 

Vaughn’s in the village of Terenure is within easy walking distance of Andrew and Amanda’s home in Rathgar.  Rathgar village also has numerous excellent bars and restaurants and shopping facilities.  Up until about a month ago Rathgar also had a book store    

 

 

 

My husband Ian and I lived in Rathgar when we first came to Ireland in Year 1 of our marriage in 1968.  We had the top floor flat in a former house – very similar to Andrew and Amanda’s home now.         sort of but not exactly like this red brick home

Ian and I did our shopping at the Gourmet Shop in Rathgar but sadly the owners passed away recently and the shop is now closed – a victim of the passage of time and a small shop bowing to the dominance of a much larger shopping facility (SuperQuinn) opening nearby.

Rathgar Presbyterian Church is strikingly dominant in the village.  And this is where our youngest son David was baptized.       This photo doesn’t do it justice.

 

 

 

A Proud Grandma February 3, 2018

    Grandson Ethan is in third grade and he and his 150+ classmates had an assignment where they had to interview a senior relative about what their life was like when they were in third grade.  Well today was presentation day where proud parents and grandparents gathered to see the results.  Our grandson Ethan interviewed me as his senior relative and here is his presentation of the results.  I thought he was quite clever in his presentation and his interpretation –  but no cleverer than his many classmates of such a variety of ethnicities.  it was a fun day for all concerned – especially the sampling of favorite recipes from the many countries represented.  Ethan’s favorite recipe was for Irish Apple Cake which he and his mom made.

  Ethan explaining his project to his mom/mum Susan.  If he had asked me what was my favorite recipe I would have said Apple Crisp – which is kind of like Irish Apple Cake.  But Apple Crisp is straight out of Betty Crocker.  Ethan has a mixed heritage from Ireland and North America.

December 28, 2017 December 28, 2017

82 years ago today on December 28, 1935 my parents were married at 45 Wildwood Street, Winchester Massachusetts.  This was my mother’s family home.  My grandparents home has different owners now – but doesn’t the house look lovely,  I stopped to view it this past May when I was visiting one of my cousins who lives in Winchester.  I have warm feelings as I think of that happy day so long ago.  In attendance were my 3 (half) siblings, my father was a widower with a son age 11 and 2 daughters age 8 and 7.  My sisters have told me how awkward they felt and how warm and gracious my mother’s mother was.  She just took them under her wing, so to speak and made them feel at ease.  Unfortunately none of the photos of the occasion turned out.

I have lots of other family photos to share however:

   I was born early in December a year later

 

 

 

 

 

     my father with his 3 young children – photo taken in the late 1920’s on Old Middlesex Road in Belmont Massachusetts.

 

    my mother holding me and Bob, Ruth, and Nan – and Blackie the cat     Spring 1937

 

on the front steps of the Winchester house – Auntie (my grandfather’s sister), me, my cousin Betsy, our grandma Friend

 

 

    My grandfather’s sister Gussie (Augusta), my grandfather Alfred (Fred), and my grandmother May Belle      the picture was taken on the front porch of the Winchester house

  The baby in this photo from 1912 is my mother being held by her mother (my grandmother) in Minneapolis Minnesota

  my father, proud dad 1920’s

  my dad and brother Bob 1930 approx.

  my dad as a youth age 19?

  my dad and his mother, 1943, Raleigh North Carolina

  my mother and dad, 1938?

 

 

An Ancestor Who Lived In Plantagenet Times December 4, 2017

Sir John Le Carter 1364-1446 was my 16th Great Grandfather.  (Note:  He was also a GGF to President Jimmy Carter)

 

There’s A Bright Star Shining In The East September 28, 2017

When I get up these dark September mornings and take my seat at the computer I look out to see a lone bright star shining in the East.  I like to think this is a message from my dear sister Ruth who passed just a few days ago.  She is shining down on us – twinkling – all is well.  She is at rest, in peace.  And slowly dawn breaks.  Another beautiful sunrise.

  Ruth   This photo was taken a number of years ago when she was still living at her beloved farm.  The farmhouse was built in 1792 and lived in by 10 generations of the same family before Ruth and her husband Chuck bought it.  Over the years it was the focus not only for the immediate family but for the wider circle of friends and family.

Among Ruth’s many interests she loved gardening, particularly flowers.  So this photo taken on the side porch is most appropriate.

I Was There July 25, 2017

The Seattle Mariners beat the Boston Red Sox last night 4 to 0.  I was there right behind home plate, high in the stands.  But I didn’t have to watch the game at all – I could just stare at the big screen – all the action was there including scene after scene of antics by the fans.  Razz-Ama-Tazz and Hoopla galore and occasional fireworks kept us on our toes.  But where was the old fashioned simple beauty of the game itself?  And the hot dog and pop corn sellers of former days.  I’m not sure I fully appreciated the 2017 version of the baseball game experience.  Take me back to Fenway Park in the 1940’s – now there was how I like to think of a family outing to a baseball game.

But never mind my grumbles – the 2017 outing was good – surrounded by good humored friends and a lovely summer’s evening  And MY TEAM won!  Oops – I got mixed up.   My team should now no longer be the Red Sox and I should be pleased that the Mariners won.  Yes, the Mariners won.  MY TEAM for 2017.

My Ancestors Came To America July 1, 2017

 

I’ve been working on finding out more about the “who, when, how, etc” my ancestors came to America.  I have identified over 300 individuals who emigrated, mostly from England, to reach our shores.  Now I have ordered this information by year.

Here’s a sample from my working copy:

Immigrants to America

 

Ordered by Year

 

Standish, Myles     arrived in Plymouth in 1620 on the Mayflower    8^th Great Grandfather    I am descended from Myles through Gilman Bryant on my father’s side

 

Allerton, Remember    arrived in Plymouth on the Mayflower in 1620 with her parents Isaac Allerton and Mary Norris   Remember was 5 years old    Remember was  my 9^th Great Grandmother

 

_____________

 

Standish, Barbara    wife of Myles   arrived in 1623 and married Myles shortly afterward  She was his 2^nd wife and the mother of Josiah, my 7^th Great Grandfather     his first wife Rose died in 1621 in the first sickness at Plymouth

 

Annable, Anthony   came in July 1623 with his wife Jane Mumford    they sailed on the ship “Anne & Little James”

 

______________________

 

 

Lyford, Ruth – arrived in Plymouth in 1624

 

_______________

 

Cummings, Isaac    8^th GGF   came to Salem in 1627   born in Scotland

__________________

Archer, Samuel   arrived in Salem in 1630    he was part of the Winthrop Fleet      he was a carpenter    he married in 1634

 

 

Vore, Mary  came to America with her parents Richard Vore and Ann Harris in 1630 wen she was 13     They were from Somerset    she eventually married Alexander Alford

 

Bissell/Buswell, Capt John and his wife Mary Drake  arrived in Nantasket in 1630

 

Brackett, Capt Richard – came in 1630 with his older brother Peter     Richard went back to England briefly in 1633 to marry Alice Blower

 

Bradstreet, Simon – arrived in Boston in 1630   He was part of the Winthrop Fleet    His wife Ann Dudley accompanied him

 

Dutch, Osman –  arrived in Rhode Island in 1630    settled in Gloucester   sent for his wife Grace Pratt in 1639

 

Fletcher, Deacon John – arrived in 1630 in Concord

with his wife Sarah Hartwell    Sarah was from Chelmsford England     was her husband John or Robert??

 

Keyes, Robert – with his wife Sarah arrived in 1630

 

Philbrick, Thomas – arrived in 1630 with the Winthrop Fleet

 

Wigeon, Capt Thomas – arrived in 1630 with the Winthrop Fleet

 

 

_______________

 

Bryant, Stephen – arrived in 1632 from Kent in Essex

 

Merrill, Isaac and his wife Clemmet came to Massachusetts Bay in 1632 on the “Lyon”    they settled in Roxbury

 

Palphry, Jane – arrived in Boston in 1632

 

Sargent, William –  8^th GGF  Bristol to Ipswich   he arrived in 1632

________________

 

 

Blower, Alice came in 1633 with her husband Capt Richard Brackett

 

Clapp, Thomas – arrived in 1633

 

Duncan, Nathaniel –  my 9^th GGF  he came from Exeter Devonshire to Dorchester Massachusetts in 1633    his wife Elizabeth Jourdaine accompanied him

 

A Work In Progress June 20, 2017

   Immigrant Ship

 

From the piles of papers I’ve accumulated in my genealogy research I am now compiling a list of my immigrant ancestors who came to America – who, when, what year, etc.

Following is my draft so far:   Sorry, I’m having trouble copying the Word document