Family Lore

One of the prompts for #52 Ancestors for 2024 is Family Lore. 

What is  family lore?

I guess the simplest explanation of family lore are the stories told in the home about the family. Usually from the parents 

or older generations to the younger generation. 

 My Dad was quite the story teller. Some of his stories were hard to believe and some you know, are just not impossible. 

This story I was able to disprove and verify. That might sound strange to you but wait, you will see what I mean.

Dad always told us we were as American 

as those who came over on the Mayflower. 

As a kid I didn't think much about it, I knew I was American and that was all that was important to me. 

When I started doing Family History at 30, 

I realized he was not correct. 

His grandfather came from Germany in 1868 and my grandfather on my mother's side came from England in 1906. So, I am still American but not a decedent of the Mayflower. 

I though he told this story because he was of German decent and had lived through both World Wars and had maybe faced some discriminations. He lived in a German area and went to a school for the German community and had a German last name of Hartmann.

Later in my life and after doing more family research on Annette Corkish, who is my Bonus Mother and my dad's second wife and the mother of my three brothers. And after meeting cousins on Social Media and Ancestry.

One of those cousins showed me how her line goes 

back to Henry Samson from the Mayflower. 

Henry Samson, was a 16 year old on the Mayflower.

Annette my Bonus Mom

Thus, the story is disproved and verify at the same time. 

Right for my three brothers but not me. I think my dad just included me in the group as a decedent because he wanted us four kids to feel like one family and not draw attention to my mother who had died when I was an infant. 

So, sorry Dad that I didn't believe you. 

All I can claim is that I was raised by a descendent of the Mayflower. Annette was a good Mom so that is all that really matters.

Standing Dad George, Mary, brother George, sitting Annette and brother Don.

This picture was taken in Whitestone, NY, before we moved to Florida and my youngest brother was born.

For clarification my mother Edith died a week before my first birthday and Annette my bonus mom died a week before my 17th birthday. Annette was the only mom I knew. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day

A Family Story!

Today in 1959 was the day my Dad proposed to my Mom or so the story goes. The details that are missing are where did he ask? Did they go to dinner first? Did he have the ring on that day? Did he have flowers? How did Mom feel? I mean here was a man who was a widower with a 13 month old. How did Dad feel? He said he would love both of his wives forever. How did all the family feel? I think everyone was happy and pleased with the match. My aunts told they they loved my Mom as if she was a sister.

It was a very short dating time five weeks at the longest. I don't know how long Mom cared for my Mother in the hospital but they probably became friends there. I not sure if friends is the right word. In the late 40's patients went to the hospital to die. Even Mom was in the hospital for almost 4 weeks before she died and that was in the mid 60's.

I know from my past dating experiences I would not have felt I knew a man well enough to marry after 5 weeks of knowing him, They married in June of 1959. I guess when you know it's right you do it.

All I remember is Dad would say, "Oh it's St. Patrick's Day this is the day I proposed to your Mom." I wish I knew more.

Mom never said much about it either.

I guess the lesson here for me is to tell my kids more about my courtship with their Dad.