Did You Know Your Grandparents?
I've always considered myself fortunate to have known
all four of my grandparents.
All were alive when I was graduated from high school
in 1986 but only my mother's mother was still alive
by the time I finished college just four years later.
To this day I'm not crazy about receiving calls from my
father for fear someone has died!
All lived at least well into their 80s with grandma P making
it to 99...just a few months short of 100 in 2004.
So, I've got good genes!
At some point earlier this year a couple journals appeared
on my parent's computer desk.
Here's a pic...
These journals are over 90 YEARS old and were kept by
my father's father during his 23rd and 24th years in the
1920s.
I haven't read through all the entries YET but I am enthralled...
and I'm not a guy who uses the word enthralled!
Almost every entry included the time he "arose", "retired" and
the weather of the day.
8 to 8:30 am seems to be his typical time to "arise" and
bedtime was usually after 11.
On January 16, 1920 he writes...
"Prohibition goes into effect today right down tight and if the
brewing stuff don't come up today it cannot be moved."
I immediately went to Wikipedia to confirm Prohibiton started
then and sure enough it did.
During this time frame my grandfather spent a lot of time
going to movies, ice skating (in season), playing cards
at the Knights of Columbus, going to dances and
attending mass.
He got the news that his mother had a malignant brain
tumor and if I'm reading it correctly he wasn't going to
tell the rest of the family.
On Sunday January 4, 1920 he had a date with Dot
and at the end reported that "Dot is a nice kid and
I like her pretty well."
On February 20th Jane McClay was a "pretty nice kid"
too.
I'm not sure if "pretty nice kid" was a euphemism for something
but fortunately for me it didn't work out with Dot or Jane
or you'd be reading something different right now!
On Friday February 13th he made his first stock transaction...
"Bought 20 shares of USC&P @ 15 7/8...these 20 cost me
$320.50.
I'd love to know whatever happened to those shares. What
did that company do?...are they still around in some form?
Is it just me or does $320 seem like a lot of money for 1920?
His birthday on Thanksgiving Day 1920 (Nov 25) came
with a report of "Mother gave me $5 and Jim a pack
of cards".
His brother Jim, my great uncle, lived to be 101.
As proof that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree he
completed (started?) his Christmas shopping on
December 24, 1920 and reported what, for whom and
how much...
"Completed Christmas shopping this afternoon. Got presents
for the whole family as follows"
Mother pair of slippers 2.75
Father " " gloves 3.00
Margaret Stocking and nuts 3.00
Agnes pair of silk stockings 2.50
Jim 6 pair of socks 2.00
Frank Union suit and tie 3.00
Leo a bicycle 7.00
...............................................$23.25
He also reported sending out "about 50 cards".
Of course, a list like this raises a whole bunch
of questions...
-you bought stockings for your sisters?
-what's a Union suit?
-why spend double on your brother Leo?
My father and uncles may be able to answer some
of the dozens of questions I'll have after going
through these journals closely but it sure would
be nice to have the answers from grandpa
directly.
I pulled out these journals when I noticed a new
product called...
"Writing Life Histories For Fun and Profit"
This idea had been rolling around in my brain for
awhile but this guy beat me to it.
I've actually been encouraging my niece to do something
like this for her grandparents and this product provides
her the perfect framework to do this for our family
and turn it into an income stream if that interests her.
If you're looking for a simple and fun moneymaker
that people will pay $200 or more for, then I encourage
you to check this out right away.
A family history in an actual book makes a great Christmas
or birthday gift.
In 93 years your ancestors will LOVE having an in-depth
family history.
Even if this doesn't appeal to you as a moneymaker pick
it up to get your OWN family history down on paper or tape.
It's only $17 and makes a great gift for a young person who
will be grateful to have a family history when you are gone.
