More Cousin Jean- 1950 Style

 
You don't want to see more snow. Me neither. So here's some ancient history. This was prompted because Cousin Jean posted a picture on Facebook of a painting of an historic house in Farmingdale, Long Island, NY. It has been recently named an historic site, with a plaque, because the woman who lived there was an early suffragette. So Jean was talking about visiting there as a child.

Whoa! Suddenly I realized what house this was. I'd been there too, and you've seen one picture from there on this blog at Cousin Helen.

So I went into a flurry of scanning pictures, because my scanner now works right (hallelujah!). I posted a bunch of those pictures on FB. But on the other side of the same scrapbook page... Jean's family visited my family maybe a month before the Long Island trip. It was also almost exactly 68 years ago. That's scary.

I was just turning two and Jean was only a few months behind. I'm on the left and Jean is on the right.



Everyone posed on the front steps of our house. I guess Mom took the picture. Left is Dad, Ray F. Leary holding me. Next is Granny- Emily M. Rowe, and beside her is Cousin Helen (sister to Jean's dad). Then we have Nan- Jean's mom, and her dad George Kilquist holding Jean. Nan is still alive.



Next we have dads and daughters. Check out the car! 1940s something. Guesses or knowledge welcome.



Girls with George. PS. I still have the wagon. I left the background intact because you can see our row of iris coming up and the dark peonies behind them leafing out. That was a nice flower garden come May. The fenceline beyond the flowers is beside the Lehigh Valley railroad tracks.



Finally, the picture with the best clarity is of Jean's family. Helen, George, Nan and Jean.



Fun times. I don't remember this day at all, but it sure looks like we were having a good time.

In other news: spent the whole day doing paperwork and bookkeeping and stuff like that.

	See Jean Hall and Joan Hall
if you like this blog, click the +1   or

Cousin Helen

 
If Chuck were still hosting his Family Friday, this would be a perfect fit. I got an email from my cousin Jean that family is gathered in New England, because her Aunt Helen's "time to transition" is approaching. Helen is 101. This is the last living second cousin of my mother. (Jean is my third cousin.)

Helen was always very nice to me, even after I married and moved away. I never saw her from about 1962 till 2006, but she always sent lovely Christmas cards and a small, appropriate gift. I mention appropriate, because some distant relatives become jokes for their poor taste in gifts. Helen always seemed to get it right- a box of assorted fancy mustard, jelly, fruit. It wasn't always food, but I don't want to make up stuff I don't remember. I just remember that she never sent a "loser."

I visited her in 2006, and would love to show you a picture from that trip, but I can't find them (grrr- not digital?).

Anyway, Jean sent me a picture taken just last fall, with Jean's mother. Helen is on the left.



I never can figure out how these people get old. Here is how I remember Helen. She's on the right, and I'm the munchkin.



The woman holding me is Mary, great-aunt to Jean, and cousin of my grandmother. Next to her is her sister Mabel, Jean's grandmother, also cousin to my grandmother. In the front is Winifred, wife of a deceased sibling, Percy. Helen is Mabel's daughter, and her brother was George, Jean's father. Another sister, Grace died a few years ago. It's all very confusing when written out that way.

Mabel, Mary and Percy are siblings. My grandmother is their cousin. Helen, George and Grace are Mabel's children. Jean is George's daughter.

I actually remember pieces of this trip. The house was on Long Island. Jean remembers the house better than I do. She was there more often, but my family never went again after this time. I have no idea why. Jean says the house is gone now, too.

Very soon, I will be the only person in this picture who is still alive. How did that happen?

	See Jean Hall and Joan Hall
if you like this blog, click the +1   or