GRANDPARENTS

John and Bridget

I love hearing the stories of the past,

family stories

John and Bridget are my Father's parents.

John was never an American citizen

he jumped ship [ an English ship ] in Boston

around 1890.

John did not plan to jump ship

he was on his way to church 

and ran into an old mate from Ireland,

so........in the tavern they went and the ship sailed without John.

John did become a citizen of Chicago and voted in every election there after.

Bridget it is said that she never removed her shoes while crossing the Atlantic.

She married John a couple years after landing on American soil.

Bridget and John had 9 children { my father being the youngest }.

All of Bridget's children entered the world on the living room davenport.

John and Bridget raised their children in Chicago where my Grandparents remain till their deaths.

Neither ever saw Ireland again.

Ellen and Walter

Ellen and Walter were born in the south, in the great state of Missouri.

It is said that Walter is the descendent of the tallest Colonel in the Union Army.

This is how Walter's family arrived in Missouri.

After the war { Civil War }, all Union officers were given land in the South for their service in the Union Army and of course bringing the war to an end, to the Union satisfaction.

So Walter grew up on a farm in Missouri.

My mother has found memories of this farm where she spent many of her summers 

Walter in his youth  { before meeting Ellen } rode the rails.

Yes he was a HOBO

how cool is that.

Ellen [ Nell ] never liked Walter [ Poppa ], 

to tell us grandchildren of his adventures.

but of course we could never get enough of hearing his adventures and looking at his snake lady tattoos on both his arms.

Nell had Poppa wear long sleeve shirts,

though on those really hot humid Chicago days the shirt would come off and we all would be wide eyed in amazement at the tattoo ladies.

I miss these people.

My Father before he died compiled a book for his ten children with documents and stories of these four wonderful people.

What a treasure

better than gold.