April 29, 2012

Memory Lane Mondays - Generations...

George Newby Family
I love this photograph. It's the family of my great-great grandfather, George Newby. I never knew him or his wife, but my great grandfather, Percy is third from the left. His sister, My Aunt Ethel (she hated being called "great" aunt) is next to my great grandpa, Percy (fourth from the left).

My great-grandpa was a colorful man who I loved. He and my great grandmother owned a trailer court in Plover, Wisconsin and worked hard their entire lives. I have fond memories of our visits to my great grandparents house with I was a kid.

Aunt Ethel (Newby) Mills was an educator, starting in one of the first one-room schoolhouses in Wisconsin. She lived in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, within a couple of blocks of the house where I grew up. I was able to spend much more time just because of her proximity to our home.

Manners and grammer were always paramount with her - a trait I guess I inherited. She would correct grammatical errors when she heard them, and I find myself doing the same thing now. I'm usually the person who corrects the improper uses of "myself" and "there's" in sentences. (Most times "I" should be used where people now say "myself", and "There's" lots of [multiples of anything] should be "There are".) Sorry. Incorrect grammar is a pet peeve. Thanks, Aunt Ethel! Blessing or curse? You decide.

She held a position placing graduates from the Marian College Education program long into her actual "retirement". Her whole life was dedicated to teaching others. I admire her for that.

Laverne Newby Family
Fast forward to 1955 or early 1956 and here's another five-generation photograph. (l-r: back - my father, my beloved Grandfather Laverne. front: my great-great grandmother Boushley (Dora's mother, I think), my great grandmother Dora (married to great Grandpa Percy) and me!) Please ignore that the photo is crooked and the top of my father's head is cut off.

I don't look very happy, but I'd only been in America with my parents a short time and really only knew my father and Mum at the time this photograph was taken. (I even had a sweet British accent at this time!) My little sister was born in July of 1956, and I believe it was taken prior to her birth.

See the mirror on the wall? That's my pretty Mum reflected in the mirror. I don't know who's standing next to her, but I think that's so cool to have her in the picture, too...smiling at me. I love that.

My younger sister always remembers jumping on "Grandma" Boushley's" feather bed. (Her name is pronounced like "Bosley".) I don't remember that, but I remember much more time spent with my great grandma. I remember her wearing plaid shirts more often than not, and she always had that gorgeous smile on her face. I think my grandpa got his smile from her, and I'd like to think that my smile and laughing eyes are her genetic gift to me, too.

Handsome and I have photographs of generations of our family, too. The contemporary images are some of my favorites, but I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for all of the "oldies".

Do you have generations photos of your family? Do you display them or are they in boxes? I love the digital frames. You can store all kinds of images on a thumb drive and them load them into the frames so that they rotate through the display. One frame with many photographs. One frame to dust. That's a good idea, too!
Thank you for joining me on another stroll down Memory Lane. If you have a special memory posted on your blog this week, please come back and link here so all of us can read it, too! I'll be back with another nostalgic post next month!
Mum and Dad Burt are on a plane Monday morning to spend a whole month in England. They're both so excited about seeing family and old friends while they're there, and Mum can't wait to show Dad all around her homeland (and stuff British food in his mouth!). They're going to have a ball, I know.

Please say prayers for their safe travels and an incredible time overseas. 
DonnaAcornSignature

10 comments:

  1. This is a WONDERFUL STORY Donna,
    I "LOVE" the fact that you have so many wonderful picture and actually KNEW so many generations of your family!
    I don't have pictures like that, VERY FEW and I certainly cherish them! My Dad's Mom and Dad were older when they had him(he was the youngest of 8). They were born in 1885 SO by the time I was born in 1954 my grandmother was ALREADY 70. My Grandfather died when my Dad was only 8 so I never got the privilege of meeting him...My Mom's family, I only new my Grandmother(she's the one with the PIES in my post for your Monday Memories, YUMMMMMY)... I have WONDERFUL memories of BOTH my Grandmothers...Your Dad was TALL? and the whole family LOOKS SO Happy and Sweet!!! You were a little "DOLL"(and still are)!!!
    Big Hugs,
    Donna

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  2. Oh Donna,
    Of COURSE my prayers are with your parents in their travels... I am sure they will have a WONDERFUL TIME!
    HOW FANTASTIC that they are doing this trip!!!

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  3. Love all your family photos Donna.All mine are in memory albums,I did it myself a few years ago.I will start to put a few on my blog though.They make up who we are.
    Hope your mum And Bert have a good time over here in the Uk. Laura and Lilly.xx

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  4. What lovely treasures photographs are. So glad you have many. They are all so happy & very attractive people, Donna. I find so often in the older pics that they didn't smile much, but then I am sure they had hard lives, too. And LOOK AT YOU, so cute!!!

    I am a family photo collector ... treasure each one. I have boxes & boxes of them.

    Love the pics of Tag ... he is such a cute little fella.

    Hope your Mother's trip to England is wonderful. May they be safe in their travels. So love the english countryside.

    Have a beautiful day, my friend.
    TTFN ~
    Hugs & love,
    Marydon

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  5. Such lovely memories you have. Photos are amazing for allowing us to see what we were too young to appreciate at the time. How super adorable you are...yes still. Safe travels for your parents. Blissful memories dear...

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  6. Donna honey another great Memory Lane Monday. You always share the best stories and memories with us.
    I love that your mom too was reflected in the picture. How neat is that.
    I just know how excited she must be to be going to England. You of course will have to share her adventures with us when you can.
    I am joining you this month for Memory Lane Monday but can't decide which memory I am writing today.
    I must run errands but when I get home I will try to join in on your fun.
    Love ya dear friend
    Maggie

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  7. That was a wonderful post. I love old family photos.
    Thoughts and prayers ascending for your parent's safe travels on holiday to England.
    Have a day.
    Always, Queenie
    P.S. My grammer pet peeve: "in regards to" instead of "regarding"...-lol-

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  8. They are great photos Donna. I love all the oldies too. Like you, I'm a bit of a grammar nut and spelling nazi, as my brother likes to call me. I find myself wanting to make corrections to people's posts on Ravelry all the time.

    Wish your Mum and Dad Burt safe travels. How exciting for them.

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  9. What a wonderful post Donna! You were lucky to have known your Great-Grandmother so well. Mine lived far away and while I did get to meet her a few times, I never did get to know her.
    I hope your parents have a wonderful trip and come back with beautiful memories to share!

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  10. A wonderful story of your family. It's still so funny to me that in the really old photos like the first one, how everyone looks unhappy. I guess folks didn't smile much back then because it took forever to take the photo and their teeth dried, and their mouth got tired from smiling and their parents threatened to kill them if they messed up the family photo shoot. Ok..that's my thoughts anyway.
    Safe travels to Mum and Burt. How fun!

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Blessings, Donna