I have written about the
two "
Janes," but there is third Jane, who entered my life many years ago and has had a significant impact on me and my family, both here and those that have gone. Jane came to Salt Lake City from her home in Michigan to search her roots. We are related through our Gray families. While researching she came across my name in the card files in the old genealogy library. Before computers we found information in card files. My address was a previous one and at first she decided that she would write to me when she got home, but then she told me she said, "Heck, she lives here," so she found a number and called. "Yes, my grandmother was Helen Gray and her parents were William Gray and Jane Reid." I made an appointment to pick her up. She came and we have been dear friends ever since. Her letters to me always included "extras," including pictures and recipes and snippets of fabric and wallpaper. She loves family history and quilting and "hooking and flowers." I love those things too. She loves birds. I am not too excited about birds, but her enthusiasm is contagious. Two summers ago she even gave me a short "hooking" lesson when I visited her. We joke because Jane is a "hooker," but of wool. Her basement looks like one of the fabric stores that I have visited in
Manhattan, or maybe even Scotland. She lives in a home built by her parents near the shores of Lake Michigan. Her grandparents,Edwin Manley and Elizabeth Jane Gray, whose father David Gray was a brother to my grandmother Helen Gray Lillie, moved from Kincardine, Ontario to Grand Rapids, Michigan,where he was the head of upholstery for the Truscott Boat Company. When the company moved to St. Joseph the family moved also. He loved to farm and in 1907 he bought ten acres, including a yellow clapboard house that was owned by Captain Langley, a Great Lakes captain. There they build their resort where the people from Chicago would c
ome to escape the summer heat. A
Truscott boat is in the Maritime Museum in St. Joseph. I saw it when I went a few years ago. I love her home. It is also a museum, but of things close to her heart, and my heart also. I have a stitchery above the door in my kitchen that she did for me that says, "Happiness, a little fire, a little food, an immense quiet." Again, things I love! Her cat, Daisy, enthralled my children, because he played the miniature piano. Oh yes, she loves cats ... I do not! Well, we are also cousins. We have been to Scotland together and walked the lands of our family; Aberdeen,
Belhelvie,Old
Machar,New
Machar,
Foveran. The Belhelvie/Old Foveran church remains are above and to the right. We discovered gravestones in the New
Machar churchyard for our third great grandparents, David Gray and Christian Thomson (picture top left). My maternal grandmother's, Isabella
Broomfield's family is from
Devonshire, England. That is not the connection I have with Jane. We are related through my father's line. For many years the Bromfield's lived in little town called
Hemyock, in fact my great great grandparents, William Bromfield and Sarah Wood were married in the church in
Hemyock. One day, before my first trip to England, I told Jane that my family was from
Hemyock ... astonishment, almost silence. Jane's family was from
Hemyock also.The Manleys were gentleman farmers and one a brewer in Hemyock. The buildings that housed the brewery were on the little river that ran through the town. No way ... that is almost
WIERD! Remember we are not related through this line. After a little research I found my family on witnesses of births and marriages of her family. We were destined to be friends ... our ancestors were friends. Neal A. Maxwell, now deceased, an apostle of the L.D.S. church, and a missionary who served with my mother-in-law Barbara in Canada, says there are no coincidences in the underpinnings of our lives. "
None of us ever fully utilizes the people-opportunities allocated to us within our circles of friendship. You and I may call these intersectings "coincidence." This word is understandable for mortals to use, but coincidence is not an appropriate word to describe the workings of an omniscient God. He does not do things by "coincidence" but instead by "divine design." Well, Jane introduced me to many things, including
Hemyock, and clotted cream. She continues to be on my mind and in my heart a great deal. Still, with projects that we have worked on together not finished, she haunts me. Last time I was with her she mentioned that she didn't think anyone would care about her family history work when she was gone. I care and so many others who have and will benefit from her hours and hours of "family" will care. Our friendship and kinship, by Divine Design!
two "Janes," but there is third Jane, who entered my life many years ago and has had a significant impact on me and my family, both here and those that have gone. Jane came to Salt Lake City from her home in Michigan to search her roots. We are related through our Gray families. While researching she came across my name in the card files in the old genealogy library. Before computers we found information in card files. My address was a previous one and at first she decided that she would write to me when she got home, but then she told me she said, "Heck, she lives here," so she found a number and called. "Yes, my grandmother was Helen Gray and her parents were William Gray and Jane Reid." I made an appointment to pick her up. She came and we have been dear friends ever since. Her letters to me always included "extras," including pictures and recipes and snippets of fabric and wallpaper. She loves family history and quilting and "hooking and flowers." I love those things too. She loves birds. I am not too excited about birds, but her enthusiasm is contagious. Two summers ago she even gave me a short "hooking" lesson when I visited her. We joke because Jane is a "hooker," but of wool. Her basement looks like one of the fabric stores that I have visited in Manhattan, or maybe even Scotland. She lives in a home built by her parents near the shores of Lake Michigan. Her grandparents,Edwin Manley and Elizabeth Jane Gray, whose father David Gray was a brother to my grandmother Helen Gray Lillie, moved from Kincardine, Ontario to Grand Rapids, Michigan,where he was the head of upholstery for the Truscott Boat Company. When the company moved to St. Joseph the family moved also. He loved to farm and in 1907 he bought ten acres, including a yellow clapboard house that was owned by Captain Langley, a Great Lakes captain. There they build their resort where the people from Chicago would c
ome to escape the summer heat. A Truscott boat is in the Maritime Museum in St. Joseph. I saw it when I went a few years ago. I love her home. It is also a museum, but of things close to her heart, and my heart also. I have a stitchery above the door in my kitchen that she did for me that says, "Happiness, a little fire, a little food, an immense quiet." Again, things I love! Her cat, Daisy, enthralled my children, because he played the miniature piano. Oh yes, she loves cats ... I do not! Well, we are also cousins. We have been to Scotland together and walked the lands of our family; Aberdeen, Belhelvie,Old Machar,New Machar, Foveran. The Belhelvie/Old Foveran church remains are above and to the right. We discovered gravestones in the New Machar churchyard for our third great grandparents, David Gray and Christian Thomson (picture top left). My maternal grandmother's, Isabella Broomfield's family is from Devonshire, England. That is not the connection I have with Jane. We are related through my father's line. For many years the Bromfield's lived in little town called Hemyock, in fact my great great grandparents, William Bromfield and Sarah Wood were married in the church in Hemyock. One day, before my first trip to England, I told Jane that my family was from Hemyock ... astonishment, almost silence. Jane's family was from Hemyock also.The Manleys were gentleman farmers and one a brewer in Hemyock. The buildings that housed the brewery were on the little river that ran through the town. No way ... that is almost WIERD! Remember we are not related through this line. After a little research I found my family on witnesses of births and marriages of her family. We were destined to be friends ... our ancestors were friends. Neal A. Maxwell, now deceased, an apostle of the L.D.S. church, and a missionary who served with my mother-in-law Barbara in Canada, says there are no coincidences in the underpinnings of our lives. " None of us ever fully utilizes the people-opportunities allocated to us within our circles of friendship. You and I may call these intersectings "coincidence." This word is understandable for mortals to use, but coincidence is not an appropriate word to describe the workings of an omniscient God. He does not do things by "coincidence" but instead by "divine design." Well, Jane introduced me to many things, including Hemyock, and clotted cream. She continues to be on my mind and in my heart a great deal. Still, with projects that we have worked on together not finished, she haunts me. Last time I was with her she mentioned that she didn't think anyone would care about her family history work when she was gone. I care and so many others who have and will benefit from her hours and hours of "family" will care. Our friendship and kinship, by Divine Design!
No comments:
Post a Comment