[Charles Henrickson]

I’m glad that I got to talk to men who were born in the 1870s and 1880s.

All four of my grandparents were born in the early 1880s. One died before I was born; his widow lived in our house and died when I was 13. My two other grandparents lived next door--they both were born in Sweden--one lived till I was 18, the other till I was 19. So that was quite an upbringing, being raised with folks who grew up in the 1800s!

[ansel12]

It is freaky stuff, there are so many living, breathing connections to history in the VFW halls, the nursing homes, the family reunions, sometimes in their own homes for those of us who do service work, and get to meet the occasional 90 year old gem still living on their own and who we can get to talk to us for awhile, and get them to explain the photos and awards hanging on the wall in the hallway.

I feel so fortunate to have gone into so many homes during my work life, in my case, years of going into homes of old people on the Southern California coast, and in Texas, and other places of course, even a little in Europe.

[ansel12]

LOL, I just caught your tag line, you know a lot of living history of your own.

[martin_fierro]

I'm a rank amateur genealogy buff and what I see from the times around 1910 was that a lot of children never made it to adulthood.

Great-great grandfather (1850-1926) writing to great-grandfather (1880-1964):

	March 11th  Well Jimy my son (illegible) a few lines to (illegible) of family I often think of my children how good some of them (illegible) mother & I while some don't do as I have done to them Just got a letter from Lem he is well we are all well thank the good Lord for His kindness to us We trust you all are enjoying the same blessing I am wishing for spring to come so I can go down to see you all for I want to see (3.5 y.o. grandson) Unch & have a chat with him
	Unch I want a pack to put in berries so we can buy lots of candy & cakes we will have a good time Unch won't we dad John is poorly the doctor said he was liable to go any time I think he had a little stroke his lungs is bad he has the pneumonia poor fellow he has worked hard in his time it was a big snow up here it was 12 inches deep it rained last nite took part of it away Well (daughter-in-law) Maim last Sunday was my birthday that makes me 66 years old how good the good Lord has been to me that I am permitted to write to you this morning & talk about my children that I love will close with love to all good bye WY
	Corinthians 15 ch 44 verse (illegible) 33 chap read the whole chapter Genesis 30 chapter 30 verse Genesis 9 ch 6 verse Servant kings 19 ch 16 verse Psalms 95 ch (illegible) verse Enoch walked with God how could Enoch walk with God if God had no body Deuteronomy 3 ch 10 verse Matthew 10 ch 20 verse Psalms 139 5 & 10 verse Psalms 9 ch the work of the kings Now Jimy go look it up & see whethere God is all spirit or whether he has a spiritual body these are only a few proofs The Bible is full of proof that we
	will have a body like His to praise Him praise his holy name for a a home with Him when this life is ended We are created in His likeness and image of God

 

I never knew either of these men. Great-grandfather died when I was 4. Now through technology undreamed-of in his time and 86 years after his passing great-great grandfather speaks to us all.