Lillian's Aunt & Foster Mother - Matilda E. King Black (Tildy)

A few Letters

I tried posting these in extra large format but it cut some the information off, so we have large. You can click on each individual item to enlarge which will bring it to a new screen to view it easier.

Wedding Picture

Left to right: Josephine & Lawrence Abbott; Lillian & James Howard Abbott; Doris & George M. Abbott

Expectations or plans....thoughts....

My goal awhile back was to digitize all photos and family history records to put on dvd's so everyone in the family would have a copy of what I have as it does no one any good if I don't share.  There should be more than one copy of all records in event of some kind of loss, good to have it spread around and also that way those who want it can have it to use with their individual family history software program.  That said, in the mean time, I felt this blog would be helpful for all to share in the discovery of family, by sharing the photos, my feelings, thoughts, memories as well as each of yours. We all had various experiences with grandpa and grandma, and with their children, our cousins and so on.  My hope is that through this blog we can "pool" our information in one central area and in a format that we can later send it off and have it printed in a bound book for those who would like it, depending on the cost.  I have seen a book that one of my daughters had printed of her blog and I liked it. 

I do know grandma loved her family.  I have no doubts of that.  I also know she had a very stern way about her that as a little child, I was afraid, not understanding what a fun sense of humor she had.  There was a time and a place for work and for fun with grandma.  She was a hard worker.  Having a large family, and raising them during the depression was very difficult.  I plan to share some of the sweet letters grandpa wrote to grandma during this difficult time in their lives. 

I hope you will be patient with me as it will take some time to get all of this on the blog.  I have to rescan many of the pictures as I scanned them in bmg format, a better quality, for genealogical purposes if anyone wanted to have them printed or work with them.  So, I have learned, scan in both formats, better and best!

Do understand, the success of this blog is also dependant on each of you.  Your input and sharing of your photos, information and thoughts are important as we each had a unique relationship with grandpa and grandma and with our aunts and uncles, cousins - we need to share all of these in a positive way so their legacy lives on and we all know and love our heritage.

A quick note: if you just wish to comment on a post and not want to email me, just click on "comment" under each post.  I don't think comments would be included in the printed, bound book format, so if you want your comments included in that process - email me and I will post it.  Please remember to keep things positive, non offensive, this is not a venue to vent. I will not post offensive, negative things. I will delete negative, argumentive comments.

Love you all and hope to hear from each of you.  Your memories and stories can also include interactions with all family. Maybe this way we can close in on the distance of miles and become aquainted again and don't forget, we are working on another reunion, although it is still in early stages of getting organzized and planned.

Aunt Barbara's comments

Since I am SO tech challanged I have a time commenting on the blog. Since I lived with your gr-ma Lillian when Brian was born I was around her for along time! I know how much she Loved you!! Remember she raised 10 kids and Lem was a Handful!

Glenna's random thoughts

Hind site is 20/20. At least that is what I have always heard.  I seem to do things "a day late and a dollar short".  I wish I had thought of doing this a few years ago.  I would have recorded the many fun and interesting stories Aunt Dona shared about Grandpa and Grandma. They were a fascinating glimpse into the people I love, but really didn't know. Grandpa died before I was born. I was terrified of Grandma, I guess because I wasn't around her alot, and she was older and not feeling too well when I can remember her. I remember when she came to take care of us kids in Las Vegas when dad took mom to Salt Lake for one of her back surgeries.  She didn't tolerate any nonsense, therefore I thought she was "mean".  I really learned to genuinely love her as I became older and understood more of her upbringing, alot of what really shaped her personality. She was a survivor. A fiesty lady. Endured a lot of heartache and hardship.  I remember when in high school, we lived in Highland, Utah and it was my privilage, to go to Provo on occasional weekends and pick up both of my sweet little grandmothers from their respective rest homes and take them to our home for the weekend.  It was interesting to listen to the two of them converse. It was touching to see how mother quietly taught me to care for and respect them through her example.  I long to learn more of my grandparents, I cling to my fond memories and the memories of the tales Aunt Dona has shared.

I invite each of you to please send me an email with your thoughts, memories, stories, photos, whatever.  I will post them on the blog for all to enjoy.  We may learn together about our sweet grandparents.  We may learn more about ourselves on this journey and jar each others memories.

So, I look forward to hearing from each of you!

A few fun photos

Left to right: Catherine, Lem, Dean, Garn, Olive, Etta, Lorna, Howard Jr.,Mike, Dona, Lillian, Howard Sr.