A Favorite Photo

     This is the 2nd week for #52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. This week's challenge is a favorite photo. The only thing wrong with this theme is deciding what to pick. I love the photo of Great Grandma Estella Smith and her father, John M. Vorhies, in the sleigh in 1939.  However, I might have already shown that one a couple of times. For sure, it can be seen here: Christmas 25, 2017.      
      I thought about a photo of my husband and me at his Military Commissioning Ceremony. He was the honor graduate of the class and telling a little more about that could be fun for future generations to read. I wouldn't even be concerned about publishing our picture because it is so old that no one would recognize us.
      However, I am focusing on a photo that I ran across a few years ago which surprised me.  It is a picture of my Grandpa Bert Grisso, and he is holding a toddler. The toddler is, Joe Johnson, my second cousin. Everyone was obviously at Great Grandma Smith's house. Joe was the grandson of Ardea, my grandmother's sister.  This photo is special because I came across it sometime after Joe passed away at the very young age of 58 in 2011. It was touching to see him with my grandfather. And I think his sisters would enjoy seeing it.
      This was not a grandfather who I ever thought of as gentle enough or had the desire to hold a toddler. By the look on his face, I was wrong. Or maybe Joe just brought out the best in him.

Wedding of Considerable Interest

     Regular readers of Cousins, know that I love the section of my hometown newspaper called A Glance Into the Past.  I especially enjoy reading about my own family.  This past week brought another gem.

     A wedding of considerable interest took place at the Methodist Church Sunday afternoon at 3:30 when Miss Jean Stevens, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C.J. Stevens, became the bride of Beryl M. Johnson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Johnson, all of Scranton.  The church was filled with friends of the couple.  The Rev. Edward Stone spoke the double ring service before an altar decorated with jonquils and gladiolus.
     Attending the couple were Miss Cleo Eason, maid of honor, and Duane Duff, best man.  Miss Carol Nelson and Miss Margaret Ray acted as bridesmaids, while Don Oxenford and John Grisso were the ushers.  Ring bearer was little Janet Scherbring, niece of the groom.  Following the reception, the couple left for Des Moines in a well-decorated car for a short honeymoon.  They will live in this community, where Mr. Johnson will be engaged in farming.  Mrs. Johnson will continue her work as clerk of the school board and secretary to Superintendent Hammer.  Both Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are graduates of Scranton High School, and are among the community's most popular young people.

     As I work on my family genealogy, I wonder who else was there. Was the bride's cousin, my mother Mary, there? Was I there? Probably not, I was only two years old. Who would I have been left with?  Great Grandma Estella Smith was probably there. She was the bride's grandmother.
    
     The newspaper shared another little anecdote that probably caused some concern for all.

     An automobile collision occurred Sunday afternoon on Highway 30 east of Scranton involving a pickup truck driven by Raymond Henning and Chevrolet five-passenger coupe owned by Dan Oxenford, and driven by Don Oxenford.

     Margaret Ray and Carol Nelson, bridesmaids at the wedding of Jean Stevens and Beryl Johnson and John Grisso and Mr. Oxenford, ushers were en route to Jefferson to have their pictures taken with the bridal couple and their attendants, Duane  Duff and Cleo Eason, when the accident occurred.  No one was injured, although the cars were damaged considerably.


    

    

Dedication

     Well, here I go.  But where will I start?  There are Grissos and Smiths, Wrights and Bordens, Augustus and DeHarts, Tolsdorfs and Beiers.  There are Grossmans and Vorhies, Kerins and Reeders.  You get the idea.

      I am starting with the Smith, Vorhies, Withrow line, and I am dedicating these first entries to two family members we lost in January of 2015.  First is my mother's brother, John Hiram Grisso (1924-2015). I was born on his 21st birthday on February 21, 1945 while he was serving in the Atlantic during WWII. This connection made him very special to me.  I felt his absence profoundly this year on our birthday.

     My second dedication is to his first cousin, Jean Stevens Johnson (1929-2015).  In genealogy terms, she is my first cousin once removed. She and my mother were first cousins. On January 2, I called Jean with the news of John's passing.  We had a sad but lively conversation.  I spoke of my discovery of the grave of the parents of my Great Grandpa Hiram Lee Smith's parents in Tucumcari, New Mexico far from our Midwest roots.  George Smith (1842-1932) and Mary Smith (1847-1924) were great grandparents of Jean and John.

     Jean was my go to person for family memories and fact checking.  As happens too often, our best resources are gone too soon.  Jean died four days after her cousin, John,  and two days after our conversation.

     My life is richer because of these two family members.