Brian, your wonderful essay filled in some pertinent information for my ancestral heritage! My grandmother, Annie Brown, also descended from Timothy. Her partents, John and Bridget, had 4 children. She grew up on the family farm in St Patrice de Beaurivage and even taught school in the village. However, she and her older brother, Edgar, decided farm life was not for them and together they took the train to California to start a new life. She was an amazingly strong woman. My mom and I used to joke that they don't make them like that anymore!
Brian - that was a really wonderful story, and such a welcome post in my email today. I am going to pass it on to my brothers and sisters (Gartners, from Wyckoff) because I know they will enjoy it. I think we have been in touch through LinkedIn, but I guess it was a while ago. So sorry to hear about your Dad. He has a special place in our hearts for those years when he coached us in track at St. E's—I am actually writing a middle grade novel inspired by that experience. :)
Kathy, thank you so much reading! I would love to read your middle grade novel -- or buy it when it's published! For Dad, the St. E's track team -- and the meets -- were a source of pure joy. He was a somewhat notable sprinter in high school who, in his early thirties, lost his speed when he shattered an ankle playing softball. But that didn't keep him from playing softball afterward -- and he maintained a real love of running etc. Fyi, after Sheelah and Tom moved to Trumbull, Dad organized a mini-Olympics every summer. It was held in the backyard and the participants were his 20-plus grandchildren -- and young cousins ... and local kids with some tie of some kind to the Browns!
Ahh, that's so great - I love the mini-Olympics! I haven't finished the book yet, but I didn't know that about your Dad's history, and, weirdly, the character I wrote had a similar past with an injury, etc. Don't want to get your hopes up, though—I have a bunch of unpublished manuscripts and have only published a couple essays and book reviews... That's why I still have a day job. :) Anyway, I sent your story to my siblings and Steve already wrote back that he loved it. Hope you get some new subscribers.
Brian - this was a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing this part of your family’s journey with us.
Brian, your wonderful essay filled in some pertinent information for my ancestral heritage! My grandmother, Annie Brown, also descended from Timothy. Her partents, John and Bridget, had 4 children. She grew up on the family farm in St Patrice de Beaurivage and even taught school in the village. However, she and her older brother, Edgar, decided farm life was not for them and together they took the train to California to start a new life. She was an amazingly strong woman. My mom and I used to joke that they don't make them like that anymore!
So glad I found your essay!
Brian - that was a really wonderful story, and such a welcome post in my email today. I am going to pass it on to my brothers and sisters (Gartners, from Wyckoff) because I know they will enjoy it. I think we have been in touch through LinkedIn, but I guess it was a while ago. So sorry to hear about your Dad. He has a special place in our hearts for those years when he coached us in track at St. E's—I am actually writing a middle grade novel inspired by that experience. :)
Kathy, thank you so much reading! I would love to read your middle grade novel -- or buy it when it's published! For Dad, the St. E's track team -- and the meets -- were a source of pure joy. He was a somewhat notable sprinter in high school who, in his early thirties, lost his speed when he shattered an ankle playing softball. But that didn't keep him from playing softball afterward -- and he maintained a real love of running etc. Fyi, after Sheelah and Tom moved to Trumbull, Dad organized a mini-Olympics every summer. It was held in the backyard and the participants were his 20-plus grandchildren -- and young cousins ... and local kids with some tie of some kind to the Browns!
Ahh, that's so great - I love the mini-Olympics! I haven't finished the book yet, but I didn't know that about your Dad's history, and, weirdly, the character I wrote had a similar past with an injury, etc. Don't want to get your hopes up, though—I have a bunch of unpublished manuscripts and have only published a couple essays and book reviews... That's why I still have a day job. :) Anyway, I sent your story to my siblings and Steve already wrote back that he loved it. Hope you get some new subscribers.