A Gift For All Loungers

[Empyrium]

thank you Marc...nice story...
it would be good if you could scan the letters and post pics here

 

[Nashoba]

Incredible Marc. And worth every moment of the wait. It's amazing to me that as different as we all are from the society of yesteryear, how truly similar we are. These letters are a poignent example. To see such a rare glimpse into the love and life and heartbreak of this man touches all of us I think. And for some of us, it is a mirror and a glimpse into some of the things we maybe fear the most. His example of perserverence is inspiring and his raw emotion is truly touching. It's no wonder his son kept those letters his whole life. I would have too.
Thank you Marc. A truly beautiful gift.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

it would be good if you could scan the letters and post pics here

Be glad to. Here are photos of two pages that I photocopied from the original letters.

.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Just makes me wonder if by sharing -so- much of the pain of things, the father didn't influence the son to avoid that sort of pain and loss, by simply opting out of that sort of relationship in the first place.

Hard to know without the rest of the story and the actual relationship between father and son to examine.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Hard to know without the rest of the story and the actual relationship between father and son to examine.

I wasn't able to find any more information about the son, but I did discover what happened to the father. (For privacy's sake, I've omitted the dad's name):


******, 98 years old and the last surviving grandchild of ******, died on August 17, 1986 in Racine, Wisconsin, after a brief illness.


In spite of his advanced age, Mr. ****** lived alone in his own home, and up until the last summer of his life, took unaided daily walks along Racine's Main Street.


Starting in 1910, Mr. **** worked for a decade at the now-defunct **** Plow Works, which had been established as a separate enterprise from the original **** Threshing Machine company.


In 1978, the State of Wisconsin proclaimed June 9 as "***** Day" to honor his bow hunting accomplishments. He was said to be the first white man (non Native American) to kill a deer in Wisconsin with a bow and arrow, and hunted caribou on the tundra into his eighties.

.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

Thank's Marc, for all your hard work. Not just these letters but in everything you do for the Lounge.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Forgive me re. a factual error... Ben McGinty (who helped out at the estate) has just corrected me on a detail. He says that the son did get married. Nonetheless, the couple never had children.

.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Forgive me re. a factual error... Ben McGinty (who helped out at the estate) has just corrected me on a detail. He says that the son did get married. Nonetheless, the couple never had children.

.

ahh that still makes me feel better...

Thanks for saving my day from sadness.

 

[RedHotRidinHood]

I wasn't able to find any more information about the son, but I did discover what happened to the father. (For privacy's sake, I've omitted the dad's name):


******, 98 years old and the last surviving grandchild of ******, died on August 17, 1986 in Racine, Wisconsin, after a brief illness.


In spite of his advanced age, Mr. ****** lived alone in his own home, and up until the last summer of his life, took unaided daily walks along Racine's Main Street.


Starting in 1910, Mr. **** worked for a decade at the now-defunct **** Plow Works, which had been established as a separate enterprise from the original **** Threshing Machine company.


In 1978, the State of Wisconsin proclaimed June 9 as "***** Day" to honor his bow hunting accomplishments. He was said to be the first white man (non Native American) to kill a deer in Wisconsin with a bow and arrow, and hunted caribou on the tundra into his eighties.

.

And he never remarried. It's sad, but in a good way. He really loved Ruth, and it sounds like he really passed alot of good things onto his son. I am also happy to know that the son got married and wasn't alone his whole life. Wow-98 years is a good long run! I hope he smiled and laughed alot.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Thanks for saving my day from sadness.

No problem, Miss N.

The son passed away in the late '80s, and his wife in the late '90s ... which is when Ben found the letters at the estate.

.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

And he never remarried.

Actually, he did remarry, and he had a son with his second wife. Sadly, she, too, passed away before he did. And while his first son had no children, the second son had ten!

.

 

[RedHotRidinHood]

Actually, he did remarry, and he had a son with his second wife. Sadly, she, too, passed away before he did. And while his first son had no children, the second son had ten!

.

OH! Wow-so had alot of family then! Ok, thanks for letting us know!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

OH! Wow-so had alot of family then!

Yes, the son by the second marriage made a lot of children for his dad to have as grandkids. I think that in the final analysis, the sad young widower ended up having a happy long life. May we all!

.

 

[RedHotRidinHood]

Yes, the son by the second marriage made a lot of children for his dad to have as grandkids. I think that in the final analysis, the sad young widower ended up having a happy long life. May we all!

.

I hope I can be so lucky in my life- fftopic: I am going to have my first grandchild in October, and I am very blessed that I am still young enough to enjoy it! (I'm going to be 37 in October-I'm hoping that I get her for my actual birthday too!)

I am very happy to know that the gentleman had so many rugrats running around-I bet he enjoyed the heck out if it!

 

[ohairas]

Wonderful, wonderful bittersweet post! :eusa_clap
I had just put my two year old son down for a nap and came in to find this... my throat hurts!!
A very special find indeed, thank you so much Marc!
Nikki

 

[RondoHatton]

Poignant post

Shut in today from eye doc's drops, the tears flowing again, this time from the overwhelming sadness of the contents. Astute observations, Miss Neecerie. Thank you, Marc.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Really cool message from, and glimpse into the past. Thanks for preserving it.
I think it would make a good screenplay.

 

[ohairas]

That it would Nick.. reminds me much of The Notebook.
Nikki

Really cool message from, and glimpse into the past. Thanks for preserving it.
I think it would make a good screenplay.

 

[Empyrium]

I wasn't able to find any more information about the son, but I did discover what happened to the father. (For privacy's sake, I've omitted the dad's name):


******, 98 years old and the last surviving grandchild of ******, died on August 17, 1986 in Racine, Wisconsin, after a brief illness.


In spite of his advanced age, Mr. ****** lived alone in his own home, and up until the last summer of his life, took unaided daily walks along Racine's Main Street.


Starting in 1910, Mr. **** worked for a decade at the now-defunct **** Plow Works, which had been established as a separate enterprise from the original **** Threshing Machine company.


In 1978, the State of Wisconsin proclaimed June 9 as "***** Day" to honor his bow hunting accomplishments. He was said to be the first white man (non Native American) to kill a deer in Wisconsin with a bow and arrow, and hunted caribou on the tundra into his eighties.

.

Thank you for the pics

If he died at 98 yo in 1986 he was born around 1888. And wrote the first letter at age of 27 (1915)...
Interesting...

 

[panamag8or]

I found out who "The Daddy" was. No wonder he went to Harvard.