Letter to Grandma, 2015

Today, December 3rd, 2015, would have been my Grandma's 83rd birthday. She passed away in 1980, ten years before I was born. In 2013, I wrote her a little letter which I shared on my blog. I have decided to share it again. I have made some additions though, to make it more relevant to the current year.

Dear Grandma,

Happy 83rd Birthday in Heaven! <3

I wish I could have known you. You were taken away from us far too soon. 

I know you would be so happy that I caught the genealogy bug from you. I have started referring to you as the Genealogy Queen in the family. Does that make me the Genealogy Princess? Hehehe. You would be amazed at all the technology and the discoveries I have made about my ancestors. I think you would have loved being part of the online genealogy community, but you would still have used your traditional methods. :-) How I would have loved to go to court houses, churches, cemeteries and Civil War Battlegrounds with you. We would have had so much fun together, especially with all the genealogy happy dancing I’ve been doing lately! 

For most of my life I knew you through a small number of photographs and stories. Then came June of 2011. That was the first time I ever saw video footage of you. No words. Silence. It did not need words. I saw you moving, walking and smiling. I do not think anyone in my family really knows just how happy I was, seeing the videos of you.

In October 2013, Aunt Molly sent Mum some old letters that you had written to my Great Grandparents (Grandad's parents) in the 1960s. For the first time, I was reading things you had written. For the first time, I was reading what you were thinking. Your thoughts. That is something I never thought I’d get to discover.

You would be thrilled to know that in February this year, I went to Salt Lake City for the first time ever. I'm sure you would have known what's in Salt Lake City - The Family History Library! In one of your letters, you wrote about the Latter Day-Saints opening a Family History Library/Research Center in Anchorage while you were living there. That made me smile. While I was in Salt Lake City, I went to two of the biggest genealogy conferences in the world - RootsTech & the Federation of Genealogical Societies. Oh Grandma, I had THE. BEST. TIME. EVER. I wish you could have been there with me. I wish I could call you on the phone and tell you all about it. I met so many wonderful people, and made some amazing life-long friends. In a way though, it felt like you were with me. And guess what Grandma?! I met another young genealogist from Texas who has the name Swindell in his ancestry. We're not sure if we're cousins or not yet. Still checking. But how awesome is that?

I cannot wait to go back to Texas (soon, hopefully!) and hang out with Uncle David for a while. He is (fingers crossed) going to take me to all these places that are significant to our family history. Plus, we're going to go through all your genealogy stuff. I know I already said it, but I cannot wait!

Thank you for giving me this intense love that I have for genealogy. I never expected it.

I love you.

My Grandma, Nancy Robinson

Nancy Robinson

Born: 3 December 1932, Texas, USA.
Died: May 1980, New Mexico, USA.

A letter to Grandma.

Dear Grandma,

Happy 81st Birthday in Heaven! <3
I wish I could have known you. You were taken away from us too soon.

I know you’d be so happy that I caught the genealogy bug from you. You’d be amazed at all the technology, and the discoveries I’ve made about my ancestors. I think you would have loved being part of the online genealogy community, but you would still have used your traditional methods ^_^ How I would have loved to go to court houses, churches, cemeteries and Civil War Battlegrounds with you. We would have had so much fun together, especially with all the genealogy happy dancing I’ve been doing lately!

For most of my life I knew you through a small number of photographs and stories. Then came June of 2011. That was the first time I ever saw video footage of you. No words. Silence. It didn’t need words. I saw you moving, walking and smiling. I don’t think anyone in my family really knows just how happy I was, seeing the videos of you.

This year, in October, Aunty sent Mum some old letters that you had written to my Great Grandparents in the 1960s. For the first time, I was reading things you had written. For the first time, I was reading what you were thinking. Your thoughts. That’s something I never thought I’d get to discover.

Thank you for giving me this love that I have for genealogy.

I love you.

My Grandmother, Nancy Robinson.
Author's personal collection.

Nancy Robinson

Born: 3 Dec 1932, Texas, USA.

Died: May 1980, New Mexico, USA.

Amanuensis Monday.

Letter from Jean Gow (Auchterarder, Scotland) to her son William Gow (Sydney, Australia), 27th of September 1893.

"Dear Son,

I just received your letter this morning & always glad to hear from you. You have got the paper of your fruit you think it might have had a better it was a mistake of me but I did not see it till I saw it in the paper & I could not help it then. In deed I was so bad of myself if Uncel [Uncle] Peter had not come. I dowt [doubt] you would not seen in the paper at all you think I might kept more to my self. I was so proud of you sending them that I could not hide your thoughtfulness of sending them so far to me I will be more so if you will send me some of your Oranges & I will know better if they are good or not. You saw I did not say if they were good you know heat corn is never good. They were very pretty to look at did you get the letter that they were corn & more as the young Sadie that wrote it was so kind to me. You have sent me Robert [William’s brother] address but I think you are making a card(?) of me now when you put Esquire to it. I will send his papers to you until I hear from you again & you can send them to him. Will he be far from where he was? Missie is gone to Kinross her address is Hygh St Kinross. I sent your address to Jeannie [William’s sister] long a go but everyone is so much taken up with themselves they have not much time to think of others at least it appears so. I had a letter from John [William’s brother] a long with yours this morning. He is thinking of coming for some days only if he can get away. You might come & join his company the days he will be here. I hope this will find you will & free of toothache. I am better than I have been for a long time so I will draw to close.

I remain your affectionate mother

Jane Gow.”

There was a significant lack of punctuation in the letter so I inserted full stops where I thought appropriate.

What were the main points I got from this letter?

• Jean would like William to send some Oranges to she can judge the,
• Jean is very proud of William for doing well on the farm
• She will send Robert’s papers to him, and he will forward them on to Robert
• Jeannie is busy, everyone is taken up with themselves, therefore not much time to think of others
• John is thinking of coming to Scotland from Ireland for some days
• Jean is asking William if he might join John’s company and visit Scotland as well.
• Jean is better than she has been in the past for a long time.