Jokes and Family History

With all that has been going on with my new ERA story I kept these two nuggets in my pocket for now.

THE JOKE JAR

Jim was working at the computer when I walked into his office holding a box that had just arrived in the mail.

"What's this?" Jim asked as I handed him a package addressed to him. "Open it."

It was so well taped that it took a few minutes before he pulled out - THE JOKE JAR - a gift of yuks from storyteller Kate Dudding, who always has a joke on the tip of her tongue.

The jar was jammed with small pieces of colored paper. Each folded had a joke typed on it.

Jim picked one and read it aloud - "What did the fish say when he hit the brick wall ?" He started to laugh. "DAM." He folded it and dropped it back in - " you can shuffle them - Giving jokes. What a great idea."

Laughter is the best medicine!

Thanks, Kate.

Second Surprise - New Cousins

A few weeks ago I wrote this post:

PASSING ALONG FAMILY HISTORY

Some years ago my dear Aunt Catherine put this old picture of Elizabeth Pyburn Grose into my hands for safe-keeping. Elizabeth Grose came to the US in the 1850s from London, England. On my father's side she is my great, great grandmother.

My Dad's younger sister Betty was named for her, Elizabeth Grose - their great grand-mother.

The new Elizabeth Grose, Aunt Betty's great-grand-daughter sits next to the original Elizabeth Grose. I guess that makes Eliza her four great granddaughter.Yesterday my cousin Jim brought Eliza, his grand-daughter, over for a visit and I passed the picture on to the young namesake..

I am sure that's what Koki and Aunt Betty would want me to do - and it feels good. Passing along the history.

A few weeks later Lindsay put this comment on the blog.

Lindsay wrote:
I'm working on a family tree and did a google search for Elizabeth Pyburn Grose and came across your blog. She would have been my husbands Great Great grandmother. Funny thing is I have that exact picture but in a 5X7. I was hoping you might have some information on her parents or her husband Samuel's parents. I'm at a dead end. I'd appreciate any help. Thanks

Ellouise sent back:
Lindsey - I can't wait to talk with you. Please email me with an address I can respond to - this is a non-reply system and you don't have an email address on your blog ID.Where are you? Who is the parent that connects your husband to Elizabeth Pyburn Grose? So glad to find someone that is interested in working on their line.Ellouise

Lindsay responded:
We live in Texas, but all of our family is in North Carolina around the Charlotte area. Elizabeth's son Ralph P. Grose was Granny's father. Her name is Katherine and I believe she was named after the Catherine you refer to in your blog.Can't wait to hear back.Lindsey

Definitely the same family.t family. I checked my records on the Grose family. Ralph Pyburn Grose was the next to the youngest son of Elizabeth and Samuel Grose.

I told Lindsay her "Granny" was named after Aunt Kate not Aunt Catherine - a generation later- who was also named after Aunt Kate - Ralph's older sister.

Lindsay sent me these pictures - the first is of Elizabeth Pyburn Grose - the picture she recognized on my post.

The second is
L - r: Annie, Mary and
Kate Grose.
That middle woman - named Mary - is the oldest daughter who married John Walter Cobb. She is my father's grandmother - her oldest daughter, Marie Louise is my grandmother - this is the first "youngish" picture I have seen of her.

No question. I love the WEB.