William Walker
My story about H. Ray is a little different. (No, this is not a picture of H. Ray, see below.) I remember him for the wonderful things he did in studying our family history. His research was extensive and well documented. At reunions he would seek me out and tell me about the family history. I was fascinated and remember asking him once how he figured all of these things out. He explained about looking at things like court records and land records. Of course, now a lot of these things can be done by computer. I have a lot of his incomplete writings. I continued a lot of his work in helping my father with his book on Gilbert Moore. I was able to visit places he wrote about but was never able to travel to.
In 1974 when we lived in Michigan Robin & I drove Ray & Grace down to Nashville, TN to visit with Howard and his family. I drove Ray's big Chevrolet down (no driving lessons given) and we had a wonderful weekend that I will never forget. Howard taught me a lot that weekend and we still have and use the recipe for squash casserole that we got from Joyce. Do you remember that visit Bruce? I know Howard remembers.
Ray told me one time about his time in Paris during WWI. One of the jobs he told me he had was to clean out General Pershing's office which would make sense as he was in the quartermaster corps. He also told me of his visit to Versailles and how beautiful it was. While I visited there in June, I remember thinking that this is the same place that my Uncle Ray visited about 90 years ago and was where the Treaty of Versailles was signed.
I have started a book on my Grandma Walker which features the letters she wrote to Ray while he was in Paris. These letters were written about once per week and are now transcribed. I need to finish the book. A little kick in the pants would be helpful. Please be gentle. Wouldn't you love to hear about the things your parents or grandparents were doing as little children?
Perhaps I should retell the story Ray wrote about visiting his grandfather's place when he was a little boy. Or, perhaps the first time our grandparents met on the farm. Just enough to whet your appetite for a bit of family history. Do many of you recall that our Grandfather Walker was born at the end of the Civil War? We owe a lot to H. Ray for his wonderful stories. Now I just need to get on with sharing them.
How about a picture of William Walker my great grandfather. Oops, well, it appears the picture went to the top of my post.
Tom
3 comments:
Nice going Tom. Good dialog. I took my Dad a lot of places. We talked to a lot of different people in different cities so I had my hand in the writing of some of those stories. I even helped him proof read some of them.
John
Suzanne Cox d of Herb Walker
Tom, What a nice picture of our great grandfather. Will you include that picture in your book? Get busy with the book. I will definitely buy one from you. You have made me curious to read about my grandmother that I never knew. Keep those stories coming so we can learn more about our heritage.
Tom:
I have never seen or read the letters. Didn't really know they existed.
Perhaps through your snd Steve's writing I will get to know a little about my Dad, sadly a man I never really knew.
He asked me as a professional editor to help him edit his work, but one look told me it would require major rewrite and revison. I had very little time but I could have done something for him just out of a father/son relationship. I am sorry now that I never did anything significant to help him with the writings.
Post a Comment