Distraction #2 happened just a few days ago. My youngest son was thrown from a horse and broke the Lumbar vertebrae L1-L4 (yes all 4 of them). Miraculously there is no spinal cord damage but there is a lot of deep tissue damage. His doctors have him on some heavy-duty pain meds and rest from ranch work. He is ambulatory and gets around some. I saw him Saturday for a short visit. He's in a lot of pain but is of good cheer and humor (the humor part could be the meds talking.) We live 200+ miles from each other and he has a kind and loving wife and friends who will take good care of him.
With all of these life changing events happening to my children and my inability to be in three places at once I've been feeling pretty helpless as a mom. There is only one thing I can do well, that is to pray and then get out of the way so God can work his miracles. The next thing I can do is press forward in my family history research and organizing the stuff I have collected over the years. I never gave much thought to how much we leave behind that tells our story until I started looking at what I have collected for my own children and have been finding for Grandma and Grandpa Greet.
Grandma wrote a brief genealogy for me when I was quite young maybe around the age of 10 or so. My mother kept it tucked safely away for me until I graduated from High School and I kept it hidden away, buried with my baby photos and grade school report cards. I found it recently and scanned it to share with my cousins. If you are interested in genealogical research you may find some clues to further your research. If you are interested in knowing more about our grandmother you may appreciate the sample of her handwriting. I will include a transcription of what she wrote after the images.
Transcription:
Ralph Pyle born 17--, died Feb. 24 4, 1828
Married Rachel Shinn who was born Oct 5, 1794, died Feb. 4, 1852
Joseph G Pyle was born Sept 8, 1812, in Philadelphia
Died Jan. 5, 1880 in Pike Co., Ill.
Married Catherine Long Feb 25, 1837 who was born jan. 19, 1820 in Ohio and died Jan 11, 1871 in Logansport, Indiana. Her father’s name was Christian Long who died July 3, 1866 in Pike Co., Illinois
Edgar Parker Pyle was born May 30, 1858 in Pike Co., Illinois and died Feb. 15, 1929 at BigTrails, Wyo. He was married to Mary Electa Hoback Oct. 30, 1880.
Edna Lucile Pyle was born to them Nov. 1, 1891 in Hull, Illinois. Was married to Frank Greet Feb. 5, 1913 at Bigtrails. Neil Greet was born to them Apr 12, 1928 in Worland, Wyo. He married Zeala Marie Jacobs July 31, 1949…
The Hobacks
Isaac Hoback came to America from Germany about 1788. He had 3 sons, Michael, Isaac and John and they settled in Larue Co., Kentucky. John married Dorcas Killim who was of pure French descent. They moved to Johnson Co., Kentucky in 1831, where he died in 1836. Bartholomew Hoback was born to them Apr. 1, 1832. He married Augustine Shigley March 17, 1853, who died Apr. 3, 1876. Mary Electa Hoback was born to them Oct. 7, 1857 she married Edgar Parker Pyle Oct. 30, 1880 and died July 13, 1928
Augustine Shigley’s father was William Shigley, of German descent. He married Cynthia Simpson of Scotch descent (?). Augustine Shigley was born to them May 28, 1835
The Greets
Phillip Greet was born and raised in England and was married to Anne Rodgers also native of England. Geo Greet was born to them May 7, 1839, in Devonshire. (the scratched out portion I am not transcribing.)
Geo. Greet married Elizabeth Ann Reed, who was the daughter of Mary Ann and ___Reed and who was born in 1814, and died May 19, 1884 in Devonport England. She married a second time, to John Pengelly. Frank Greet was born to Geo. Greet and Elizabeth Ann (Reed) Greet Oct. 1, 1885.
Have a great week cousins. Please feel free to share your stories of Grandma and Grandpa. I would love to know and use some of her recipes. Did she have a recipe book or card file? Did Grandpa have a favorite story he liked to tell on himself or his brothers or his kids?