On Wednesday (October 1) we are headed out to central Massachusetts for some geniology excursions. An internet friend, Jim Bridgman from Leeds has been generous in offering to show us to a number of Westhampton MA places where Bill's family history is rooted. Well it has happened - October 1 - Jim spent 3 hours with us and we had a fabulous time seeing unbelievable family history in the quaint little community of 1800 residents.
I even found the grave of William T Hooker MD, the physician who was the first to establish the town in about 1820. I won't bore you with all the excitement but the Congregational church in the town (see photo) was built and pastored for 58 years by another relative (Nathan Hale's brother, Enoch Hale) and his house is still there right next to the town buildings. It was powerful to get a tour of the old church (by the current pastor) and see the seats where all my old ancestors (on the Hooker and Hale side) had worshipped every Sunday.
The cemetery has dozens of familiar family names and many photos were taken. Fun! The book in the library that Jim is holding is one he wrote about early Westhampton stories. He will try to find me one as they are out of print.
Jim also took us to the farm house where my great grandmother, Mary Hale Edwards Hooker (Marie has her wedding ring) was raised from a young child when both of her parents died in an epidemic that took the whole family except for three of the kids. They were then raised by their aunt and uncle in this house - starting in about 1850. Here is a photo taken in 1900 of that house.
She was the brave one who left all this to go west and Jim has letters she wrote to her sister (sitting behind one of those upstairs windows reading them) from Nebraska. It was the real desolate prairie country and she eventually came back to Mass. (this old picture was given to me by a guy I met this morning at the only store in Westhampton (he calls himself Old Man Spencer) (yes I got his picture with Marie and I and his wife). The lady - in the photograph below - is his wife, Lorraine Blakesley Spencer, whose family has owned the farm and house for the last 100 years. What a fun coincidence to meet them and they continue to keep in touch and send us more info and photos. Thanks, Old Man Spence (he is a great artist too).
September 30 - We found an RV park south of Boston and for the evening we drove up and met Viviana and Andy Gnau on the Harvard campus at Cambridge. We had a great evening and Andy took us on a tour of his graduate program at the FJK School of Government. Fascinating! We took them to dinner and had a great time.
We got to know them on a dental school campout and after she graduated from dental school in 2007 and taught there for a year Andy decided to go back to graduate school at Harvard in a Government Policy program.
We had a great time with Andy showing us all around his school and we took them out to dinner. He has an incredible program and is taking a class this quarter from David Gergen (taught only in the fall quarter of election years). Maybe he will be able to explain government to us after this training.
We loved Cape Cod - so here are some more shots
On Wednesday (October 1) we are headed out to central Massachusetts for some geniology excursions. An internet friend, Jim Bridgman from Leeds has been generous in offering to show us to a number of Westhampton MA places where Bill's family history is rooted. Well it has happened - October 1 - Jim spent 3 hours with us and we had a fabulous time seeing unbelievable family history in the quaint little community of 1800 residents. 
I even found the grave of William T Hooker MD, the physician who was the first to establish the town in about 1820. I won't bore you with all the excitement but the Congregational church in the town (see photo) was built and pastored for 58 years by another relative (Nathan Hale's brother, Enoch Hale) and his house is still there right next to the town buildings. It was powerful to get a tour of the old church (by the current pastor) and see the seats where all my old ancestors (on the Hooker and Hale side) had worshipped every Sunday.
The cemetery has dozens of familiar family names and many photos were taken. Fun! The book in the library that Jim is holding is one he wrote about early Westhampton stories. He will try to find me one as they are out of print.
Jim also took us to the farm house where my great grandmother, Mary Hale Edwards Hooker (Marie has her wedding ring) was raised from a young child when both of her parents died in an epidemic that took the whole family except for three of the kids. They were then raised by their aunt and uncle in this house - starting in about 1850. Here is a photo taken in 1900 of that house. 
She was the brave one who left all this to go west and Jim has letters she wrote to her sister (sitting behind one of those upstairs windows reading them) from Nebraska. It was the real desolate prairie country and she eventually came back to Mass. (this old picture was given to me by a guy I met this morning at the only store in Westhampton (he calls himself Old Man Spencer) (yes I got his picture with Marie and I and his wife). The lady - in the photograph below - is his wife, Lorraine Blakesley Spencer, whose family has owned the farm and house for the last 100 years. What a fun coincidence to meet them and they continue to keep in touch and send us more info and photos. Thanks, Old Man Spence (he is a great artist too). 
September 30 - We found an RV park south of Boston and for the evening we drove up and met Viviana and Andy Gnau on the Harvard campus at Cambridge. We had a great evening and Andy took us on a tour of his graduate program at the FJK School of Government. Fascinating! We took them to dinner and had a great time. 
We got to know them on a dental school campout and after she graduated from dental school in 2007 and taught there for a year Andy decided to go back to graduate school at Harvard in a Government Policy program. 
We had a great time with Andy showing us all around his school and we took them out to dinner. He has an incredible program and is taking a class this quarter from David Gergen (taught only in the fall quarter of election years). Maybe he will be able to explain government to us after this training.
We loved Cape Cod - so here are some more shots
3 comments:
great photos! YOu guys are missed here tons and Morgan keeps asking if its time for you to com ehome. :) They will miss you on Halloween this year. I will have to send pictures! :) Remember when Brody tried to "eat" Morgan the first year she was so little and was dressed as a cat? He,hee! So fun! Be safe and get your butts home soon! ;)
Uncle Bill and Aunt Marie,
Got a chance to skim your web site and take in pieces/parts of your trip. So glad to see you enjoying yourselves. Can you believe Mom gave me the internet URL to your blog? She was so careful describing it..."now, remember, don't use 'www' at the front!" Take a look at our Lucy blog if you get a chance: http://gillanfamily.blogspot.com.
Love you guys!
Kevin and Christye
Thanks Christy and Kevin - we love hearing from you. We will look at Lucy's blog site.
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