Summertime Back in the Day

Maybe if I talk about the beach it will feel more like summer to me. I don't know about you but as far as summer weather goes, it's not been one of the best on record so far. But I hope you all are enjoying yours regardless.

This is dad at the beach with his mother, Catherine Pierce Ryan, long before Peter arrived on the scene. Apparently this is Long Beach which I don't have any real memories of but I do have some vague recollections of time on Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester. I remember digging around in the sand near the bridge where there were small pools of water left behind by the tide. I remember how flat and wet the beach area was and how cold the water was.

I've never been a real big fan of the beach (sand, slimy seaweed and mysterious creatures underfoot) but I do love the sound of the ocean and the feel of the sun. This seems to be a very sunny day although Dad seems a little mystified. I wonder who's behind the camera.

This is a picture of Mom on the beach probably when she was about 5. I am not sure what beach this might be. Ever thought about how our ancestors on both sides spent a great deal of time in and near water? No wonder we seem drawn to Gloucester. Although learning to swim in Lake Erie probably should have killed that instinct in me, it didn't. Fort Myers Beach is probably the closest I ever came to actually almost enjoying the beach.

My son's first beach experience was in Florida at a beach just down the road from his aunt and uncle's house. If you can imagine, I forgot to tell him to expect saltwater and he took in a big mouthful. I think he was about 4. That was the end of swimming for quite a while for him. After he forgave me for that, he was cautious for years to ask first if it was saltwater before he dipped a toe in.

Water was part of our everyday lives when we lived in Silver Creek. Moving "inland" to Walton was the first time I realized that not everyone grows up near water and that some people don't learn how to swim as part of a rite of childhood. My children don't have that same experience, but I hope they will always feel the pull of the ocean. Well, not literally.

Eagle Eyes

A couple of years ago, we had a nice little adventure with my sister Paula searching for eagles on the Cannonsville Reservoir. 

This is telephoto and cropped.  It wasn't as obvious as this but Paula had "an eagle eye" (HAHA).  We took some pictures from afar and then cautiously approached for a better view.  We just barely got settled to gaze at him when he took off in glorious flight!  I was snapping pictures as fast as I could--my camera was not in auto mode for continuous shooting but I didn't dare take the camera away from the eagle to change the setting.  I didn't want to break the spell.  He just glided, soared and generally made his presence known over the river for quite a while.  Jim opened the sunroof so I could pop out and take some shots from that angle.  It was really magnificent and we surely have Paula to thank for her advice and keen eye.

This one was from the sunroof angle as he left our immediate view.  Sail on, big guy!

This adventure brought to mind the Nevins family and their apparent love of the outdoors, hunting and fishing.  There are no end of pictures of them in Canada on these adventures.  It appears that Gammy Nevins did not join them but EVERYONE else seems to be there. 

It seems that Henry (our great grandfather) enjoyed Weenie's company too!

I think this is our Mom Anne Flynn with her mother Paula Flynn Nevins and Henry Nevins in Canada

When I wasn't our hunting eagles with my camera, I was sitting here at the computer continuing my family research.  I was presented with this document I'd never seen.  You know those Ancestry.com commercials where they say they just clicked the shaking leaves and VOILA!  Well, that's exactly what this was.  It was like Ancestry.com had the eagle eye this time.  Henry died in Canada which, of course, must have created a raft of paperwork.  This is one of those.  I found it interesting and thought you might too.

Tidbits in City Directories

It has been almost two years since the 1940 census became public.  Yahoo for me--and for you too if you have any interest whatsoever in family history.  The US census records are very helpful in many ways; one of the biggest is that you can definitively put a person in a particular place at a specific time.  The federal government has been taking a census every 10 years since 1790.

I'm sure you remember filling out your own census forms for the 2010 and 2000 census.  This is not how it was done in 1790, believe me.  More's the pity because by the time the 2000 and 2010 census records become public, I don't think they will be nearly as helpful (or charming) as they are now. 

Though I have not yet finished "mining" the 1940 census for potential clues, I also use other resources to help bolster my research.  Some refer to these as "census substitutes" because they put people in a particular place at a particular time in their lives.  One such substitute is the city directory.  These are kind of like phone books but contain very interesting additional information.  I was lucky enough to be able to purchase the Olean City Directory for 1939-40 and this is the entry for the Flynns:

You'll see Barbara Flynn (Gammie Flynn) listed as a nurse at 117 1/2 S 6th St with son Charles.  You also see our mother Anne Flynn at home with her parents Francis P. (Weenie) and Paula Flynn.  Our grandmother Paula  is even listed separately as stenographer for her father Henry Nevins and brother Joseph.  Our grandfather's brother John and his wife Margaret are also listed.

A little searching around dug up an interesting little tidbit.  This is a different page of the 1939-40 city directory:

Take a closer look at the listing for Harry McLaughlin.  Mary F (his wife) is our grandmother Paula's sister "Teen".  Their address is 117 S 6th St--same as for Barbara Flynn!  Our great grandmother Barbara Flynn apparently lived at the same residence as her daughter in law's (Paula) sister.  That's kind of an interesting dynamic, don't you think?  These may have been apartments next to one another but it appears to me it was the same house.

This very topic has been in the news recently.  There's an uptick in the number of households combining for reasons such as unemployment or other. This is certainly true in our families today.  We have all seen examples of this in our own lives.  Although I don't really know the reasons why Barbara ended up in the same house as her daughter-in-law's sister (!?!) it brings some comfort to know this is a tradition that lives strong today.    You just never know who might be at the dinner table for the foreseeable future.

Anne Marie Flynn Ryan 1933-2002

I am missing Mom (Anne Marie Flynn Ryan) a great deal today.  Sometimes these feelings strike me when I'm thinking about vacations and trips taken.  This is one of those examples.   One of the best times I ever had with Mom was one of those trips to Toronto.  I had a haircut experience recently that would have made her smile, I'm sure.  I guess you already know it isn't usually the big things that bring Mom to mind, but the little everyday things like haircuts.

Anyhow, here are some pictures I thought you might like even though I think you have seen them before.

The famous blue dress in black and white.  I think this was before their own Toronto trip.   Imagine how much they were looking forward to that! This was taken at the Dennison Road house in Silver Creek NY.

A day that was a LONG time coming

This was taken in the backyard at 42 Bruce St.  Walton NY--I'm pretty sure that's Tim O'Brien there to the left.

Not the most flattering picture of Mom but they all look so happy.

Francis P. "Weenie Flynn, Anne Marie Flynn Ryan, C. Paula Nevins Flynn

in the Walton NY living room.

So they say "Rest in Peace" which is a very comforting thought for those of us left behind, but how could she possibly rest in peace rejoining her parents, her grandparents and Mary Jane?  She can meet grandparents she never knew (William S. Grampie Brown and Mary Brown).  How peaceful can it really be?