Sun 8/2/2020 12:07 AM
John,
I’ve spent a lot more time on my family genealogy than Jacks. I started with mine, never realizing what I was getting into. Two years later, I think I’m done with that, at least until I find more. Hopefully, that won’t happen but then ‘ya nevah know!!
Now you have me fixed on your family tree, and that’s wonderful.
Beth
Sun 8/2/2020 11:04 PM
John,
I get that. My mother and father were always “closed mouth” about things that mattered. In those days, don’t talk about it, it’s a BIG secret. I have found out so many, many secrets about my family since I joined Ancestry, some of which I’m sure my parents didn’t know and some they did. Some personal experiences, some not.
Nancy remembers your grandfather being a widower and eventually marrying Helen Mosko, who was a widow. There was some settlement of the estate because he sold the house where he and your grandmother lived. That may be from where the “checks” came. All this is speculation. Jack’s mom wrote the letter in 1961, and your grandfather died in 1963. We may never know for sure. The fact remains, he had a second wife, Helen Mosko.
It’s always fun and extremely frustrating to try and fit the pieces of the puzzle together. I DO believe between you, Jeff, me, and Nancy, we may have figured out “the rest of the story”!!
Beth
Sun 8/2/2020 9:17 PM
John,
We had a great conversation with Nancy today. She confirmed all our suspicions about your family. She remembers your grandfather’s 2nd wife, Helen Mosko.
I read the letter Gert wrote you sent me. She thinks the “kids” she’s talking about are you, Jamie, and Jeff. The letter was written in 1961, and your grandfather was a widower by then. He sold his house on Main St. after your grandmother died, and there was a “settlement” at some point in time. That may explain the “checks” she was talking about. All this is speculation but may answer some questions about the letter. I don’t know the timeline for all this, but she recalls all of the above.
Jack graduated from high school in 1961 and has no memory of this. He went to college at Maine Maritime for four years, and after graduation, he shipped for four more years for Esso, now Exxon. He was “away” during those years.
I don’t know if this helps or complicates everything.
Beth
Sun 8/2/2020 9:20 PM
John,
Me too!
Beth
Mon 8/3/2020 11:13 AM
John,
Great pictures. Thanks, John. Jack said, “that’s not what I remember Zeda looked like.”
Beth
Mon 8/3/2020 11:51 AM
John,
I’ll send it to Nancy and see what she thinks.
Beth
Mon 8/3/2020 11:37 PM
Thank you, John and Pam.
Beth
