11th Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge!

Every year prior to Thanksgiving, I enter Bill West's Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge! as described on his blog, West in New England. This is my 10th poem entry. To participate in this challenge, you have to follow several rules, the first being:

"Find a poem by a  poet, famous or obscure, about the region
one of your ancestors lived in. It can be about an historical event, a
legend, a person, or even about some place (like a river)or a local
animal."

This year I decided to choose a poet I grew up with, my mother! I have been going through old papers and tossing many out. When I came across four of her old Christmas poems, I thought they would be perfect for this challenge. She did the poems for 20 years, and the four I found are over 30 years old. They include some genealogy and you get a real feel about their marriage. I can assure you they aren't boring. My mother led a very active life with lots of volunteer work;  quilting, overseas trips every year, knittings, and had a 5,000-mile goal of riding her bike for several years. My father's life was the opposite, you learn he was ill for at least six years. She died while leading a bike trip four months after her last Christmas letter.

1984 Letter

What's this, so soon, another year?

Again, our greeting comes with cheer.

John, now slowly on the mend,

Those joints and muscles hate to bend.

His greatest with for '84,

the computer by Commodore--a 64!

It keeps him busy much of each day,

So, while John computes, Jane goes her way.

A 14 Day May trip---London to Rome,

John managed alone, till the traveler came home.

Still most active, with swimming and bike,

Furniture refinishing, paperhanging and the like.

Her 100 mile bike rides caught the eyes of the press,

A celebrity of sorts, for a while, oh yes!

From New Hampshire to Virginia, our family is fine,

For you, Merry Christmas, the very best line.

1985 Letter

It is early December and snow's on the ground,

And a year to recall in some verse, profound (?)

For John, still a problem with poor circulation

Meaning, his life is not quite a vacation!

A hospital stay, fracture, sling, and sick feet,

Have made this a year he wishes NOT to repeat!

He's pretty house-bound as this winter nears

And walking in snow is one of his fears.

Not so, for Jan, with cross-country skis set to go,

A 2nd week of Elderhostel quite soon in the snow.

Tried Bike Hostel on Nantucket, loved the weeks stay,

A tour of Scandinavia was the highlight in May.

She's always busy, still quilts, swims, "subs", and "sits" (teaches and babysits),

Helps run organizations, biked 3,000 miles, and still knits.

Hope your year was "good news" with more in '86,

Happy Christmas to all as the December clock ticks?

1986 Letter

With snow in November, and the 50's today,

Another Christmas approaches, in the New England way.

John, still sedentary, reading books more than ever,

Since walking's a chore, he uses little shoe leather.

Jane, early January, whoops, slipped on some ice,

And housebound herself, broke a wrist, not so nice!

Making up for lost time, went to Holland to roam,

Then biked Niagara Falls, Rhode Island, Cape Cod, and near home.

Still Pres. of the Bike Club, with her name in the papers,

So few "Senior" bike riders involved in her capers!

Quilting as usual, now for Nursing Home laps,

But a 12th quilt for Poole use, to use up the scraps.

As new AARP Chapter Pres., keeps her up on her toes,

The time really flies by---there it goes!

Enjoy the Christmas of '86,

And what will Jane have in her new bag of tricks?

1987 and 1988 letters are missing. She went to China in 1987 or 88.

1989 Letter

There's one less Poole as Christmas nears

But a Nursing Home, for John, was one of his fears.

His death, very peaceful, on March 16

Poor health, his downfall, or so it would seem.

Have a new family member,l I'm glad to relate

Our USSR Guide is now Cari's mate!  (Went to Russia in 1988)

Victor now teaches Russian, in Virginia their home

It would make me so happy, if to Acton they'd roam!

Still lots of biking in '89

Bike Rallys afar, Netherland also, by bike, just fine

More slide shows, AARP, and quilting keep me on the go

Then in 1990, to Bike in France, since no one says "NO".

Bad weather in November kept the bike miles down

Will miss the 5,000 mile goal, this year, it does make me frown,

But my two wheels go farther than others I know

So in a way, I am proud, and live with a "glow"!

Let your Christmas be Merry, and shiny, too

At the end of 1990, whoops--another rhyme for you!

P. S. This  rhyme is #20.

_____

Note: My mother died four months after the Christmas Letter, on her bike. She didn't make it to France, as the death was six weeks before her planned trip.

1984 Letter

1985 Letter

1986 Letter

1989 Letter

Grandfather's Will and My Birthday Celebration on the Day of His Funeral

I am in the process of going through old family documents and deciding which ones might be of use to a small number of relatives, none of whom are into genealogy, but they might want to read online. After many years I've accumulated quite a number of boxes, binders, and notebooks. The binders went to a genealogy friend, Judy Sylvia, who shared them with her genealogy club.

Most people don't prepare 14 wills or codicils in their lifetime, but my grandfather did. Earle Kilborn Bishop, died at the age of 89, on August 23, 1981. Within a few days after his death, the family was invited to choose various items of his. I clearly remember seeing the pile of wills/or codicils and hearing there were 14. Unfortunately, I wasn't into genealogy, so I didn't take any...I wish I had because about 10 years later, I ordered the one shown below.

When I looked over the will and probate, I can understand why so many were prepared. First, his first wife died, he moved to different towns in Connecticut, two of his children remarried, his cousin's husband died. (All these relatives were named in the will.) I believe he was always updating them. I believe his assets increased and because he was an architect, he was extremely careful with his business finances.

I debated whether I should post this, but because I've got seven cousins with Texas roots and thanks to Ancestry, I know one of them is into genealogy, although she doesn't have a tree nor answers my messages. So before throwing these documents out, perhaps family member will find these interesting. Below are some family photos celebrating a small reunion, Earle's life and my birthday.

LIBER 503 PAGE 057

The First part mentions that funeral expenses should be paid by the executrix. I remember all of us who traveled to Connecticut could submit our travel expenses (my expenses were airfare from Virginia to Hartford, room, meals and miscellaneous expenses).

LIBER 503 PAGE 058

On this page, he mentions a memorandum listing certain articles to distribute to family members. Unfortunately, I did not get a copy of that. His three children, step-son, his wife, and cousin are named on this page.

LIBER 503 PAGE 059

Five in-law children were named on this page.

LIBER 503 PAGE 060

I believe, because of the complexity of his will, that my step-grandmother probably had the New Britain National Bank perform much of the work as executor right after his death.

LIBER 503 PAGE 062

LIBER 503 PAGE 061

LIBER 503 PAGE 063

LIBER 507 PAGE 1053

LIBER 515 PAGE 023

LIBER 525 PAGE 001

LIBER 525 PAGE 002

LIBER 525 PAGE 003

Funeral expenses are on this page, as well as payment to the Internal Revenue Service - Federal Estate Tax, Wow, and payment to the New Britain National Bank for their services as Executor. The names of nine family members who received $1,000. I can't figure out much was in his estate. Some pages are missing. However, I know that my mother gave my two sisters and me, $10,000 that my grandfather wanted us to have. Since I didn't need it at that time, I put it into a CD, and a year later it was worth $13,000.

LIBER 522 PAGE 267

After my grandfather's funeral, the family got together in a hotel room. I am shown with my two uncles above. My mother, cousins, aunts, and sister are below. The birthday cake was a total surprise.

Where the Bradstreets and Dudleys lived in Ipswich, Massachusetts

NEAR THIS SPOT WAS THE HOUSE OF

SIMON BRADSTREET

GOVERNOR

OF

MASSACHUSETTS -- BAY

1679 TO 1686 AND 1689 TO 1692

HIS WIFE, ANN, DAUGHTER OF GOVERNOR

DUDLEY, WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN POETRESS

THEY LIVED IN IPSWICH 1635 -- 1644.

33 High Street, Ipswich, Massachusetts

45 High Street, Ipswich, Massachusetts

On this lot is where Thomas Dudley lived.

ON THIS LOT ORIGINALLY NINE 

ACRED, WAS THE HOUSE

OF

THOMAS DUDLEY

GOVERNOR

OF

MASSACHUSETTS--BAY

1634, 1640, 1645 AND 1650

HE DWELT HERE

1635--1639

From the below book, on page 45, I read "In Ipswich, one can view the site of Anne's early home at 33 High Street, located east of the old cemetery at the base of the Town Hill. The location is marked by a bronze plaque as is the site of Thomas Dudley's home at 45 High Street." The photos above were taken in May 2019 of the two plaques at the addresses.

High Street is lined with many old homes, some are shown below.

You might enjoy my other post pertaining to Thomas Dudley:

The Dudley Garden Memorial at Harvard College, Massachusetts

Anne Dudley Bradstreet, America's First Poetress, A Dedication

Photo by Barbara Poole.

In September 2000, I was invited to attend the dedication of the Anne Bradstreet Memorial Stone at the Old Burying Ground in North Andover, Massachusetts. The date was chosen because it was the 350th anniversary of the first book of poetry written in America by Anne Bradstreet.

Below are items from that celebrated day.

Photos of plaques and the area of where Anne lived in Ipswich with her husband and where her father, Thomas Dudley lived is in my post at: https://lifefromtheroots.blogspot.com/2019/11/where-bradstreets-and-dudleys-lived-in.html