Congratulations on your anniversary! My husband's parents (both now deceased) fled Cuba in the early sixties with money taped into the pages of a magazine while they left homes, bank accounts and all worldly possessions behind. His father chose America over Spain (his home country) due to the unrest in Spain at the time as well. His father was an architect and quite wealthy when they fled and started all over as a busboy in Miami, Florida, eventually earning his architect degree in the U.S. My husband's mother was born and raised in Cuba. I've only recently learned about my dad's real father and relatives we never knew. My family is very small in comparison and we did not come from wealth but from coal miners and factory workers in the hills of Pennsylvania. We were united in faith and have been happily married for 27 years this October.
Thanks so much for this. My own family (I am from Pittsburgh) one one side had a great grandfather who was a craftsmen, a grandfather who ran a small auto garage that went under during the depression, an uncle and father who worked for US Steel in both factory and office, and on the other side, a minister and a man who owned a small tractor company. And I wished I knew more about how he had come about to own that factory, but I never asked the question. For decades I had my students do family history papers for their final US history paper, and so often they actually thanked me (not the usual response to a freshmen level paper), because it prompted them to ask parents and grandparents about their past, childhoods, marriages, etc. learning secrets sometimes, but mostly they were happy they had gotten those family details down while relatives were still alive.
Tis true....wish I had thought to ask more questions. My Papa (my mom's dad) was a carpenter (built his own house) as a trade and worked U.S. Steel in Pittsburgh as well. He continued to design furniture and other goods out of a wood shop he built on his property. He then became a Reverend in his "retired" years. At the recent passing of my last grandparent, I learned more about my dad's real dad and that his side of relatives came over on the Mayflower. Extraordinary, and we never knew. They have annual family reunions that we have never been a part of - my dad's real dad was never allowed to marry his mom. Caused massive division amongst the family. We had a rift on my mom's side as well that both contributed to us never really knowing many relatives or our family history. Kind of sad, really. I'm glad you made your students do those family history studies.
Happy anniversary!
Congratulations on your anniversary! My husband's parents (both now deceased) fled Cuba in the early sixties with money taped into the pages of a magazine while they left homes, bank accounts and all worldly possessions behind. His father chose America over Spain (his home country) due to the unrest in Spain at the time as well. His father was an architect and quite wealthy when they fled and started all over as a busboy in Miami, Florida, eventually earning his architect degree in the U.S. My husband's mother was born and raised in Cuba. I've only recently learned about my dad's real father and relatives we never knew. My family is very small in comparison and we did not come from wealth but from coal miners and factory workers in the hills of Pennsylvania. We were united in faith and have been happily married for 27 years this October.
Thanks so much for this. My own family (I am from Pittsburgh) one one side had a great grandfather who was a craftsmen, a grandfather who ran a small auto garage that went under during the depression, an uncle and father who worked for US Steel in both factory and office, and on the other side, a minister and a man who owned a small tractor company. And I wished I knew more about how he had come about to own that factory, but I never asked the question. For decades I had my students do family history papers for their final US history paper, and so often they actually thanked me (not the usual response to a freshmen level paper), because it prompted them to ask parents and grandparents about their past, childhoods, marriages, etc. learning secrets sometimes, but mostly they were happy they had gotten those family details down while relatives were still alive.
Tis true....wish I had thought to ask more questions. My Papa (my mom's dad) was a carpenter (built his own house) as a trade and worked U.S. Steel in Pittsburgh as well. He continued to design furniture and other goods out of a wood shop he built on his property. He then became a Reverend in his "retired" years. At the recent passing of my last grandparent, I learned more about my dad's real dad and that his side of relatives came over on the Mayflower. Extraordinary, and we never knew. They have annual family reunions that we have never been a part of - my dad's real dad was never allowed to marry his mom. Caused massive division amongst the family. We had a rift on my mom's side as well that both contributed to us never really knowing many relatives or our family history. Kind of sad, really. I'm glad you made your students do those family history studies.
Happy Anniversary with many more to come!!!
Happy anniversary! Wishing you many more years together and more adventures together.
I missed the original posting. I’m so glad I had an opportunity to read it now. What a lovely posting! Happy anniversary!
Lovely 50th anniversary essay. Happy 51st.