This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.
Surnames: Catlin
Classification: Query
Message Board URL:
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/CII.2ACIB/109.111.113.1
Message Board Post:
Kevin -
How wonderful to hear from (and, I must admit -of) you!!!!!!! As I sit here at Ft.
Leavenworth, KS (where my husband is stationed presently), I do recall Glenn mentioning
you having done some geneology work on the family, but since I'd never met you, as I
had him, I hesitated in getting your address from him to contact you. I met Glenn WAY
BACK when I was about an 8th grader (or almost anyway) about 1972/3 I think. I had gone
back east (on my first plane trip) to visit a gradeschool friend who had moved to just
outside of Washington, DC and then went from there to visit my grandmother's sister
and her husband and son (the Gebhardt's) in Clinton, NJ for a few days. From there,
they drove me up to Morristown where Aunt Bea & Uncle Charlie picked me up (I called
it the "big hand-off!) and I went to visit them and meet "the Catlin Clan"
I'd always heard so much about. Aunt Bea arranged a big get-together at
Great-Mama's (as I called her) cabin at Estling Lake where my dad h!
ad spent so much of his summers and loved. That's when I met Glenn and we had a
wonderful row-boat ride around the lake for a few hours. What a wonderful memory that has
always been for me! It was that trip when I also met Great-Mama (my grandpa Fred's
mom, my dad Fred's grandmother) for the first (and only-unfortunately) time. If I
figure it correctly, Glenn is my second cousin as he is my grandfather's nephew - my
dad's first cousin (please correct me if I figure this wrong).
I was able to, through this e-mail notification, pull up a previous message of mine you
responded to, but I didn't recieve . This one stated that you'd lost your
grandfather in 1997. He was my grandfather's brother and I didn't know he had
passed away. My condolences to you (albeit a bit late). My family moved from Ft.
Leavenworth to Germany that year and we had our hands full so I'm still trying to
catch up with events that have happened in the near past. I sympathize with you and
understand your heartache about how wonderful your grandpa was as his brother, my grandpa
Fred, was also gentle, warm and extremely loving also. He saved my life when I was 2
years old, by diving into a canal near our apartment after I'd fallen in. Our
"bond" was inseparable and I miss him terribly, too, and wish my children could
have known him (my daughter met him when she was 2, but remembers little about him).
I've gone on too long here, but would very much appreciate anything you have in the
geneology area of the Catlin "clan" as I've done as much as I've been
able to, but without some help, I'm at a standstill right now. I'm also working
on my mother's side of the family as she was adopted when she was 3 and has an older
sister I've been attempting to try to find. Brick walls for now.
Geneology, to me, is extremely important because I only have my mother in Phoenix (I was
an only child and my dad passed away 12/21/86) and cousins/aunt in Ft. Worth, TX area as
immediated relatives, but I wouldn't know my cousins if they passed me on the street.
This gives me a way to pass something "concrete" to my children anyway whereas
they see my husband's family quite often, my mom (and her husband since 8/92) are the
only family of mine they'll see. (but that's another story!)
In answer to your question of whether I'd be interested in any information/details on
the Catlin's that you have...the answer is a definite YES PLEASE!!!! I'll help
fill in whatever gaps or anything else I can for you, though you've probably got more
than I ever will, at least I can give you information from your "distant
relatives" in Kansas.
My phone is (913) 758-9092 and e-mail is samsonm(a)grapevine.net
Again, thank you so much for the wonderful e-mails Kevin. I had a tough day today (that,
too is another story - one about my dad) and the emails were a really great thing to find
waiting me.
Take care and please keep in touch!
Vera >:-)