Hi all - I have done a fair bit of genealogy, and learned interesting stories and such about all sorts of ancestors and relatives. I have learned tons about my mom's family, and much less about my dad's. (And wouldn't you know it, my dad was curious about it all; my mom - "not so much.") However, my mom's sense of family mystery is less genealogy, and more financial. She is 80, and the only question she ever asks me about family history is in one area I see very little about. My mom's maternal grandparents (my maternal great grandparents)appear to have modest income partnered with very comfortable lifestyle. She has tried to think how they did that. It is the only family history mystery that keeps her in the conversation. Her grandparents lived in a rented Cambridge apartment, owned a house in Billerica, and a summer cabin at Point Judith RI. They had nice clothes, china, sterling cutlery, etc. They ate well during the depression. I found a newspaper article that said she bought shore front land in Scituate. But in contrast, he worked behing the meat counter in a small grocery shop; he did not own it. She did not work. My mom's question - where'd the money come from? Neither of them came from families where they would have inherited much. Her grandmother did not want her mother to marry - ever. So she eloped to NH at age 17. She would never accept money or anything of particular value from her parents, even while trying to raise 6 kids through the depression. Thus my mom sort of worries that maybe they did something bad; but there is no known evidence of that. If anything, they were pretty strict from the sound of it; much a part of the Victorian era. (As a 6 or 8 year old budding family historian, I made the mistake of asking my grandmother how old she was, and where she was born. trust me, I never did that again . . . I digress) My mom is the oldest of her generation still living; there is no one else to ask. so, my question - what clues are there to finances? Ideas I have had: 1) man from the above couple died in 1959 (before I was old enough to do something so naughty as to ask how old he was!). But there doesn't seem to have been a will; or not that my mom ever heard. 2) I don't have any experience in using land records. maybe that would help - any suggestions on land ownership in Cambridge and Billerica say 1900 - 1960 as a timeframe? any suggestions? oh, and I can't resist adding - I do remember this great grand dad; he is among my earliest memories. I was quite young, maybe just 4. We were visiting him at the Cambridge apartment. They had a huge dining room table with one of those crocheted tablecloths. On it was a small bowl with the most incredible looking apples I had ever seen; and I knew my apples let me tell you; my favorites for sure. So I asked him if I could eat one. He said no, they were wax. I said that was okay, I liked all kinds. He said no, you can't eat it, it is wax. Well wax was fine with me if that was apples . . . I couldn't understand, I had never met an adult that would not let me eat an apple. We had to be rescued from the conversation by the intervening generations! what a way to be remembered - all the things he did in his life - and the only thing I remember about him is that he would not let me have an apple!

Hi Kathy, It is not an odd question, but a question that is not asked on the Lists very much. I can offer a few comments. As I lived in Billerica for a long time, I know how many "summer camp" neighborhoods exist (and still exist) in that town. And they started around 1950 when people living "in the cities" wanted a place "in the country." I can only guess that "summer camp" could be bought for very little money in Billerica (and Wilmington and Tewksbury, etc.) And it wouldn't have been too much trouble to winterize it. And, even a person bought a very small house, he or she might not have needed a whole lot of money to buy it. My husband had 2 sets of uncles and aunts who lived in the city, but they soon bought a small house in Wilmington near the shore of Silver Lake. Later they sold that and bought small houses in Hull. I doubt very much they had much money, but perhaps the aunts' husbands had good-paying jobs. Also, one husband had been seriously injured while fighting in WW II, and he probably received some money each month from the Army or Navy ! Don't forget that many couples were reuniting after the "War events." I have 3 sets of grandparents growing up; that was because one set divorced in 1935 and both remarried shortly after. Two sets always lived in apartments in cities and had very little money. Both grandfathers were truck drivers - for small delivery trucks. But, my grandfather, who I didn't know very well, as he lived in other parts of the State, supposedly went to college and became an Engineer, and had many important jobs in MA as an adult. He was living in the Springfield area with his 3rd wife when he died suddenly. Come to think of it, I have never thought to try to find out if he left a "will." (1961) He might have had money to leave in a will, and I, his oldest grandchild, would have had no way to find out. (I was still in high school when I lost both grandfathers within a year of each other.) For my parents, and my husband's parents, I can say that in the 1950's, they were able to buy a large house for $5000 and $8000 (a duplex) near Boston. (And, in the 1960's, my EX and I bought a relative new house for $20,000.) MUCH different nowadays ! Also, in the 1950's, most adults had survived (or not survived) "The Great Depression," and they had to "count pennies" and "waste not, want not," etc. And they would have continued with those ways of doing things for a long time. And, the "cookie jar" in the cabinet could have contained - a little savings ! Betty (near Lowell, MA) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kathy Montgomery" <kathym@uvic.ca> To: <mamiddle@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, October 04, 2009 12:56 PM Subject: [MAMiddle] odd question . . . > Hi all - I have done a fair bit of genealogy, and learned interesting > stories and such about all sorts of ancestors and relatives. I have > learned > tons about my mom's family, and much less about my dad's. (And wouldn't > you > know it, my dad was curious about it all; my mom - "not so much.") > > However, my mom's sense of family mystery is less genealogy, and more > financial. She is 80, and the only question she ever asks me about family > history is in one area I see very little about. My mom's maternal > grandparents (my maternal great grandparents)appear to have modest income > partnered with very comfortable lifestyle. She has tried to think how > they > did that. It is the only family history mystery that keeps her in the > conversation. > > Her grandparents lived in a rented Cambridge apartment, owned a house in > Billerica, and a summer cabin at Point Judith RI. They had nice clothes, > china, sterling cutlery, etc. They ate well during the depression. I > found > a newspaper article that said she bought shore front land in Scituate. > But > in contrast, he worked behing the meat counter in a small grocery shop; he > did not own it. She did not work. My mom's question - where'd the money > come from? Neither of them came from families where they would have > inherited much. > > Her grandmother did not want her mother to marry - ever. So she eloped to > NH at age 17. She would never accept money or anything of particular > value > from her parents, even while trying to raise 6 kids through the > depression. > Thus my mom sort of worries that maybe they did something bad; but there > is > no known evidence of that. If anything, they were pretty strict from the > sound of it; much a part of the Victorian era. (As a 6 or 8 year old > budding family historian, I made the mistake of asking my grandmother how > old she was, and where she was born. trust me, I never did that again . . > . > I digress) > > My mom is the oldest of her generation still living; there is no one else > to > ask. > > so, my question - what clues are there to finances? Ideas I have had: > > 1) man from the above couple died in 1959 (before I was old enough to do > something so naughty as to ask how old he was!). But there doesn't seem > to > have been a will; or not that my mom ever heard. > > 2) I don't have any experience in using land records. maybe that would > help - any suggestions on land ownership in Cambridge and Billerica say > 1900 - 1960 as a timeframe? > > any suggestions? > > oh, and I can't resist adding - I do remember this great grand dad; he is > among my earliest memories. I was quite young, maybe just 4. We were > visiting him at the Cambridge apartment. They had a huge dining room > table > with one of those crocheted tablecloths. On it was a small bowl with the > most incredible looking apples I had ever seen; and I knew my apples let > me > tell you; my favorites for sure. So I asked him if I could eat one. He > said no, they were wax. I said that was okay, I liked all kinds. He said > no, you can't eat it, it is wax. Well wax was fine with me if that was > apples . . . I couldn't understand, I had never met an adult that would > not > let me eat an apple. We had to be rescued from the conversation by the > intervening generations! what a way to be remembered - all the things he > did in his life - and the only thing I remember about him is that he would > not let me have an apple! > > > >

Betty: I so enjoy your enthusiasm and posts to the lists! Come to think of it, I have never thought to try to > find out if he left a "will." (1961) He might have had money to > leave in a will, and I, his oldest grandchild, would have had no way to > find out. (I was still in high school when I lost both grandfathers > within a year of each other.) Just wanted to say that this issue of your GF's will can be resolved -- call/write the county, but ask for the PROBATE records, not just the will. (One document vs. an inventory of the estate, clues to the descedents, etc.) These are public records, so you should be able to get them easily. Perhaps, given your location (near Lowell) you could take a drive and go there yourself? Hey, it's leaf season, and would be a beautiful drive! (I miss New England!!!!) Go give a friendly kiss (to the hillsides and moutains and trees) and wave for me. Marilyn ----- Original Message ----- From: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> To: <mamiddle@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, October 05, 2009 7:27 AM Subject: Re: [MAMiddle] odd question . . . > Hi Kathy, > > It is not an odd question, but a question that is not asked on the Lists > very much. > > I can offer a few comments. As I lived in Billerica for a long time, I > know how many "summer camp" neighborhoods exist (and still exist) in that > town. And they started around 1950 when people living "in the cities" > wanted a place "in the country." I can only guess that "summer camp" > could be bought for very little money in Billerica (and Wilmington and > Tewksbury, etc.) And it wouldn't have been too much trouble to > winterize > it. And, even a person bought a very small house, he or she might not > have needed a whole lot of money to buy it. > > My husband had 2 sets of uncles and aunts who lived in the city, but they > soon bought a small house in Wilmington near the shore of Silver Lake. > Later they sold that and bought small houses in Hull. I doubt very much > they had much money, but perhaps the aunts' husbands had good-paying jobs. > > Also, one husband had been seriously injured while fighting in WW II, and > he probably received some money each month from the Army or Navy ! > Don't > forget that many couples were reuniting after the "War events." > > I have 3 sets of grandparents growing up; that was because one set > divorced > in 1935 and both remarried shortly after. Two sets always lived in > apartments in cities and had very little money. Both grandfathers were > truck drivers - for small delivery trucks. But, my grandfather, who I > didn't know very well, as he lived in other parts of the State, supposedly > went to college and became an Engineer, and had many important jobs in MA > as > an adult. He was living in the Springfield area with his 3rd wife > when > he died suddenly. Come to think of it, I have never thought to try to > find out if he left a "will." (1961) He might have had money to > leave in a will, and I, his oldest grandchild, would have had no way to > find out. (I was still in high school when I lost both grandfathers > within a year of each other.) > > For my parents, and my husband's parents, I can say that in the 1950's, > they were able to buy a large house for $5000 and $8000 (a duplex) near > Boston. (And, in the 1960's, my EX and I bought a relative new house > for $20,000.) MUCH different nowadays ! > > Also, in the 1950's, most adults had survived (or not survived) "The > Great Depression," and they had to "count pennies" and "waste not, want > not," etc. And they would have continued with those ways of doing > things > for a long time. And, the "cookie jar" in the cabinet could have > contained - a little savings ! > > Betty (near Lowell, MA) > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Kathy Montgomery" <kathym@uvic.ca> > To: <mamiddle@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, October 04, 2009 12:56 PM > Subject: [MAMiddle] odd question . . . > > >> Hi all - I have done a fair bit of genealogy, and learned interesting >> stories and such about all sorts of ancestors and relatives. I have >> learned >> tons about my mom's family, and much less about my dad's. (And wouldn't >> you >> know it, my dad was curious about it all; my mom - "not so much.") >> >> However, my mom's sense of family mystery is less genealogy, and more >> financial. She is 80, and the only question she ever asks me about >> family >> history is in one area I see very little about. My mom's maternal >> grandparents (my maternal great grandparents)appear to have modest income >> partnered with very comfortable lifestyle. She has tried to think how >> they >> did that. It is the only family history mystery that keeps her in the >> conversation. >> >> Her grandparents lived in a rented Cambridge apartment, owned a house in >> Billerica, and a summer cabin at Point Judith RI. They had nice clothes, >> china, sterling cutlery, etc. They ate well during the depression. I >> found >> a newspaper article that said she bought shore front land in Scituate. >> But >> in contrast, he worked behing the meat counter in a small grocery shop; >> he >> did not own it. She did not work. My mom's question - where'd the money >> come from? Neither of them came from families where they would have >> inherited much. >> >> Her grandmother did not want her mother to marry - ever. So she eloped >> to >> NH at age 17. She would never accept money or anything of particular >> value >> from her parents, even while trying to raise 6 kids through the >> depression. >> Thus my mom sort of worries that maybe they did something bad; but there >> is >> no known evidence of that. If anything, they were pretty strict from the >> sound of it; much a part of the Victorian era. (As a 6 or 8 year old >> budding family historian, I made the mistake of asking my grandmother how >> old she was, and where she was born. trust me, I never did that again . . >> . >> I digress) >> >> My mom is the oldest of her generation still living; there is no one else >> to >> ask. >> >> so, my question - what clues are there to finances? Ideas I have had: >> >> 1) man from the above couple died in 1959 (before I was old enough to do >> something so naughty as to ask how old he was!). But there doesn't seem >> to >> have been a will; or not that my mom ever heard. >> >> 2) I don't have any experience in using land records. maybe that would >> help - any suggestions on land ownership in Cambridge and Billerica say >> 1900 - 1960 as a timeframe? >> >> any suggestions? >> >> oh, and I can't resist adding - I do remember this great grand dad; he is >> among my earliest memories. I was quite young, maybe just 4. We were >> visiting him at the Cambridge apartment. They had a huge dining room >> table >> with one of those crocheted tablecloths. On it was a small bowl with the >> most incredible looking apples I had ever seen; and I knew my apples let >> me >> tell you; my favorites for sure. So I asked him if I could eat one. He >> said no, they were wax. I said that was okay, I liked all kinds. He >> said >> no, you can't eat it, it is wax. Well wax was fine with me if that was >> apples . . . I couldn't understand, I had never met an adult that would >> not >> let me eat an apple. We had to be rescued from the conversation by the >> intervening generations! what a way to be remembered - all the things he >> did in his life - and the only thing I remember about him is that he >> would >> not let me have an apple! >> >> >> >> > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > MAMIDDLE-request@rootsweb.com with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject > and the body of the email with no additional text. > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > MAMIDDLE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. 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