----- Original Message ----- From: "DON TAYLOR" <directinstallationsinc@msn.com> To: <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 7:13 PM Subject: Re: One woman play- Betty > Betty, > Some of these stories are so funny. My maternal grandmother had a bunch > of them. She grew up in the Berkshires and so many of them were "country" > humor. An aquaintence of mine went to Revival meetings and joined the > church. He was known for having a bad temper and about a week later, > pulled out in front of him and made him mad. He took off after the car > and pulled up beside it at a light, gets out and walks over, tells the man > to roll down his window or he'll break it. The man rools down the window > and was told to step out of the car and he would get his a.. beat! Then > the guy realized it was the pastor of the church he had just joined! He > had some explainin' to do. > Don > > >>From: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> >>To: "DON TAYLOR" <directinstallationsinc@msn.com> >>Subject: Re: One woman play- Betty >>Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2005 19:00:21 -0400 >> >>Hi Don, >> >>Sounds like an interesting book to read ! >> >>I think the Chelmsford and Billerica libraries (where I am) have only 2 >>or 3 small books written by citizens of the towns in the early 1900's. >>I was able to get one from an eBay sale, and it was not very interesting >>reading. >>(Written to matter-of-factly.) >> >>I have someone who I'm trying to talk into writing a book. >> >>My friend, Bob, and I moved to a new home last winter, and shortly after >>met the neighbors across the street. First of all, the owner of the >>mobile home is a widow, named Betty. Second, I found out that when she >>first married in the 1940's, she moved to Billerica and she and her >>husband had a small farm there. Then they moved to very northern NH >>and had a large farm. The coincidence? When I first married in the >>1960's, I moved to Billerica and ended up in a house about 6 houses away >>from where she lived. When Betty had a bad fall 2 years ago, one of her >>sons moved in with her to help take care of her. His name is Donny. >>This summer we found out that Donny and my friend, Bob, were born on the >>exact same day in 1940. >> >>Whenever I go over to their yard to say, HI, I always end up hearing one, >>funny story or another - about the childhoods of Betty's five children ! >>And, they are very funny for people of our age ! I keep telling Donny >>that he should start writing these stories down - and publish them. >>But, so far, he doesn't have an incentive to do that. It's too bad - >>as his older brother in GA is dying of cancer, and they should get him to >>tell some of the stories while he's still with them ! >> >>Two of the stories I've heard are about when they lived in Billerica. >>Betty had talked a girlfriend from Cambridge to come up and visit them, so >>she was taking the train up and Betty had to pick her up from the station. >>This was a farming community back then. Her husband had the car, so >>Betty hooked up the buckboard to the horse and off she went. Her >>girlfriend was "a dresser" and had all her fancy clothing on. When >>Betty went down the road on the way to her home, she had to pass by the >>House of Correction in Billerica - which at the time was a working farm. >>Well, the prisoners were working out in the field, and working with the >>cows, and saw .. the two ladies in the buckboard passing by, with one of >>them all dressed fancy, and they started whistling, etc. Well, this >>girlfriend didn't like this kind of attention, and told Betty to .. >>hightail it out of there ! Well, Betty did as she was told, and said, >>Giddyup, etc., only the horses darted forward so fast ... that the >>girlfriend ended up going .. a... over teakettle .. over the seat of the >>buckboard - and upside down in the back ... >>:o) LOL >> >>The other story is similar. Betty was lonely when she first moved to >>Billerica as she didn't know anyone. So, she decided to join the >>Grange. The first meeting she was going to attend she got all dressed up >>and spruced up and .. off she went. Early the next morning .. she >>found out her Goat had gotten loose and was running up the street. In >>her pajamas, she went running after him ! On the way back with the >>Goat, the Goat decided to charge full-steam ahead .. and ended up dragging >>Betty down the street - by the seat of her pants ! While she was >>being dragged down the street, the head of the local Grange .. drove by .. >>and said, "Good morning, Mrs. Needham !" >> >>LOL >> >>I have so many "booklets" I'd like to write .. and I am a >>wannabe-writer. But, I am a people-person, and so much more enjoy .. >>interacting with people on the Lists .. than I would if I was glued to a >>computer ... writing. >> >>Enjoy your evening. >> >>Betty >> >> >>----- Original Message ----- From: "DON TAYLOR" >><directinstallationsinc@msn.com> >>To: <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> >>Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 5:23 PM >>Subject: Re: One woman play- Betty >> >> >>>Betty, >>> I have heard of a few people who are writing historical novels about >>> their ancestors. I once knew an eldely lady when I lived in the Va. >>> mountains who wrote a manuscript about her memories of the village that >>> she lived her entire life in. She called it Spring Memories. Each family >>> had a spring on their property from which they drew their water and >>> where they stored their milk, butter and perishables. So she named each >>> chapter "The Jones Spring" after the name of the family there. In each >>> chapter she would tell the location of the spring and the home, with the >>> known history of that family. Wouldn't it be amazing to find something >>> like that for our ancestors? Well, I did at the Scituate, R. I. library. >>> A local resident wrote as if she were taking you on a walking tour of >>> the town, She wrote: now we turn up Brandy Brook Rd and the first farm >>> we come to on the left is the old Taylor farm, the family who lived here >>> moved their little house from an island in the Pine Swamp across the >>> road and they were known as the Swamp Taylor's, part indian and part >>> poor whites, etc, etc. I then found th eproperty with the help of a >>> distant cousin who became a great friend and found the Taylor burial >>> plot with 80 burials including several Rev. War Veterans. I mention all >>> of this to say that we should all look at the local libraries in our >>> ancestors towns as well as the Town Halls and Historical Societies. You >>> never know what you might find. And, even if you don't find anything, >>> you could consider donating anything that you have or have written to >>> the library. >>>Don T. >>>>From: "Betty" <bbffrrpp@comcast.net> >>>>To: "DON TAYLOR" >>>><directinstallationsinc@msn.com>,<RIPROVID-L@rootsweb.com> >>>>Subject: Re: One woman play >>>>Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2005 07:27:36 -0400 >>>> >>>>Hi Don, >>>> >>>>I've been busy this summer, and not paying 100% attention to postings, >>>>so I missed the original message. Just wanted to say that's a great >>>>idea - to write a screenplay .. about our ancestors ! >>>> >>>>Also, one of the things which is a mystery to me .. is what was the >>>>determining factor .. in our parents' generation .. of whether or not >>>>they got a Driver's License ? >>>> >>>>And, even in our generation (or younger), what is it that makes a person >>>>..NOT.. want a Driver's License? >>>> >>>>My mother was one of 6 .. and both she and her oldest sister - never got >>>>a Driver's License. For 50+ years, my mother was totally dependent >>>>on my father for transportation (not including public transportation). >>>>And, my favorite aunt was totally dependent on her husband for >>>>transportation for 30+ years, and then on her other sister - after they >>>>both lost their husbands the same year (lived beside each other). >>>> >>>>(And, my uncle lost a leg at Age 9, but he was taught to drive farm >>>>equipment in northern Maine - where his father lived at the time - and >>>>went from that to learning how to drive cars with an "artificial leg.") >>>> >>>>Coincidentally, a few days ago I read an article in "The Lowell Sun" >>>>about a man in his 80's who "made" prosthesis ("artificial limbs") most >>>>of his life. It turns out he currently lives in my town, as did my >>>>uncle - who also "made" artificial limbs. They both started out in >>>>Boston, MA, and I'm going to write to the man to ask if he remembered my >>>>uncle. >>>> >>>>Thank you for your time. >>>> >>>>Betty (near Lowell, MA) >>>> >>>> >>>>FYI: In 1916 ..... my uncle, as a kid, was standing in front of his >>>>home - watching a building being built, and a large truck, driven by a >>>>"drunk driver" .. STRUCK him ! >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "DON TAYLOR" >>>><directinstallationsinc@msn.com> >>>>To: <RIPROVID-L@rootsweb.com> >>>>Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2005 9:02 PM >>>>Subject: One woman play >>>> >>>> >>>>>Carole, >>>>> I got the copy of your play that you mailed the other day and I've >>>>> already told Jean about it. Thank you so much for sharing with us. I >>>>> imaging that it went over really well when you presented it at the >>>>> reunion. It makes family history come alive when you can find and >>>>> convey details about your ancestors lives. Otherwise it is just a list >>>>> of names and dates to some people. I think we should all include >>>>> stories we've heard in the family and some of our memories in our data >>>>> for future generations to have. >>>>> My grandfather Taylor was in the ice business with his father who >>>>> was a veteran of the Nez Percez and Cheyenne campaigns and a survivor >>>>> of the Battle of the Little Big Horn under Gen. Reno (7th U.S. >>>>> Calvary) . Later when refrigeration became more in use, he went back >>>>> to dairy farming. One of the things that I have included is that the >>>>> only time he drove an auto was when he tried out a relatives. When he >>>>> hollered whoa and it didn't stop until it had gone through the fence, >>>>> he decided never to try that again. And, he never did. He continued to >>>>> use work horses to plow as he wanted no part of a tractor. >>>>> Wouldn't it be great if we had some facts about each of our >>>>> ancestors like that? I often wonder what their lives were like in the >>>>> times that they lived. Fighting in the Revolution, how they met their >>>>> spouses and how they made their living. You have left information >>>>> about your ancestors back in Rhode Island that people will appreciate >>>>> for generations to come. >>>>>Sincerely, >>>>>Don Taylor >>>>> >>>>>______________________________ >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> > > >