My Grandfathers

On Mother’s Day week I wrote about my Grandmothers. For equal time, I should write about my Grandfathers. However, I don’t have nearly as much to say about my Grandfathers, as I do about my Grandmothers.

Maternal Grandfather – I did not know him, and do not know much about him. He died in his early 30’s, when my Mother was very young, and because she was so young, she didn’t have many memories to pass down to me about him. I wish now that I talked more to Grandma about him, and I have one uncle left, out of three – I really need to talk with him and find out more about Grandpa Livingston. I think I told you previously that Grandma did marry later, and so I had a Step-Grandfather. He was a very stoic, quiet man, who hardly ever talked, and sure didn't talk to me too much. I know he was a loving man, and was always very kind to me.
He was very kind to my Grandmother, which to me, meant he was a good man. The most he talked to me was when I would go to the pig pen and help him feed the pigs.

Paternal Grandfather – Grandpa worked a night shift at a paper mill in the city. Us grandchildren always thought he was very grumpy. I think it was because of his job, he was probably tired during the day, when us grandchildren were around. Us grandchildren, since we are adults, have had conversations about Grandpa. We believe that he is one that didn’t know how to relate to children, but when we became adults then he talked to us. So, looking back, when I used to think my Grandpa was a grumpy man, I can forgive him of that grumpiness and will remember the times that he talked with me when I was an adult. He always greeted me and hugged me when I would come home from Minnesota, and had conversations with me then. One time Mom and Dad brought Grandma and Grandpa with them when they came to Duluth to visit us. It was great. The whaleback ship had just been put in water on Barker’s Island, as an attraction to tour, and he loved seeing that, he talked and talked about how when he was young his Dad worked on one and he remembers seeing one as a kid. I wish now that I’d paid more attention to his story, because I can’t remember it all now…but he did talk on and on about that whaleback.

Paternal Great-Grandfather – My Dad’s Grandfather on his Mother’s side. I only know one thing to say about him, since of course, I didn’t know him. My Dad talked a lot about him, because my Dad was with him growing up, so much more than he was ever with his Dad. I guess my Dad went everywhere with him, and my Dad was very close to him. Daddy always said that his Grandfather was more of a father to him than his own father was (again, maybe because Grandpa
E. didn't know how to relate to young children).

Maternal Great-Grandfather – Jacob, I did write previously when talking about Grandma, about Great Grandpa Jake. Most memorable of him is that he lived with my Grandma in his later years, and he sat in the corner of the kitchen in a rocking chair, with a cigar in his mouth, and a cane by his side. When one of us grandchildren got near him, he would put out his cane and try to “hook” us with the crook of the cane. He didn’t talk much either to us little ones, that I can recall.