This is the home of Jacob Wiley - where my
Maternal Grandmother grew up. She
married George B. Livingston and had
three children. Arthur, Gilbert, Romaine
(my Mother) and John.
My Grandma Elizabeth was widowed with three young children when my Mother was very young. So, I never knew my Grandfather Livingston, and I have seen very few photos of him. As you will read in my posts below, I received a great CD in the mail today, that was made by one of my Livingston cousins of old photos he gathered together from his Dad and from Grandma. It's so great to have these, and many of them I have never seen!
My Grandfather Livingston was killed when he stepped on a live electric wire accidentally, as he was helping his brother to get his car out of the ditch during a bad storm. Apparently wind brought wires down and they didn't know. I have posted a copy of what was in the newspaper, that was on the CD.
I guess he and his family were well known and loved because it says over 1500 were at the funeral. My Mother says she only remembers part of it, as she was so young.
The George on this picture was my Grandfather's Dad. Until her Grandfather died, my Mom and two brothers shown here (Gilbert, John and Arthur) lived on this farm. After he died, they had to move. Life was very hard for my Grandmother. She survived by cleaning houses for people. Uncle Gilbert told us kids recently that there were times when she didn't know where their next meal was coming from, and then some kind neighbor would bring them something. She always trusted in The Lord that they would be taken care of and they were. It made her faith very strong, and my Mother's and her brothers faith also.
The third from the left man is my Grandfather
George B. Livingston
The couple on the right is my Grandma and
Grandpa Livingston
He looks to be a very handsome man
I cropped from the photo above
In later years Grandma married Maurice, who was a local farmer who Grandma always knew. He became a widower...and the two of them got together and got married...I'm not sure when...but they were married before I was born. He is the one I knew as Grandpa, although we never called him Grandpa, we called him Maurice. Here is a cropped photo of them, taken at my wedding in 1969.
I loved Maurice...he was always quiet and never had much to say, but he would take me with him when he went to the pig pen and I would help feed the pigs, and things like that. He was a wonderful man.
My Grandma and I were very, very close. She did so much for me, and I spent so much time with her. My Mother and her were very close too. My Mother used to tell me that "my Mother is my best friend".
And this photo above is how I will always remember my Grandma Wiley-Livingston-Gochnauer
I loved her so much and she lives in my heart
always... look at her beautiful smile. She was
loved by so many. I know someday I will
be reunited with her and my Mother and all
those I loved that went before me!
