DID you ever personally know anyone born in the 1800's ?

[james_bond_007]

I came across the fact that William Frawley (Fred Mertz from I Love Lucy) was born in 1887.

That got me to think about the question: "Did I ever personally know anyone born in the 1800's"

So I called my mom. She got out the family Bible.

We found 3 people that I knew: Great-Grandparents and a neighbor lady.


The funny part of the story was that there were some people that we both THOUGHT were so old they MUST have been born in the 1800's.
My mom said "Oh God, they looked real old when "I" was young".
To our surprise, we discovered they were MUCH younger that either of us thought.

So I can now honestly say I have known people from 3 different centuries : 1800's, 1900's, and 2000's.

[KestrelBike]

when I was in high school (pre 2000) we visited a nursing home to socialize and pass out treats. I talked with a woman who was 103 (so born in 1800's). She said she couldn't wait to die.

[GilpinGuy]

I have a picture of me as an infant with my mom, grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother. My family tended to have kids young LOL. Both of my great grandparents died when I was in college so I knew them well.

I'll have to check with the family to see if great great grandma was born in the 1800s. I don't remember her at all of course.

[BREATHER]

There were, I don't know if there are any left, people that used horse and buggy for transport and then saw men land on the moon.

[Tinelement]

If I remember correctly, one of my Great Grandmas was born in Dec of 1899.

[spleify]

My Grandpa Jasper was born in 1899 and died at the ripe old age of 99 in 1998. Greatest man I knew, came right off the boat from Sicily and was a real pistol, he smoked 3 packs of non filtered camels for 72 years, of course when he started he was rollin his own!! God bless him! All of 5'2" tall and a buck-o-five soakin wet but carried himself as a humble giant!

[Gman]

My grandfather was born in 1896. He fought in WWI (US Army Artillery), was a self-taught civil engineer, did engineering work in mines in Mexico during the Great Depression, and worked for the US Forest Service in California for over 30 years. He passed away in 1988.

He experienced the Wright Brothers through the Space Shuttle and how far this country had come in that span.

...now we have such great inventions as social media. [Puke]

[BuffCyclist]

During Christmas break of my first year of college (2004), I was home and getting an eye appointment. They had to dilate my eyes, so my Mom dropped me off and went back to work. When I was waiting for her to come pick me up afterwards, this old lady was talking to me in the waiting room. She asked me what I was there for and I told her (general checkup). She just got lasik on both of her eyes. She said she couldn't believe the technology would ever exist to do that. She was 106 years old and recently got in a car accident because her eyes were delaying updating. Like when you stare at a newspaper then you look up and see the words. No one was hurt in the accident, but that was the final straw that made her kids convince her to get lasik. She couldn't believe how well she could see. It was remarkable, not only because of her age, but because she was so freaking spry. She got up and walked off, looked like she was only 50yo. Wish I had gotten more time to talk to her.

[h2so4]

my great grandma was born in 1901. Pretty close. I was really young when she could still communicate well, so i didnt get alot of good stories from her. I need to ask my grandparents about all of her and their stories. So much to learn about.

[Dave]

My great grandmother was born in 1906 and died in 2000, but I remember her oldest brother still being alive when I was young and he was born in 1897, died in 1988. He was one of those types that had to constantly be doing something. Even when he visited he would sit at the table drinking coffee and sharpening her knives. He owned and operated FATSCO in Benton Harbor, MI which started out as a tin shop but he kept branching out as he came up with new ideas. For a while he had a top selling ant poison in the MI and IN areas. Simple thing really, sweetened solution of arsenic was basically all it was. Had to be taken off the market since a couple of people didn't heed the warning about it being lethal to people and kept it in places kids and pets could get to. [facepalm]

[Whistler]

My first wifes grandmother was born in 1897, I had to co-sign for her to buy a new car at the ripe age of 93. She was a rural nurse in her youth and used a horse & buggy, she had some wild stories. I once asked her, since she'd seen such technological advancement, what she thought were the greatest inventions of her lifetime. Her unhesitating response was "indoor plumbing and refrigeration".

[buffalobo]

Couple of my great grand parents were born in 1890's and died in the mid 1970's.

They thought Armstrong walking on the moon was pinnacle of human accomplishment. There were 4 generations gathered to watch it.

Sent from my electronic ball and chain.

[TheBelly]

my great-grandfather was born in the 1800s. He served in WWI. I've got the rifle he used sitting in my safe now.

[kidicarus13]

Although not born in the 1800's but my grandmother is almost 103 and is still mentally sharp. This thread reminded me of it and I thought it was worth mentioning. Old people are cool.

[ruthabagah]

When I was young, I would see a couple of my great uncles and aunt almost every week end in the countryside where my dad was building a house. They were all born between 1890 and 1914. I remember them vividely, they were farmer, handyman, gravediggers, and they were the ones that survived WW1. Most of my male relative from this era were not that lucky, and their name is on the war monument in the little village were my familly is from.

One of my aunt was born in 1894, married in 1913, and was a young mother in the summer of 1914. Her husband was one of the first one to die in WW1 (when the french soldiers were charging against maxim's machine guns, with their bright blue and red uniform...). After the war she raised her child who had a familly but was picked up by the german in 1943 after coming back from a POW camp and executed along with his wife.... She raised her grandchildren, and became the familly matriarch.

[Circuits]

Both my nanas were born in the 1890s, and I knew them personally when I was just a tyke, before they passed away.

[funkymonkey1111]

All my grandparents, and I'm 43

[Great-Kazoo]

Both sets of grand parents, and some of their brothers & sisters. IF anyone from my family gets off their ass and can locate them. There are pictures / tin types of my great grandparents on their farm in brooklyn ca. 1909ish

[MED]

My grandmother was born in 1901 and died in 1995. One of her older sisters was still kicking during my lifetime but she lost her mind and I didn't know her except that she was crazy.

[Irving]

I think so, but both have passed many years ago.

[Aloha_Shooter]

One grandfather born in 1898, one in 1900.

[.455_Hunter]

My grandfather was born in 1895. He and his five brothers all joined the AEF in 1917- him in the Army, and the other five in the Marines. Surprisingly, they all made it out alive (one brother wounded by gunfire fire, another gulped some gas). My grandfather was on a Vickers MG gun crew, and was involved in all of the big US battles to end the war, earning Corporal stripes. His personal weapon was a Colt 1917 New Service using the .45 acp half-moon clips.


In the interwar years, he earned his commission in the Army Reserves and thought ROTC at the University of Illinois, including pistol marksmanship. Whenever a cadet would get a bit “too big for his britches” on the 1911, my grandfather would pull out his 1917 for some REAL accuracy lessons. He also began teaching high school science. After the start of WWII, he began involvement with the Red Cross.


Now it gets interesting…


Because of his commission, security clearance, and science background, he was asked to do inverse cycle (nighttime) research work during the summers when high school was not in session. He would meet other researchers and technicians at the nearby Houdaille-Hershey facility to work on a secret government project. Later, the program would be revealed by its overall name- the Manhattan Project.


As the war in the Pacific continued to drag on, my Grandfather became fully committed to the Red Cross, deploying overseas to Okinawa at age 50. For his final duty, he lead one of the FIRST Red Cross teams in Nagasaki after the dropping of the Fat Man device. My aunt still has a beautiful rice bowl that is flash burned on one side he brought back as a memento.



Not many people can say that they worked on the Manhattan Project and got to see what they wrought first hand. Most people would assume my grandfather would have been dead within a year from radiation exposure; instead he lived another 41 years- dying from pure old age (heart failure) at 91 in 1986. The running joke in the family is that any pre-cancerous or cancerous tumors he had in his body were effectively “treated” by his time in Nagasaki.

[Great-Kazoo]

Not many people can say that they worked on the Manhattan Project and got to see what they wrought first hand.

Guy who was one of our cub scout & boy scout leaders was involved with the post bomb clean up. His "stories" were interesting to say the least.

BTW: having that history in your family is amazing.

[Mtn.man]

I had a couple of Great grandpaws and grandmaws still alive when I was little. One taught me to fish, and shoot crows with a 10ga, we also boiled P nuts.

[strm_trpr]

My Great Grandmother was born in the 1800's. She lived to be 103. She never skipped desert or a chance to have a glass of wine. She was an amazing woman.

[ruthabagah]

My grandfather was born in 1895. He and his five brothers all joined the AEF in 1917- him in the Army, and the other five in the Marines. Surprisingly, they all made it out alive (one brother wounded by gunfire fire, another gulped some gas). My grandfather was on a Vickers MG gun crew, and was involved in all of the big US battles to end the war, earning Corporal stripes. His personal weapon was a Colt 1917 New Service using the .45 acp half-moon clips.


In the interwar years, he earned his commission in the Army Reserves and thought ROTC at the University of Illinois, including pistol marksmanship. Whenever a cadet would get a bit “too big for his britches” on the 1911, my grandfather would pull out his 1917 for some REAL accuracy lessons. He also began teaching high school science. After the start of WWII, he began involvement with the Red Cross.


Now it gets interesting…


Because of his commission, security clearance, and science background, he was asked to do inverse cycle (nighttime) research work during the summers when high school was not in session. He would meet other researchers and technicians at the nearby Houdaille-Hershey facility to work on a secret government project. Later, the program would be revealed by its overall name- the Manhattan Project.


As the war in the Pacific continued to drag on, my Grandfather became fully committed to the Red Cross, deploying overseas to Okinawa at age 50. For his final duty, he lead one of the FIRST Red Cross teams in Nagasaki after the dropping of the Fat Man device. My aunt still has a beautiful rice bowl that is flash burned on one side he brought back as a memento.



Not many people can say that they worked on the Manhattan Project and got to see what they wrought first hand. Most people would assume my grandfather would have been dead within a year from radiation exposure; instead he lived another 41 years- dying from pure old age (heart failure) at 91 in 1986. The running joke in the family is that any pre-cancerous or cancerous tumors he had in his body were effectively “treated” by his time in Nagasaki.

Thank you for sharing. Great memories right there.

[Guylee]

Sometimes I think some of you guys fit that criteria.

[SideShow Bob]

Sometimes I think some of you guys fit that criteria.

Blaster Bob ?

Some of us here had grandparents and other relatives that we're born in the late 1800s.
if want to count neighbors of my grandparents, it would be too hard to count them all.

[blacklabel]

I don't believe I did. I think my Grandma was born in the teens. I didn't get to meet any great grand parents.

[osok-308]

Closest I ever got was my great grandfather who was born in 1902.

[rondog]

I know my paternal grandpa was born in 1899, my grandma was born probably 1896-1897. Had them around until the 1980's. Don't have any cool stories though.

[Mtn.man]

I also was given handgund from my greatgrandpaws who were both LEO's.
One, a retirement S&W nickle plated .38 special K frame with a 1" barrel. Given to the officers upon retirement never issued or made for public.
He was a motorcycle cop in Macon GA. Wore the funny pants and rode a Harley, got pics of him on that old bike. He taught me how to shoot crows and boil p-nuts, and catch catfish. BD roughly 1888

My other greatgrandpaw was a cop and later a detective in all places Chicago. He retired to Tampa where we lived later and I only got to know him a little while befroe he passed. But he left his Colt Police Positive to my Dad who passed it on to me. It has the Chicago emblem and his name and time of issue to him. BD approx 1880

[Bailey Guns]

My great grandmother, Sarah, was born in 1879. She was born and lived in the same house in northern Alabama her entire life. The house never had indoor plumbing until my dad and I installed a sink in the kitchen in 1973 while other family members connected it somehow to the water supply (a well). She was 94 then and that was the last time I saw her. She died, at home, while I was in Japan in 1980 or 81. I heard from relatives the last thing she did was cook breakfast at about 0400 just like she'd done practically every morning of her adult life. Her biscuits were the stuff of legend. Everything she cooked she cooked in bacon fat.

Grandfathers and great-grandfathers all passed before I was born or old enough to meet and/or remember them.

[sniper7]

My great grandmother was born in Germany sometime in the late 1800s. Came over from Germany after ww1. On my dad's side my great grandmother was a Cherokee Indian I believe was born 1898.

[rockhound]

you youngsters wont

all of us old guys will have known someone, My great Grandmother died in 1998, she was born in 1897

[Katastrophic]

My great aunt was born in 1899 and died in 2003. She was an amazing woman. Her memory was sharp until the end and to be able to listen to her stories of growing up on the Colorado prairie was an amazing gift.

I wish I had thought to ask her what her favorite inventions were...

[streetglideok]

My great-grandmother was born in 1888 in Missouri. She actually crossed part of the state as a child in a covered wagon. Another relative on my mother's side, went by "aunt dolly", was my mother's great aunt. I believe her to have been born before 1900, but not by much. Those are the two relatives that were living in my lifetime. Now my oldest sister was around when all my great grandparents were alive, and all of them were pre-1900.

[gnihcraes]

My Great Grandmother - 1893-1991 = 98.

Knew her for about 22 years. Awesome lady.

Somewhere there is a photo of her and grand grandfather in a Model A here in Colorado on a "Trip", that must have been a heck of a trip back then.

Photo of her on the right - 76 years old riding a bike around town with a friend.

40103

[Dlesh123]

All my grandparents born before 1900. Their siblings, my great aunts and uncles. One great grandfather.

[Hummer]

I knew my great grandmother, born in the 1870's, died in the mid 1960's. She was a Daughter of the American Revolution, as a descendent.

All my grandparents were born in the 1800's. My paternal grandfather emigrated to the USA on a ship from Holland with his parents and sister. He met Thomas Edison as a kid and was inspired to become an electrical engineer. He built a battery factory supplying windmill powered farm light batteries to farms across the mid west before rural electric lines were extended.

Two of his sons, my uncles, earned their PhD's in physics, both worked on the Manhattan Project, one at Los Alamos, the other at the Univ. of Chicago. One designed the first IBM supercomputer and continued working on the "big brother computer" into his 80's. Both are still living in their '90's.

I'm not that old but I have met Roy Rogers, John Wayne, Steve McQueen, Barry Goldwater and Richard Nixon. [cigar]

[BPTactical]

My Grandmother on my dad's side was born in 1881 IIRC, came to Monte Vista from outside of St Louis in a horse drawn wagon.

[james_bond_007]

I am truly enjoying all these stories.

[02ducky]

Great stories thanks for sharing everyone.

[flogger]

My Grandparents on my Dads side were both born in the early 1890"s. They were 2nd generation French Canadian and ended up being farmers in So. Central Nebraska. They had 7 boys in the service during WW2, 6 in the Navy and 1 in the USAAF. Tough loving people and great Uncles.