Notes From My Grandmother | Potwin Lineage and Genealogy, Beulah's Letters

Somehow, much of my grandmother's hand written and (badly) typed notes and research wound up in my possession. Traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles and back to Chicago again. It sat, in the dark of my mother's closet, until my dad passed and my mom decided to begin her great purge. Knowing I had picked up the torch, the next generation to pursue the Greatest Hobby on Earth, the papers came to live with me. Unsure for many years on just what to do with them, I have decided to bring them out and share them with you - transcribed, of course - no one can read my grandmother's handwriting! But in her own words; mistakes, rambling sentences, and all. I think she will be pleased her work and her writing are once again out in the light.

Dear Mrs. Thomas,

I am disappointed at my efforts in writing - Hope you can make sense out of all the notes I send - 

I only have one contact with East Windsor now, a sister-in-law, Stephen's wife - but she sent me all th data she had so I have "jotted" it all down for you - wish I could have had it typed up - I will be 83 in April - no one believes me but my Dr. says heredity has a hand in it - strong ancestry counts -

I think I gleaned all the "work" habits of my paternal Scotch grandmother and all my children inherit her neatness to the point it is almost painful -

I keep active we're a "reading" family - 

notes

Thomas Costain now dead did much research in medieval history so that helps us - we couldn't have done it.

So the Magnificant Century written by Costain has a chapter "The Poitevines Rule England" - look on the paperback shelves of any good store, even drug stores - that is where I found the above book.

But Costain wrote:

"Conquering Family" which tells the story of the Poitevins of Aquitaine France

Elinor of Aquitaine who started the Plantaganet Line married Henry II England

Magnificent Century

Plantaganets

The Three Edwards

all these you may find in paperback editions - in one book ancestry thru Elinor's family goes back to Jerusalem - it makes fascinating reading - all of Elinor's 4 sons by Henry II were bold fighters but very bad kings.

And all tho I am not a Potwin (but by marriage) we are all interested in genealogy and, in reading medieval history. My daughter Inez in the Graduate Dept at U of W discovered "Elinor of Aquitaine" and having read in history how Wm of Normandy had a Poitevine with him on his war trips to Ireland - England etc - We knew we had found some history -

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