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!

Sunday

Dear Friend,

You're lucky - to be living in such a fair climate but Bob worked on the paper in Santa Monica before he went to LA Times. After 23 years at the Times he is now asst supervisor under Burton ? the chief supervisor. He came up to Portland 2 years ago at Thg. time to be with me there - 3 sons that day together. 

But you seem far away - I always thot I'd like to live down there but is too rich for my blood - have a home here and better stay in it. Even Seattle has horribly high rents.  But when Edna Potwin came out to be with her daughter for the winter - I was tempted to take a train ride - I flew to Frisco once but I wouldn't go into LA airport - 

Are you renting an apt? Do you drive? Maybe you could get over to La Canada to see Edna - Stephen's wife and she is a dear - She & I are the only ones doing any research on Potwins - they are popping up all over.

Don - my youngest son - bachelor - was in Pendleton - was told a Francis Potwin lived there - and at our town bookstore I was told that a woman from Ellensburg (next town north) I had asked for the book Elinor - said she was a Potwin - the woman who runs the bookstore knew me so told this woman to phone, but she never did and haven't her name - So it goes - 

My oldest daughter Ruth now lives in Belmont, is in her late 40's and since her husband's death doesn't like to use her car - 

Our winter has been rather surprising - so cold and 2 snow storms - I wish now I had gotten away but I sprained my ankle months ago and then bursitis set in - I am just now getting back to normal - 

Let me hear how you like your new home - I'm sure you will - it looks like spring but weather is so unpredictable - 

Sincerely,

Beulah E. Potwin

~fini~

editors note: this is the final letter from Beulah, however she will go on to live another 13 years, dying just shy of her 98th birthday, possibly in her own home .... her FindAGrave memorial is here.

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

©1968 Beulah E Potwin - Private Collection

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.

Yakima Aug 31 - '67

continued .....

P.S.

I have read Thomas Costain's books, that he accomplished researching medieval history, and there is a tale -

Inez my youngest daughter, in her history reading in school, used to remark to her father that his ancestors were real rascals, stole the castles and lands they had, and Dad would just laugh - But, in medieval times the church controlled even kings, and had holdings also, and if a king was pleased with his fighter barons they were given castles - even wives - and lands - taken away from someone else of course.

Now in Costain's books, there are four - researched and published now, real history and true as to the historical facts - So I knew from relatives of my husband who researched too, but all in this America - but Poitevine, Aquitaine was told to be the ancestor's domain and so Costain says, too. Then Amy Kelly also researched and with the help of Costain she wrote Elinor of Aquitaine - who is the Poitevine ancestor -

Her father was quite religious - almost a monk himself - so history reads - the grandfather was a poet and troubadour - had traveled to Spain, etc, but was a rascal. How they accumulated so much land, etc. was probably, as history in 1066 reports, they were given it or stole it-

Elinor was almost 15 or 16 - a beauty, her father had died, her grandfather wanted to get in the good graces of the King, so to Louis (the Fat) King of France he offered Elinor, so Louis, wanting all that land, agreed to marry Elinor to his son Louis VI and he did. She became Queen about 1100 brought all her boisterous retinue with her and in due time Louis (almost a monk himself) divorced her - and let her keep all her lands, etc - Then Henry wed her. Wm. of Normandy had two sons, Henry I - and Henry I became King of England - died, and Henry II was to become King. Henry had lived in Normandy - a lovely place - sunny - warm - so was France. They didn't care for England - the English were rough - it was a cold island - Then Henry met Elinor, married her and Henry became Henry II, King of England -

So the books - 

The Conquering Family

Elinor Of Aquitaine

The Three Edwards

The Magnificent Century

All take Elinor thru the history of England. She had 8 children by Henry, 4 became Kings of England - They as men were brilliant fighters but bad Kings and the English never liked Elinor - but I think you can obtain all these books through a pocketbook dealer - I just have the pocket editions - Random House publishes them but the book stores have a hard time getting them - 

My sister-in-law - in Conn - who hates to read history says she has enough to think about without delving into 1066 -

But my family are interested and Elinor started the Plantagenet line - I hope you will like to find these books too -

I don't care to pay a big price for a hardcover - the paperbacks are just the same reading - 

Let me hear from you - 

BEP

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

©1967 Beulah E Potwin - Private Collection

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.

Yakima Aug 31 - '67

Dear Friend, 

So pleased to hear from you - will answer promptly - 

You spoke of moving but didn't say if you were going to Calif or staying in Chicago a while -

I was interested in the Oak Park pamphlet and puzzled too - I was in Chicago a great deal at my aunt's <around 1900 to 1907> she lived in Austin - the Loop (we called it the Elevated) in 1900 - ended at Austin - we knew there was an Oak Park but I never was there.

So they called Austin a frustrated entity - not so - Austin too had lovely wide streets - tree lined 3 story homes - setting back from the street. In 1900 the "L" ended at Austin so can Oak Park claim it as one of their lifelines?

And in 1903 Austin was a well established suburb where Oak Park Ave was still a long empty street - From 1900 to 1906 or 7 the year I was married, I spent in Austin that winter - and my uncle was sputtering about their townsmen calling it Cicero - but it happened.

As a girl - going into Chicago by train - often - we knew we were not allowed to get on a "service car" (street car) - one time I did as I had to take it to reach a friends home - took me on the South side of Chicago (the negro belt for sure), but haven't I heard they are infiltrating on the West side?

My relatives moved to Evanston later and are all gone now - a cousin moved to settle in Maquoketa Ia.

My son Don and I spent a week in Victoria B.C. - a lovely city - on Vancouver Island - had to take a ferry up thro the San Juans - groups of islands - large ones.

Victoria is not only Canadian but Socialistic too - in Canada - no freeways - no hurried crowds. Was really restful after the hullaballoo (?) in America - they string clotheslines in the air - front yards are beautifully landscaped - lots of flowers, but nothing in any back-yard. I looked as we drove about - It was all the same - not a thing in any backyard except a back fence and not much yard.

We've had a long hot summer - unusual - 98 all this week. Ordinarily, we get one hot week in July but not this year - all August was hot to 102 - 

I  have been plagued with some arthritis this past few months in my right ankle - I keep on exercising about the yard and it seems to help.

I expect my son and daughter from Seattle to be here for Labor Day weekend - otherwise like Thoreau (that old tramp) - I enjoy "companionable company in solitude"

I have a daughter living in Belmont Calif now and if I get that far next winter - we might get to meet - here's hoping - 

Keep well - 

Best wishes

Beulah E Potwin

113 N 27th Ave

Yakima Wn

98901

to be continued .........

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

©1965 Beulah E Potwin - Private Collection

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 Friend,

I have thought of you often - so don't cut me off your list. Whatever are you doing - living in the folds of Chicago. It can't be the same city I knew - way back in the gay 90's - all that snow. We had an open winter - ground never froze - in this central Wash. Seattle & Portland get the rain - we get the sunshine - no hot summers any more - plenty of snow in the mts beyond us.

I too read a lot of history all last winter - I find I can remember what I read in history but other books lose interest for me - and, I wonder what (so called) historians will say about our present mix-ups - we're a doomed country - thanks to (9 old men) Supreme Court - not to mention our misguided government.

Is Highland Park a suburb of Chicago? I still live by myself (no dogs) but hire so much done - I wish I could live in one of the lovely apts everywhere.

Don and Meg (my two youngest age 40) have lovely ones in Seattle but oh the rents! $170 for 2 bedroom one - etc and Seattle is too much for me - so I'll stay in my own home on a quiet street - Yakima is a lovely city.

I quit the newspapers - can't see they are needed - I enjoy the commentators on TV, especially Joseph Benti - Cronkite, both, and so I've just had my 84th birthday - but live "like 60".

I hope to hear from you soon - you say you are working - wish I could - I wanted to enter Real Estate 20 years ago but got "talked out of it".  Am I sorry!

Love,

Beulah E Potwin

All apologies for not answering sooner - -

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

©1965 Beulah E Potwin - Private Collection

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 -

©2016 Anne Faulkner - AncestorArchaeology.net, All Rights Reserved

©1965 Beulah E Potwin - Private Collection