Happy Anniversary to Addie May Collier and Joseph Brophy!
Addie and Joe were married on December 14, 1916 in West Haven, Connecticut. What a guy Joe must have been to marry a woman who had four living minor children and an ex-husband! My grandmother often talked about Joe Brophy. He was about the best stepfather a girl could dream of. He was a railroad conductor and wonderful to all of the children. Addie and Joe had one child, Jack, together. Sadly, Addie died in September 1931 so this happy couple never made it to their fifteenth wedding anniversary.
I remember that Joe died when I was five years old and everyone went to his funeral but I stayed home with a neighbor.
I cannot pass by this opportunity to mention Addie’s enate great grandmother, Lois Chalker Walston. Dear Lois. Lois was born on 20 December, maybe in 1804 or 1805. I don’t know who her parents were. Maybe her father was Randolph Washington Chalker of Guilford, Connecticut, son of Dr. Isaac Chalker, or so Dr. Alvan Talcott said. How did Dr. Talcott know?
Who threw birthday parties for you, Lois? Anyone? Did your husband Daniel remember your birthday? Lois, I will never forget you. I will spend the rest of my life finding you. You are my grandmother’s grandmother’s grandmother. You are my seventh generation.