How it all Began..... (Annie)

from Annie P., your paternal Great Grandmother's cousin

Dear Roman Wesley and Zoe Cate,

The story of your 'roots' on your Great Grandma E. Mary's side (and mine) began long before the story of Mary and I, so be prepared for a lot of 'greats' as I tell you the tale of how we came to be cousins and best friends for many years! I hope you will enjoy knowing these things one day.

Our (Mary's and mine) great grandparents were Cal and Lydia P. Thus, if I am counting the 'greats' right, they are your great great great great grandparents. I did not know Great Grandma Lydia but I did have the joy of knowing Great Grandpa Cal P and he was my best buddy till I was five years old. I had many wonderful adventures with him and he taught me to spell dog and cat. He lived with us and I was fascinated by his white mustache and how he drank his coffee.He had a huge coffee cup and an even bigger saucer below it. He would pour his coffee (some at a time) into his saucer, blow on it and then drink it! It was quite a process!



He loved baseball and would sit with his ear right up to the old chapel style radio which was turned up to full volume to listen to the games (inside in winter and out in the garage in the summer.) He loved my mother's pies along with that coffee! Earlier in his life, he had run a restaurant 'uptown' in Cuba and before he died at the age of 92 was honored in the Town's Centennial up in the square. The picture of him that I am attaching was taken in front of 'The Pleasant Row' house about which you will hear more later.



I am attaching a photo of Great Grandma Lydia next, but I don't know where or when it was taken. She is the lady on the right and the mother of my (and Mary's too) Grandma Edna P-H.



The last photo attached is of your Great Great Great Grandparents: John Weston H and Edna P H when they were sweethearts in high school in Cuba, Illinois.




As you can see, they are in a heart and are standing side by side in the top row of the photo. In the next letter, I will send you the entire photo of the graduating class of 1894-1895 and at the bottom of the photo, they are identified by name so you will be able to be sure you are seeing them when that picture comes in the next 'installment.' A good friend who still lives in Cuba just sent it to me this past year when it appeared in the Fulton Democrat paper.

This is just the 'first installment' and there are more to come soon.

Love, your cousin (a few times removed) annie

P.S. I think it is four times: E. Mary, Mike Sr. Mike Jr. & You!