Here is your challenge for tonight (or whenever you read this):Mine is a very short list. I only met three of my grandparents and none of my great-grandparents. My mother's father, Daniel M. Carlisle, died just a month after I was born. So technically we were alive at the same time but we were never together.
1) Write down which of your ancestors that you have met in person (yes, even if you were too young to remember them).
2) Tell us their names, where they lived, and their relationship to you in a blog post, or in comments to this post, or in comments on Facebook.
Harvey Gordon Berry, 1926 - 2000. Dad was born in Syracuse, NY. Moved to Clayton, NC in the 70's, on to El Paso, TX in the 80's and finally retired to Haines City, FL. Although he died in Florida, he is buried in North Carolina. He was named for his father's step-father and his mother's brother.
Mom. Happily she is still with us and hopefully will be for a good while yet.
Kimberly Powell Berry, 1900- 1984. My father's father. Kim was born in Ottawa, Ontario. He moved to Syracuse, NY in the mid 20's and remained there the rest of his life. He became a naturalized US citizen. The SSDI indicates he died in Texas and is incorrect. He died in Syracuse. Living close by I was able to know him well. I have no idea where his name comes from. Kimberly is unusual for a man. I've often wondered why he was given Powell for a middle name but so far I have found no family connection.(Kim's father, Joseph Berry, died when Kim was a boy and his mother remarried to Harvey Harry Sanders. I did meet "Grandpa" Harry although I do not remember him.)
Mary Leith Kelly Berry, 1900 - 1970. My father's mother. Mary was born in Calabogie, Ontario. I'm not certain when her family moved Ottawa, Ontario. A good looking guy named Kim lived next door. After their marriage in 1922 they moved to Syracuse, NY. Mary refused to become naturalized because she felt she was already a US citizen because her father had been born in the US. Mary was her paternal grandmother's name. I still have not discovered her maiden name and wonder if it was Lieth? Grandma and I had many adventures together.
Pearl Vivian Camfield Carlisle, 1886 - 1972. My mother's mother. Pearl was born in South Bend, IN. She was married in Alamo, TX and after living there briefly she moved to Buchanan, MI. She remained there until sometime in the 60's when she required nursing home care, where she spent her final years in Niles, MI. Her parents simply liked her name. I have pictures of me with Grandma when I was about a year old. The time I remember meeting her she was in the nursing home and it was a rather unpleasant visit for a child. I wish I had had the chance to know her better.
