Jack’s Winning Words 12/22/08
“I don’t know who my grandfather was; I am much more concerned to know who his grandson will be.” (Lincoln) Abe’s grandparents would have been proud of what he accomplished in his lifetime. I never knew three of my grandparents. One survived the Chicago fire. One worked for the C B& Q Railroad. His wife, my grandmother, died when my father was three. Genealogy is interesting, but more relevant is the genealogy yet to be written about each of us. That’s scary. Who remembers Count Scary? ;-) Jack MORE: My father's father came from Sweden to Galesburg, Illinois. and worked in the railroad shop. His name was Frank Johson, but his pay envelope was getting mixed up with other Frank Johnsons, so he changed his name to Frank Fried, but people pronounced it with a long I, so he changed it to Frank Freed, and so in reality I could have had the name of a famous prize fighter. P.S.: Who wants a picture of Count Scary?

FROM PR J.S. IN MI: I like to think that both grandpaarents and grandchildren are very important. Our grandparents sacrificed a lot to give us a chance. I hope that I am trying to make the world a good place for my grandchildren. Interesting that your Grandfather worked for the C B & Q. What did he do with them? I love railroads and we took the train to NY last year instead of flying. It was really fun. My German Grandpa was an achiever. He was a musician (flutist) and a cabinetmaker. He built the EM Sash and Door Works before dying of TB when he was 44. My Swedish Grandpa was just a good old guy.....he had been an alcoholic but went cold turkey and overcame it. He liked Bank Night at the Movies in Moline. He died when I was five. My roots are from Moline and EM. I am probably a bit schizo as a result!!!

FROM D.C. IN MI: What were you doing watching Count Scary? REPLY: Enjoying the show!

FROM M.T. IN PA: oooOOOHH! Count Sca-a-a-ary! That's a blast from the past!

FROM J.H. IN OH: I remember The Count!

FROM R.I. IN BOSTON: Genealogy certainly is interesting, and if you delve into your heritage, be prepared to find out about both the good and the bad.

FROM J.C. IN HONG KONG: Count Scary, where is he now? REPLY: I think he's in heaven.

FROM C.H. ON CAPE COD: (Comment on "That's scary.") But also really exciting... to think of all the things God might accomplish through us generations later...) Hebrews 12:2. We'll become part of the cloud of witnesses...
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: My maternal great grandparents were from Denmark and lived in Grayling, Michigan. My maternal grandparents were both from Grayling as was my dad's family. They all grew up together...my maternal grandparents babysat for my dad and his sisters. My dad's father worked on the railroads in Grayling. He got pneumonia and died when my dad was 14. My dad then got the pneumonia. He nearly died. The visiting doctor put two rubber tubes in his back, one for drainage and one for my grandmother to breath into to keep my dad alive. It's quite a story. One for another day. As you know, my dad survived until he was 83....by the grace of God and my grandma's breath of life. MORE: I still listen to Dick Purtan on 104.3!!! Thanks for the "scary memories"!!!

FROM P.H. IN MN: i too knew only one of my four grandparents. but with health care improving, our kids knew all four grandparents for quite a number of years...

FROM B.S. NEAR ORLANDO: Great thought, however if one were trying to pin down a strange medical problem in the family, knowing a lot about your backgrownd could help diagnose a present condition and predic t a future problem. Mr. Abe was a great thinker.