My maternal grandmother was born 135 years ago today.

[TNNurse]

I remember as a child trying to tell her that she was born on Pearl Harbor Day. She set me straight that the event happened on HER birthday. She came first. I believe that day I first understood chronology. It was perspective I had not learned in school yet. I was maybe 7 or 8.

[raccoon]

1. Gosh, you must be old. JK. My great grandfather was in the confederate army.

That makes me feel old as dirt, considering how many people I know who are still living, who have great-grand children.

[TNNurse]

2. It is eye opening to realize you knew someone who was born that long ago.

I am 73. She lived in GA all her life, did not like pennies because they had Lincoln's face on them and she had heard stories about the burning of her hometown (Atlanta) and those Yankee soldiers stealing the family silver. She never knew my husband from Northern Indiana whose grandfather's Lincoln books we inherited. Just as well she did not know him.

I can find the grave of my Confederate great great (I think that is the right number) grandfather in a cemetery in Norcross, GA. Did not know it was there in my hometown until I was grown and my cousin started doing research. Neither proud nor ashamed.

In my job, I notarized paternity affidavits for birth certificates (when the parents are not married). I did one where the mother was 14 and her mother had her when SHE was 14. Yes, I met a 28 yo grandmother. I kept my cool, but wanted to scream. I taught the staff in the family birthing center to warn me before I encountered such situations. Unfortunately, there were others.

And, yes, I am old.

[raccoon]

3. Me too. 71.

[Taylor Picker]

4. About the Lincoln books...

Your husband's grandfather had a collection of books about Lincoln that you inherited?
Or something else?
Just curious.

[TNNurse]

5. My husband's grandfather was a lawyer

from Illinois. He had a collection of books about Lincoln...some quite nice. We acquired them from his parent's house. We have no children. Recently we relocated them to a cousin (from the same grandfather) who has a brother, son and grandson who love history. It was 4 book boxes in the mail from TN to Oregon...USPS still has a book rate. It was good to know they went to family.

We are trying to downsize our stuff...

[Taylor Picker]

6. Nice. Thanks for the reply.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

7. she was right

[NameAlreadyTaken]

8. Cool. My maternal grandfather was born in 1886

So he would be 136 years old, if he were still alive today. Sadly I never met him, because he died 16 years before I was born. I still think it's amazing that my grandfather was born in 1886. His wife, my maternal grandmother, was born on December 8, 1987, so today would have been her 125th birthday.