For some time now I have been trying to figure out a good way to share information about our Mattimore family ancestry. There is a Mattimore Family group on Facebook, but too many family members are not on Facebook, and those of us who are often have a love-hate relationship with it. Some other forum seemed appropriate, so I decided to start this blog. It is meant as a place to share stories, photos and documents about our Mattimore family and related genealogy research.
In addition to ancestry-related posts, it will be a great place to pass along family news and goings-on, perhaps profiles or tributes…so many things. Forgive me if at times I geek out with too much talk of chromosomes and centiMorgans (unit of measurement for the length of a piece of DNA). You can always just scroll past those posts!
If anyone is interested in contributing a post, you are most welcome. I know we have lots of wonderful writers and storytellers in the family. And please share any specific ancestry questions you might have or ideas for what kinds of things you might like to know about.
Lastly, I don’t have email addresses for all family members, especially adult children who might be interested in this blog. So please spread the word and direct them to MattimoreFamily.com. Anyone who subscribes will be alerted by email when there is a new post, and of course, I won’t share your email addresses with anyone. (NOTE: if you received an email from me with a link to this post, I have already subscribed you to the blog since I had your email address, so you don’t have to do it again. But if you are not interested, it is easy to unsubscribe.)
You can reach me through the “Contact” form on this site or by emailing me directly at rozanne.hakala@gmail.com.
Let’s stay connected!
Jack Mattimore, SJ says: This is so wonderful. Thank you, Rozanne!
Linda Hirsch Pratt says: It’s wonderful of you to find a new way for the Mattimore clan to discover more about our heritage.
hank mattimore says: The Mattimore kids on Macamley St. looked forward to visits from Uncle Harry and his family. His main purpose I’m sure to visit the legendary Aunt Kate who lived with us and who raised both my dad Joe and Harry when their mom passed away at a young age. Uncle Harry never owned a car so he and his kids walked down South Park Ave to our house on Macamley. About a mile walk I’d say.
I was just a little kid so I can’t comment on what the adult conversations were like but we kids had great fun. Harry’s younger kids pretty well matched up with our family (Kathleen and I, Sally and my brother Dick, My sis Mary and Harry’s Jane.) Harry’s oldest daughter Mary was always along too, to keep the younger kids in tow. I recall vividly playing hide and seek in the dark in the back bedroom. I think my dad would give Harry and his clan a ride home when it got too dark. Good memories with our cousins.
Rozanne says: Uncle Harry never owned a car when you were growing up? Wow, I didn’t know that. I love hearing how you and your Mattimore cousins got together!
Colleen says: We recently celebrated the life of Diane Deacon who died last week. She was loved by many and had a large extended “family “ of friends. The word most often used to describe her was “kind” and Fr Jack referred to the importance of kindness in his homily.
One of my kids ( I think Rose …it all blends together at times ) had to interview a relative for a school project, so we went over and interviewed my Dad. I loved listening to his answers to her questions !
The last one was “what had changed the most since you were young?” ….I though it would be electronic ..or television …but he said people were more kind when he was little.
I think of that often and we could all be a bit more kind these days !
Rozanne says: Thanks, Colleen… here in New Mexico I was able to see the live stream video of Diane’s funeral mass by Fr. Jack (so glad for that technology). The eulogy was wonderful and really captured Diane’s essence. She embodied kindness. And so fitting to hear the story that your Dad thought kindness is what had changed most over the years. A lesson for us all to be more kind to each other!
Dan Deacon says: Thanks for sharing your time and efforts! I enjoy reading about our family history 😊
Trish Lewis says: Rozanne,
I can’t thank you enough for this labor of love! This is fantastic.
Trish
Thank you, Rozanne! What a gift you are to us and to the ancestors. As they said once in old Ireland: May the health of a salmon be upon you. (To wish someone the health of a salmon bestowed upon them long life, strength, and good fortune.) Slainte!
My dad was a staunch Republican all his life and was not reticent about sharing his political views. He was a Goldwater and Taft and yes even a Joe McCarthy Conservative.
My mom on the other hand was a quiet Democrat. She never argued with my dad but when elections came around she voted her convictions, which were Democratic. Her sister Julia and uncle Bob were also Democrats.
The only political arguments in our house on Macamley St, took place when my brother Dick absorbed a more liberal high school education from the Jesuits at Canisius. He and dad would argue big time until my peacemaker mom would step in and call a truce.
Rozanne says: With all the strife surrounding politics in today’s social media world, it is comforting to remember that political differences have always existed within families. Everything is just amplified in today’s world. Mom used to tell us that every election year, your parents would go off hand in hand to vote, knowing their votes would cancel each other out. And that was it, no discord or arguing or giving it another thought.
11 Comments