Photo Friday - My Grandpas

Howard Lee Epps

(1906 - 1977)

John Richard Hoyle

(1876 - 1958)

my grandfathers

I think it is so cool that I have this picture from 1955 of my

grandpas sitting together. Grandpa Epps (left) was my mom's

dad. He was six-foot-three and gentle as could be. Grandpa 

Hoyle was my dad's dad. He was about five-foot-seven. I have

no memory of him, being young when he passed away. 

I am told I called him 'Little Grampin,' while I called

Grandpa Epps 'Big Grampin.' I love them both!

You can read a previous post about John Richard Hoyle here

Photo Friday - Mabel's Chickens

Mabel Elizabeth Ament

my great-grandmother

b. 20 October 1878, Muscatine, Iowa

d. 9 March 1966, Phoenix, Arizona

We believe this picture of Mabel was taken between 1913, when she filed a homestead

claim for 360 acres in Dawson County, Montana, and 1921, when she sold the land. I just

love the curtains on the window and the wood holding up the brick chimney! 

If that is just a 'few' of her chickens, how many do you think she had?!

Photo Friday - Granny Wynne

Tessa Ruth (Gibler) Wynne

my husband's grandma

b. 30 May 1901, Council Bluffs, Iowa

d. 13 February 1994, Bremerton, Washington

If you ask anyone who knew her, Granny was a character!

She was hard-working, funny and fun, compassionate, happy, and loving.

Hers was not an easy life, but she still seemed to truly enjoy it.

She lived in Iowa, Nebraska, Washington, and Oregon.

She had some wonderful, difficult adventures.

I loved her. She loved me back. 

Photo Friday - Pvt. John Topping

Private John Topping

My third great-grandfather 

died September 17, 1862

Battle of Antietam

Photo credit: Miz J (Find-A-Grave)

John is buried at the Antietam National Cemetery in Sharpsburg, Maryland. He is the only one of my ancestors that I know of who died during his war-time service. He has been greatly honored and remembered among his descendants.

Clicking on his name (above) will take you to an article I wrote for a previous Memorial Day.

John's daughter, my second great-grandmother, Virginia C. (Topping) Morgan was just five months old when her father died. A poem she wrote for him in her later years can be found here.


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157 years ago...

Today, familysearch.org reminded me that my 2nd great-grandmother, Virginia Caroline (Topping) Morgan would be 157 years old today. Oh! It would be so cool if she had lived so long. The stories she could tell. She was an interesting lady and a prolific writer. She has had a great influence on our family, though many of us never met her. 

Here is the link to a piece I wrote about her. It is at familysearch.org. Virginia C. Morgan

I hope you enjoy the read. Joleen

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