Saturday, May 2, 2015

Thomas Tiffany 1668-1734 and Hannah

Thomas Tiffany
Parents: Humphrey Tiffany and Elizabeth
Born 11 Jun 1668 Milton, Massachusetts, British America
Married Hannah (unknown surname) abt 1689
1698: Went to Rhode Island then on to Ashford, Connecticut where he purchased a lot of land
Selectman: 1735-1741
Town Clerk: 1721-1748 (except 2 years)
Died 7 Mar 1734 Ashford, Windham, Connecticut
Buried
Sources

Milton Records: Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1662-1843

http://genforum.genealogy.com/tiffany/messages/370.html

Hanah (unknown surname)

Unknown Parents
Born abt 1668

Died 7 March 1734 Ashford, Windham, Connecticut

Buried Old Ashford Cemetery, Ashford, Windham, Connecticut
Sources

Headstone: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=38749525

Death: Ashford Connecticut Barbour Collection link:

http://www.ctgenweb.org/county/cowindham/records/barbour/barbourashfordtuv.htm
Family Search

CHILDREN

Eleazar Tiffany
Note: His name is spelled many ways

Born 13 April 1690 Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts

Married: Bethyah Tiffany 23 Dec 1734 Ashford, Connecticut

Children: Bethia (1735)
Died 1737

Buried
Sources

Marriage: Ashford Connecticut Barbour Collection link http://www.ctgenweb.org/county/cowindham/records/barbour/barbourashfordtuv.htm

http://genforum.genealogy.com/tiffany/messages/370.html
Family Search

Thomas Tiffany

Born 22 May 1692 Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts

Married 1) Mercy Reed 11 Jun 1719 Ashford, Windham, Connecticut

Children: Abigail (1720), Bethia (1721), Anne (1723), Ezekiel (1724), Mary(1726), Thomas (1728), Simeon (1732), Hannah (1733), Sarah (1736)

2) Elisabeth Marcy 19 Apr 1753 Ashford, Windham, Connecticut
Died 29 Jan 1768

Buried
Sources

Death and Marriages: Ashford Connecticut Barbour Collection, link: http://www.ctgenweb.org/county/cowindham/records/barbour/barbourashfordtuv.htm

The New England Register, Bristol Records: Volume 34 1880 By New England Historic Genealogical Society Staff page 137

http://genforum.genealogy.com/tiffany/messages/370.html
Family Search

Recompence Tiffany

Born 11 Mar 1693 Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts

Married Experience Stockbridge 6 Feb 1729 Barrington, Bristol, Rhode Island. She was the daughter of Charles Stockbridge and Abigail Tilden

Died 29 Dec 1770

Buried Church Hill Cemetery, Norwell, Plymouth, Massachusetts
Sources

The New England Register, Bristol Records: Volume 34 1880 By New England Historic Genealogical Society Staff page 137

http://genforum.genealogy.com/tiffany/messages/370.html
Headstone: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=74266356
Picture of his wife's grave: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Tiffany&GSiman=1&GScid=2248416&GRid=74265976&

Isaiah Tiffany
Born abt 1698 Bristol, Rhode Island
Married
Died
Buried
Sources
http://genforum.genealogy.com/tiffany/messages/370.html

Edward Tiffany
Baptized 1706 Bristol, Rhode Island
Married Tabitha Humphrey 27 Jan 1726 Ashford, Windham, Connecticut
Children: Hannah (1727) Edward (1728) David (1732) Lois (1734) Edward (1743)Mary (1747)
Died 29 Jul 1770 Ashford, Windham,Connecticut
Buried Old Ashford Cemetery, Ashford, Windham, Connecticut
Sources
Marriage,children, death: http://www.ctgenweb.org/county/cowindham/records/barbour/barbourashfordtuv.htm

The New England Register, Bristol Records: Volume 34 1880 By New England Historic Genealogical Society Staff page 137

http://genforum.genealogy.com/tiffany/messages/370.html

Nathaniel Tiffany
Baptized 1706 Bristol, Rhode Island
Married Keziah Ward 6 Sep 1726 Ashford, Windham, Connecticut
Children: Keziah (1727) Nathaniel (1731) Nathan (1733)
Died
Buried
Sources
The New England Register, Bristol Records: Volume 34 1880 By New England Historic Genealogical Society Staff page 137
http://genforum.genealogy.com/tiffany/messages/370.html

Friday, May 1, 2015

Ephraim Tiffany and Bethia Tosh

Ephraim Tiffany
Parents: Humphrey Tiffany and Elizabeth (unknown surname)
Born 26 Dec 1677 Milton, Norfolk, Massachusetts
Married Bethia Tosh about 1700 Massachusetts
Died 15 Jul 1727 Lyme, New London, Connecticut
Buried
Sources
Genealogical Sketch of the Tiffany Family, By Ella F. Wright, 1904. (the author, Ella, was one of his descendants)

Bethia Tosh (nickname: Leisha)
Parents William Tosh and Penelope Niles
alternate parents: William Macintosh and Jael Sullivan
Born September 1676 New Shoreham, Newport, Rhode Island
Died
Buried
Sources
Family Search
Ancestry.com

CHILDREN

Samuel Tiffany
Born 7 April 1701 New Shoreham, Newport, Rhode Island
Note: his mother's name is give as Leisha and is either a type-o or an extraction/clerk error. This Samuel is often confused with his cousin Samuel that was born about the same time to James and Bethia Tiffany.
Died 1734 Lyme, New London, Connecticut
Buried
Sources
Birth: Vital Records of Rhode Island page 36
Birth: The New England Historical and Genealogical Register Volume 153 page 456
Family Search
Ancestry.com
Consider Tiffany
Born 28 April 1703 New Shoreham, Newport, Rhode Island
Note: his mother's name is give as Leisha
Married 1) Naomi Comstock 26 Nov 1731 Lyme, New London, Connecticut
Children: Consider(1732), Luther (1734), Naomi (1737), Samuel (1740), Humphrey (1743)
2) Mary Davis 23 January 1753 Lyme, New London, Connecticut
Children: Timothy, Titus
Died 29 May 1763 Newfield, Tompkins, New York
Buried Tiffany Cemetery, Lyme, New London, Connecticut
Sources
Birth: Vital Records of Rhode Island page 36
The New England Historical and Genealogical Register Volume 153 page 456
Marriage to Naomi: Lyme Vital Records Volume L-6 page 316
Birth of his son, Consider: Lyme Vital Records Volume L-6 page 316
Marriage to Mary: Lyme Vital Records Volume 1 page 67
Death/Burial: New England Death and Burial Index
Ancestry.com
Family Search
Memorial: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=130892576
Humphrey Tiffany
Born 9 February 1706 New Shoreham, Newport, Rhode Island
Note: his mother's name is give as Leisha and is either a type-o or an extraction/clerk error
Married Dorothy Mott when he was younger? Phoebe Brown in 1771?
Died 5 Jan 1788 Lyme, New London, Connecticut
Buried
Sources
Birth: Vital Records of Rhode Island page 36
Family Search
Ephraim Tiffany
Born 1708 Lyme, New London, Connecticut
Died 1759 Lyme, New London, Connecticut
Buried
Sources
Birth: Vital Records of Rhode Island page 36
Birth: The New England Historical and Genealogical Register Volume 153 page 456
Family Search
Ancestry.com
Bethia Tiffany
Born 1710 Lyme, New London, Connecticut
Possibly married David Eaton (his second marriage) 11 March 1741 Ashford, Connecticut
Died
Buried
Sources
Birth: The New England Historical and Genealogical Register Volume 153 page 456
Ancestry.com
Family Search

Mary Tiffany
Born 1714 Lyme, New London, Connecticut
Married ?
Died
Buried
Sources
Family Search
Ancestry.com

Lieutenant Ebenezer Tiffany
Born 1716 Lyme, New London, Connecticut
Married Ruhamah Ely abt 1855 Connecticut
Children: Ruhamah, Deborah, Ebenezer, Richard, Abner, Simeon, Seth
Died 13 Feb 1799 Lyme, New London, Connecticut
Buried Pleasant View Cemetery, Lyme, New London, Connecticut
Sources
Marriage to Ruhama: The New England Historical and Genealogical Register Volume 153 page 457
Ancestry.com
Family Search
Headstone for Ebenezer: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11804774
Headstone for his wife, Ruhamah: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11804770

James Tiffany 1666-1732 and Bethiah Eaton 1670-1711 (1st wife) Elizabeth Fuller 1678 (2nd wife)

James Tiffany
Born 1666 Milton, Norfolk, Massachusetts
Parents: Humphrey Tiffany and Elizabeth (unknown surname, but it is NOT Ray - that was her second husband's surname)
21 Oct 1680: Lived with the Reverend Peter Thacher who taught him to read and write
Moved from Swansea to Attleboro in 1790
Married 1) Bethia Eaton abt 1688
2) Elizabeth Fuller Shephardson abt 1710
Died Between June 28 and July 26 1732
Buried
Sources
Book: Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island, Volume 1, page 1653-1654
Note: this book really follows his son, Benjamin's line. Everyone else is very briefly mentioned.
Book: The Tiffany's of America: History and Genealogy pages 4-6
Book: Tales of Our Ancestors by Eileen Hacking Lentz page 94
http://genforum.genealogy.com/tiffany/messages/892.html
Steve Condacures New England Families (there are errors, but it gives some basic information): http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/f_6c.htm#61
Memorial: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=73150253
Bethiah Eaton
Born abt 1669 West Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts
Parents Samuel Eaton and Martha Billington
Died 27 Dec 1711 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Buried
Sources
Book: Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island,Volume 1, page 1653
http://genforum.genealogy.com/tiffany/messages/892.html

CHILDREN with Bethiah

Elizabeth Tiffany
Born 15 Apr 1689 Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts
Married ?
Died 28 Jun 1732
Buried
Sources
Book: Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island,Volume 1, page 1654
*Joseph Tiffany
Born 16 Apr 1693 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Married Mary Burroughs 9 June 1735 Massachusetts
Children: William, Elizabeth, Hannah, Benjamin, Keziah
Died 16 Mar 1734 Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts
Buried
Sources
Birth, Marriage dates, names of children: http://trees.ancestryinstitution.com/tree/46642069/person/24060139342
Book: Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island,Volume 1, page 1654
http://genforum.genealogy.com/tiffany/messages/371.html
More about Mary:

The Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder, Volume 2 page 200

http://www.fayewest.ca/west/exhibits/the_third_wife_of_the_rev_george_burroughs_(fam_005).pdf

James Tiffany
Born 28 Nov 1697 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Married Elizabeth Allen 11 Nov 1725 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Children: Bethia, Elizabeth, James, Ebenezer, Gideon, Daniel, Benjamin
Died Oct 1776 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Buried Hillside Cemetery, Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Sources
Book: Early Massachusetts Marriages Prior to 1800 edited by Frederic William Bailey page 190
Marriage: Massachusetts Marriages 1695-1910 Batch M50002-1
Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915
http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/f_2df.htm#24
Headstone: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=40146532

Samuel Tiffany
Born 1700 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Note: I noticed on Ancestry.com that some claim the date is 7 April 1701, but the source attached to Samuel is wrong. The parents listed in the attached record were Ephraim Tiffany and Bethia Tosh. That makes him a cousin to the other Samuel. Also, it was listed on Findagrave that he was born in 1701, but the headstone itself claims he died in the 81st year of his life - not the 80th.
Married Mary Richardson 11 Feb 1731 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Children: Dan (1736), Samuel (1739)
Died 9 January 1781 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Buried Kirkland Cemetery (Old Kirkyard) Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Sources
Death: Massachusetts Town and Vital Records page 729
Book: Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island, Volume 1, page 1654
Picture of his headstone: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=67808008

Lydia Tiffany
Born 1701 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Note: The year is according to her headstone. I originally had 1707 as the year.
Married Nathaniel Daggett Jr 30 April 1724 Attleborough, Bristol, Massachusetts
Children: Lydia, Bethia, Nathaniel, Reuben, Amos, Joseph, Amy, Nathaniel
Died (age 93) 24 Jun 1794 Westmoreland, Cheshire, New Hampshire
Buried Canoe Meadow Cemetery, Westmoreland, New Hampshire
Sources
Book: Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island,Volume 1, page 1654
Picture of her headstone: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=147826185

Benjamin Tiffany
Born Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Married Elizabeth Hallibone 11 Nov 1725 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Children: Stephen, James, Thomas, Asa, Benjamin
Died 19 Dec 1747 Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island
Buried Possibly in the Thomas Tiffany Lot Cemetery
Sources
Book: Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island,Volume 3, page 1654-1656
Anna Tiffany
Born 1702 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Married Mr. Tripp
Died
Buried
Sources
Book: Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island,Volume 1, page 1654
Bristol County, Massachusetts Deeds 47:381
Rebecca Tiffany
Born 1703 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Married ?
Died
Buried
Sources
Book: Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island,Volume 1, page 1654
Sarah Tiffany
Born 1704 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Married John Tyler abt 1717
Children: William, Mary, Sarah, John, Bathsheba, James
Died 1778
Buried
Sources
Book: Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island,Volume 1, page 1654
http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/f_367.htm#183

Mary Tiffany
Born 1705 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Married John Caswell 10 Nov 1737 Norton, Bristol, Massachusetts
Children: Beal, Marcy, David, Joseph, John, Keziah, Samuel, Molley
Died 17 Sep 1796 Middletown Springs, Rutland, Vermont
Buried Middletown Springs Cemetery
Sources
Book: Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island,Volume 1, page 1654
http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/f_2df.htm#24
Headstone: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=80568817
Book: The Nicholas White Family (compiled by Thomas Lathrop, 1902) page 66

Martha Tiffany
Born 1706 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Married Preserved Alger 9 Dec 1730 Attleborough, Bristol, Massachusetts
Children: Josiah, Jonathan, Preserved, Martha, Benjamin, Chloe, Ben, Joshua
Died
Buried
Sources
Book: Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island,Volume 1, page 1654
http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/f_161.htm#236

Bathsheba Tiffany
Born 1708 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Married Henry Crane 3 Aug 1744 Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts
Children: Zipporah, Ruth
Died 3 January 1807 Raynham, Bristol, Massachusetts (age 99)
Buried Britton Cemetery, Raynham, Briston, Massachusetts
Sources
Book: Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island,Volume 1, page 1654
Headstone: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=47321248

Keziah Tiffany
Note: She is also listed as Elizabeth's (the second wife's) daughter in some places, but given her birth year, that cannot be
Born 29 July 1709 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Married John Lane 15 Jun 1734
Children: Asaph, Esther, Amos
Died
Buried
Sources
Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915
http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/f_258.htm#21

John Tiffany
Born 1 Sep 1710 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Married Deliverance Parmenter 26 May 1737 Attleborough, Bristol, Massachusetts
Children: Esther, Deliverance, Martha, Ann, John, Humphrey, Noah, Hosea, Thomas, Abijah, Zachariah, Hezekiah
Died 10 Jan 1788 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Buried Old Kirk Yard, Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Sources
Book: Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island,Volume 1, page 1654
More about his children: Book: History of Brooklyn, Susquehanna Co., Penna: Its Homes and Its People By Edward A. Weston, 1889
http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/f_2df.htm#19
Headstone: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=67807900

This ends the known children James had with Bethiah
******************
2nd Wife of James Tiffany: Elizabeth Fuller
Born 12 May 1678 Rehoboth, Bristol, Massachusetts
Parents ?
Married 1) John Shephardson
Children: Amos, Daniel
3) Andrew Grover (after James died)
Died
Buried
Sources
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/TIFFANY/2000-07/0963782550

CHILDREN with Elizabeth Fuller

Jonathan Tiffany
Born 21 June 1714 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Never Married
No Children
Died 1717 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Buried
Sources
Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915
Althea Tiffany
Born 26 June 1718 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Married
Died
Buried
Sources
Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915
Noah Tiffany
Born 24 February 1720 Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts
Note: chose his older half-brother Daniel as legal guardian after his father died
Married Martha Grover 23 April 1741 Norton, Bristol, Massachusetts
Died 14 June 1745
Buried
Sources

Commemorative Biographical Record of Northeastern Pennsylvania..., Page 547, Issue 1280

Book: Early Massachusetts Marriages Prior to 1800 edited by Frederic William Bailey page 190

Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915

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From a Funeral Program

When I come to the end of the road

And the sun has set for me

I want no rites in a gloom-filled room

Why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little - but not for too long

And not with your head bowed low

Remember the love that we once shared

Miss me, but let me go.

For this is a journey that we all must take

And each must go alone

It's all part of the Master's plan

A step on the road to home.

When you are lonely and sick at heart

Go to the hills we know

And bury your sorrow among the trees

Miss me, but let me go.

The Line

Every minute someone leaves this world behind.
We are all in “the line” without knowing it.
We never know how many people are before us.
We can not move to the back of the line.
We can not step out of the line.
We can not avoid the line.

So while we wait in line -

Make moments count.
Make priorities.
Make the time.
Make your gifts known.
Make a nobody feel like a somebody.
Make your voice heard.
Make the small things big.
Make someone smile.
Make the change.
Make love.
Make up.
Make peace.
Make sure to tell your people they are loved.
Make sure to have no regrets.
Make sure you are ready.

I'm My Own Grandpa

Many, many years ago when I was 23,
I got married to a widow
who was as pretty as could be.
She had a grown up daughter
who had a hair of red.
My father fell in love with her
and soon the two were wed.
This made my dad my son-in-law
And changed my very life.
My daughter was my mother,
for she was my father's wife.
To complicate the matters worse,
although it brought me joy,
I soon became the father
of a bouncing baby boy.
My little baby then became a brother -in-law to dad
and so became my uncle though it made me very sad.
For if he was my uncle,
then that also made him brother to the widow's grown-up- daughter,
who of course, was my stepmother.
Father's wife then had a son,
who kept them on the run.
And he became my grandson, for he was my daughter's son.
My wife is now my mother's mother
and it makes me blue.
Because, although she is my wife,
she's my grandma too.
If my wife is my grandmother,
then I am her grandchild.
and every time I think of it,
it simply makes me wild.
For now I have become the strangest case you ever saw.
As the husband of my grandmother,
I am my own grandpa!

Quotes from the Prophets

President Gordon B Hinckley: "It is good to look to the past to gain appreciation for the present and perspective for the future. It is good to look upon the virtues of those who have gone before, to gain strength for whatever lies ahead. It is good to reflect upon the work of those who labored so hard and gained so little in this world, but out of whose dreams and early plans so well nurtured, has come a great harvest of which we are the beneficiaries. Their tremendous example can become a compelling motivation for us all, for each of us is a pioneer in his own life."

President Spencer W Kimball: "I hope to see us dissolve the artificial boundary line we so often place between missionary work and temple and genealogical work, because it is the same great redemptive work!"

President Joseph Fielding Smith: " The responsibility on behalf of our kindred dead rests with equal force on all, according to our individual ability and opportunities...the greatest and grandest duty of all is to labor for the dead."

The Passing of the Pot (Chamber Pot)

As far back in childhood
As memory may go
One household vessel greets me
That wasn't made for show
Beneath the bed twas anchored
Where only few could see
But served the entire family
With equal privacy
Some called the critter Peggy
And some the thundermug
And others called it badger
A few called it jug
To bring it in at evening
Was bad enough no doubt
But heaven help the person
Who had to take it out
Our big one was enormous
And would accomodate
A watermelon party
Composed of six or eight
When nights were dark and rainy
It was a useful urn
On icy winter mornings
The cold rim seemed to burn
At times when things were rushing
And business extra good
Each took his turn a waiting
Or did the best he could
Sometimes when in a hurry
To our disgust and shame
We fumbled in the darkness
And slightly missed our aim
The special one for company
Was decorated well
But just the same it rendered
That old familiar smell
Today this modernism
Relieves me a lot
And only in my vision
I see that homely pot.
(author unknown)

Poem about ancestors

Though steep is the path I follow today,
The footprints of time will show me the way.
For many have traveled a smiliar road,
And carried an equal of heavier load.

No troubles I face are new to this earth,
That man has not faced from time of his birth.
The route has been charted and roads have been paved
By legions before me who were stalwart and brave.

Their steps never faltered nor courage grew dim,
For they trusted the Lord and let Him led them.
If my faith and my trust remain steadfast and true,
God will guide and protect me in all that I do.
- Dolores Karides

The Elusive Ancestor

I went searching for an ancestor.
I cannot find him still.
He moved around from place to place
and did not leave a will.
He married where a courthouse burned.
He mended all his fences.
He avoided any man who came to
take the US census

He always kept his luggage packed,
This man who had no fame,
and every 20 years or so,
This rascal changed his name.
No one else inthis world is
searching for this elusive man,
so I play "Gene-solitaire"
To find him, if I can!

I'm told he's buried in a plot,
with tombstone he was blessed;
but the weather took engravings,
and some vandals took the rest.
He died before the county clerks
were appointed to keep records
No family Bible has emerged -
In spite of all my efforts.

To top it off, this elusive ancestor
who has caused me many groans -
left me even one more challenge:
He brothed a lady,
by the name of "Jones"!
(Got this from a publication
put out by the DUP organization
that names the author: Merrell Kenworthy)

Poem: Heaven's Door

If I should go before you,

If life on earth were through;

I'll stop just inside Heaven's door,

and there I'll wait for you.

You've but to look 'cross star filled skies,

Past the moon and then beyond;

To know my leaving could never break,

This heart's undying bond.

And if you should go before me,

If your journey on earth were through;

You know I will be close behind,

I'll never be far from you.

Across the span of time and space,

This love will reach this far;

For you'll always carry a bit of my heart,

No matter where you are.

Allison Chambers Coxsey©1995 ~ All Rights Reserved

Which Shall It Be? by Adelaide Proctor

Which shall it be?

"Which shall it be? Which shall it be?
I looked at John and John looked at me,
And when I found that I must speak,
My voice seemed strangely low and weak:
˜Tell me again what Robert said,"
And then I, listening, bent my head.
This is his letter:˜I will give
A house and land while you shall live,
If, in return, from out your seven,
One child to me for aye is given."

I looked at John's old garments worn;
I thought of all that he had borne
Of poverty, and work, and care,
Which I, though willing, could not share;
I thought of seven young mouths to feed,
Of seven little children's need,
And then of this.

˜Come, John,said I,
We'll choose among them as they lie
Asleep. So, walking hand in hand,
Dear John and I surveyed our band:
First to the cradle lightly stepped,
Where Lilian, the baby, slept.
Softly the father stooped to lay
His rough hand down in a loving way,
When dream or whisper made her stir,
And huskily he said: ˜Not her!"

We stooped beside the trundle bed,
And one long ray of twilight shed
Athwart the boyish faces there,
In sleep so beautiful and fair;
I saw on James rough, red cheek
A tear undried. E'er John could speak,
He's but a baby, too," said I,
And kissed him as we hurried by.

Pale, patient, Robbie's angel face
Still in his sleep bore suffering's trace.
˜No, for a thousand crowns, not him!"
He whispered, while our eyes were dim.
Poor Dick! bad Dick! our wayward son”
Turbulent, restless, idle one”
Could he be spared?
Nay, He who gave
Bade us befriend him to the grave;
Only a mother's heart could be
Patient enough for such as he;
˜And so," said John, ˜I would not dare
To take him from her bedside prayer."

Then stole we softly up above,
And knelt by Mary, child of love;
˜Perhaps for her ˜twould better be,"
I said to John. Quite silently
He lifted up a curl that lay
Across her cheek in a wilful way,
And shook his head: ˜Nay, love, not thee,
The while my heart beat audibly.

Only one more, our eldest lad,
Trusty and truthful, good and glad,
So like his father. ˜No, John, no!
I cannot, will not, let him go."

And so we wrote, in courteous way,
We could not give one child away;
And afterward toil lighter seemed,
Thinking of that of which we dreamed,
Happy in truth that not one face
Was missed from its accustomed place;
Thankful to work for all the seven,
Trusting the rest to One in heaven."