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Archiver > APG > 2008-02 > 1203873968


From: "John Wylie" <>
Subject: Re: [APG] Names for Grandparents
Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 11:26:08 -0600
References: <BLU116-DAV60313F0EEB0C0D5D520C6A61F0@phx.gbl>
In-Reply-To: <BLU116-DAV60313F0EEB0C0D5D520C6A61F0@phx.gbl>


Carolyn, Ruth and All,24 Feb 08

A couple of days ago I said I'd email my older siblings to see if they could
enlighten me about the rather formal titles we used for our grandparents.
That paid off as I got, as I always get, more than I asked for.

Our father's parents, the only living grandparents of our childhood, were
called Grandpa and Grandma Wylie by us grandchildren, but only until we knew
better. Then we were resolutely expected to refer to them as Grandfather and
Grandmother to their faces and at home. Grandfather was The Reverend (Mr.)
Wylie, and Grandmother was Mrs. Reverend Wylie. It was all very formal in
rural Michigan sixty-plus years ago.

I find it interesting that our white, northern, Scots-Irish, whose most
recent known immigrants arrived in New England in 1728, family seemed as
formal as Ruth's descendants of former slaves. Perhaps Dr. Carolyn can sort
that out for us. And, I do know the common term for those Scots who lived
for a while in Ireland, but Father insisted we were Scots not scotch. He
often explained that scotch was a liquor and he and Mother were temperance
activists.

I don't recall Grandfather Wylie being as formal as my older siblings
clearly do. However, two of them knew him before he retired. Perhaps there
was another reason. When telling me that since his three sons chose not to
enter the ministry, he hoped that I would study for the clergy. He gave me
much of his personal library. It was after his death that I chose a military
career.

So, it may be more than just family custom or ethnic expectations that drive
these family titles. It may be social status (real or perceived), education
or, most likely, a confusing combination of all these things.

Regards,

John Wylie

PS I recall that my grandparents siblings on both sides were called
Great-Aunt First Name, or Great-Uncle First Name with one memorable
exception. When my Grandfather's childless twice-widowed sister came to live
with us, she was known to us kids as "Aunt Ola", though she was clearly our
Great-Aunt. "Grand-Aunt" gets my tang-all-tonguled-up, so I probably didn't
use "Grand". But, hey, I'll ask those older siblings (including a twin older
by 5 minutes, whose memories I'll discount a bit) and document what
develops.

J

-----Original Message-----
From: [mailto:] On Behalf
Of Ruth Randall
Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2008 10:21 PM
To: APG
Subject: [APG] Names for Grandparents

My paternal grandparents were referred to by my cousins and me as
Grandmother and Grandfather. Both grandparents were children of former
slaves and were born in Missouri. My cousins and I called our maternal
grandmother Mother Dear. She was born in Georgia and was also the child of a
former slave. One of my paternal g-grandmothers, Clara Dickenson, was and
still is referred to as Dickie. Dickie, a former slave was born in
Kentucky.

Ruth Randall





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