A Visit from Grandma and Grandpa

At home :)

Cheryl and Janet's visit wasn't the only excitement we had this week - my grandparents came in to town for a short visit.  They spent the day with us on Sunday, and we got to show them around Huntsville a little bit, too.

Unfortunately, I completely forgot to take pictures while they were here, but I've added some older ones anyway.  :)

Wedding photo

I fixed an Italian casserole for lunch, along with a salad, some carrots, and fresh cucumber.  I also made coffee for the first time in ages.  Apparently it came out okay, because Grandma and Grandpa (avid coffee drinkers) had several cups.

I also fixed a yellow cake baked in cinnamon sugar with chocolate icing.  It was yummy.  :)

While we were having dessert, Justin and I were able to ask Grandma and Grandpa some about my family history.  We started looking into this a few weeks ago, but had almost no information about my dad's side of the family - until now, that is.

Resting at a park

Grandma and Grandpa proved to be goldmines of information.  From the information they gave us, we learned that my great-great-great-etc. grandfather, William Foord, came to Plymouth on the ship Fortune in 1621.  He was only 17 at the time, and he sailed with his mother (Martha) and sister (also Martha).  His mother gave birth to her son (John) the day they arrived in Plymouth.  His father (also William) died in England.

Me and Grandpa in Columbia, MO

When the Fortune arrived in Plymouth, the people who had come over on the Mayflower the previous year were annoyed because the Fortune hadn't brought any supplies to leave there, or even enough supplies to take care of the sailors on the way back to England.

The names leading to William Foord are as follows:

Grandpa on the phone :)

1. My Grandma (name removed for privacy)
2. Luman Pierre Kelsey: b. 1906, d. 1961
3. Dora Callender (Luman's mother): b. 1877
4. Ruth C. Beebe (Dora's mother): b. 1853
5. Alanson E. Beebe (Ruth's father): b. 1930, d. 1900
6. Prudence Starks (Alanson's mother): b. 1807, d. 1899
7. Amos Starks (Prudence's father): b. 1774, d. 1867
8. Ruth Ford (Amos' husband): b. 8/6/1774, d. 2/18/1840
9. Jonathan Ford (Ruth's father): b. 7/13/1736, d. 8/11/1831
10. Jesse Ford (Jonathan's father): b. 2/24/1711, d. 1758
11. Joseph Ford (Jesse's father): b. 1666, d. 1749
12. William Foord (Joseph's father): b. 11/11/1635, d. 2/2/1721
13. William Foord (William's father): b. 1604, d. 9/28/1676 <---- This is the one who came over on The Fortune.
14. William Foorde (William's father): b. 1578, d. 1621

Mom and Grandpa

I'm not 100% sure about the accuracy of this, because I was copying down on paper what Justin was reading to me at about 1am on Sunday night/Monday morning.  We found some of this info on a website that didn't have many citations, and we haven't yet verified it.

But anyway.  Back to Grandma and Grandpa!

After we had picked their brains for names and dates, we took them to Monte Sano State Park.  There wasn't a whole lot to do, but it was a pretty nice view.  :)

Grandma, by the pool at their previous home

We went to dinner at Beauregard's, which is a local chain that serves the most awesome burgers and boneless wings ever.  :)  It looks a little dumpy when you drive up, but all the servers are really nice and helpful, it's priced well, and the food is super yummy.  Plus, it's right next to Booklegger, the best used bookstore we've found.

It was nice to see Grandma and Grandpa again, even if it was only for a day.  :)