We got to our hotel in Torrington in plenty of time to enjoy the sunset and get ourselves over to Litchfield where the group gathered for dinner.
We got to our hotel in Torrington in plenty of time to enjoy the sunset and get
ourselves over to Litchfield where the group gathered for dinner.
Going around the table: Kitty, Glen, Anne, Hilbert, Harvey, Matt, Don, Margie,
Stephanie, Shelton, Dot, Steve
Next morning Stephanie hosted us for breakfast. Hers and Harvey's
dining room is a perfect place for the board meetings.
Margie was at the end with her back to the camera, Hilbert, Dot, Kim, Anne, Sue
Margie, Hilbert, Dot, Glen.
Buffet in the kitchen:
Rick, Kitty, Steve, Shelton, Sue
Hilbert, Dot, Kim, with Harvey in the corner taking a picture.
The meeting in progress. Kitty is taking the minutes and
Matt has his laptop on to include board members Ruth (in CA) and Stephen (in MO)
via Zoom.
Anne, Margie
Stephanie made dinner for us all that night. She enlisted some help from
accompanying spouses, Glen and Steve.
Around the table: Sue, Hilbert's sister, Anne, Glen, Stephanie, Matt,
Don, Hilbert, Kim
The rest of the crowd was in the adjacent room.
Margie, Steve, Kitty, Rick, Harvey, Dot (and Shelton - who was taking this pic)
We walked (or drove, as suited) over to Harvey's Farm, Chanticleer Acres.
This is where most of the 2022 reunion will take place.
Harvey plans event tents and campfire rings.
There's even an elaborate tree house to explore.
This is an award-winning scarecrow.
Stephanie once again rolled out the red carpet for us and
made a delicious breakfast Sunday morning.
Rick, Glen, Steve, Kitty, Stephanie, Harvey
Harvey explains to Dot why his dog eats in a high chair. The dog has
digestive issues when not sitting upright.
Steve observes while Dot feeds Harvey's dog.
Steve, Glen, Kim, Don, Stephanie
Harvey records Steve and Glen helping Stephanie with dinner prep.
In between the end of the board meeting, and showing up in New Britain,
we went out to lunch in Litchfield.
Glen, Anne, Rick, Margie
Steve, Kitty
Dot, Shelton
And then, on to New Britain. Glen, Anne, Shelton, and Dot stayed with
Justine Cruz (Beach), and Howie & Deb Beach at 5 Osgood Ave, their family
home that dates back to Colonial times and the Osgood side of their family.
This chart attempts to show the connection between Dysons, Beaches, and Hubbells.
The bottom line is that we're cousins and we enjoy keeping in touch.
We met up with our cousins at the Dyson Homestead at 15 Homestead Ave, now
home to Jan & Dick Bradbury. Jan is Anne's 3rd cousin by birth, and then
they became 1st cousins when their respective grandparents married each other
later in life. Those grandparents had each been married to 1st cousins Bessie
Beach Dyson and Howard Hubbell. Years after being widowed, Eugene Dyson married Mildred Lipe Hubbell.
Eugene was Jan's grandfather and Mildred was Anne's grandmother.
As a child, Anne had many family trips to New Britain to see her grandmother and
all these other relatives.
Jan and Dick have modernized the kitchen and downstairs bathroom quite a bit.
Julie, Howie, Rick, Laurel, Margie, Glen, Jan.
David John Crocket, also a 3rd/1st cousin.
Margie, Shelton, Dot, Howie, Deb
Deb, Anne, Jan, Dick, Tim, Justine
Howie Beach
A New Britain specialty, bottled in town. There were a variety of
interesting flavors, which tasted deliciously fruity despite the names.
Breakfast at Justine's. Glen, Deb, Howie, Shelton
Justine waves from her kitchen.
I so remember this ceiling from visiting as a child. This is the really old part of the
house. Cousins JB and Lil lived here then. Lil cleared the ceiling with no trouble,
but JB was a tall man.
Cousins Lil and Justice Beach (JB)
Fairview Cemetery in New Britain is the resting place of quite a few connections.
Glen, Anne, Shelton, Laurel, Dot, Jan, Deb, Margie, David John, Howie, Justine
The Dyson plot includes Anne's grandmother, Mildred and her husband Eugene Dyson. And
very recently added Aunt Joyce and Uncle Henry Dyson, (Jan's parents).
There is a section of Beaches, with Charlotte Adams being our Hubbell link.
Wandering to the much older section of the cemetery, we saw more distant forebears in
the Andrews family.
Howard Dyson, Deb, Laurel, Jan, David John, Howie Beach, Shelton
15 Homestead Ave, complete with historical marker. Also Jan & Dick's home.
Margie and Justine, working on genealogy puzzles.
Anne connected with her mother via Zoom, so Jean was able to visit with the group, too.
Here she is chatting with Dick.
Jan, Rick, Anne, Laurel, Tim (Laurel's husband), Glen, Justine
Jan got out packets of photos she'd found after her parents died. We passed them
around, reminiscing and trying to identify who's who.
Julie, Dot, Jan, Margie, Laurel, David John
Taking pictures of pictures.
This was Uncle Henry's birthday, and the first one Jan had to face after he died.
She got a cake in his honor and memory. She said it eased her heart to have us
there with her.
5 Osgood Ave, Justine's home.
The front of the house, which is rarely (never?) used.
Heading home to Ohio.
Yes, winter is coming. Snow on I-80 in Pennsylvania.