My undying thanks to my cousin, Doris Goetz Clark, for sending me this photo. This is the picture of Mom and Pop on their wedding day. Somewhere here I have Doris’ notes on the date of that wedding, but I do know without digging them out that they were married in Jasper, Indiana. They lived there until my dad was four years old, then moved to Owensboro, KY, and bought the home place here that we all knew and loved. Doris also sent me photos of her family and some of the old family reunions, so those will be featured tonight.
This is the old home place, circa 1922, with the summer kitchen in the back. The summer kitchen was almost as important in those days as the regular kitchen, since the cookstove was usually a wood or coal-burning stove, and would heat up the entire kitchen, and in some cases, the entire downstairs of the house. By using the summer kitchen, the rest of the house was spared the heat, and stayed relatively cool. I remember playing in that summer kitchen as a child, but can’t remember if it was still used or not. I do remember Mom was very fond of her wood burning oven, and baked the best bread and pies I have ever eaten. I’m very blessed to have come from a long line of great cooks on both sides of my family.
I think I mentioned the little house at the end of the lane at one point. This is a picture of it, also circa 1022, also shared by Doris. It seems so stark in this photo compared to my memories. What I remember is a cozy little cottage, with a green lawn and trees around it, occupied by an aunt and uncle and cousins. At one time it was Aunt Hilda and Uncle Damien, and at one time it was Uncle Ed and Aunt Lucille. I don’t remember the sequence, or the circumstances, but they all hinged on one of them living with Mom and Pop, and then the other one buying the farm after Pop died. I do know that the home place is still standing, but is deserted, and is owned now by one of my Blandford cousins, and that Uncle Ed bought a farm in Eastern Daviess County at some point after Mom died. I think.
Okay, on to what I know for fact. This is Uncle Ed and Aunt Lucille on their wedding day. I don’t know the date, I freely confess this. But they were a happy couple, and blessed with two daughters and five sons. I think Mary Ann was the oldest and I know Doris is the youngest. In between, but not necessiarally in order, Fred, Eddie, Tom, Bob and Jerry. Somehow, that sounds right.
I’m fairly sure this was taken in 1954, when Uncle Charles came to meet us before he married Aunt Trudy. He was a Canadian diplomat and a photographer as a hobby, so he took photos of all of us. That was the one and only time Uncle Charles came to Owensboro. He and Aunt Trudy travelled extensively, since his job sent him all over the globe. We would correspond by email in later years, and he was an extremely intelligent man, but the job kept him occupied until his death.
Although I only see four people, this is supposed to be Tom, Mary Ann, Jerry, Bob and Mike Green. I know I need my glasses changed but I sure don’t see Mike Green in there. At least I don’t think I do. I do recognize Mary Ann, but the boys could be any of them. Sorry guys.
This one, I would say, is Mary Ann and Joe Green’s after wedding photo. The cute little girl there is Doris. In the background are Aunt Lucille, Aunt Ann Oberjohn on the left, and possibly Aunt Bertha Payne on the far right. I was a bridesmaid in Mary Ann’s wedding. About the only thing I remember, other than Joe taking my Mary Ann away from me, was trying to learn how to walk on one inch heels. I almost broke my neck then, and to think a few years later I was wearing spikes to work.
Back a few years before. Wow! Let me just say that we were at a family reunion in Rockport, Indiana, and enjoying ice cream cones. I’m in the front row, third from the left, Charlotte Oberjohn is in the second row next to the end on the right, with a cone stuck in her mouth, and her brother Bil is looking disgruntled in the row behind her on the end, without a cone. Being the oldest, he probably ate his the fastest. My dad is to Bill’s right, and I think my mom is half hidden behind Mary Ann. I’m just guessing here. The tall dude in the back would have to be one of the Payne cousins, and I’m just not sure about the rest. I hate to admit some could be my own brothers and sister and I don’t recognize them.
I do know all but one of these people. Uncle Damien and Aunt Hilda Goetz Blandford. Mom and Pop are on the right, parents of the bride, and Grandmother and Papa on the left, parents of the groom. This wedding took place in spring 1940. I know that because in August of 1940
this wedding took place. My mom and dad, Bernard and Mary Blandford Goetz. The beginning of two families of double first cousins. Uncle Damien and Aunt Hilda were my godparents, and since for so many years they only had boys, Aunt Hilda tended to spoil me a bit. Since I was born the day after Christmas, she assumed I didn’t receive birthday gifts, so she always made sure they gave me a birthday gift. No one ever told her that no one in the family received birthday gifts, probably so they wouldn’t embarrass her. We always got our favorite cake and ice cream, but no gifts, because there were more kids than money in the family. Tony always wanted a devils food cake, very appropriate in his case, and of course, I still enjoy the Angel’s Food cake with lemon glaze. Even more appropriate, if you ask me.
Okay, I’m getting hungry now, so that’s all for tonight. Part three tomorrow, so stay tuned.
A.
Angie's Place 
Angie, thanks so much for doing this. You are a good writer and historian. This is a real family treasure!
Thanks Larry. I’m relying a lot on Doris for information here. And I’ll have to take tonight off to read more of the family tree to update some information, as well as catch up on much needed sleep, but I really enjoy blogging. I think Doris is the historian of the Goetz family, so she keeps me updated on the history. After I read over my notes I’ll amend a lot of Part 2, and then add more in Part 3.