History Time: Your oldest relatives and what they've seen

[TheFrenzy]

Often times we forget just how much change the world has seen over the last century and that there are people alive today who witnessed many of these changes.

My favorite example is my close buddy whose 104-year old grandmother passed away only recently. They have a photo of her holding his newborn son next to a photo of her being held between her two grandfathers—one dressed in his Union uniform and the other dressed in his Confederate uniform. The kid is in first grade here in 2024 and can say that he was held by someone who was held by men who fought in the Civil War.

For myself, my oldest living relative in my 97-year great-aunt. Born in 1927 in Texas just before the Great Depression began, her entire life has been one of frugality and sobriety (her father died of alcoholism). She was already in her forties when she watched Armstrong walk on the moon. Despite growing up as a dirt-poor Texan with no education beyond 1940s high school, she's kept up with any technology related to communication and actually texts with my wife just about every day.

[jplarson]

Fascinating!

I imagine there's overlap with some people being relatively the same age with similar aged parents/grandparents or whatnot, but it's crazy for me to think my Mom (rest in peace) was born in the early 50s and got to watch the Space Race in real-time! She would watch the fall of the Berlin Wall. Crazy to think that she saw the Civil rights movement early in her life and also maintain an eBay business.

Straying a bit OT, but Larsons can actually trace lineage back to the Mayflower via the Bisbee family connection! I wonder what thought exercises they had marrying into the family OG pilgrims.

[spuds1961]

Interesting topic I just wish I would’ve asked my great grandmother more questions when I was young. I find myself talking to my son a lot more lately and it makes me smile when he says I never knew that about you Dad.

[jmarascojr]

Oldest relative still alive for me is my grandmother and she's 90...

I had a relative working on our genealogy up until she passed away, I think she was able to get back to the 1700s.
Which I thought was pretty cool, figuring my family didn't come over from Italy until the 1950s...

[jlzinck]

My oldest relative in only about 67 so they have only seen 9 years more stuff than I have.

[majestik101]

I have to get the full story from my Dad but my Great Grandmother on my Dad's side and her family were supposed to be on The Titanic.

It's extremely likely had she boarded the ship, she would have been killed and the family line would have ended that fateful day.

She eventually immigrated from Czechoslovakia with her husband and children a few months later on another ship.

She passed away in 1987 at the ripe old age of 101. I was glad to have met here a few times as a kid, she was a really nice and funny person.

.
.

[shanks25]

This topic reminds me of the trivia tidbit that John Tyler, our nation's 10th president (1790-1862), has a living grandson. Not a great grandson or a great great grandson, but a grandson.

To put this into perspective, John Tyler died just as the Civil War was getting started. Harrison Ruffin Tyler, his living grandson, can say that when his grandfather was born, there were only 13 states in the US.

[TheFrenzy]

Originally Posted by majestik101

It's extremely likely had she boarded the ship, she would have killed

A killer loose on the Titanic?

It would have been the perfect crime!

[majestik101]

Originally Posted by TheFrenzy

A killer loose on the Titanic?

It would have been the perfect crime!

oopsies meant to add been

But now that you say it, what a great story that would have been an aging fugitive Jack the Ripper loose on the Titanic.

Write it with A.I.

[NotGoSportsBall]

My dad at 84 is my oldest living relative. Came from a poor Ohio farm town and became a Radiologist. Was a doctor with the AF in ‘Nam. Since then I think he’s only seen OSU football games and Fox News.

[no10pin]

One of my favorite oddities is that John Tyler, born in 1790, has a grandson who is still alive today.

So three generations span almost the entire history of our country.

[TheFrenzy]

Originally Posted by NotGoSportsBall

Since then I think he’s only seen OSU football games and Fox News.

No one that old should subject themselves to that kind of rage-baiting television.

Are there any other football teams he likes?

[jlzinck]

Originally Posted by shanks25

This topic reminds me of the trivia tidbit that John Tyler, our nation's 10th president (1790-1862), has a living grandson. Not a great grandson or a great great grandson, but a grandson.

To put this into perspective, John Tyler died just as the Civil War was getting started. Harrison Ruffin Tyler, his living grandson, can say that when his grandfather was born, there were only 13 states in the US.

Originally Posted by no10pin

One of my favorite oddities is that John Tyler, born in 1790, has a grandson who is still alive today.

So three generations span almost the entire history of our country.

Did you guys know John Tyler.....

[majestik101]

One hell of a bass player

Trivia: He recorded the bass line for the song Rio in one take

edit: Proof

[no10pin]

Originally Posted by jlzinck

Did you guys know John Tyler.....

No, but my oldest relative is only 20 years older than me, so that's boring. Also, it reminds me that it won't be long before I'm my kids oldest living relative.

[jlzinck]

Originally Posted by no10pin

No, but my oldest relative is only 20 years older than me, so that's boring. Also, it reminds me that it won't be long before I'm my kids oldest living relative.

I have a friend who has a nephew who is older than he is

[fungi2510]

Originally Posted by majestik101

oopsies meant to add been

But now that you say it, what a great story that would have been an aging fugitive Jack the Ripper loose on the Titanic.

Write it with A.I.

Title: Shadows on the Titanic

In the murky depths of the North Atlantic, where the icy waters whisper tales of tragedy, a shadowy figure prowled the grand corridors of the Titanic. The year was 1912, and the most opulent ship ever built was on her maiden voyage. But amidst the glamour and luxury, a darkness lurked—a darkness embodied by the infamous Jack the Ripper.

Once, Jack had been a specter haunting the fog-shrouded streets of London, leaving a trail of mutilated bodies in his wake. Now, decades later, his name had become legend, whispered fearfully in the alleys and saloons of Whitechapel. But Jack was not content to fade into obscurity; his thirst for blood remained unquenched.

On the Titanic, amidst the laughter of passengers and the strains of music, Jack moved with the stealth of a predator. He wore the guise of a respectable gentleman, his silver hair and well-tailored suit belying the darkness within. His eyes, once sharp and piercing, were now clouded with age, but they still held the same sinister gleam.

The first victim was a young maid, her body discovered in a remote corner of the ship, her throat slit with surgical precision. Panic spread among the passengers and crew as whispers of Jack the Ripper's return swept through the Titanic like wildfire.

Detective William Mallory, a seasoned investigator, found himself faced with a mystery unlike any he had encountered before. As the body count rose, he knew he was racing against time to catch the elusive killer before more lives were lost.

Meanwhile, Jack reveled in the chaos he had unleashed. He prowled the dimly lit corridors, his senses alive to the fear and desperation that hung in the air. Each murder was a twisted work of art, a tribute to his dark genius.

But even as Jack reveled in his macabre game, the Titanic hurtled toward its fateful encounter with destiny. The night of April 14th dawned, and amidst the starlit sky, tragedy struck. The great ship collided with an iceberg, and chaos engulfed the decks.

In the midst of the chaos, Detective Mallory closed in on his quarry. With dogged determination, he pieced together clues and followed the trail of blood to its source. Finally, in the shadowy depths of the ship, he confronted Jack the Ripper.

Their final showdown was a clash of wills and wits, played out against the backdrop of the sinking Titanic. In the flickering light of the emergency lanterns, Detective Mallory faced down the embodiment of evil itself.

But even as the ship plunged beneath the waves, Jack's laughter echoed through the corridors, a chilling reminder that some shadows never truly fade away. And as the icy waters closed over the Titanic, they swallowed the secrets of Jack the Ripper, leaving only whispers and legends in their wake.

[TheFrenzy]

Originally Posted by fungi2510

Title: Shadows on the Titanic

In the murky depths of the North Atlantic, where the icy waters whisper tales of tragedy, a shadowy figure prowled the grand corridors of the Titanic. The year was 1912, and the most opulent ship ever built was on her maiden voyage. But amidst the glamour and luxury, a darkness lurked—a darkness embodied by the infamous Jack the Ripper.

Once, Jack had been a specter haunting the fog-shrouded streets of London, leaving a trail of mutilated bodies in his wake. Now, decades later, his name had become legend, whispered fearfully in the alleys and saloons of Whitechapel. But Jack was not content to fade into obscurity; his thirst for blood remained unquenched.

On the Titanic, amidst the laughter of passengers and the strains of music, Jack moved with the stealth of a predator. He wore the guise of a respectable gentleman, his silver hair and well-tailored suit belying the darkness within. His eyes, once sharp and piercing, were now clouded with age, but they still held the same sinister gleam.

The first victim was a young maid, her body discovered in a remote corner of the ship, her throat slit with surgical precision. Panic spread among the passengers and crew as whispers of Jack the Ripper's return swept through the Titanic like wildfire.

Detective William Mallory, a seasoned investigator, found himself faced with a mystery unlike any he had encountered before. As the body count rose, he knew he was racing against time to catch the elusive killer before more lives were lost.

Meanwhile, Jack reveled in the chaos he had unleashed. He prowled the dimly lit corridors, his senses alive to the fear and desperation that hung in the air. Each murder was a twisted work of art, a tribute to his dark genius.

But even as Jack reveled in his macabre game, the Titanic hurtled toward its fateful encounter with destiny. The night of April 14th dawned, and amidst the starlit sky, tragedy struck. The great ship collided with an iceberg, and chaos engulfed the decks.

In the midst of the chaos, Detective Mallory closed in on his quarry. With dogged determination, he pieced together clues and followed the trail of blood to its source. Finally, in the shadowy depths of the ship, he confronted Jack the Ripper.

Their final showdown was a clash of wills and wits, played out against the backdrop of the sinking Titanic. In the flickering light of the emergency lanterns, Detective Mallory faced down the embodiment of evil itself.

But even as the ship plunged beneath the waves, Jack's laughter echoed through the corridors, a chilling reminder that some shadows never truly fade away. And as the icy waters closed over the Titanic, they swallowed the secrets of Jack the Ripper, leaving only whispers and legends in their wake.

Netflix is already throwing money at you.

[fungi2510]

Originally Posted by TheFrenzy

Netflix is already throwing money at you.

I cannot wait. It is pretty amazing.

[Bosoxfan5990]

Originally Posted by no10pin

One of my favorite oddities is that John Tyler, born in 1790, has a grandson who is still alive today.

So three generations span almost the entire history of our country.

Old news.

[majestik101]

Originally Posted by TheFrenzy

Netflix is already throwing money at you.

Right?

I will include an additional subplot where Quartermaster Robert Hitchens, acting under orders from Captain John Smith was placed in charge to suppress the spread of a murder in order to avoid panic, which led to his preventing Molly Brown from returning to the wreckage to search for any survivors, fearing that Jack the Ripper was still out there... somewhere in the water, just waiting to be rescued

[7nohitter]

My great- grandmother was born in 1893 and died in 1985...I remember going to her house....farm sink and a pump in the kitchen.

I was smart enough to talk to my grandmother (summer of 2006 (born 1920), a few months before she died) and she shared memories of HER great grandparents....so connecting back to the 1840's....

So, I talked to someone who talked to people born in the 1840's....and my daughter was born about a year before my grandmother died, so someone who was held by people born in the 1840's held a baby born in 2005!

Pretty cool. My grandmother's advice to me in 2006 was: "Do not get old."

[7nohitter]

Originally Posted by TheFrenzy

Often times we forget just how much change the world has seen over the last century and that there are people alive today who witnessed many of these changes.

My favorite example is my close buddy whose 104-year old grandmother passed away only recently. They have a photo of her holding his newborn son next to a photo of her being held between her two grandfathers—one dressed in his Union uniform and the other dressed in his Confederate uniform. The kid is in first grade here in 2024 and can say that he was held by someone who was held by men who fought in the Civil War.

For myself, my oldest living relative in my 97-year great-aunt. Born in 1927 in Texas just before the Great Depression began, her entire life has been one of frugality and sobriety (her father died of alcoholism). She was already in her forties when she watched Armstrong walk on the moon. Despite growing up as a dirt-poor Texan with no education beyond 1940s high school, she's kept up with any technology related to communication and actually texts with my wife just about every day.

This is VERY cool!

[bradjames12]

Oldest relative I have is my 101 year old grandmother..

My grandfather who passed away 4 years ago was a WW2 veteran though he never saw action..

He was a pilot stationed in the Aleutian Islands training other pilots...

After the war he started his own aeronautical engineering firm and has a tank busting missile on patent with the US government... As the story has been told to me... his missile was one of the last two the US military choosing from... the other guy had a friend in the military and that's who got the contract... supposedly the only reason I have to be presently employed..

The one positive other than my 101 year old grandma still being around?

My son got his great grandfather's math brain.. it somehow skipped my dad and me...

How I wish grandpa was still around to witness that..

[TheFrenzy]

It's always fun to look back at the future our oldest relatives thought they would see: