Category Archives: Ancestry

Evelyn Perry

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Some of my most treasured photos are of my parents when they were young. I’ve shared photos of my father from his Navy days I recently discovered some of my mom I don’t think I’ve posted.

She grew up on a farm near Broseley, Missouri, and attended one year at Southeast Missouri State Teachers College (as it was called in those days). Not sure why she didn’t finish but she always spoke fondly of that time in her life.

In the Navy

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My father was a Radio Operator (not sure if that’s the correct term) on a ship in the Pacific. He never talked about his war experiences to me but shared some with a friend of mine. Apparently he saw some action. The communications guys were, I’m told, some of the first on the beach. John Mays joined the navy on May 28, 1943. He was discharged on March 9, 1946. He served as a radio operator on several ships that saw action in the Pacific (USS Mount McKinley; USS Appalachian; USS New Jersey; USS Iowa; USS War Hawk). The man looked damn good in uniform.

“Miss Perry, take a letter, please”

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One of my mother’s many talents was shorthand transcription. A skill she used during her early working career. In those ancient times, people would dictate a memo or a letter and mom would write it down using something called Gregg shorthand.

I assume she took her “steno pad” back to her desk where she’d roll some typing paper and carbon sheets into the old manual typewriter and bang out a few copies which, I assume, got marked up with corrections, and she’d do it again.

I was reminded of this painful process recently when I heard Barb dictating a memo on her iPhone using Dragon Dictation. I’m just not sure how it gets much easier (but it will).

In a few years we’ll look at our huge 3-ring binders and drawers full of paper and shake our heads in wonder. But some folks just have to hold the paper in their hands. The numbers/words are just less real if not printed. One wonders of the iPad and similar future devices (digital paper) will change this.

One of my next projects is to convert the few remaining paper artifacts in my desk to PDF. I think I can get pretty close to paperless in my work life. I’m close.

Speaking of paperless…

I’m nearly finished with my first ebook. It was a very good experience. My beloved paper books will undoubetedly go the way of my vinyl LPs. Alas.

Mase becomes Mays

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MASE gravestone

A year ago I posted a photo of a gravestone that I assumed belonged to a distant relative. I was puzzeled by the different spelling (Mase). A few days ago I received an email with some answers. Some distant relative was browsing the web and came across smays.com and discovered the photo (his grandparents). He provided all kinds of names and relationships and a little info regarding the name change.

Only Joseph and one of his brothers for some reason chose the Mays spelling, and of Joseph and Nancy’s children only Vernon and one of his brothers chose to revert to Mase.

Cousin (?) Vernon put me in touch with another relative who has been researching all of this for 30 years and she provided images from an old family bible that has entries dating back to 1825. I’ve never been into family history but can see how this might get a little addictive. And what will genealogy be like 100 years from now with all these blogs out there (here).

John Mays – WWII

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John Mays joined the navy on May 28, 1943. He was discharged on March 9, 1946. He served as a radio operator on several ships that saw action in the Pacific (USS Mount McKinley; USS Appalachian; USS New Jersey; USS Iowa; USS War Hawk). He seldom spoke of his war experiences, but took part in several invasions and was aboard ships that came under attack.

The Japanese surrendered on August 15, 1945. My mom was in St. Louis for New Year’s Eve, and the new year must have looked a lot brighter. She’s three chairs in on the right side of the table. Little hat with veil.

Evelyn Perry (Hotel Jefferson) - 600

Mase

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While transcribing some of my mother’s notes in the family Bible, I noticed that great grandfather spelled his name “Mase.” My grandfather spelled his name, “Mays.” That branch of the family tree originated in upstate New York and I’m not sure how my grandfather came to live in Missouri. But why the name change? Religious or ethnic angle? Was he on the lamb? Never heard a word about this growing up. Wonder if there’s a good story behind the change. I really don’t want to get hooked on the family tree thing but this is kind of interesting. (Update)

John and Evelyn in St. Louis

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John_Evelyn600

Tomorrow is my father’s birthday. He would have been 78. He’s been gone a couple of years now and would find it amusing that I remembered his birthday since I usually forgot. If he were here I’d ask him where this photograph was taken. For some reason I think it must have been in St. Louis. If we have any STL readers, and you recognize this statue, drop me line and let me know where it is. John and Evelyn partied there right after the war. Happy birthday, Johnny!