Today is April fools day. It was on this day in 1878 that my Great Grandfather was born. So happy 137 Gramp. I remember my great grandfather well. He was the only grandfather I ever knew. All my other grandfathers had passed on before my arrival. Floyd Parker Lester, son of Charles Lester and Sarah Jane Parker. Sarah would pass on when he was very young and he would be raised by his fathers sister. Her husband was John Mulligan who owned and operated a mercantile on the Springs Fireplace road. On the census in 1880 he is listed as; a boarder. That is because John Mulligan was head of household and that little boy was no relative of his. That speaks a lot to the atmosphere in which he was raised. It is interesting to note that great grandfathers dad, Charlie, remarried and had other children yet never took his own son back into his home. Great Great Grandfather Charlie stayed in East Hampton, the town where he was born, and all his children were born, his whole life.
Now great grandfather, Floyd, had a sister as well. Her name was Jenny but she passed when she was about six weeks old. That was in 1876. April first 1878 saw the birth of Floyd and in 1879 his mother Sarah passes. That leaves Great Great Grandfather Charlie with a huge problem. How to care for the child as a single dad. We must remember this was long before any social programs existed to help. I expect that is why his Aunt Catherine took the boy in and raised him. Great Grandfather Floyd never spoke of any of this in my lifetime, at least not to me. I can only look at old records and speculate. There is no one left that knows the real story and the circumstances.
Great grandfather Floyd later married Lucy Terry. Lucy's parents owned a home right on the corner of what is now Floyd street and the springs fireplace road. They were married in that house. They would get a place of their own, a little further down Floyd street. Floyd started a "taxi " service. This was with two horses and a buggy. He had to mortgage his home to afford this. But the business eventually went bust, one of his horses died, as noted in the East Hampton Star the local newspaper, and the advent of the automobile. He lost his home and was forced to move into his wife's parents home. It was quite a blow to him as his in-laws transferred the property to his wife Lucy with the stipulation that he was never to have ownership. A bitter pill to swallow I am sure. It was that home that I knew as Gramps house. It was also the house that my own father was raised in. His mother, my grandmother Clara, daughter to Floyd, passed away when my dad was just five. He and his brother went to live with Floyd and Lucy as Grandfather Elwood was now in the same position that had placed Floyd with John Mulligan ! Many years later Great Grandfather Lester was forced to leave that house by his own daughter Jesse. Jesse had gained ownership and subsequent control over the property by virtue of that stipulation all those years back. A dispute arose over the condition of the home, or so I was told, and he was evicted ! I was young but remember that time well. Eventually Great Grandfather Floyd wound up living out the remainder of his life in a mobile home at Three Mile harbor. He passed in August of 1968.
April first,April fools day has always been a reminder to me of Great Grandfather Floyd because it is his birthday. When I was young it was just because it is Aprils fool day but now it has a different meaning to me. Having done much research into the life of Great Grandfather Floyd through records and some of what I was told years ago, his birthday seems more poignant. Life certainly played a series of cruel tricks upon him. It seemed from beginning to end forces worked against him. I never heard him complain. I do wonder if I could have spoken with him as an adult, about those things what his take would have been. Well hopefully I'll get that chance. Happy Birthday !
Another mystery remains to me. The road now known as Floyd Street was just a dirt road all those many years ago. Was that road named Floyd Street because of him ? Was it originally referred to as Floyd's Street ? I'll probably never know that answer but it will be so in my mind anyway. One lasting tribute to the man, my Great Grandfather.
Now great grandfather, Floyd, had a sister as well. Her name was Jenny but she passed when she was about six weeks old. That was in 1876. April first 1878 saw the birth of Floyd and in 1879 his mother Sarah passes. That leaves Great Great Grandfather Charlie with a huge problem. How to care for the child as a single dad. We must remember this was long before any social programs existed to help. I expect that is why his Aunt Catherine took the boy in and raised him. Great Grandfather Floyd never spoke of any of this in my lifetime, at least not to me. I can only look at old records and speculate. There is no one left that knows the real story and the circumstances.
Great grandfather Floyd later married Lucy Terry. Lucy's parents owned a home right on the corner of what is now Floyd street and the springs fireplace road. They were married in that house. They would get a place of their own, a little further down Floyd street. Floyd started a "taxi " service. This was with two horses and a buggy. He had to mortgage his home to afford this. But the business eventually went bust, one of his horses died, as noted in the East Hampton Star the local newspaper, and the advent of the automobile. He lost his home and was forced to move into his wife's parents home. It was quite a blow to him as his in-laws transferred the property to his wife Lucy with the stipulation that he was never to have ownership. A bitter pill to swallow I am sure. It was that home that I knew as Gramps house. It was also the house that my own father was raised in. His mother, my grandmother Clara, daughter to Floyd, passed away when my dad was just five. He and his brother went to live with Floyd and Lucy as Grandfather Elwood was now in the same position that had placed Floyd with John Mulligan ! Many years later Great Grandfather Lester was forced to leave that house by his own daughter Jesse. Jesse had gained ownership and subsequent control over the property by virtue of that stipulation all those years back. A dispute arose over the condition of the home, or so I was told, and he was evicted ! I was young but remember that time well. Eventually Great Grandfather Floyd wound up living out the remainder of his life in a mobile home at Three Mile harbor. He passed in August of 1968.
April first,April fools day has always been a reminder to me of Great Grandfather Floyd because it is his birthday. When I was young it was just because it is Aprils fool day but now it has a different meaning to me. Having done much research into the life of Great Grandfather Floyd through records and some of what I was told years ago, his birthday seems more poignant. Life certainly played a series of cruel tricks upon him. It seemed from beginning to end forces worked against him. I never heard him complain. I do wonder if I could have spoken with him as an adult, about those things what his take would have been. Well hopefully I'll get that chance. Happy Birthday !
Another mystery remains to me. The road now known as Floyd Street was just a dirt road all those many years ago. Was that road named Floyd Street because of him ? Was it originally referred to as Floyd's Street ? I'll probably never know that answer but it will be so in my mind anyway. One lasting tribute to the man, my Great Grandfather.
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