A Few days ago I had written a story about my great grandfather Floyd. Born in 1878 I knew him well. As a kid I never gave that much thought, he was just my fathers grandfather. Genealogy wasn't a big topic of concern. I knew lots of old people. Exactly how everyone was related to each other wasn't quite as clear. In-laws and out-laws shared equal billing. It is usually when we start losing those people that we begin to be aware of all of that. We do tend to take life for granted when we are younger. I suppose when there is something to gain from that we would be more well informed. What I mean is inheritance. I've never had that concern and have never inherited a thing from anyone. I'm not disappointed about that as I have never expected anything. I do have artifacts from Great Grandfather Floyd house. A few objects that he cherished and enjoyed. He passed away in 1968. That was only fifty seven years ago. Doesn't seem that long when I think about him.
Two days ago, on the eighth at 11:36 AM I became a great grandfather. My grandson and his wife brought a daughter into the world, Elliotte Ann Elisabeth Reichart. I have remained silent on social media as per their wishes. I'm fairly bursting at the seams wanting to share with the world this wonderful news. The family will be coming home this afternoon from the hospital to begin their new lives. Brand new Dad and Mom, brand new Grandparents and great grandparents all will be present for this momentous occasion. Four generations in the same room, at the same moment.
The first Reichart of this line arrived at Castle Garden New York on January the third in 1857. That was only 168 years ago. That man was Christian Reichart my great great grandfather. His son, my great grandfather passed away in 1940. His son, my grandfather passed away in 1932. My father passed in 1990. I'm still here! It has been seven generations which certainly seems like a lot. Well, a lot has happened over that time, since 1857. Elliotte marks the second generation of Reicharts born in the 21st century. I have to remind myself that we are a quarter of the way through another century, think about that.
A generation is usually considered to be twenty or twenty five years depending upon whom you are talking with. There is no set time frame for that. New generations begin on their own schedule. Well, with modern medicine being what it is, it is sometimes scheduled in advance. I never gave it a thought when talking with my grandparents that they were born in a different century. They were just old and lived in the "good old days" according to them. Rutherford Hayes was the president when my great grandfather was born. Garfield followed him. Presidents from my history books, neither of which where of any great note. Washington, Jefferson, Monroe, and Kennedy where the presidents I had at least a passing knowledge of, Hayes and Garfield, not so much. Joe Biden and Donald J Trump. Will history remember them? What of Carter, Reagan, Ford, Bush, Nixon, Clinton and Obama? There were thirty six presidents in the twentieth century, can you name them all?
Generations. I have lived long enough to begin counting time in generations. That is an amazing thing when you consider it. I remember when next week seemed like forever, today 1968 is a little while back. I remember getting the senior discount for the first time, how I felt a bit insulted. Judging by time, everything should be free by now. I do have photographs of my great grandparents and a few even older than that. In 1839 photography was first introduced. It wasn't until the 1880's that Kodak developed the first cameras the public in general could use. My great grandfather born in 1878 new that as a new technology. What will my great grand daughter view in that way? Flying cars? Maybe. I don't know I just can't wait to tell her all about the "good old days."
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