INSPIRING (August 2015)
A few days ago Jerry Larkin forwarded this email to me:
A distant cousin emailed me a link to Ms Durland's piece on my 4x great grandfather Benjamin Crane of Essex Co New Jersey then later Cranes Village Montgomery County NY. I'd be very interested in emailing Ms Durland to compare notes on Benjamin and Phebe if at all possible. I found her writing to be fascinating indeed! Please ask her to email me at (ed. note: withheld for privacy). I am a direct descendant of Jasper Crane via Azariah via John W via Benjamin via David then David Jr then David III then Alexander A then Henry then me!
Kathleen Crane-Grylls
Of course when someone has written such a nice kudo about me, I couldn’t ignore it and I contacted her. What ensued was a series of emails establishing both of our families and their relationship to Benjamin Crane. Her link was Benjamin’s child David and our link was Obadiah Meeker Crane, brother of David, and also Benjamin’s child.
During the course of several emails we then became personal and I told her I was sure she was much younger as I was to be 96 in a month. She is much younger but this is her email which followed and which has inspired me so much I feel I have to share it with you. All this from a veritable stranger who happened on my last newsletter.
Mary,
You are not old; you are wise! And you can teach me a lot!!! I am so thrilled to have found you! You absolutely MUST take good good care of yourself because I want to know you a very long time! We aren't just distant cousins, we are also kindred spirits! We care about preserving the past...their stories...not just dates but actual human beings with cares and worries and great lives and great sorrows...the rich fabric of Family! They matter to me....people say "Who is going to care in a hundred years?" Answer: I do!!! Even 300-400 years later these individuals MATTER to me and to my children and my children's children! Please stay healthy and do keep writing dearest cousin!!
Hugs, your cousin
Kathleen Crane Grylls