Dear Finley..relatives...
My Dan Finley...is related to the "Hines" somehow..Dan was in the service..also member of the American Legion..from some papers found..Dan visited often my grandmother, Essie Hines..her father's name was "Turner". There is very little about him..as he was suppose to have died when Essie was very small..enough to NOT REMEMBER.
Dan appeared to know alot about the "Hines" family..somehow he had said that the Hines family was once known to have spelled their name "Heinz"..and was somehow related to the Heinz Company.
Dan flew airplanes..on undercover trips..secretive trips..he made a career of the air force..letters found have helped me trace with some of the information and dates on the letters.
He was stationed overseas around the panama canal..and was to have lived amoung Brazil..etc.areas. He sent money home to my grandmother..as times were hard and in "depressions times". Essie's husband's name was "Frank Hines"..he worked in the restaurant's to make a living for his family. Mother, Essie's daughter..her name..Fayrene was also working when she was old enough to help and helped send money home to her mother. Times were hard, but mother was a devoted daughter and close to her family. She helped take care of the youngest children..and there were; five children. Even though her father liked his beer, he was a hard working father..and showed an abundance of love and devotion to his family. (mother was attached to her father)..and devoted and worked hard for her mother's approval..working along side of her daily, cooking, cleaning and even sewing to help out...When times were hard, they all pitched in to help..during those depression times...hard work and the love of family and the bible was the ways..of her mother..raising them..
However, grandmother had her secrets...the past was something one didn't talk about.."the past is in the past" so not much is known about her father. After my grandmother's death, it was confirmed that Essie had been married before..and to have been divorced was never acceptable in her day...somewhat of an embarasement...even though the marriage had never been consumated...Essie said the marriage had been "annuled"...so amoung the secrets..there is still yet to know the relationship between Dan Finley and Tom Finley...a half or step-brother? related somehow on the Hines side is my surmise?? The pieces of the puzzle do not piece together...and it is part of the family tree that does not make sense...since Essie's father died..and promblems with Essie's mother had pushed Essie into marrying a Johnson".(he was an old man)..Essie ran away..had it annuled...and later married "Frank Hines"..whom she had remained faithful to and raised her family with.
Perhaps in those days..the parents arranged marriages..but alot of talk about getting married...marrying off Essie was a "priority with her mother". The father who raised her was a "Howard"..first or last name..not known..(my mother's info)..big smiles on grandmother's face when she talked about him..she must have considered him her father..she said "he raised me.." (so I had the chance to hear first hand while grandmother's was living..her story of her life, orally)...
I count that experience a "priviledge and pleasure" to have known my grandmother well..and about her spirit and personality...she was a pleasure to know...and very talented..she said "we had to know how to take care of things back then...to sew, to cook, to be nurse, to make do..sometimes we saved leftovers to make an excellent meal, we saved remnants to make quilts, and I baked pies for my husband..to take to work...to sell at the restaurant..to help the business. You got the feeling of unity...and cooperation..that bound them together as one...connective and healthy family...alot of fun and laughter...I miss that..Essie found joy in getting up in the morning, sunny days meant a productive day..chores...bad weather meant relaxing, reading, sewing, or perhaps baking something wonderful...especially in the winter..
Smells of the kitchen..and guessing what she fixed..."she would never tell...a game she played with all of us. And a smacked hand if we opened up a lid..or over door..."a no no", finickey...and fussy about her performance...a perfectionist..to her own performance she measured and judged herself...frustrated about her own performance...never about anyone elses...she remained quiet...never a cross word about anyone else...only her self..."she was a woman of art and ability..quietly she weaved her day...of productiveness..so many things she could do..one would wonder "what next would you find her working on in her room"..you had to guess...that was the fun of it!
Her vice...only a soap opera or two..with a cup of tea! And her secret fantasy.."Ernie Ford"...his deep, low voice..a woman of poise..and sophistication...you would never know it, until she dressed up for church...she looked like she was going to a prom...something pretty and dressy...she spent so little money...and looked like a million bucks...Her riches treasures were hosery at younkers, slippers at younkers, and a beautiful lacy slip at younkers...give her an expensive pin or pendant, etc for christmas?...you will find it tucked in her drawer in it's original box...neatly beside her folded, scented drawers...her bedroom was cluttered..with nick nacks at times..but always her bed was made and sheets emaculately clean!! Every evening was spent sipping tea alone in her room before bed, quietly she slipped away to her room...without a peep...you could find her reading a scripture or two..if she went to the bathroom...you seldom saw her go in or out..so was so quiet..."a quiet fisherman until she caught fish...a beautiful, onry smile...showed her deep fun and personality...because she loved to sit and wait for fish"..she would have you laughing before she was done fishing...she spoke of the fish having some kind of a personality...like people plotting to let us catch them...FUN that is what she was, beautiful is how she was, and comfortable is how you felt...always...and love is what she projected...and received..and expected from others to ...give other people...or she would retreat...and quietly ignore you...or the situation..
Wonderful...marvelous...and missed...mother felt she could never measure up to her mother...and you can see why...Essie didn't try to outdo...anyone...she was naturally the most natural..person....and wittiest person you would ever want to meet...her beauty was her soul...and she had a glow...when she was alone with herself...like an angel..she would sit ...aglow...that is how she went...before she died...before death...took her breath away....
lelaine2727@aol.complease forgive the descriptions...guess i couldn't speak of her without being more descriptive than normal this time..."sorry"
LaVon Boucher