Hank, Merle and Waylon. West Asheville.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Major

This is Major Watt Espy, Sr..  He's my paternal grandfather. This is where I get my first name. Granddad Major died in 1980, leaving a tremendous legacy. I'm guessing, but I'd say that in this photo he looks like he's in his late fifties or early sixties. What's striking about this pose is that he has remarkable posture. Perhaps he's standing tall because he's very proud. He had a family he adored and a business acumen that set a standard in his day.

4 comments:

~N~ said...

Major always said "A Man Is Only As Good As His Word." This day & time we could use more men like our Grandaddy! So proud to be part of such a wonderful legacy. He still has reason to be proud :)
Much Love!
N@

Jeffrey said...

I don't believe Grandad was one to engage in tomfoolery, but then again, we got it from somewhere coups! I have just a few vivid memories of Grandad. Since I lived next door to him until his death in 1980, he used to come over and observe me playing football (by myself) in the yard. On one occasion, I remember him asking me who was playing, going along with my production. Taanks Grandpops.

Anonymous said...

Bill Vann said..That photo of Uncle Major brought back some memories. I think it was just to the right of the tree that he’d often park his truck in the shade. My dad would drop me off there at the break of day to head to the cotton fields with your granddad!

Anonymous said...

Bill Vann said...When we have chance to talk in real-time, I’ll tell you my boyhood tales of having worked for your granddad for several summers--most of the time as cotton-picker but one summer as a pond manger at Lake Mila . For the former job I was under the indirect supervision of your dad! In actuality I was somewhat of a side-kick for Uncle Major, not just as a cotton-picker but I also traveled somewhere around 10,000 miles with him back and forth to Marion and all other manner of remote places to watch you dad play football when he was at MI. Thank God it was only two years!