Major & Betsy

Major Espy with his niece, Betsy Brannon (Green)

 

Betsy is Wayne Brannon's oldest child.  She's now a widely published LDS (Latter Day Saints) author: http://www.betsybrannongreen.net .  Just today, thanks to cousin Emily Luttrell (Whiteside), I was able to quickly confirm that Betsy is the one with Granddad Major in the above photo. And, after a brief Facebook chat with Betsy, she e-mailed me some of her memories.  What a gift!  Thanks, Betsy!
 

Espy Memories for Major Allen Espy June 24, 2014

 

This is what I can remember now and if I put my mind to it – I might be able to think of some other things.

 

I remember coming in the front door of Aunt Edith and Uncle Major’s grand house with Mila (she had been in charge of me for the morning – I was probably about 5 years old so this was approx. 1963). Marilyn was standing on that gorgeous staircase with a paper cup full of ice in her hand. I remember her shaking it and asking me, “How’s Pawby?” (my imaginary friend). I answered very seriously and it wasn’t until I saw Marilyn wink at Mila that I realized it wasn’t really a serious question!

 

I remember sitting on Gram Vann’s porch (I was probably 10 or 11 so 1968-1969) and Aunt Edith talking about something one of her kids had done. She said she told them if they did it again “the Devil will get you.” I thought it was hilarious but Gram Vann was not amused. She spoke as sharply as I ever heard her in opposition to this form of discipline! Then they started talking about thunderstorms and Aunt Edith said she still got under her bed during storms. I couldn’t believe it but Nana said it was true. Edith was deathly afraid of storms.

 

I remember visiting Aunt Edith right after she had purchased new curtains for the big room that we always came into through the back door on the right side of the main house (if you’re looking at it from the front). I was in my teens by then so maybe 1974-75. The curtains were beautiful. They were off-white with ruffles that were trimmed with green thread (country-style that was popular then). There were a lot of windows and therefore a lot of curtains and I thought they were gorgeous. And Aunt Edith liked them too but she said she’d been in bed for two days because spending so much money had made her physically sick!

 

I remember going to visit Dinah at her parents’ house with Nana and Curt just before her wedding to Mark (won’t try to estimate the date since you know when they got married!). I remember having to step over an electric wire that was around the perimeter of the yard to keep in the dog. Curt and I were terrified of being electrocuted!

 

And I remember going to Mark and Dinah’s wedding. I thought she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen and she was always so kind to us kids.

 

I remember going to see Aunt Edith for the last time. She was living in that back room and looked amazingly good considering all she’d been going through. We were on our way out of town and Nana sent us by to ‘speak’. Aunt Edith was gracious as always, apologizing that she didn’t have anything to serve us even though we had just dropped in on her!

 

And this last one isn’t mine- it’s my father’s and you may already have it. But when my dad was 2 years old (hard to believe but Nana swears it's true) he walked to town to get his haircut and asked the barber to cut it just like Uncle Major’s!! If you don’t have this one already we’ll ask Nana for more details – she can probably tell us the barber’s name, etc..