Editor's Corner

By Mary E. Adair

So Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there!!!

No denying it, each of had at least one, you know, and some of us have had second dad's who excelled at the title, some of us were chosen by a special dad to become his and mom's own little precious bundle, but everyone had that extraordinary relative of their own.

We each consider our fathers and grandfathers with delight when we are children, and one picture is shown here of your editor's mother at the age of two, taken 88 years ago with her maternal grandfather, William Henry Bullard.

Bullard was the maternal William Henry grandfather to Lena May while the paternal grandfather was another William Henry, but a Joslin, who fought with the Union in the Civil War.

Bullard, however fought with the Gray, serving in the Confederate forces, and cut a handsome fiery red-haired figure in his uniform; so much so that three young ladies who were great friends, espying him in town each exclaimed "that's the boy I want to marry!" And, all three did. His first wife was Susan Caudill, and when she passed away after having *three children, he married Eliza Pitts Coffee, who lived only a short three years after and "Poor Eliza never drew a well breath" being ill when they wed.

Malinda Ellen Hopper, whose adventurous family includes the explorer Charlie Hopper, was the third wife, mother of **seven children. She is the greatgrandmother with whom your editor (when less than 3 months old) posed in a four generation picture with mother Lena May and grandmother Carrie Edyth. The two, Joslin and Bullard widows, lived with Lena's family and she has stated jokingly, "I never knew the Civil War was over until I was twelve!"

We've included some poetry this time written by dad's and grand dad's also. M.Jay Mansfield's "Daddy" is one and John I. Blair blesses us with "Pa Du." Blair's other works for June include "Noon Gate" and shows the scene that inspired the poem. With these are the following: "Madge," "Holy Trinity," "Payoff," "Grackles Don't Cuddle," and "Once The Plains Rolled."

We also have new poetry from Jacquelein Veldhuis, along with an updated bio and pic. "Dear Inner Child" and "The Divine Love" compositions are displayed upon graphic backgrounds using photo's taken by the author. We appreciate her creativity in brightening our ezine again this issue.

Bruce Clifford submitted four of his poetic songs, the first one is "Cyclone of Lupadon" and then "East Side/West Side," "Better Than," and "Without A Trace." Bruce adds an article that expresses what many of us may have been mulling over within ourselves, and poses a solution, "Vote for Bruce." Leo C. Helmer has a Western Swing article on Adolph Hofner and another spot where you can link to some Western Swing music in "For All My Readers Who Like My Unending Western Swing Articles." Gerard Meister discusses "About Patriotism - Then and Now" in his column, "Thinking Out Loud."

The hope was there that some of the authors would send in tributes to their fathers. That didn't happen, but in "Irish Eyes" Mattie Lennon gives the background of a unique event (a Hillbilly Run in Ireland) held annually in the Blessington Lakes area, and adds how his father felt about the creation of the lakes. Then, in addition to Helmer's next segment on Great Jobs which continues the career as a trucker, we will be featuring a special story by him this issue, "Some of My Earliest Recollections of Father."

Here is a photo of Helmer and his wife, shortly after the daughter's birth. This one, like the old photo's accompanying his story, is precious and all were quite difficult to reproduce when Helmer did his autobiography, "Life is Fun When You Live It." Written as a gift for his daughter and grand and greatgrand children, the book is filled with his humor and is also the source of the series of "Great Jobs" tales run in Pencilstubs. This issue combines bits from different chapters to do the tribute to his father.

LC Van Savage's "Consider This" is where she declares "Faux is Good." I won't spoil her impact by telling you just what that funny, but tender tale includes. She also has a rib-tickler article, "Mr. Gardello And Other PBs."

"Eric Shackle's Column" does a sequel on Jeff Deck, the self-proclaimed typo-eradicator. That sounds rather like a super hero title, and this column starts out with an incident where being one might have provided a solution for him. Shackle also shares a poignant look back to World War I with an article about how the letters from abroad qualify as being among the first "citizen reporters."

Do you like omelets? Yes, or no, Helmer has some tasty ideas for turning your breakfast into a gourmet treat. Check out "Cookin' With Leo."

Coming full circle to the theme of Father's Day, your editor includes two pictures of her late father--one with him from 1980 (one of the few snapshots while he had the mustache he grew for Frontier Days;) and one with his own father Everett Marion Carroll taken in 1964.

Left: Dad and Grandpa Carroll in California. Right: Dad and your editor, his firstborn.

Though he loved and respected his father and they 'talked' over wireless radio regularly, that brief visit was one of the few times he was able to be around his sire, because of his parents divorce when he was two years old. His beloved step-father, Earl Joseph King, with no children of his own, happily claimed Dad and his four daughters, unfortunately passing away 24 hrs before the first greatgrandchild's birth.

Point is, Fathers come in all guises, some are born to the role, others assume the duties, most often willingly, cheerfully providing for the family not only their name but good advice, and a certain knowledge undergirding the continuity of life. We salute the Fathers once again as we close this column.

Look for us next month!

*three children: Jacob A Bullard 1867–1880; James Russell Bullard 1869–1870; Thomas J Bullard 1871–1920.

**Stella Lee Anice "Stell" Bullard 1881–1953; Vincell Clarence "Vince" Bullard 1882–1951; Lilvia Acenith "Lil" Bullard 1884–1948; Azalia Lovethia "Zail" Bullard 1885–1959; Mary Esther Zenobia "Nobe" Bullard 1886–1958; Ones Evan Bullard 1888–1937; Carrie Edyth Bullard 1890–1974.