Audrey Mae SpencerSpencer Historical CemeteryHenry Straight / William Spencer Family Cemetery
Vaughn Historical CemeterySpencers of East Greenwich, RI

Monthly Archives: August 2006

25 August 2006

Field Trip scheduled for Audrey to meet a distant cousin who is also a descendant of John and Joan (née Tattersall) Greene.

Having read David McCullough’s book “1776” where he mentioned interviewing a descendent of General Nathaneal Greene in Warwick, I looked in the phone book to find this descendent, Thomas Casey Greene living on the Greene homestead and the birthplace of Nathanael Greene in Warwick, R.I.

Mr. Greene, an older gentleman, said he would be happy to meet Mother who was named after her ancestral great (7 times) grandmother, Audrey Greene.  Douglas–from New York– drove Mother and me–from California– in Lisa Gayle’s Rhode Island van to the homestead in the pouring rain. Thomas Casey had graciously agreed beforehand to come out with his “galoshes” and an umbrella to meet Audrey. He stood outside the car window in the rain for nearly an hour talking to Audrey about their history.

When we left, Mother put her hand up to him as if to say good-bye and thank you for your time conversing with us.  This gesture let us know that Mother was very much aware of the visit and conversation that I had planned for her.

26 August 2006

Audrey at a family gathering at Amber and Steve’s house with plenty of food and fellowship

(“Tell those people to quiet down.  We are trying to sleep.” (Audrey, with this episode of aphasia, was trying to get comfortable in her wheel chair. We were trying to decide which chair [companion or wheel] would be most convenient as well as most comfortable for her)

(One of the grandchildren said:  But Gramma, they haven’t seen one another in a long time.)

“Well, as long as they are descent.”

(Later one of her grandchildren said:  I’m going home to eat.)

“Why didn’t you have some of the free stuff they have handed out all day.”