Mom and I took a spin through the Walton Cemetery and past 47 Gardiner Place where she lived as a child. It was so fun listening to Mom tell the Guild family history as we walked by all the graves.
Mary Tyrrell Guild is Mom's grandmother. She was from Ireland.
John Tyrrell was Mary's brother. He never married.
Margaret Guild O'Neil was my grandfather's (Ray Guild) sister.
Kate E. Guild was another sister of my grandfather's. Grandpa also had a brother, Marshall, who had TB and lived in Tupper Lake to take advantage of the Tuberculosis Sanatorium. Mom said he was buried there.
Ray Guild, my grandfather, died when I was 10. He loved to call my cousins and me names like Dutch, Mud, and Skeezicks. Dan's middle name is from Grandpa.
Mom is holding a flag which recognizes Grandpa as a firefighter. He was Red, the Firechief.
Mary Guild, my grandmother, always said that she and Grandpa wanted to be buried next to Uncle Harold and Aunt Flo so they would have a foursome to play Bridge. I loved that story as a kid.
Aunt Flo
Uncle Harold
After the cemetery we drove past Grandma and Grandpa Guild's house which has been bought by a nice young couple . Not only did we meet the couple, but they invited us into the house which was WONDERFUL!! It is a small world - they are both Cortland graduates!
Here is the letter Mom wrote to couple after our visit.
Dear Troy and Taylor,
It was so nice of you to invite my daughter and me to come into your home and see so many memories of our past. We really appreciate your kindness and gesture. I was born in Walton in 1929 and 47 Gardiner Place was my home for many years. I moved to Hancock when I married my husband, George Elwood in 1954. My father died in 1971 and my mother lived there until 1980.
My sister, Harriet was born there in 1926 and my brother, Michael was born there in 1927. We always loved our home and have tried to keep tabs on it throughout the years. Between the three of us, we have had 10 children - grandchildren of our parents, Ray and Mary Guild. They have all spent many happy times at your home. When we heard via Mother Sue (Episcopal Church) that it was sold to a young couple, we were thrilled.
My folks were married in 1918 and I believe they bought the house in the early 1920s. At one time, there was an ell that jutted out from the kitchen. Each of the bedrooms upstairs had a closet and there was one in the hallway. The bathroom was renovated in the late 1950s. The upstairs wasn't heated except for the bathroom and in the morning 5 people were anxious to get in there! The back porch had latticework so it was cool on hot summer days. We would sleep on cots on the porch to get away from the heat. When you brought out the drying rack, it reminded me of ironing sheets and table cloths and hanging them on that rack to completely dry. I can remember as a youngster mother would tell us that the house was over 150 years old so that makes it quite old today.
You asked about the initials in the square stone off the back porch. Mike and Doug Haverly carved them when they were kids. I'm not sure but I think MG (Mike Guild), DH (Doug Haverly), HG (Harriet Guild), AG (me), HT (Henry Tuttle) were some of them.
Thanks again for the rack and for inviting my daughter and me in for a trip down memory lane.
We understand you will be married in the near future. Our best wishes to you and have a happy life in that beautiful home.
Sincerely,
Ann Elwood
