Re: Frenchs of Holmes County, Florida
-
In reply to:
Re: Frenchs of Holmes County, Florida
John Mellick 10/29/00
Hope our children have found a Branch of the French Family Tree they can see growing in a forest...ones that have supported swings,that bare the initials of lovers and heros, that still wear colored ribbons, and remember the day and time of each rusted nail stuck in their bark.
French's that care enough to reach out to distant family.
Talking with others and putting pieces together, we know that my children's biological father, Milton Leroy French, Jr. was born in Miami, FL 7/27/53.We've been lead to believe, his father,Milton Leroy French, Sr. is from Homestead, FL.
Stories have it that he left home at 15 because he did not get along with his father & his father's wife.
Milton, Sr.'s mother had a history of instability and spent many years in a hospital seeking treatment.
Milton Leroy French, Sr. was the older of two sons, he had a younger brother (Henry ?).Tragically, the memory of Milton Sr. & Virginia's first date is shared by the death of the younger French.
He died as a result of a diving accident.Distant relations with his father & mother probably interfered & may have compounded with his grief and burdens following the loss of his sibling.
Perhaps difficulty in expression passed from generation to generation.Just as Milton Leroy, Sr. felt outcast from his father (mane ?), relations were also strained with Milton Leroy, Sr.'s first born son.Milton Leroy, Jr. on more than one occasion, voiced that he felt his father transferred his personal feelings of guilt regarding his younger brother's death onto him.Milton, Jr. felt it was like a "blackness" all the time.As it was related to me, Milton, Sr. was the better diver and his younger brother was diving that day so that Milton, Sr. could go out on a date with Virginia.
Milton Leroy, Jr. shared that he felt had could died as a youth, and all long as his younger brother, Gary L., was okay, Milton, Sr. would be happy. He went on to recall some of the stupid things he did just to face death:shark baiting, bridge diving, cave & wreck expeditions, chicken with battery acid, taking boats off shore during storms and w/o fuel to return to shore, etc.His main thought was that if he died, his dad would think that "now, the son died that was supposed to.
Maybe, Milton L. Sr, wanted his son to be his proxy, take the pain..take responsibility for the darkness...allow him to enjoy the light (Gary L) without fear of an eclipse.
It's a shame, in the beginning Milton L. Jr, faced darkness with boldness.He wasn't afraid in the same way as his father...he just finally learned to be.
These unhappy emotions were explained as a reason that most communications were halted and not pursued when my children inquired about the French family history. I also thought that if you knew any direct family members, some of these circumstances might sound familiar.
Relations are not positive with Milton Sr. or his wife, Virginia.They have chosen to not recognize or discuss these 3 offspring of Milton Leroy French, Jr.Therefore, to better inform my children, I am now inquiring with you.You & others you are in touch with genuinely seem proud and sincere in searching out you family.
My son has dealt with cardiac issues since birth (God is Good...He is Healthy!) and any health history we can attain is much appricated.
Thank you for the time (whew!) in reviewing what we've been exposed to.Any tidbit you have is appreciated.
Thankfully, both Milton Leroy Jr.(51), Rev. Gary L., and sister (Terry L)are still around.
Milton Leroy French, Sr. is appx age 71 (2004) and he and his wife reside in Northwest Florida.
At one time, I recall that the middle name "Leroy" was passed on as a tradition.Sound familiar?
God Bless You and Your Family!!!
It's shameful how we treat those we know love us.They will accept and then apolgize so easily.So, by loving and trusting th making his easiest victim having to face them when he approached
ecause they were He couldn't be his father's lost brother so he had to be his father's proxy.Milton, Sr. and his younger brother (Henry ?) shared a love and respect of the ocean waters they grew up around. I can only surpise this love affair was fostered by a need to overcome.
Despite her sons attention and affection, their mother could not overcome her
(I describe this relationship as truth to you because I looked into the undoubting eyes Milton, Jr. as he tried to explain why he accepted his father's inability to love him.had when he recalled what by the quint and
deepend by theeven moreThey supposedly sIt was a tragic diving accident avid sportsmen, despite their parents distance.During his youth, his mother lost touch with reality that was complicated by the death of Milton, Sr.'s younger brother (a diving incident) in the early 1950's(Henry, I believe, was his name).Milton, Sr. married Virginia O'Field in 1951-2 (?).He left home after his father (name ?) re-married.We were told Milton, Sr. was 15 when his father married and he soon after joined the Merchant Marines.Milton Sr. and Virginia had 3 children:Milton Leroy French, Jr.(m), Gary Lee French (m), and Terry Lee French (f).Following his father's death, Milton, Sr. occasionally visited his biological mother at her sanitarium, but kept his children distant from her circumstances and whereabouts.He busied himself in the construction field and spent his vacation family hours w/his children in the FL Keys.They resided in the Miami/Dade area for many years before moving to the Panhandle of Florida. From what I understand, Milton, Sr. did not have a good relationship with his step-mother (name?), her child, or his father's family w/her.
Unfortunately, this meant his (3)children did not have a close relationship with their grandparents and/or extended family.Subsequently, not much other than what's been stated above, is known to my children.It must be a "gene thing" because their biological father Milton Leroy French, Jr (D/O/B 7-27-53), has followed in his father's path.My children do not know their paternal heritage, either.
This is where, we hope you can help.Perhaps, you are extended family, or just real nice people who can prevent some deadends.It's obvious that you care about family, just the way you share information with others is touching.
So, ignoring the soap-opera behavior of the bloodlines my children KNOW they are related to, it's exciting to them to see in print the genuine interest the "genealogy" French's have for one another.hat the "Leroy" middle name is supposed to be a family tradition for the first born son.
More Replies:
-
Re: Frenchs of Holmes County, Florida
John Mellick 8/07/04
-
Re: Frenchs of Holmes County, Florida
Dorothy Landrum 5/25/12
-
Re: Frenchs of Holmes County, Florida