Based on the Memories of John E. Barry
Transcribed by Peg Barry in Cincinnati, Ohio, 1996
Digitized in September 2016
Prologue
I have frequently been asked by my children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews about our family history. It is not surprising since the family came from the Philadelphia area. Mark Twain once said "In Boston they ask, How much does he know? In New York, How much is he worth? In Philadelphia, Who were his parents?"
I would remind readers that the family you come from is not nearly as important as the family you are leaving behind.
I am also aware that people make a million dollars writing about families no more famous than our own. They spend several years in research checking all data with confirming sources. Since I have intention of even making one dollar, these memories will not have been cross checked for accuracy. I will leave that scholarly approach with all its research to others.
On advice of my attorney, this history is identified as fiction. I don't want to be sued for memories 50+ years old from sources that would put themselves in the best light. The objective is for the reader to get to know our family through my memories. I will not make an attempt to psychoanalyze the data.
This will include only the side of the family that gave us our name. Other parts of the family with different interesting experiences may be the subject of future efforts by me or others.
I have established some ground rules for items to be included:
I want to acknowledge the assistance I have received from Peg, my bride of almost 40 years, in preparing this document. Her input about appropriateness, sensitivity, spelling, punctuation and readability will save the readers a lot of inconvenience.
- John E. Barry
[Estimated transcription date is Feb. 1996]
I have frequently been asked by my children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews about our family history. It is not surprising since the family came from the Philadelphia area. Mark Twain once said "In Boston they ask, How much does he know? In New York, How much is he worth? In Philadelphia, Who were his parents?"
I would remind readers that the family you come from is not nearly as important as the family you are leaving behind.
I am also aware that people make a million dollars writing about families no more famous than our own. They spend several years in research checking all data with confirming sources. Since I have intention of even making one dollar, these memories will not have been cross checked for accuracy. I will leave that scholarly approach with all its research to others.
On advice of my attorney, this history is identified as fiction. I don't want to be sued for memories 50+ years old from sources that would put themselves in the best light. The objective is for the reader to get to know our family through my memories. I will not make an attempt to psychoanalyze the data.
This will include only the side of the family that gave us our name. Other parts of the family with different interesting experiences may be the subject of future efforts by me or others.
I have established some ground rules for items to be included:
- Only fairly vivid memories will be included, so no pretense is made to this being a complete history.
- There has been no conscience inventing on my part.
- I intend to write in detail about only those who have passed on to their eternal reward. I did concentrate on those relatives who the current generation did not know. But I found it difficult to tell these memories without including information on people living today. I do ask you not to count lines to measure my love and respect when comparing the living and the dead.
- I have selected history over 30 years old. I will leave the contemporary data for the readers own observation.
- In the sequel on John and Peg's family, I concentrated on the early years of each child and therefore some data is later than the restriction imposed in No. 4 above.
- I found that using first names instead of Mom, Dad, Uncle, etc. added clarity and is not a sign of lack of respect.
I want to acknowledge the assistance I have received from Peg, my bride of almost 40 years, in preparing this document. Her input about appropriateness, sensitivity, spelling, punctuation and readability will save the readers a lot of inconvenience.
- John E. Barry
[Estimated transcription date is Feb. 1996]