Five Generations of Bruce Alexander Lipscombs!
Starting from the top left, we have the original Bruce Alexander Lipscomb, a.k.a. Aunt Bruce in my branch of the family. She was Bruce Douglas Alexander, the sister of my grandfather, John Addison Alexander. I am not sure of the origin of her name, but I know there are several Bruces elsewhere in the family (mainly male, maybe all male). Douglas was a surname at one time, and Bruce probably was also a surname at some point. The picture was taken in the early 1900s, maybe 1910s, somewhere in the Virginia mountains. She died in 1930, so I never knew her, but I have known the others either all of their lives, or all of mine.
Aunt Bruce married George Wiley Lipscomb and they had one son that they named Bruce Alexander Lipscomb, which brings us to the picture on the top right. This picture was taken around 1920, probably in or near Covington, Virginia, where he and his parents lived. He married Mary Thompson Sterrett and they had two sons, Bruce Alexander Lipscomb, Jr, and Joseph Sterrett Lipscomb. We lived in the same community when I was 2 to 10 years old, so we referred to the two Alecs as "Big Alec" for Alec, Sr., and "Little Alec" for Alec, Jr. I think that might be a southern thing.
On to the picture in the middle: Bruce Alexander Lipscomb, Jr. Because we lived in the same community, we attended the same school for the first through the third grades.this picture is of Alec in the first grade. I say that with confidence, not because I remember, but because it was written on the back of the picture (thank you, Cousin Mary!). Alec & I had first grade with Mrs. Hayes. I thought she was mean. Anyway, he sat a couple of seats in front of me and I remember that he snuck back once to ask me how to spell "Alexander" (which is my maiden name).
In 1974, Alec married Mary Lynn Woody and they also had two sons: Bruce Alexander Lipscomb, III, and Robert Madison Lipscomb. Alexander is featured in the picture on the bottom left. I still call him Alexander, but he is also known as Zander (and maybe some other nicknames of which I am not aware). This picture was taken at a family reunion in 1982 at Tate Alexander's house in Fairfield. The same reunion mentioned in my post yesterday. So Alexander is about 8 years old in this picture.
Alexander married Gina Lenore Morelli in 2006 and just last August, they had Bruce Alexander Lipscomb, IV, called A. J. He is in the picture on the bottom right. I haven't met him yet, but I borrowed this picture from his Facebook page.
Great photos of The Bruces! I like that pic of Grandaddy Lipscomb. I think it's probably taken out by their house in Low Moor, VA, circa 1920, as you say. He was born in February 1917 and he looks about 3 in that shot, so 1920's a good estimate. I'd forgotten you and Dad attended the old Fairfield Elementary together, too. All that remains of that old brick building is the little brick Head Start building in front of the current Fairfield school. And I believe that was an addition to the older school, if I recall correctly.
ReplyDeleteI have vague recollections of that 1982 reunion with you guys, but I didn't remember that I was missing my teeth! As for the picture of AJ, it was taken last week (April 2012) at pool of the Rosedon Hotel in Hamilton, Bermuda... his first trip overseas.