Generation Three at Sunnybank

Here is a shot of Albert Payson Terhune with Squire on your left, Jean on your right and in front the crazy, loveable Gray Dawn.   Squire was the son of Treve and a Champion in his own right.

Squire’s father Treve died at 5 and a half  Squire lived till he was 9.  Squire also played a role in bringing Bellhaven Collies to the forefront of not only the collie world but the whole dog world with more champions in Bellhaven than any other breeder in not only the collie realm but the whole dog universe.

Jean was one of the most lovable of the collies at Sunnybank and her life was over 13 years from the time of Lad till 1930 when the old girl was run over by a tourist and killed in the driveway.  By all accounts Jean was one of the favorites of not only the Terhunes but everyone who visited there.

Gray Dawn is perhaps one of the most famous collies at Sunnybank famous for his crazy antics like when Terhune was standing by the Lake in a Tux waiting for his wife to go to a party when he was blindsided by Gray Dawn and pushed into the lake head first.  Gray Dawn was very loyal to Terhune for when Albert was hit by a car and hurt badly Gray Dawn would not leave his side and became as Terhuen put it viscious in keeping all ppl away from him including the doctor. Gray Dawn was a character full of fun, innocent mischief and crazy!  Gray Dawn died less than a month after Thane passed away.

These collies were from the heyday of Sunnybank and with the passing of these and other cast of collies in this era the curtain came down on the championships not because the quality of collies went down but because Terhune lost heart in the matter. The losses were too great and I can understand how Terhune felt for it is tough and no fun losing collies you love so much for it does break your heart and shatter your soul… I know… I have been there… several times.

Read Full Post »

Something Special

Recently, on one of the Family History sites someone sent my wife a message that they have a school book with my grandmother’s sister and my grandmother’s schoolwork in it with the grades.  They said it was mostly Jean’s (my grandmother’s sister) schoolwork.

Now, Jean was one of those ancestors you learn about but not a lot… you see her life ended tragically and my grandmother would beam when she mentioned her and give us some tidbits then she would get sad and clam up and move on to another topic.

Through the years I finally got my Grandmother to talk about Jean and I found out she was a beautiful young woman full of happiness and would make a room light up when she entered.  Unfortunately, she had diabetes and in September, 1921 she became very ill from it.  At this time experimentation was going on with the insulin unknown tot he family.

After three weeks of laying in the parlor suffering Jean finally passed away.  My grandmother remembered her mother and her cleaning up Jean and dressing her for the visitation and funeral all of which happened in their parlor.  Jean died on September 21, 1921, one day after my birthday which happened 40 years later.

So, this wonderful woman who is sending this book to us is sending us something I will treasure. I never got to meet Jean who died in the flowering years of her life…..  my grandmother missed her dearly and it was hard to learn a lot about her for she would beam so happily when she thought of her and then after a minute or so she would get sad….. all too understandable.

Below is a picture of Jean….

Jean as a baby….. around 1904 or 05.

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

—

–

Less than a year before her death….. in 1920….. I love that smile……  To You Jean.. you are with your sister, my grandmother now….. RIP

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

Perhaps you have even met my Trevor…… RIP ol’ boo….

 

Read Full Post »