Annals of our ancestors; one hundred and fifty years of history in the ...

3i6 ANNALS OF OUR ANCESTORS
Her first child, Paul Watkins Truesdell, was born January
19, 1887. For only one year was he the joy of his parents,
when he was taken from this world, never to know orphanhood.
Her husband's education was finished in the European uni-
versities of Zurich and Linz, where he spent four years in study.
After their marriage and the birth of their first child, Nell
went abroad, to see what John had seen, as well as to gain the
inspiration of a great past for her own eager mind. With rare
insight she absorbed and assimilated the influences of other
lands and peoples. After her return from Europe her second
child was born, William Watkins Truesdell. When Willie
was but a little past two years old his father was taken from
earth in the strength of his young manhood. Two years more
the little mother cherished their child, and then she gave him
to her stricken parents as Death touched her, and our brother's
namesake was an orphan. Thankful are we that this son can
keep alive the memory of the brief but happy married life of
Nell and John.
Paul, the third child of WiUiam and Julia, was a blessing
to his parents as long as they lived. The fiftieth birthday of
our brother was celebrated by his family in a way I am pleased
to record. When he came to the table that October morning,
which was both his birthday and wedding anniversary, he
found his plate surrounded by packages, which had even overflowed
on his chair. He opened them to find all sorts of wearing
apparel, even to a rain coat, a suit of clothes alone being
missing among his gifts. The presents were abundant; a number
of articles were in dozens — his cup seemed full. And
then, when he turned over his plate, there were fifty dollars in
gold from his eldest daughter and his twenty-year-old son!
With tear-filled eyes he exclaimed: "I have the best children
in the world!" Even in those days Paul was the promising
business man, as he is now the successful one. For years he
worked side by side with his Uncle Joseph in that great business
which our younger brother built up in so masterly a manner.
To-day Paul is president of the J. R. Watkins Medical Company.
There are books of ours yet to be written; I cannot, with
the burdens of my years lying more and more heavily, attempt