William and Tressa: Celebrating 125 Years!

Let me introduce you to my great-grandparents, Maw and Pap Doyle. You already met Maw and Pap when we celebrated their birthdays earlier this month. Of course they were known by their real names at the time these wedding photos were taken, so let me introduce you again.

Here are my great-grandparents, Tressa Rose Froman and William Doyle. They were married on March 17, 1885. Before their marriage, William lived in Stoneboro, Mercer County, Pennsylvania and Tressa lived in Orangeville.

Orangeville is one of those strange little towns that straddles two states. If she lived on the west side of Orangeville, she lived in Trumbull County, Ohio. If she lived on the east side, she lived in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. We haven't been able to definitively identify her residence at the time of her marriage, but family sources say it was Ohio.

I don't know how they met, and I do wonder. Traveling today's raods, their towns are about 27 miles apart. That seems like a long distance to travel to court someone. It must have been true love.

After they were married they lived in a log cabin on family property on Strawberry Hill, now known as Fredonia Road, in Stoneboro. Three children were born to them while they lived there:

• Emma, born on December 25, 1886
• Gust, born on November 17, 1888, and
• Hazel, born on December 9, 1891

A granddaughter, Tressa, remembers hearing relatives talk about the log cabin burning. She said that would have been when the farmhouse on Fredonia Road was built.

Pap was known as Billy to neighbors and friends, as Pap to grandchildren. Tressa was known as Maw to the grandchildren. They thought "gramma" and "grampa" sounded too old. I agree, considering that they were just under and just over 40 when their first grandchild was born. But these days, "Maw" and "Pap" sound old, don't you think?

Happy Anniversary, Maw and Pap! I hope you have a huge celebration today! I love you.


Copyright © 2010 by Nancy Messier.