Over the weekend I found myself unexpectedly immersed into something of a time warp. I was going through photo albums and boxes of things that belonged to my grandparents, and I found a guest book and photo albums from the years that they lived in Monrovia, Liberia.

My grandfather was an amazing man. He was born in the swamps of Louisiana where his mother died in childbirth, and was raised by my hunter/trapper/ businessman great grandfather until he was 12. When he was 12, one of my great-great aunts came and took him to New Orleans and enrolled him in private school. At the time my my Papaw did not speak English at all, just French. Despite this, he managed to graduate with honors and attended Ole Miss where he received an engineering degree. He joined the  US Navy and quickly rose to Commander , and also had some ties with the Seabees. After WWII he began working with the US Government at the Pentagon, surveying land, assisting with naval engineering and consulting. He was one of the founding investors and employees of  The Liberia Company  and he, my grandmother and my dad moved to Liberia from Virginia when my father was a little boy. They moved onto a large plantation that produced coffee, cocoa, and rubber for the Firestone Corporation. After the original founder of the company died, Mr. Juan Trippe took over. Mr. Trippe was also the Chairman of Pan-American World Airways, and this is how my Papaw also became employed by Pan Am and friends with Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne. I originally wrote about Mr. Lindbergh and how I’ll always associate seersucker suits with him in this post.

When I was a kid in the 70′s I remember going to NYC with my grandparent’s, and my grandfather would go to the office while my Granny and I would see the sights and shows. I also remember when Mr. Trippe died and his son Charlie took over the company. Charlie and my dad were close in age and their names are interspersed through the book as well. The Trippe’s were always a part of my life, as was Mrs. Antoinette Tubman, the wife of the late Liberian President William V.S. Tubman, also a good friend of my grandparent’s. I didn’t realize until I began delving into history that President and Mrs. Tubman actually lived in a cottage on the plantation next door to my grandparent’s while the Executive Mansion was being renovated. I remember answering the phone when she would call and being fascinated by her accent and the feeling of joy that came through the lines from her voice.

I also started reading a book written by Bettye Stettinius Trippe, Juan’s wife and friend of my grandparent’s. In it she mentions staying with my grandparent’s in Monrovia, and the large cocktail parties they had. Apparently my love of cocktail parties comes very naturally. Heh. Since finding the guest book I have been OBSESSED with rediscovering the history of my Papaw’s association with Pan-Am and LIBCO. I have googled some of the names in the book and am blown away by the results. It’s so cool to find interesting stuff about someone you loved who was instrumental in making part of the world’s history that is still relevant today. The comments in the book are some of the funniest things though, just from looking at them, I can tell there was some heavy duty entertaining going on at that plantation ! It also cracks me up to see my father’s name interspersed throughout the book, and for address he boldly wrote “I live here !”

It makes me so excited to be able to look back on all of this history and think about what an amazing life my father and grandparents had, but at the same time it makes me sad. Sad that they are gone , and that my grandfather passed away when I was 15, well before the time I could really appreciate his extraordinary life and it’s impact. But I’m thankful for the memories that I do have with all of them, and that each of their experiences helped shape me and has provided me with what I can absolutely say has been a wonderful life.

I love you Papaw. A bushel and a peck, and a hug around the neck.

Top left: my grandfather surveying, Center: naval photo , Bottom left: heading to the inaugaration

Top right : HQ in Monrovia Bottom right: Papaw greeting President Tubman