My mother's maiden name is Pitchforth. Two of my brothers have Pitchforth as their middle name (Robert and John). It's (obviously) not a very common name.
A few years after I moved to Boston, I was driving down some random road in Arundel, Maine and as I drove by a mailbox noticed it said PITCHFORTH on it! Are you kidding me?!? No way! I stopped the car and took a photo of the mailbox and sent it to Grandmother Pitchforth who was still living (I need to find the negative to that photo). My brother Robert/Robes visited within a year of that and we went to Maine and we found that mailbox. Robes was more daring than I and decided we should drive down the road to meet the Pitchforths. So we did. Barry Pitchforth was taking a nap on a picnic table but got up and had a short visit with us. I thought he resembled Grandpa Pitchforth (my mom's father). Barry called his parents that day and told them that we had stopped by and he told them that Robes reminded him of his side of the family (which is funny because Robes and my dad look a lot alike).
A year or so after my friend Brian married Jenifer he called me one night and asked if I was related to Ann Hughlings Pitchforth. Of course I was and asked him why. Turns out his wife Jenifer is related to her too. Now we call each other cousin.
Last night I went to dinner and a movie with my friends Alicia, Leah, Jenn, Alicia's brother Micah and his wife Morgan. [You know where this is going...] I asked Morgan where she was from and she said Minersville (that's in Utah) and I told her I had family that lived there--the Pitchforths. She got a funny look on her face and said she was related to some Pitchforths. Minersville is tiny (from trusty Wikipedia: Minersville is a town in Beaver County, Utah. The population was 817 at the 2000 census). Told ya.
Morgan's great-grandfather and my Grandpa Pitchforth were brothers.
It's a small world after all. It's a small, small world.
15 comments:
It may be a small world but I still wouldn't want to paint it. Thank you Steven Wright.
Like I say, "There is always a connection to Ellen Patton somewhere!" It was a fun night. I'm pretty sure I can call you cousin now!!!!!
I'm so happy to be related to my cool cousin and now to Alicia and all the other "cousins" out there! We are all SUPER COOL. :)
I bet I'm related to you, too! If not, I would like to be!
You are going to die . . . my dad's whole side of the family is from Minersville. I even lived there for a couple of years as a little kid. Small small world!
How cool is that?? I love when that happens.
So which brother is she related to?
funny how we have cousins everywhere..and we thought it was just the patton/pitchforths!
That is so great!!!
-Amy
(Crafting by Candlelight)
It must be his brother Gene. His daughter Florence Wood lived in Minersville.
My favorite Pitchforth story is from our trip to England several years ago. Mom and Julie still had the last name and we were registering at a B&B in Yorkshire (where our Pitchforths are from). The guy looked at their names and said, "Pitchforth, that's quite a common name isn't it?"
That is definately not something I had ever heard when it was my name!!
Cousin Anita
No wonder you love Maine~
lol, you inspire me to want to know my family history better. i wouldn't know where to start.
I was just googleing my my 3rd ggm ANN HUGLINGS PITCHYFORTH's name and came upon this sight so i just had to post. My Grandma was the granddaughter of Samuel Pitchforth that helped settle Nephi, UT. Back then it was called Salt Creek. My grandma tolod me stories about how Ann and Samuel joined the LDS church and their coming to the US and their trek across the plains to Utah. . She also told a story about the orgin of the name so if you would like email me and I will send you the stories.
Hi
Mind if a Pitchforth from the other side of the Pond comments?
Anit may remember I called her a few years back and corresponded with Marcus Smith who sent me Samuel's diary.
I've got quite a lot on the Family before they moved to the US. I wrote it up into a book about five years ago.
I've still been collecting material.
Wayne said:My grandma told me stories about how Ann and Samuel joined the LDS church and their coming to the US and their trek across the plains to Utah. . She also told a story about the orgin of the name
I'd be rally thrilled to hear them
Keith in UK
I'm a Pitchforth living in Utah., USA. I was named after my Grandpa and Dad and after Ann's son Samuel. I met Grandpa's brother many times LL Pitchforth when I was young. Several times I talked to him in about 1975, in a downtown Salt Lake City parking lot by where I worked. I remember the derby hats the brothers wore and Grandpa's brother reminded me of Grandpa. My Grandpa had passed in 1966.
I also met many of my Dad's cousins.
I'm a Pitchforth living in Utah., USA. I was named after my Grandpa and Dad and after Ann's son Samuel. I met Grandpa's brother many times LL Pitchforth when I was young. Several times I talked to him in about 1975, in a downtown Salt Lake City parking lot by where I worked. I remember the derby hats the brothers wore and Grandpa's brother reminded me of Grandpa. My Grandpa had passed in 1966.
I also met many of my Dad's cousins.
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