Family Memories ~ A Christmas Visit

My maternal grandparents, Debs Warren Webster and Willis (Quillin) Webster, were from Brazil. In the summer of 1952 their family immigrated to the United States of America. My mom was fourteen years old at the time they immigrated to the USA. They settled in Southern California. To learn more about their immigration story, click the The Debs Webster Family Immigration Story tab at the top of this blog.

When I was growing up, my maternal grandparents lived in Hacienda Heights, California. My family traveled to visit them quite a bit while I was growing up, and my grandparents would travel to visit us. It was fun and interesting when we'd get together. I remember hearing Portuguese spoken all around me. Unfortunately, I was never taught the language.

Since it's almost Christmas, I figured it was the perfect time to share some photos from when our family traveled to spend Christmas with my grandparents at their home in Hacienda Heights in 1969. 

This is a photo of my Grandpa Debs and Grandma Willis Webster at their house in Hacienda Heights, California. Technically, my Grandma Willis was my step-grandma. My mom's mother died when my mom was almost four years old and my Grandpa Debs married Willis when my mom was five years old. Willis was the only maternal grandma I knew. So to me she was just Grandma. And she was a wonderful grandmother!

Here's a photo of my parents, brothers, and myself with my grandparents.

  

After all the festivities it was time for our family to head back home. But before we left, Grandpa Debs took a couple more photos.

The first one is of my grandparents with my brothers and myself. I love what Grandpa Debs wrote on the top margin of this photo: "They Came For Christmas." I like to think that this little statement meant that our Christmas visit meant a lot to him.

Here's a photo of my parents, brothers, and myself posing in front of our little 1964 green Volkswagen Beetle. Again, my Grandpa Debs wrote a little something on the top margin of the photo. This time it was, "Bye Bye."

I miss my grandparents. They were so kind and loving. I also miss my parents, who were also kind and loving.

At this joyous time of year when we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, I'd like to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jana

© 2025 Copyright by Jana Iverson Last, All Rights Reserved

My Revolutionary War Patriot Ancestor ~ Dr. Luther L. Waterman

Today is Independence Day here in America. Happy Independence Day!

I always thought I didn't have any family connections to the founding of America since my Dad's side of the family are from Norway and Sweden. And all I knew about my Mom's side of the family is that they were from Brazil. But, after the death of my maternal grandfather, Debs Warren Webster, I saw a photo of my 2nd great-grandfather, Ebenezer Perry Carlisle Webster. I learned that Ebenezer had served in the American Civil War. That was news to me! I hadn't ever seen his photo or heard his name before.

Not only did I have a Civil War ancestor, I learned that I had a Revolutionary War ancestor named Dr. Luther L. Waterman. He was my maternal 4th great-grandfather.

Luther served as a surgeon in the Revolutionary War. I'm grateful for his service.

I've written about Luther before on my blog. I'd like to share my previous posts about this patriot ancestor on this Independence Day. For those of you who haven't read about Luther before, I hope you enjoy getting to know him better. I was thrilled to see his signature on a document from 1776. I shared that document in the second post on this list.

1. Military Monday ~ Revolutionary War Surgeon: Luther Waterman
2. My 4th Great-Grandfather's Signature on a Revolutionary War Document ~ Dated August 23, 1776
3. 52 Ancestors: #37 ~ Phebe Barker – Wife of a Revolutionary War Surgeon

Happy Independence Day!

Jana

© 2017 Copyright by Jana Iverson Last, All Rights Reserved

Happy New Year! ~ 2014

Wishing all of my wonderful readers a very Happy New Year!

Jana

© 2012 - 2014 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved

Thanksgiving in San Diego ~ 1952

This is part of a series of posts dedicated to the immigration story of Debs Webster and his family.


This is the last photo in my Grandpa Debs Webster’s 1952 photo album, which holds the photos documenting their immigration from Brazil to the United States.  I suppose you could call this photo album a "photo travelogue" of their immigration story.  Ya, it’s pretty cool that Grandpa put this together!

Thankfully, my Grandpa Debs wrote something around the edges of this photo to tell us a bit about it.  At the top he wrote, "Thanksgiving 1952."  And at the bottom he wrote, "San Diego  Casa do Jay" which means Jay’s House in Portuguese.  Jay was related to Grandma Willis by marriage.  He was an in-law to one of Willis' sisters.

Grandpa Debs and his family arrived in the United States on July 7, 1952.  So, this would be their very first Thanksgiving in America.

I can't say for sure if this was my Grandpa Debs' first Thanksgiving in America though, as he was the son of my "Traveling Dentist" Great-Grandpa Frederick Webster.  For all I know, Frederick and his family happened to be in America during Thanksgiving at some time.

Thanksgiving in San Diego, California - 1952

Click to Enlarge

I don't know the names of everyone in this photo, so I’ll just tell you who the people are that I do know.  Grandpa Debs is standing.  In front of him is my uncle.  Then, left to right is Grandma Willis, Helena Rohwedder Quillen, my uncle, and my mom shielding her eyes from the sun.

I’m sure my Grandpa and his family had a lot to be thankful for on that Thanksgiving Day in 1952, as our family does 60 years later in 2012.

Little Pilgrim

ClipartPal.com

And now I’d like to wish all of you, my wonderful readers, a very Happy Thanksgiving filled with fun, family, and delicious food!

Thanks for reading!

Jana


Copyright © Jana Last 2012