# Did/do your grandparents know each other? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 22, 2017, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926 "2017-09-22T00:37:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/21 "2017-09-22T11:59:17Z")
Since they’re farms were a quarter mile apart … I have a pic of **FtGKid1** with his mother, grandmother, and those great-grandmothers. So, yeah, they knew each other. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/22 "2017-09-22T12:57:40Z")
My paternal grandfather died when my father was just a boy, but his mother knew my Mom’s parents quite well. Heck, they lived only a few blocks from each other, and attended the same church. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/23 "2017-09-22T13:12:24Z")
Both lived in the same general area of Chicago. They didn’t socialize with one another outside of joint family events but both sets were around for birthday parties, Christmas, First Communions and stuff like that. But nothing in common besides the family connection and I don’t think their personalities meshed in a “Let’s hang out” sort of way. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/24 "2017-09-22T13:12:51Z")
I have vague recollections of all of my grandparents being together at least one time, but they didn’t socialize with each other. I’m guessing they gathered for the various baptisms of my sibs, but mostly I don’t remember. Dad’s parents were born in Poland and they were about 30 years older than Mom’s folks. Mom’s parents were 1st generation American, but they did speak Polish and attended the same Polish church as Dad’s folks. They may have seen each other there. Still, they really didn’t have a lot in common. My paternal grandparents seemed to want to be left alone most of the time. They were barely interested in us or our cousins. Maternal grandparents, on the other hand, were indulgent and fun, and because they were younger, we knew them better. ---
**Author:** ![Brodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cc9497/32.png) [@Brodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brodi)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/25 "2017-09-22T13:44:07Z")
No contact between the sides. My mom’s parents lived in California and my dad’s in Indiana. My parents got married while stationed in Germany in the 70s without telling anyone. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/26 "2017-09-22T13:49:25Z")
They were all alive when my parents married so I assume they were all there. All except my father’s mother died when before I was born or when I was very young, and I don’t remember my surviving grandmother ever mentioning my mother’s parents. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/27 "2017-09-22T14:05:10Z")
Only three of the four; my father’s mother died when he was two. My father’s father died when _I_ was two so I have no memories of him. From what I heard, my mother’s parents didn’t approve of him; as a widower he apparently became quite the tomcat. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/28 "2017-09-22T14:52:29Z")
Not for too long. They all raised their kids in the same town but were quite culturally different so they did not cross paths. They wouldn’t have met until my parents married, and mom’s parents died within 5 years of that. I think we have a short film clip of my two grandmas in the same room, at my brother’s 1st birthday. And one photo of my brother with both grandpas, which is a real treasure. Heck, my dad’s parents knew my mom’s parents longer than I did. Sad. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/29 "2017-09-22T14:54:44Z")
I have a picture of all 4 of my grand parents, it was taken around Christmas of 1965. Both of my grand fathers were dead before the next Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/30 "2017-09-22T15:06:21Z")
My folks grew up in a small MN town (dad) and a tiny MN town (mom) about 40 miles apart, but didn’t meet until both were in the Twin Cities. I don’t have any memories of the four of them in the same place, although I’m certain it happened (beyond my parents’ wedding). Paternal grandmother was badly crippled by arthritis (although outlived all of the other three), so that probably contributed to that (and she moved to Seattle after grandpa died to be closer to live with one daughter, so that ended any possible interaction). ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/31 "2017-09-22T15:19:07Z")
They met, and I think socialized a bit when my parents were first married; I’m pretty sure I have photos somewhere of my mom’s parents at a barbecue being hosted by my dad’s parents. They didn’t live very far from each other (around 30 miles according to Google Maps) but they moved in very different social circles so there really wasn’t much reason to. Dad’s folks did come visit Ma’s folks on one occasion; I think my parents had renewed their vows or something and a small party was held at my maternal grandparents’ house. I remember thinking it was unusual to see the one set of grandparents where the other set of grandparents lived. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/32 "2017-09-22T16:11:22Z")
They knew each other and lived in the same town (which explains how my parents met). But my mother’s parents were very respectable and church-going and conventional, while my father’s mother (his father had been dead since he was a child) was uneducated and worked as a LPN at a nursing home; she was always very kind to me but I think she didn’t know how to behave in that more rigorous kind of polite society. Nothing about this was ever discussed but I think my father was somewhat ashamed of her, and also she had a tendency to keep herself to herself. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/33 "2017-09-22T16:13:15Z")
Not only did they not know each other, but we’ve never been able to track my father’s relatives down. He told us he was an only child and his parents died young, but no trace of his family even exists based on what he told us able them. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/34 "2017-09-22T17:59:43Z")
Mine certainly knew each other, although they didn’t socialize, except my two grandfathers would often play pinochle on a Sunday afternoon (and I would kibbutz). They all died between when I was 17 and 25. They lived maybe 3/4 of mile apart in West Philly. My father and both grandfathers worked in the same place. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/35 "2017-09-22T18:02:41Z")
I don’t think there were any meetings involving my grandfathers; they both died early and were on opposite sides of the Atlantic. I do remember my grandmothers meeting; Granny from England came over and joined us on a family trip involving the train to Sault St Marie, the Agawa Canyon, and the Tobermory ferry. She and my other grandmother apparently didn’t get along because each was used to being the boss. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/36 "2017-09-22T18:50:06Z")
My grandfathers didn’t live to meet each other. My grandmothers were born in the same town but were of different religions hence different schools, churches etc. They grew up two streets away from each other and knew each other by sight. After marriage they both moved from their birth town to the town where my parents met so it was a bit of a surprise when they were introduced after my parent’s engagement 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/37 "2017-09-22T20:16:10Z")
My Grandfather would pick-up my spouses grandfather to ride into work at the factory. Their wives would stroll together into town where they worked as co-librarians. So, yeah, they knew each other. Living in a small town, my immediate grandparents definitely knew each other. As a child I would get confused because I would see Uncle Carl from my dad’s side over at my mom’s parents house often. “Yes, he’s your Uncle, no he’s not your Uncle because of them.” To a kid, WTF? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/38 "2017-09-22T21:07:34Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > My mother’s father died before my mother and father met, but the other three grandparents met? This. But without the question mark. > [@Olentzero](#): > > They met, and I think socialized a bit when my parents were first married; > … > They didn’t live very far from each other (around 30 miles according to Google Maps) but they moved in very different social circles so there really wasn’t much reason to. … This too. My Mom’s surviving mother was also much older than my Dad’s parents. Not long after my parents got married, my Dad’s parents moved across the country and I believe that was the last time the respective grandparents communicated. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/39 "2017-09-22T22:29:37Z")
Yeah. ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926/40 "2017-09-22T22:47:21Z")
Sure. They all lived in the same smallish town as my parents and us kids. We all met for each grandparent’s birthday, that of my parents, and mine and my brother’s. So at least 8 family gatherings every year from 1984 (my younger brother’s birth) to 1999 (first grandparent’s death). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-do-your-grandparents-know-each-other/796926.md?page=3)