# Did you know your great-grandparents? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 5, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-your-great-grandparents/745269 "2016-02-05T20:53:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-your-great-grandparents/745269/121 "2020-07-10T08:23:50Z")
Apparently, all eight of my maternal great-grandparents were still alive when my older brother was born almost four years before me. I remember three of my great-grandparents, all on my mother’s side. Both of my grandpa’s parents were alive but my great-grandmother was bedridden and I’m not sure if I ever actually talked to her. Come to think about it, I’m not sure if I ever said anything to my great-grandfather either. I remember him better, but he wasn’t very child friendly. He was born in a Mormon polygamous family as one of countless children. Both of them passed away before I would have been six or seven. My grandmother’s mother was much nicer and I have happy memories of getting candy from her candy jar. ---
**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:** [July 10, 2020, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-your-great-grandparents/745269/122 "2020-07-10T13:48:21Z")
My kids got to meet one great-grandmother. Their kids (if they have any) will never meet any great-grandparents on this side of the family. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2020, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-your-great-grandparents/745269/123 "2020-07-10T14:59:48Z")
I had only one great grand living when I was born. She died when I was 4 but I had never met her. However, my children had a “pair” of greats living until the youngest of our 3 was 23 when the first of them died. They were my wife’s maternal grandparents and they lived long enough to meet their first great great grand (our first grand) ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2020, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-your-great-grandparents/745269/124 "2020-07-11T09:11:10Z")
When I was born, my great-great grandmother was still alive. She died when I was 7 months old, and I didn’t travel to Ohio until I was 9 months old. Of the 4 great-grandparents who were still living when I was born, the last died when I was 18. She and my great grandfather were married for 71 years. And I just realized that my great-aunt’s record in Find a Grave isn’t linked to her parents, so it looks like my great-grandparents only had 2 children. She passed away in December. My first grandparent died when I was 25, the last when I was 49. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2020, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-your-great-grandparents/745269/125 "2020-07-12T13:25:54Z")
As I mentioned back in 2016 in this thread, I knew 2 great grandparents and 2 step great grandparents. I also knew my great great grandmother’s youngest brother. We visited him and his wife, and stayed overnight many times, in their house with no electricity, no plumbing except a hand pump in the kitchen, and kerosene lanterns for light. It was a trip I always looked forward to, an adventure. Uncle George died when I was about 12. He was the son of a Civil War vet (my 3xg grandfather). ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2020, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-your-great-grandparents/745269/126 "2020-07-12T17:05:39Z")
I could have sworn I posted in this thread the first time around. Looks like I didn’t so here goes. There’s pictures of me with my maternal grandfather’s dad and step-mom, but I was less than a year old so I don’t remember it. My maternal grandmother’s dad died when my mom was little but her mom lived until I was eleven. I never met her that I know of and just recently found that out. I assumed she had died ages ago. Gran’s family was interesting to say the least. My paternal grandfather’s parents both died when my dad was little. Grandpa was a late in life baby for both his parents. Dad’s mom’s dad died before I was born but his mom’s mom is the only great-grandparent I remember. She lived in a different state and we went to visit her when I was eight or nine. All I remember is a very old woman sitting in a wheelchair staring out a window. Both of my grandmothers lived long enough to meet my nieces and both of the girls remember them quite well so I’m glad for that. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2020, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-your-great-grandparents/745269/127 "2020-07-12T21:12:45Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > I could have sworn I posted in this thread the first time around. Looks like I didn’t so here goes. There have been similar threads. You probably posted in one of those. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2020, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-your-great-grandparents/745269/128 "2020-07-12T21:48:23Z")
I have no knowledge of my maternal grandparents, and barely knew my paternal grandparents as both of them died before I was 7. Needless to say I have no idea at all of any great-grandparents. My forebears were not too durable, and my mother is the first ever to make it past 80. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2020, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-your-great-grandparents/745269/129 "2020-07-13T23:37:52Z")
Entirely possible! At least part of it’s an update then, since I just recently found out about when Mom’s Mom’s Mom died. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-your-great-grandparents/745269.md?page=6)