DINSMORE folk narrative

DINSMORE

Sean is John in English. Sean’s great-great-great-grandfather was John Reilly and his great-grandfather’s name was John Joaquin Santos. In the Irish family tree, John is a common name.

Sean was adopted by his aunt Sinead when he was a baby. His cousin Sean Ritter was also adopted at birth by his aunt Kathleen, or Toddy. Sean Ritter has three daughters Tiffany, Brittany and Taryn. The family adored playing with Tiff and carrying her everywhere. 

Sean’s grandfather’s name is James John Santos and his uncle is James John Santos, his dad’s name is John James Santos.

My last name is Dinsmore, which means large fort. But this is a story of name changes a generation ago. I’m also a Robinson of the Clan Gunn of Scotland, from the Highlands of Scotland. My great-grandfather Jarold Robinson made some changes. He had troubles in Alaska, or in the Orient, and on his way back to San Francisco, he became David J. Dinsmore. 

During WWII, the Federal Government insisted that he legally get his name changed, to David J. Dinsmore. He had a wife and child. Our great-great-grandfather was an actor with a new name. John Stark Robinson became John Stark, the actor. Vaudeville would become a way of life. His younger son, John Stark, was a pilot during WWII.

I began life as Sean Joseph Cobb. When I was adopted, I became Sean Joseph Dinsmore. The plan is when I reach 13, my new name will be Sean Joseph Santos—after my biological father. Santos is Portuguese and it means "saint" in English. So All Saint’s Day has special meaning to my family.

My mom’s grandfather lived in Nicasio, in my house now. Great-grandpa David J. Dinsmore was a adventurer. He traveled by trains, hobo style from Missouri to California. He was out plowing the fields and heard the train, he left the mules tied. During his many trips he boarded ship to the Orient and traveled to Alaska. 

During the stock crash of 1929 he went from being a rich man to buying his bride a dime store wedding band. Grandpa William was born during the Great Depression of the 30s. The house in Haight Ashbury in San Francisco caught fire, Great-grandma threw her son from the window and jumped out herself. The doctor told Great-grandpa to take his wife and child away from the city for awhile. Nicasio was where they settled, Great-grandpa was part of the WWII efforts in West Marin/Nicasio war preparation. 

Grandpa William went to school at the Old Red School House in Nicasio, he was the last graduate of 1948. Great-grandpa was a barber in Novato until he retired. He was always dressed in suits and snazzy clothes of the time. 

Great-great grandma Gogee lost her sight and had to live in care facilities until she died. Great-grandpa had troubles with his sight and he became blind. Whenever he walked to the mail-box he’d walk across the baseball field. If a game was in play the guys would stop while he walked through. Peter Edwards would be were he’d stop to have his mail read....

(Another victim of ASCI mind domination. Since they end mid-word, there's no way I didn't finish them. These are all part of a family memoir with a fictitious Sean telling the story. I was collecting folklore and also taking playwriting classes, so I suspect I was working on a larger monologue piece. I'm fairly certain I never printed any of these up so they may be lost forever. Unless they're intact on a CD somewhere.Still they serve as memoir. —MH 11/2015)