Marion Jeannette Beaton Grant: The First 80 Years
Part 1: Before Marion


by Colin Edmund Grant
January 9, 2006
Copyright © 2006 Colin Edmund Grant

Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4  Part 5  Part 6  Part 7  Part 8  Part 9  Part 10 

Introduction

My Mom turned 80 a few days ago. There is no one in the world who gets to be 80 without having a story to tell, so here we go.

Her name is Marion Jeannette Beaton Grant. I was tempted to refer to her as "Ma!!" throughout this piece because she often signs her name like that -- "Ma" followed by two exclamation points. She does so because that is how she was almost always addressed by her eight kids when she was raising them. That is, we seldom tried to get her attention with a quiet, restrained, "Oh, mother, dear?", because in the frenetic environment of our home, it would not have worked. We always cried out, "Ma!!", and so it sort of became her name, and eventually she started signing her name that way, at least when writing to one of us.

But I decided to refer to her by her Christian name throughout this document. After careful thought, it seems to me that this woman is not just some generic "Ma" or "Mother." To the extent that any of us has a life's work, one could say that her life's work was to raise eight children who came out as reasonably productive and decent people ("8 kids - no felonies committed," as her husband said in a college reunion questionnaire), which is no small accomplishment. Yet Marion is not just our "Ma!!" She is certainly that, and more. She exists independent of her kids, and lived before them, and (sniff) after one, so far, and she deserves at least the respect of her own identity. I hope that's OK with you, Ma.

So the main character is generally called Marion, and if I call her Ma or Ma!! now and again, well, old habits die hard. No disrespect is intended. And while this is her life, it's in my words, so there you are.

At a glance, Marion's story is fairly typical for her generation. She was born during the fat days of the Roaring 20s but can barely remember those boom times, and can recall much more vividly being hungry and poor during the Depression. She became a school teacher, married a former U.S. Navy Seaman (and MIT graduate) after WWII, had a slew of kids, sent most of them to college, and retired to Florida. She had a few adventures along the way. Let's start at the beginning.

Before Marion

Marion's father was Albert Eugene Beaton, born in Boston, MA, on June 2, 1898. He was from a middle-to-lower-middle-class family to whom education was held in the highest esteem. He lived almost his entire life in and around the Boston neighborhoods of Roslindale and Jamaica Plain. When he was 14, the family moved to Nova Scotia, thinking that they might find an easier life there, but after two years, having failed to improve their lot, they moved back to Roslindale. The only other time Albert lived away from Boston was during a stint in the Marines.

Albert was a bear of a man, vigorous, outgoing, intelligent, and well liked, and was valedictorian of his class at Boston's High School of Commerce. He never attended college, opting instead to join the Marines and go off to fight in World War I. By good fortune, the war ended the day he got off the boat in France. By bad fortune, he was billeted in France for several months in cold, damp, dirty, unhealthy surroundings, which brought on respiratory illnesses that eventually blossomed into tuberculosis, which recurred several times in his life.

Marion's mother was christened Annie MacEachen, born March 21, 1899, in Littleton, MA. As a young woman, Annie noticed with some irritation that she lacked a middle name. So, after her confirmation, she went by Annie Elizabeth MacEachen, using her confirmation name as a middle name.

Annie was from a middle-to-upper-middle-class family to whom education was held in the highest esteem. As a child, Annie's father's job took him to Boston, and the family moved to Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood. They were always trying to find a nicer house at lower rent, so they moved often. At one point, Annie's family rented an apartment in a two-family house from Albert Beaton's family, and Annie and Albert met. More important, Albert became best friends with Annie's brother, Hugh, so Annie and Albert continued to cross paths through the subsequent years.

Annie was valedictorian of her class at Jamaica Plain High School, and, after graduation, became a bookkeeper. She worked for Harvard Bank and Trust and a few other banks right up until she married. She never worked after that, except for one abortive two-week attempt when the family was struggling during the Depression.

Annie began dating Hugh's friend Albert in the early 20's, and it was obvious that they had quite a lot in common. Both were from staunchly Catholic Scottish families, both excelled in school, and both seemed to have a bright future. They got along well, it was held to be a good match, and after some time they decided to get married. However, the wedding did not take place until 1924. It might have occurred much sooner, but Albert spent most of 1922 and 1923 in a sanitarium because of his first bout with tuberculosis. He was home but still recuperating in 1924 and even into 1925.

Albert and Annie were married on May 12, 1924 at Sacred Heart Church in Roslindale, MA. This was to be their parish for their entire lives. Indeed, funeral Masses were conducted there for each in 1981 and 2003 respectively.

Their first year of marriage was a prolonged honeymoon. Albert was still unable to work due to the TB, but they survived on his disabled soldier's pension. Life was good.

Click Part 2 below to continue.

Part 1  Part 2  Part 3  Part 4  Part 5  Part 6  Part 7  Part 8  Part 9  Part 10