He ain't heavy - he's my Brother!
The year is 1917. America has entered The First World War. Two Crismon brothers in St. Louis put on their best duds and have a portrait made. What fine, handsome young men they were. Herman was 26 years of age, William was 23. Little did they know that within a few years Herman (on the left) will become very wealthy and William will return from France a highly decorated war hero. The two brothers did not meet again until 25 years had passed. They remained close for the remainder of their lives. Herman died January 8, 1959; William died October 1, 1980.
At the time of this photo neither knew where their younger brother Robert was. Robert had been placed in an orphanage at the age of four. Herman and Robert will never meet. William will meet Robert for the first time in 1978 at Fort Riley, Kansas where the U.S. Army hosted a Crismon Family Reunion commemorating William and Bessie's 50th wedding anniversary. After the reunion Robert wrote:
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"I will never forget the Crismon Family Reunion in Kansas. I am sure proud I found my family. It was on account your Dad looking so much like me that I found you. My ex-brother-in-law came to the house and told me there was a man run a tavern he had visited and he said the man looked enough like me to be my brother. So I went to see the man and sure enough, it was Noah Crismon. I told him about my Dad. I didn't know Dad's name but everyone called him Catt. Noah said he had an Uncle Catt who lived in Maynard, Arkansas and nobody called him anything but "Uncle Catt". And sure enough that was my Dad. That's how I found all of you wonderful people. My name was changed when Dad put me in the orphan home and he didn't tell them how to spell my last name. That is why all my life I have been Christman. I love all of you and am so glad I found you. Bye now with lots of love. Robert Christman" |
Robert Crismon died September 1, 1987.