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Tangopappa.com	Wanderlust Elizabeth’s Story An Introduction	N5VHR.com
Contents Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Helen's Benediction Wynn Haynie PHOTOS Stories and Tales (Mostly True)	It is very probable that Elizabeth’s Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather Joseph’s older twin brothers, Nathaniel and Theophilus Parsons,born in 1821, in Massachusetts, had a wanderlust for the sea. They were early Santa Catalina squatters who arrived aboard the “Ruby” on her maiden voyage in 1889, with their sister, Esther Parsons Wheeler, her son, Alonzo Wheeler, who was Captain of the ship, and his wife, Sophia. The Parsons brothers lived in a small stone house at the westernmost beach on the west end of the island where they raised vegetables and grazed cattle and sheep. Their house, a little 7 by 9 foot structure made of stones, still stands as a monument to them today. Captain Nathaniel Parsons owned a small seven ton schooner, the “Esther,” and hauled cargo and passengers on short trips around the island and to the mainland. He also made his living by often shooting otters as they came up on the slippery rocks at night to feed on the abalones. His brother, Theophilus, had been crippled when his left leg had become entangled in the rigging of the Ruby during a squall off the southern coast of the Horn of Africa, leaving him with a gnarled leg and an even more gnarled walking stick. After tending his vegetables and livestock, he often hobbled along the rocky shores and dreamed of his days at sea. Both Nathaniel and Theophilus had amazingly bright, twinkling eyes with the hint of a squint, caused by the persistent brilliant glare of the sun off the ocean waves: Nathaniel’s blue and Theophilus’s brown; that would be passed on to succeeding generations of Parsons men, who would charm and captivate the generations of children and grandchildren that would follow. After Nathaniel had refused to leave the island until a few months before his death, he moved to the mainland to live with his sister, Esther. Captain Nathaniel died on August 22", 1889. He will always be remembered affectionately as one of the “Old Uncles” of Santa Catalina. He was the first person who was buried at what is now known as Avalon Cemetery after a small group of his old friends trekked many miles around the rocky windswept island, looking for a suitable place to bring the “Old Uncle” home. Theophilus, the island’s other “Old Uncle” mourned him greatly and died only a short time later on January 12", 1890, where he is buried beside his brother at Avalon, Catalina Island, California. So yes, Elizabeth, there is a Santa. Not Claus, but Catalina, where you can gaze out at the ocean, wiggle your toes in the sand, contemplate your past, and dream of your future as you watch “Old Uncles” schooner floating by in the clouds. Relax and enjoy your trip through the sands of time!
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Wanderlust

Elizabeth’s Story

An Introduction

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Helen's Benediction

Wynn Haynie

PHOTOS

Stories and Tales
(Mostly True)

It is very probable that Elizabeth’s Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather Joseph’s older
twin brothers, Nathaniel and Theophilus Parsons,born in 1821, in Massachusetts, had a
wanderlust for the sea. They were early Santa Catalina squatters who arrived aboard the
“Ruby” on her maiden voyage in 1889, with their sister, Esther Parsons Wheeler, her son,
Alonzo Wheeler, who was Captain of the ship, and his wife, Sophia.

The Parsons brothers lived in a small stone house at the westernmost beach on the west
end of the island where they raised vegetables and grazed cattle and sheep. Their house, a
little 7 by 9 foot structure made of stones, still stands as a monument to them today.
Captain Nathaniel Parsons owned a small seven ton schooner, the “Esther,” and hauled
cargo and passengers on short trips around the island and to the mainland. He also made his
living by often shooting otters as they came up on the slippery rocks at night to feed on the
abalones.

His brother, Theophilus, had been crippled when his left leg had become entangled in the
rigging of the Ruby during a squall off the southern coast of the Horn of Africa, leaving
him with a gnarled leg and an even more gnarled walking stick. After tending his
vegetables and livestock, he often hobbled along the rocky shores and dreamed of his days
at sea.

Both Nathaniel and Theophilus had amazingly bright, twinkling eyes with the hint of
a squint, caused by the persistent brilliant glare of the sun off the ocean waves: Nathaniel’s
blue and Theophilus’s brown; that would be passed on to succeeding generations of Parsons
men, who would charm and captivate the generations of children and grandchildren that
would follow.

After Nathaniel had refused to leave the island until a few months before his death, he
moved to the mainland to live with his sister, Esther. Captain Nathaniel died on August 22",
1889. He will always be remembered affectionately as one of the “Old Uncles” of
Santa Catalina. He was the first person who was buried at what is now known as Avalon
Cemetery after a small group of his old friends trekked many miles around the rocky
windswept island, looking for a suitable place to bring the “Old Uncle” home.

Theophilus, the island’s other “Old Uncle” mourned him greatly and died only a short time
later on January 12", 1890, where he is buried beside his brother at Avalon, Catalina Island,
California.

So yes, Elizabeth, there is a Santa. Not Claus, but Catalina, where you can gaze out at the
ocean, wiggle your toes in the sand, contemplate your past, and dream of your
future as you watch “Old Uncles” schooner floating by in the clouds.
Relax and enjoy your trip through the sands
of time!

HOME