Fatherhood
- mrymntcpw
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
June 15, 2025
Let’s begin with KJV: Matthew I, verses 1&2 and 17:
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren…etc…So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
Wow! That’s a lot of “begatting” and a lot of fathers, but when did the “begatting” begin? Some would say the moment God created Adam, others would posit that we all crawled out of a primordial soup. Fact is, we don’t know, but what I do know is my ancestry four generations back.
Pictured above L to R: Alexander Woliver (b. October 5, 1877), Isaac Lewis Baker (b. June 26, 1877), William Patrick Justice (b. May 2, 1858), and William Hayes with wife, Mary (b. May 29, 1871)
Earnest William Woliver (b. April 8, 1903), Ulis Adrian Justice (b. March 26, 1891)
Dad (b. May 21, 1927)
On this Father's Day, I take a look at five generations of Wolivers. The photographs above include the earliest image I could find of this lineage. What do I know about my four great grandfathers? Unfortunately, almost nothing, however, what have they left me? Plenty-their genes!
In his 2019 book, The Body, Bill Bryson posits, “For you to be here now, every one of your ancestors had to successfully pass on its genetic material to a new generation before being snuffed out or otherwise sidetracked from the procreative process. All of the components of the genome have one single-minded purpose—to keep the line of your existence going.” Result: immortality.
Today, I have gratitude for: Alexander Woliver (b. October 5, 1877), Isaac Lewis Baker (b. June 26, 1877), William Patrick Justice (b. May 2, 1858), William Hayes (b. May 29, 1871), Earnest William Woliver (b. April 8, 1903), Ulis Adrian Justice (b. March 26, 1891), and "Dad"-Charles L. Woliver (b. May 21, 1927). Great gene pool! And I am proud to have shared my genes with Simon Robinson Woliver and Caroline Elizabeth Robinson Woliver. Simon has in turn gifted Joy, Eva, and Asa Woliver.
Below is a photo tribute to a few of these fathers..
Earnest's four sons (L-R: Hubert, Charles, Hoyt, and Earnest Lewis)
Charles L. Woliver (Dad)
Charles Patrick Woliver (Proud father of Simon and Caroline)
When I consider my own legacy, I want my descendants (four generations from now and beyond) to have some idea of who I am, the principles on which I stand, and what I find of interest and perhaps significant. Hopefully, my blog posts will provide them some clues. But will this digital format still be available? Time will tell.
Good lookin' genes, even if I do say so myself. Happy Father's Day!
Immortality
Some—Plan for Immortality—
Some—Wager on Time—
Some—Reflect on Lineage—
I—Ponder the Sublime.
CPW after Dickinson