Born to Helen and Mahlon (Mal) Dunn in Glen Cove, Long Island, New York, Jessan was the second of three daughters.  Until Summer, 1955, they all lived in a newly-built Cape Cod house in Locust Valley, New York (North Shore), next town over from Glen Cove, near Oyster Bay.

Named for two great aunts – Great Aunt Jessie, who was, also, Jessan’s Godmother; and, Jessie’s sister-in-law, Annette ~ Jessie + Annette = Jessan.  

Jessie never married and lived to be 98.  Annette married Jessie’s brother, Jessan’s Great Uncle Winnie (Winston Linwood Smith); but, died quite young. They had no children. Uncle Winnie never re-married and, after his death and his belongs were cleaned up, Jessan’s mother found Annette’s wedding band tucked away.  It’s one of three wedding bands Jessan wears since the day her mother gave it to her.  The second wedding band Jessan wears is the one her father gave her after her mother died in July, 1980.  The third wedding band Jessan wears is the one exchanged at sunset, on White Street Pier, Key West, Florida on December 30, 2003, by her husband, Al.

Jessan’s remembrances of Locust Valley are a pastiche of climbing well-tended but, eventually, abandoned apple trees in the orchard behind that house. Exploring the slowly crumbling barn that was part of that apple orchard. Watermelon seed fights with her half sister, Barbara, who used to visit every summer from New York City. Sledding down Cooperstown Road (riding on her father’s back like a small, ecstatic charioteer), squealing with laughter. Riding a darby horse in the backyard; and, learning the pleasure and productiveness of weeding the garden with her mother at a very young age.  Going to Jones Beach for family outings; and, learning how not to slip through the opening in a huge inner tube with a bump on it, just right for resting her head and floating lazily as the tide pulled her ’round.

After the unplanned birth of Jessan’s youngest sister, Genevieve, (named after her maternal grandmother) in March, 1955, Mahlon, Helen, Tacy (Jessan’s older sister, named after a distant cousin on their father’s side), Jessan and Genevieve moved from Long Island to Rhode Island in the Summer of ’55, leaving their beloved first home.

Why Rhode Island?  Helen’s mother and father, Genevieve and Clifford Smith lived in Buttonwoods, Warwick, Rhode Island; and, they were getting older.  Helen was born in East Orange, New Jersey.  As a child, her family had moved from Jersey to Rhode Island, living on Orchard Avenue, in Providence, Rhode Island; but, summering in Buttonwoods.  Eventually, they winterized their “summer house”, moving to Beach Park Avenue full time.  Helen’s sister, Eve, and her family lived just outside Chicago and were too far away to keep closer contact with her parents.

For a time after the move from Long Island to Rhode Island, the Dunn family lived with the Smiths – three generations living in that 1920s house, three houses up from Narragansett Bay.

…more to follow in Part 2 – Jessan’s Longer Story…