What’s in a name?

Today I pulled out some old items my dad gave me, carefully organized and mounted them in box two lovely black box frames. The frames fit the décor of my downtown loft. The contents of these frames do not necessarily fit into the ambiance of my home. I sit here looking at the collection of five pocket watches all of which are at least 50 years old, I’m sure some are much older. There another box frame that hosts a beautiful hand punched belt and hat band, both complete with silver and turquoise buckles. All of these articles came from my grandfather. My father gave them to me over the years and I have finally taken the time to honor them….to honor my history…to honor my name.

James Costello Turpen (the first) was my grandfather. He had left this world long before I was even a thought. While I do not know a tremendous amount about my grandfather, I know he was an artistic man. He loved Indian tradition and art. My grandfather created sand paintings, silver inlaid Indian jewelry, silverware and many other Indian art forms. I have even heard stories that my Caucasian grandfather would have Indians he knew enter his art work in contests as he was not qualified. He frequently won! My uncle Jim (James Costello Turpen, Jr.) came across one of my grandfather’s blue ribbon winning sets of inlaid silverware several years ago and bought the set to keep in our family.

Pocket watches, a belt, a hat band and a horseshoe shaped diamond ring – these are the artifacts I have that give me little pieces and little insights into my grandfather, the man for whom I am named. My grandfather came into his name through a local Irish shopkeeper. While pregnant with my grandfather, my great grandmother and great grandfather were on tough times. The local shop keeper – James Costello – was nice enough to give my great grandparents, who were new to town and had not credit record, credit in his store so they could make it through the winter without too much suffering. In addition to paying back what they borrowed, my great grandparents named my grandfather James Costello Turpen as a gesture of thanks.
Pieces of history, pieces of my grandfather, pieces my father cherished and saves so they could become pieces of me.