I guess nothing should ever surprise me any more because I've seen and heard a lot in my half century here in earth, but occasionally something surprising and/or interesting happens and I am, as the British say, "gobsmacked."
I love that word, GOBSMACKED. It describes things so visually.
I got an email yesterday from my cousin Jan, who is the geneaology guru for the Hasty side of the family. Now she is retired and she has even more time to dig up interesting facts about the Hasty family.
Seems we are all related to a young San Francisco baseball player named Buster Posey. Buster is from Leesburg, Georgia.
I pulled out my Hasty family notes and figured it out. Here is the connection:
William Ervin Hasty and William Dozier Hasty were brothers. [Great Great grandaddy John sure loved the name William!!]
William Ervin Hasty's daughter Emma married Elbert Tippens. They had a son named Jack Tippens. Jack had a son named Walter Tippens. Walter's grandson is Buster Posey.
William Dozier Hasty married Virginia McMillan and they had a number of children, one being my grandfather Robert Hasty, who played for the Philadelphia Athletics under Connie Mack, 1919-1924.
So to recap: Buster's great great great grandfather and my great grandfather were brothers. That makes us 3rd cousins, or something like that. [I can never keep that straight when it goes past second cousins.]
Buster's siblings are all baseball folks too. This is from Jan's email: "Buster's brother, Jack, would have played baseball except he had to have surgery that ended his career. Their sister, Sam is a student at Valdosta State and has a scholarship as a 3 rd base softball player. Jess Posey is a freshman at UGA and plays 3rd base/pitcher."
My third cousin Warren's son played baseball in college. My uncle Bob Hasty Jr. played minor league baseball. My first cousins [once removed] Michael Hasty and Brent B played baseball in college. Brent's two little boys are good enough to be on travel teams in the little leagues.
I'm sure there are other college players in the family. I just can't keep up with all the descendants - there are well over 100 of them.
I sent Brent's wife a message and told her about the Buster Posey connection and she replied with this interesting note: "One of the grandfathers to a boy on my son's team works with Buster Posey's Mother. He sent the boy an autographed ball recently for his birthday. He's Very nice young man! Great to know there's a connection. Thanks!!"
We are a BASEBALL FAMILY!
Robert Keller Hasty
Gerald "Buster" Posey III
Now for the history: below are the brothers who started the baseball dynasty.
This is William Ervin Hasty and his family:
Above is William Dozier Hasty, my great grandfather - see the resemblance between the two brothers?? Here are their parents:
John T. [1818-1907] m. Sarah Mahalie Nelson [1820-1902] *She was reportedly part Cherokee
Their Children:
William Pinkney Hasty* [1839-1889] m. Sarah Margaret Holden [1836-1917]
Perry Hasty [1847-1916] m. Saphronia Keeter
John Terrell Hasty [1849] m. Amanda Jane Watkins /Harriet Thaxton
Joe Zechariah Hasty [1851-53]
William Ervin Hasty [1852-1926] m. Amanda Ledbetter [BUSTER'S GREAT GREAT GRANDPARENTS]
James Hiram Hasty [1855-75]
Roxie Ann Hasty [1857-1944] m. William Mashburn [JAN'S GREAT GREAT GRANDMOTHER]
William Dozier [1860-1940] m. Virginia McMillan [1862-1929] [MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS]
*William Pinckney was a son of Sarah’s already born when they married; his name was changed to Hasty
