My Uncle Willard Espy, son of Harry and grandson of Robert Hamilton was the genealogist of our branch of the family.  He spent more than sixty-five of his eighty-nine years tracing lineages and writing up his ‘discoveries’ for the edification of Espy family members, their spouses, and progeny.  It was his fondest wish that the Espy name be perpetuated through the R.H. line and he was hopeful for many years that he would be instrumental in that endeavor.

Willard’s first child, Ian,  was a boy, seemingly an assurance that in our line the Espy name would continue for at least another generation.  The child’s legal last name, however, became Anderson shortly after his  birth and he was estranged from Willard and the rest of the family from an early age.  Most of us have never even met him.  In one of those double whammies that fate often delivers, Willard was blessed with a second son (his sixth child) but, sadly, Jefferson died early and without issue.

In 1989, now a full generation ago, Willard wrote:

            Seventy of Robert’s and Julia’s 91 descendants are living; 21 are dead.  The latter group includes the couple’s eight children, 11 of their 18 grandchildren, and two of their 22 great-grandchildren.  There have been no deaths among the 33 great-great-grandchildren or the nine great-great-great-grandchildren.
            There is a shortage of male Espys to carry on the name.  Of the seven extant, three – R.H. Edwin(II.8); Willard Richardson (III.9), and John Carroll (III.17) – are in their 70s or 80s and cannot be relied on to sire additional progeny.  In the fourth generation, Ian at 54, and John Steven at 50, are still potential progenitors, but at this point I wouldn’t give odds. John Steven says he has already paid his dues, having had one son.  As for Ian, he was reared under his stepfather’s name, Anderson.  It is unclear whether his child, Andrew will eventually be known as Espy or Anderson, or even Reed, which is the name of his mother.
            So, of all Robert Hamilton’s 70 living descendants, only John Steven’s son Christopher seems a better than even bet to extend the Espy name into future generations.  I wish him a long and fruitful marriage and an abundance of male children.

The statistics have changed a great deal in the last twenty-four years.  Most interestingly, as it has turned out, Willard’s son Ian has taken the Espy name.  Willard’s grandson Andrew uses the Espy name, as well, as do Andrew’s three daughters.   

And, in this morning’s email I received the very welcome news that there is another cause for rejoicing among the R. H. Espy descendants.  My second cousin John writes: “The Espy lineage is secure.  Benjamin Alexander Espy was born May 16, 2013 to Christopher Espy and Monika Espy.”

 I can hear Willard clapping and cheering from on high!