Aug

5

Family Resemblance.

Posted by Christopher Waldrop

August 5, 2008 |

rockwell.jpg

Over the years several people have mentioned that the name “Waldrop” is fairly unusual, and they’ve asked about its derivation. As far as I know it’s Scottish, but that’s as much of an answer as I can give, since I’ve never done any formal research. And because it’s an unusual last name I’ve probably had it misspelled every possible way, from Waldrip to Waltrop to Waldorp to Waldorf, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked if I’m “related to that racecar driver”. In fact it was the first thing my best friend when I was five years old asked me when I told him my name. I know there’s a science fiction writer named Harold Waldrop, and a poet named Rosmarie Waldrop (I was once asked if I were related to her), and I have a copy of a book called McCormick of Chicago by a distant cousin named Frank C. Waldrop, which I’ve never read.

Now I can add another to the list: a man named Robert Waldrop. As far as I know he’s no relation, since he lived in New Mexico, and, in 1953, at the age of 16, was picked to be in a Norman Rockwell painting, “Breaking Home Ties”. As reported in the August 2008 issue of Art & Antiques, the painting appeared on the Saturday Evening Post in September 1954. In 1960 a collector named Don Trachte purchased the painting. When he and his wife divorced things became complicated, but the four Trachte children were granted ownership of the painting and seven others, although “Breaking Home Ties” was the most valuable. Its authenticity was questioned in 2003, but whether the copy that had been passed around to museums was real or a fake was never confirmed until the Trachte children discovered a false wall in their father’s house. Apparently Mr. Trachte made a copy of this painting and seven others and hid the originals. It’s an interesting story, and it’s interesting to be tied to it–if in name only. Although, do you think there’s any family resemblance?

me2.jpg


Comments

1 Comment so far

  1. Peptodismal on August 7, 2008 6:12 am

    Yes, you look like the Dal on the right.

Name (required)

Email (required)

Website

Speak your mind

<< Post Navigation >>

« « Airport Insecurity. | All I Have To Do Is Dream. » »