I had the pleasure to chat on the phone March 27, 1999 to Al Everingham of Tyler Texas, a 78 year old man who was retired from the Air Force. "Al" was such an interesting person, I thought I would share a small bit of our conversation;Al said he had always been interested in finding out about the "Everingham" family. He had bought several books that claimed to be a source of information for him, they we're pretty expensive too... but they were nothing more than directories of contact information, and information on how he could research. "I'm too old to search for this kind of information", Al said.
Al's family: (originally from the New Jersey area)
Al said; "My uncle Earl,..liked to drink.. & fight!, He said nobody messes with an Everingham!", Al continued.... "I can still remember him saying (you ain't an Everingham, if you can't drink a fifth of whiskey!)" --we both laughed."it should be noted that Al didn't say That Earl was a 'drunk', Al's daughter says that poor uncle Earl was not."
Al told me about his family and although the conversation lasted about 20 minutes, it was a very long distance call, and we had to keep it brief.
a legend stirs a little laughter from Al;
Al said "Back when I was in the Air Force, I was checking into a hotel at Gibralter, They asked me if I was related to some Everingham who was there.... I said no. So, they introduced me and we went out and discussed the family history."She was from Australia and really into tracking the Everingham family, and said she had traced her perticular line back to England in the year 809. She said that the Everingham family had (at that time) basically died out and that an Everingham woman went to work in the King's castle and had gotten pregnant by one of the noble's in the castle. This meaning her possible death "back in those days",.. she decided to move away to the east coast of England, to a place called; Market Weighton and raised her baby boy with her last name "Everingham" (presumably as a widow)......As the story goes,... this baby is where one part of the Everingham family got started.... where it would have otherwise ended.Al's voice got a little louder and he said: "I've allways said that we're all descendents of Royal Bastards!" we both laughed again
Al says he is the last Everingham in his line. He had no boys, and his brother died in 1969 at age 55. Why is it that just when you have the wisdom of years, and the know how to really live right and enjoy life....it's too late!?....The biggest treasures and sources of great wisdom slowly fade away as our elderly die, and we pander to the youth of today who generally have not begun to learn or understand respect, compassion and life.
We talked on the phone and wrote a few letters, but on March 8th 2000 Al died. I had always knew he was in the military, but he had never told me that he was a fighter pilot, and flew a P-51 Mustang in World War II. At his interment, the US Air Force Honor Guard carried him to his final resting place where he was buried with full Military Honors at Rose Hill Cemetery in Tyler, Texas. What a proud moment that ceremony would have been! I wish I could have been there, I would have been proud to see the respect given to Al... In fact, I'm proud to say that for a very short time, Al Everingham was my friend.
I'll never forget him!
 Kevin Everingham
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Copyright 1999 Everingham Family History, may not be reproduced without permission.
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