Facts, Memories, and Thoughts About the Coltrin Family
The following is the text of the document "Facts, Memories, and Thoughts About the Coltrin Family" that I suspect was done in conjunction with the Coltrin Cousins reunion. A physical copy is in the Family History 3rd Party Binder. It has been scanned in, converted back to text using OCR, and then reformatted for this website to allow easy navigation. The original document had addresses and phone numbers in it, I have removed those for the privacy of those involved that may still be living. A few minor spelling errors have been corrected as a result of the OCR process. Other than that, it is untouched from the original document.
Facts, Memories and Thoughts About the Coltrin Family
George Whitfield Coltrin Family
George Whitfield Coltrin was from Centralia, Illinois. I don't know if he was born there, or not. He was named for an early-time evangelist named George Whitfield. He was a preacher—first in the Congregational denomination, then in the Baptist denomination. He moved from Illinois to Florida—I don't know which town—and then came to Texas. He settled in the Jourdanton/Pleasanton area, not far from San Antonio. It was here that he met Lois Beulah Martin, and they were married.
To this union were born:
| Name | Birth Year | Death Year |
|---|---|---|
| Lois Mary (Dome) | 1897 | 1960 |
| Electa (Dot) | 1898 | 1992 |
| Rachael | 1900 | 1912 |
| A. G. | 1904 | 1989 |
| Mae | 1907 | 1995 |
| Roland | 1909 | 1971 |
| Pearl | 1912 | 1939 |
| Hazel | 1914 | 1988 |
| George Holland | 1918 | 1981 |
A couple of interesting things about the children of George Whitfield and Lois Beulah Coltrin: Several of them, especially for their day and time, married quite late in life:
Dome —32 years old
Dot —29 years old
A.G. —29 years old
George —31 years old
Also, Grandpa was 31 when their first child, Dome, was born, so he apparently didn't marry all that young either! Since Grandma was 12 years his junior, so she was only about 18 when they married. Additionally, three of the siblings (Dome, Roland and George) all died of heart attacks at the exact same age-62 years old. An interesting coincidence.
Grandpa (George Whitfield Coltrin (1866-1947))
Grandpa Coltrin was a kind, patient man. I do not remember hearing him preach, but spent many an hour in the printing office which was next door to their home. He was editor, publisher and printer of "The Mathis News," the weekly newspaper. Also, he would fill printing orders for businesses and individuals. The children all helped with this, as it required a lot of work. Grandpa was elected to serve as the representative from that area to the State House of Representatives. After about two terms, he served as Chaplain of the House of Representatives for several years. He was in Austin at the time of his death in 1947. After his death, the House of Representatives passed a very nice resolution commending both his service in the House and as Chaplain for that body. Grandpa loved to fish and would go with Daddy to the bay many times. Also, we had a camp house at Mathis Lake (really Lake Corpus Christi), and he and Daddy and John would keep trotlines out and run them every day to catch catfish. We would often spend the night at the camp house, and Grandpa would sleep out on the screened-in porch with us kids. We all slept on cots. For the printing office, different workers would come to work. Grandpa would be in Austin at legislative sessions for a couple of months at a time for several years, and George was in the Army during World War II. These men would sleep in the back room of the printing office on cots. There were no bathroom facilities or shower available, but this did not seem to be a major concern. When I was in college, a fellow student found out I was from Mathis and said his grandfather had worked over there at "The Mathis News". His name was Jack Blackwell. I told him, "Well, your grandfather worked for my grandfather." I remember when Grandpa and Grandma got an inside bathroom. Until then, they had an "outdoor toilet." So there was much rejoicing. I don't know what year Grandpa sold "The Mathis News" and printing business. They moved all the equipment to another building in Mathis. Grandpa sold the printing office building and lot to the Catholic Church, which was on the same enlarged block. He sold the house and lot to them later, as they kept wanting to enlarge their facilities. Grandpa and Grandma bought a house behind the Baptist church, so Grandma could walk to church. It was much farther for us to walk to, but we still did at times. I don't think the Coltrins were charter members at the Baptist church in Mathis, but they were staunch and faithful members. Mama really didn't think there was any other denomination. And, of course, that is not right. None of them would support the far-right fundamentalist and conservative leadership that is in control of the SBC today.
Grandma (Lois Beulah Martin (1878-1952))
Grandma "Colky," as the grandkids called her, was a sweet, gentle person. She would sing hymns such as "In the Garden" and "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." She would play hymns on the piano by using "shaped" notes. Grandma was a good cook and loved to cook—she always had leftovers in the refrigerator for us grandkids to snack on. We had "get-togethers" at her house for holidays and when the "outof-town" relatives would come for a visit. Everybody would cook and bring food and visit. Janell adds here that she remembers that even in the summertime, with no air-conditioning in the house, the ladies would just leave the leftovers on the table between "dinner" and "supper," as we called them then, covered with a tablecloth. No one ever thought anything about it, and no one ever got sick! We would celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve at Grandma's house, and then have the Christmas dinner the next day. Grandma's sister, Aunt Ada, came to live with them. I don't remember just when she came, or where she had stayed before then. She had to have care, as she was nearly blind, hard of hearing, and "not right mentally," as they would say. I don't think it was I.Q. deficiency, but possibly schizophrenia or what we call Alzheimer's today. She loved to play Chinese checkers, and we would take turns playing with her to help entertain her. She was later placed in a home upstate somewhere when Grandma could no longer handle the responsibility of caring for her. After we got the camp house, we would have "get-togethers" at the lake. This way the kids could swim, the men could fish, and the ladies would prepare the food and chat. This was always fun. I don't remember any mention of any brothers or sisters that Grandpa might have had. Grandma had two brothers that I remember—Uncle John Martin and Uncle Graves Martin. They lived in Pleasanton. One thing I remember is a Martin reunion we had in Pleasanton. Because of transportation needs, some of us older cousins went on the bus.
Of course, we were excited about this and had a good time. We met cousins that we hadn't known. I remember one cousin's name as Rebecca McCaleb. I think they ran a hotel in Pleasanton.
By Don Coltrin:
At one time at about age 6, I went to stay at Grandma Coltrin's for awhile. On one occasion during this stay, I wanted to do something that Grandma wouldn't let me do. I decided to run away to Aunt Dot's, but I didn't know exactly how to get there. After wandering around the streets of Mathis for awhile, Aunt Dot found me and took me back to Grandma's. The story goes that Grandma had not yet missed me.
By Eddie Miller:
Things I remember: What a great baker Grandma Coltrin was, and the peppermint Grandpa carried in his pocket.
By Janell Steele:
We visited Grandma a lot (this is after Grandpa had died) on Sunday afternoons. I can remember driving up to her house, piling out of the car, and she would have Brother Lester Rolof 's radio broadcast playing so loud you could hear it out at the car. She would be rocking in her rocking chair, and, although she was always glad to see us, I know she never liked to miss Brother Roloff!
Lois Mary (Dome) Coltrin (1897-1960)
Aunt Dome married George Everett Brake and had two children: Mary Maxine Brake is married to John King.
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
Everett Levi (Bobo) Brake is married to Nina.
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
Lois Mary was never called anything but "Dome." So we knew her as Aunt Dome. I asked Aunt Mae where the name had originated, and she didn't know—they had always just called her Dome. Aunt Dome graduated from Mary Hardin Baylor College at Belton, then went to Dallas for her nurses training. Her aim was to go to the mission field as a nurse. However, after finishing school, there were no funds through the Foreign Mission Board to send any missionaries. She worked as a nurse in various hospitals wherever they lived. In order to pay for her schooling, she would take time out and teach school for awhile. A person with one year of college could teach school in those days. She taught at San Patricio and maybe some other places. Uncle George Brake worked for the Santa Fe Railroad. I remember them living in Sweetwater, San Angelo and Clovis, New Mexico. The highlight of the whole year was when Uncle George, Aunt Dome, Maxine and Bobo would come in the summer. Since Uncle George worked for the railroad, they had passes for the train. They were able to come, even during the war years, when nobody had gas or tires. They also came by car a few times. We always went to Corpus when they came. Sometimes we would shop, and sometimes we would go to the beach and carry a picnic supper.
Maxine, Edna and I would spend a lot of time going back and forth from our house to Grandma's (probably about four blocks). For some reason, it was fun to do this bare-footed, running from shade to shade. The sand was burning hot, and our feet would burn. We would run and laugh the whole way. I remember there was not a whole lot to do in Mathis (that we would have been allowed to do). Also, evidently we had a low threshold for fun. When we were teenagers, we would play around on the piano a lot. Maxine would usually bring some music she was working on. I couldn't play it, as she was far ahead of me. She practiced, and I didn't. She showed me how she did church music—by playing in octaves and using chords. I watched her making scale runs and breaking up the chords. Then I became interested in playing church music. Maxine played the organ for our wedding. We went to visit Aunt Dome and Uncle George at Sweetwater and also at San Angelo. I remember there was a pretty park in San Angelo where we carried a picnic lunch. David and I, Edna and Mama made a trip to Clovis after we were married. It was really great that Uncle George came to Mathis (still on the train) for visits after Aunt Dome died. So, our children got to know Uncle George.
By Maxine King:
Mother (Dome) graduated from Mary Hardin Baylor and then got her nursing training in Dallas. She then went on to the seminary in Ft. Worth for a year. Since the Mission Board couldn't send missionaries to China at that time, they sent her to be the Head Nurse at the Baptist Hospital in Clovis. It was at church there that she met and married George Brake (in 1929). They moved to Slayton for a few months about 1933, and on to Sweetwater where Levi was born on Jan. 13, 1933. They lived for 5 years in Sweetwater (Daddy worked for Santa Fe Railroad) and then were transferred to San Angelo. Then in 1940 they moved back to Clovis, where he retired.
Electa (Dot) Coltrin (1898-1992)
Electa Coltrin married J. W. (Bill) Nelson and had three children:
Edna Lois Nelson is now deceased
John Sterling Nelson is married to Margaret Hayes.
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
Betty Ruth Nelson is married to David Elliott.
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
Grandpa told me that Mama's name had a biblical meaning based on "of the elect," or chosen. He also gold me that early on, he began calling her "daught," short for daughter. This became "Dot," and everybody called her Dot. To her nieces and nephews, she was Aunt Dot. Dot worked at the printing office until she married at age 29. I don't know exactly what age Aunt Dome was when she married, but George (the youngest Coltrin sibling) told me they called their bedroom the "Old Maids' Room."
By Don Coltrin:
My mother, Edith Greek Coltrin, contracted pneumonia sometime in the early 1940's. It was decided that she should be moved from Sinton to the Mathis Hospital in order to get the treatment necessary for pneumonia. During this time I went to stay with Aunt Dot and the Nelsons'. Mother stayed in the hospital several weeks, during which time Aunt Dot took total care of me. I have very fond memories of Aunt Dot and, even though her reputation was one of a very straight-laced person, my recollection of Aunt Dot is of great admiration and a soft heart who would extend herself greatly to those she loved. She became the matron of the Coltrin family, and we all seemed to gather at Aunt Dot's down through the years for the family get togethers.
By Janell Steele:
I wasn't there, but Mother (Edith) and Aunt Mae told us a funny story about Aunt Dot that I'll always remember. Several of the family members from South Texas drove to Clovis to attend Aunt Dome's funeral in the early spring of 1960. They spent the night at a motel somewhere in West Texas, the women all in one room. Aunt Dot was probably the first one up in the morning, and she went to the bathroom. Evidently she looked out the window (while her underpants were still down around her ankles) to discover there had been a bad ice storm during the night. She was so excited, she forgot all about her underpants! She burst out into the motel room, taking "baby steps" with her feet still in the legs, and hollered "ICE EVERYWHERE!!," in that worried tone of voice only Aunt Dot could assume. It was so funny because it was so out of character, she was always so modest and prim.
By John King:
When Lois died, Maxine was separating her possessions. She was crying, and I was very angry. Aunt Dot noticed my anger. She came into the living room, sat on the arm of my chair, put her arm on my shoulder and said, "It's necessary, John." She then went back to the bedroom. Her statement explained it all and was very helpful. At the reunion, Lois Page recalled meeting Edna and how she was impressed that she would know the names and numbers of all the players on all the football and baseball teams. Edna would excel at working crossword puzzles and would at times call out the answer to "Wheel of Fortune" while we were still studying the letters. She was limited in what she could do, but was not able to reach her potential because Mama would not allow her to do anything.
Note from Janell:
I remember the beautiful embroidery that Edna did and also several wonderful latchhook rugs that she made. She was very good with handwork. Alta Faye told how she loved to go to Aunt Dot's and play the piano. She would play real, real soft, so no one would stop her from playing. She also remembered that Edna always made the cornbread. Don told how, when he was working at the grocery store in Sinton, a man from Mathis was shopping there. He asked the man if he knew his uncle, Bill Nelson, that worked in the bank. The man answered, "Are you kidding? He is the bank."
Rachael Coltrin (1900-1912)
Rachael was the aunt that we did not know—only heard about. She died at age 12 from a ruptured appendix (peritonitis). I do not know where they lived when this happened. I only know she is not buried in Mathis. (Correction.) John mentioned that at Mathis there is an old cemetery too, besides the one the rest of the family is buried in. We came to the conclusion that it is possible Rachel is buried there. Also, it is possible she is buried at Smiley. John said that Mama went to high school at Smiley, and since Rachael was younger than she, it seems she could be buried there.
A. G. Coltrin (1904-1989)
A. G. married Edith Louise Greek and had three children:
Robert Wayne (Bob) Coltrin
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
Donald George (Don) Coltrin is married to Evelyn Whittenburg.
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
Kay Janell (Janell) Coltrin is married to Don Steele.
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
Uncle A. G. and Aunt Edith (also Uncle Theo and Aunt Mae) were able to come over to Mathis more often because they lived closer, in Sinton. When the kids were small, I remember we would go get them for the gettogethers, as they had no car. We would celebrate Christmas at Grandpa's and Grandma's on Christmas Eve, and we would go get them. Once the kids were in the car, Aunt Edith would suddenly remember needing to go back and get something. Our duty (which we loved) was to be sure the kids stayed in the car, because she was busy putting out their "Santa Claus" gifts for them to discover the next day, on Christmas Day when they came home. When Bob and Don got older, they were in on the secret to be kept from Janell. I remember Aunt Edith as having a great sense of humor, and she was fun to be around. The men would go out (I'm sure to the domino/pool hall) for entertainment. The women would always laugh and tease about them going "pie-rooting." I didn't realize until I was grown that this was a "takeoff' of the French word "pirouette." David said his family used the same term, so this may have been a joke or expression of that era. I asked Don how his parents met. He said his mother came to live with her brother and his wife in Orange Grove. She soon got a job in Mathis as a waitress in a cafe and got to know Uncle A. G. as a customer of the cafe. They married in Corpus in 1934 and lived there for awhile before moving to Sinton, where they lived the rest of their lives. Uncle A. G. was a long-time employee of United Gas Company, where he was a welding crew foreman until his retirement. Aunt Edith never worked outside the home after their marriage. Both are buried in the Sinton cemetery.
Note from Janell:
When Daddy was hired by United Gas, they insisted that he use a full name on his paperwork, and not simply the initials "A. G." which he was given at birth. So he thought up the name "Amos" and chose "Graves" after one of Grandma's brothers. A few men friends in Sinton always called him Amos, but to the family he was always just "A. G."
Mae Coltrin (1907-1995)
Mae married Theo Edward Miller in 1927, and they had five children:
Harold Miller is married to Gladys.
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
Bucoda, Washington 98530
Preston (Bubba) Miller is married to Billie Jean Miller.
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
Sinton, Texas
Theo Edward (Eddie) Miller is married to Evelyn.
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
Ingram, Texas 78025
Alvin (Butch) Miller
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
Corona, Arizona 85641
Alta Faye (Faye) Miller is married to C. W. (Dub) McKaughan.
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
Odem, Texas 78370
Aunt Mae was the daughter that reminded me the most of Grandma "Colky." She was kind and gentle-natured. We always loved when they came to Grandma's, so we could play with the kids. I claimed "Butch" and then Alta Faye and carried them around and swung them in the swing. We never knew when they were coming, as nobody had a phone back then. I discovered that from the back of our backyard I could see their vehicle parked behind Grandma's house. I couldn't wait to get over there. Uncle Theo was a big teaser, so he was fun to be around. He farmed at several places around the Mathis/Sinton area. We would go to see them at times, usually on a Sunday afternoon, and take Grandma "Colky" with us. When Uncle Theo took a job for San Patricio County, they moved to Sinton, where they lived the rest of their lives. They, too, are both buried in the Sinton cemetery. Our children got to know Aunt Mae, Uncle Theo, Uncle A. G. and Aunt Edith, as they would usually come over when we visited at Mathis.
Roland Coltrin (1909-1971)
Roland's wife was Bertha. They had no children Uncle Roland was in the U.S. Coast Guard and stationed in Florida. The city I remember was St. Petersburg. They may have been others. I remember him being very handsome in his uniform. Aunt Bertha was not a real healthy person and was sick a lot on their visits to see us. They spent a good deal of time resting and recuperating in their bedroom. Of course, they could have been retreating from the ever present nieces and nephews running through the house and slamming doors. Maxine told me when we were teenagers that Uncle Roland had been formerly married and then divorced. Of course, Mama would never say a word about that to me. I think that after Aunt Bertha died, Uncle Roland married once more. This was in his later years, and we never did get to know her. We think her name was Virginia. They lived somewhere near Cleveland, Ohio to be near her family. That is where Uncle Roland died and is buried. Uncle A. G. represented the family at his funeral.
Pearl Coltrin (1912-1939)
Pearl married Norvell John Comstock and had two children:
Norvell John, Jr. is married to Cora.
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
Canyon Lake, Texas 78133
Joyce Eleanor (now deceased) married Ray Tuttle.
I really didn't know Aunt Pearl that well, as they lived away. The saddest thing I remember is when she died. This family was devastated. I think they lived at Del Rio at the time. Aunt Mae told me later that Aunt Dome went there to help take care of Aunt Pearl, but to no avail. I am told she developed a serious mastoid infection—this was before the advent of antibiotics. I think Norvell John was six, and Joyce was about two at the time. Joyce lived with Aunt Dome, and Norvell John lived with us until Uncle Norvell remarried. Later, in his teenage years, Norvell John would come for visits— usually surprising us. I guess he would catch a ride. He attended San Marcos Baptist Academy for awhile, and he would look so nice in the uniform. I don't think we saw Joyce any more. Norvell John would bring us
pictures of her. Aunt Pearl's funeral was in Mathis at the Baptist Church, and she is buried in the Coltrin family plot at Mathis. Uncle Norvell married Josie second, and after her death, he married a lady named Nora. Uncle Norvell is now also deceased. Janell adds that she does remember cousin Joyce coming to see the family in the summers as a pre-teen and young teenager. Her visits were always looked forward to. She would split her time between Mathis and Sinton. When she spent the night at the Coltrins' in Sinton, us kids would get to all sleep on a big pallet on the floor in the living room, which was a big treat and lots of fun.
Bob Coltrin says:
I do barely remember Aunt Pearl, particularly an incident in '38 or '39. We lived in Sinton, and Pearl came to get us for the weekend. On the trip to Mathis we encountered a ferocious thunderstorm and lost the car's headlights. We drove the last 10 miles or so with Pearl, who was driving, hanging out the window, laughing all the while. Somehow we made it to Grandma's safely. It was however, a memorable trip. Betty Ruth adds that in telling this, Bob also said he and his dad were riding in the car's rumble seat, so there was no way they could stay dry, plus it was very scary.
Hazel Coltrin (1914-1988)
Hazel married Gordon Lee and had two daughters:
Wanda Jean is married to Bill Hash.
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
San Antonio, Texas 78245
Marianne (The family has had no contact with her in quite some time.)
Another highlight of the summer was when Aunt Hazel and WandaJean would come—and, of course, Marianne also, after she was born. Uncle Gordon had his own printing business in San Antonio, so he was usually not able to come. We also went back and forth to Grandma's, laughing and having a good time. We played games such as "Old Maid," "Flinch" and "Monopoly." Aunt Hazel would use this opportunity to sew. She always brought some pretty fabric and made Wanda Jean's school clothes. Uncle Gordon came to Mathis as a young man, to work with the C.C.C. (Civilian Conservation Corps). This was a government work program used during the depression years. This group built the club house out at Lake Mathis. Gordon stayed in Mathis and worked for Grandpa in the printing office. He must have received some good training, because he had his own printing company in San Antonio for many years until he retired. I wasn't around Marianne that much, as she was a good deal younger. She was the "flower girl" at our wedding. Wanda Jean served in the House party at our wedding.
George Holland Coltrin (1918-1981)
George married Mary Wilson and had one daughter:
Lois Page Coltrin is married to Bob Kym.
Address Information was here in original document. Removed to protect privacy of living people - John Elliott
San Diego, California 92110
Mary had twin sons from a previous marriage, and George later adopted them. Their names were Robert and Phillip. Robert now lives in Spokane, Washington, and Phillip is deceased. All the Coltrin grandkids were crazy about George. He wasn't a whole lot older than we were, and he was lots of fun to be around. He's the one I remember working at the printing office with Grandpa. I remember when they got the linotype machine to set type. Until then, they had to line up each individual letter, using tweezers. George is the one that learned how to use the linotype, and he did that for a long time. I remember when W.W. II started, how sad everyone was, because they knew George would have to go. He went ahead and enlisted in the Army, rather than wait to be drafted. Grandpa and George knew that all mail home would be censored, and they planned names of two fictional aunts—one to be asked about if he were in Europe, and the other if he were in the Pacific. So, we knew he was in the Pacific. Sure enough, his letters would arrive with holes in them of some words that were cut out. After he returned, we found out he was on an island in the Pacific where no fighting occurred. He said there main problem was boredom. I don't know if George began working for the new publishers and printers when Grandpa sold it. I think he did. For several years after Grandpa died, there was just him and Grandma in the house. Several of George's very good friends had moved to California and kept wanting him to come out there to live and work. Finally he did, and probably would have sooner—but he didn't want to desert Grandma. He would write letters to her regularly. After he had been there several months, he wrote that he had been married for awhile and that a baby was on the way. This was little Lois. We met his wife Mary, and also Lois, when they came for Grandma's funeral in the summer of 1952. Lois was about 4 months old. In California George worked as a mechanic in various places.
From daughter Lois Page:
George rented a room from Mary's mother in Coronado, California. He was working at Jon Duringer Chevrolet. Then he met Mary Wilson, a divorcee with twin boys, about 7 years old. They often took short trips to Mexico, Rosorito Beach. On one trip Mary and George got married. Shortly after, Mary got pregnant. They were planning a trip to Texas and decided to have a "real" wedding. During the ceremony George was very nervous and said he'd never married a pregnant woman before!
From Bob Coltrin:
Many a time I've heard George refer to Tynan, Texas as if it were the epitome of perfection, such as, "That's not the way we do it in Tynan." Or, "In Tynan we always do so-and-so." Anyway, on one of his visits back to Texas, he took Mary and Lois through Tynan so that he could prove there really was such a place.
From Janell Steele:
I remember so well Uncle George coming to our house in Sinton on Christmas Eve and taking us kids for a ride in his black coupe with the little fold-down seats in the back. While we were gone, Mother and Daddy (Edith
and A. G.) were busy getting our Christmas gifts around the tree. Uncle George finally said, "Well, let's go see if the Old Red Dog's come yet!" Then he'd took us home and, sure enough, we'd just missed Santa! Betty Ruth adds that Lois told us at the reunion that when George would change working places as a mechanic, he would always have a following of customers. She also said his boss told him one time that he was just too honest. I said, "Yep—that's the raising by Grandpa Coltrin." Also, John told us at the reunion that the code names of the fictional aunts didn't really tell us where George was. They picked names for several places, but did not choose one for an island in the Atlantic, which was Ascension Island. In writing, George tried to use some of the names to narrow down where he was. Evidently this just confused Grandpa, as he told me George was on an island in the Pacific.