Grandma Mary with two of her sons, Clarence on the left and my Grandfather Lonnie on the right.
This is my Great Grandmother, Mary. I know so little about her. Her life could not have been easy. She was half Cherokee Indian and married to .... I know nothing about my Great grandfather. I probably should talk to my Dad about his Grandfather. The first picture was taken somewhere between 1910 and 1915, the second was taken in the early 1950's.
I look at her face and wonder. What were her hopes and dreams? Did life measure up to her expectations? What difficulties did she face? Oh, I know that she had to feed and clothe a passel of kids, most of them boys. I know that they lived in rather primitive conditions on the farm. But who was she? What did she think about in those moments of calm and contemplation. What was she thinking in that second picture as she neared the end of her life? I remember seeing her near the time of that picture. I was only about three or so, but just her age was impressive to me. She seemed so fragile, so delicate a bit like a flower that was past its bloom and would fall if you touched the petals.
I really must finish the Heirloom photo album I've started. Some of this history needs to be recorded.
I look at her face and wonder. What were her hopes and dreams? Did life measure up to her expectations? What difficulties did she face? Oh, I know that she had to feed and clothe a passel of kids, most of them boys. I know that they lived in rather primitive conditions on the farm. But who was she? What did she think about in those moments of calm and contemplation. What was she thinking in that second picture as she neared the end of her life? I remember seeing her near the time of that picture. I was only about three or so, but just her age was impressive to me. She seemed so fragile, so delicate a bit like a flower that was past its bloom and would fall if you touched the petals.
I really must finish the Heirloom photo album I've started. Some of this history needs to be recorded.
10 comments:
Don't you just love looking at "old time" photographs. Makes you wonder what kind of life these people lead. Did they think and feel the same way we do about things? Wouldn't it be fun to go back and time and find out?
Neat pictures! I love your great grandma's dress and apron. Precious!
My grandpa's mom was half Native American (or Indian, I'm not sure what the politically correct term is these days, but it's not Indian from India).
My father and uncle are really big into our family tree. Recently they shared a photo with me of some relatives... about the early 20th century. I know another distant great (X?) grandmother of mine was a native American too... but she is not listed on the birth certificate.
I too often wonder what their thoughts and dreams were.
Thank you for sharing a glimpse into your family.
Wow, what great photos! I enjoyed reading this post, and those thoughts can really get your mind wondering.
Hi PJ! Stopping by since you found my blog somehow, I'm glad you did! I love the pictures. I have a few memories of my great-grandmother who passed away when she was 95. She was great. I have some pictures put aside to begin a heirloom album...we should start them together! :)
Michelle, I just found you surfin' somehow...went to His Girl's blog and then clicked somebody...you know the drill!
And would I love to have some encouragement to get back on my heirloom album!!! I'm trying to get one night a week to work on pics. They are lying on the table in my crop/computer room as I speak!
She looks a little older than my great grandmother who died in 1963 in her upper 80s. As far as hopes and dreams--I'm thinking they were simple. A loaf of bread that came out of the oven a beautiful shade of brown; a child growing tall and strong enough to help with chores; a few pennies to buy some Vasoline to rub on rough hands; the first dandelions in the yard for fresh greens on the plate; cool water from the cistern on a hot day; enough corn cobs and stacked wood to heat the kitchen on a cold day; a crystal radio set to listen to a ball game far away. Those were easier times.
This is why I scrapbook. My mother had an entire box of these types of pictures. What a treasure....but no one...including older aunts and uncles know who they are. We copied one of my grandmother as a young bride for all of my cousins...only to find out we were wrong. Yes, hurry and finish your heritage scrapbook! It will be appreciated for years!!
I had a Great Grandma Mary C. She was in her nineties and full of fire. I remember visiting her when I was a girl and my grandpa, her youngest son, would have to warn us to watch what we said when she went to bed because she would turn up her hearing aid and eavesdrop. She was something else. I had a little bit of insight into her as she helped raise my dad after his mother passed away. She was firm but fair and a God-fearing woman. Her husband, my great grandpa, was shot off his horse and killed for robbing a bank of his own money. They refused to give him his money so he pulled out his gun and took it. To the day she died, she told people he fell off his horse and broke his neck. Somewhere at my sister's we have the newspaper article about the shooting. She was a pistol. She was the mother of 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls. I am blessed that my mother had the good sense to interview her on several occasions and get some of the family history according to her.
Norma, I love the simple idea. You're right. She probably just dreamed of the next beautiful sunset, perhaps a good crop, and a great vegetable garden! it was a different time.
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