My grandmother, Evelyn, the youngest of five children, was born 10 October 1915. Sadly, when she was only 8 1/2 months old, her mother died. Although Evelyn's father raised the four oldest children, Evelyn was raised by her maternal grandmother, Sallie (Dickson) Ward. Evelyn grew up near family, including her father and siblings, in Perry County, Tennessee.
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| Photo likely taken in Perry Co., Tenn. in ~1918 Elsie Ward (~15), Sallie (Dickson) Ward (~58), Evelyn Dickson (~2), and Ethel (Ward) Pollock (~24) |
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| Photo retouched by JRS (my father) |
I often learn more about a family or situation as I write a blog post. In this case, I did not know when Ethel had died. But, as I did research for this article, I located her death certificate. Now I know that Ethel died at the age of 95 of cardiac arrest in a nursing center in Daviess County, Indiana.
How great that you have a picture of so many family members, especially one that shows two generations!
ReplyDeleteI agree! Although this side of the family I do not have very many photos. This photo is actually 3 generations - Sallie, one of her daughters, and two of her granddaughters.
DeleteSad to think about Evelyn's mother dying when the baby was still, well, a baby. And sad that the siblings weren't all raised together, but I imagine the father just couldn't manage the four older kids plus a toddler.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think that is understandable. I wish I would have asked my grandmother more questions! I know she had a relationship with her sibling even though she was raised apart.
DeleteYour last paragraph is poignant. Writing does open more than what we see on Census records or on a scanned document.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Dave. For me, at least, writing really helps me process records and both understand them better and find the "holes" that I need to fill.
DeleteWhat a sweet picture to have of your grandmother! She looks well cared for.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lisa. I think she was. My grandmother spoke fondly of her grandmother. I just wish I’d asked her more questions about her early years!
DeleteI have a four generation photo of my grandmother as a baby with her mother, grandmother, and great grandmother - it is priceless. You're right that writing helps us to understand what their lives were like, not just the address they lived at.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure! When my daughter was about 1, we had a 4 generation photo made. It is priceless to me! My grandmother died when my daughter was 3.
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