Four Trees -Our Great Grandmothers

[PaulaToo]

And it can change our oppinions of them, Igor.
I was scared of my Gran Harriet, when I was little.
Now I know what she was battling with, trying to make sense of her parentage. Wish I could give her a hug and say I've sorted it.

[Rossdal3]

I feel the same way about my Dad's Grandmother Paula.  We only have 1 dour little photo of her that we cropped from my Grandma's wedding photo. I confess Mum and I used to laugh at it often, especially because she is wearing a less than flattering hat!!! 

Then I found out that she was an illegitimate child and lost her Mum aged 10.  She lived with her Aunt until she was married at 19 and lost the cousin she was brought up with just months before her wedding.  She had 6 children which she raised herself when her husband died in 1906 when my Grandma was 4 years old.  Her 2 eldest sons were killed in WW1 in France in 1917 and the 3rd son died later, of a war related condition.  I know her story was common.  I ask myself every day how they had the resilience to keep going!!!  It's no wonder she looked "weighed down" in the photo.

Cheers,
Jill

[PaulaToo]

Hi Jill, there's something in this family tree hobby that makes you look at the world in a different light, isn't there.

It let's you see how wonderful our ancestors were, not for being great or doing great things, just for keeping going.

When Grandfather Joe died, Gran Sarah had half a dozen kids, the youngest a baby in arms. No pension, no handouts. So she opened a shop in her front room and sold ice cream and sweeties.
Couldn't do that now, of course, but she fed herself, and her family.

[adee7]

I heartily agree with your comments about understanding
the stories and realizing how hard life was for many of our ancestors.

I have a photo of two sisters born in the mid 1800s who, at first look, seem to be quite stern and when a family member remarked on their facial expressions I told them about their lives. 

One of them had physical difficulties, never married, but was a wonderful Aunt in the family.

The other woman had seven children and was left a widow
when they were young.  They all survived and went on to live useful lives.

When I look at old photos, I have a habit of looking at the peoples' hands because they tell so much about them.

Kathleen

[Rossdal3]

Hi Paula and Kathleen,

I heartily agree!  I don't have any one in my tree who has the least claim to fame, but my goodness the resilience of these people.

I was lucky to meet up with a "cousin" from one branch of my family, on-line, who has access to a family bible and has documented first hand anecdotal information on his side of the tree.

My Gt Gt Grandmother's sister married my Gt Gt Grandfather's brother at the age of 16 years and they emigrated to the USA.  It is their Gt Grandson who I communicate with and I have his permission to reproduce what he sent to me:

Henry & Sarah Wells

“Five children were born in England, three are buried there (George, Ernest and William) Susann and Arthur came to America with Henry and Sarah in the summer of 1872. Susann died in childbirth with her only daughter Emma. She is buried in the Clear Lake Cemetery South Dakota. Three others died in infancy after they arrived in the USA and 1 died at 19 years when struck by lightening.

In 1883, Henry and Sarah homesteaded land in Clear Lake SD. In that house, both my Grandfather (the last of 16 children) and my dad were born. They eventually lost the land when they were unable to pay the taxes.

Great grandmother Sarah, while pregnant built an addition to the original house that was used as a kitchen and dining room. Generally, it would seem everything she did was in this condition.  They say Sarah was strict and severe, but she was always kind and gentle to my dad who was her son’s only child”

I think this says it all about the times they lived in.  They suffered so much loss of every kind and then got up and built an extension on the house and were nice to their grandson!  An Aunt this "cousin" talked about, walked half a mile to carry her own water and chop wood aged 90!!!

I think that these women, our ancestors, were totally special people and deserve to be remembered into prosterity!!

Cheers,
Jill

[PaulaToo]

They were a lesson to all the moaners who want everything handed to them these days, and that's for sure.

[Pilgarlic]

I heartily agree with what has been said lately on this thread.

Our ancestors certainly had it hard compared to today.

I personally have never been interested in finding a 'famous' or really well to do ancestor. I like my ancestors being Ag Labourers, Pumbers, Gasfitters, Painters, etc. They were all down to earth people probably, just like me.

If i found for instance that i had an ancestor who was a well known politician i would not feel a great connection personality wise to myself.

Pilgarlic

[Zelley]

Hi Paula and Kathleen,

I heartily agree!  I don't have any one in my tree who has the least claim to fame, but my goodness the resilience of these people.





I think that these women, our ancestors, were totally special people and deserve to be remembered into prosterity!!

Cheers,
Jill

Very excellent opening and closing comments

[hiraeth]

I only have pictures of one of my great grandmothers, Winifred Roberts Carrington.  I don't know when the younger picture was taken but the older one is from a golden wedding portrait in 1927 at age 71.
Winifred was the mother of ten children.  She lost her first child at almost 15 months of age, just six weeks prior to giving birth to her second in 1879.  That must have been very hard.  The rest of the children survived into adulthood.  In 1906 one of her daughters emigrated to Canada at age 20.  In 1907 another daughter died at age 18 (peritonitis).  In 1911 Winifred lost a third daughter at age 21 (pneumonia). 
I can't imagine the pain of losing one child - let alone three - she must have been a very strong lady and I'm very proud to be one of her great grandchildren.

Heather