Family – Family Finds

Strength – Family Finds

While researching my ancestors I sometimes wonder at the personal strength they must have had to face the many adversities in their lives. Particularly when I discover the death of a spouse or child, I consider, with admiration, how the rest of the family carries on. I suspect many found strength through their faith, and the practical aspects of their lives. My farming ancestors would need to continue to care for their livestock and crops. Additionally, most these farming families were large and a widow or widower must find a caretaker or provider for young children. This week I consider the case of my great-great grandmother, Elizabeth Ellen Hammond.
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Thankful – Family Finds

What am I thankful for? Many things, not least of which is having received a good education, being able to earn a good living, and now enjoying a comfortable retirement. I am also thankful I live in a time when science and technology can improve my quality of life. Finally, I am thankful I live in a democracy, where I can exercise my right to vote and have the freedom to pursue happiness in the way I choose. Here is a brief list presented in a (hopefully) clever way to satisfy this week’s prompt.
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Birthdays – Family Finds

The *Indianapolis Star*, Thursday, October 1959

For this week’s prompt I take a look at my hometown paper on the day I was born. Newspapers provide a synopsis of what is happening in the world, as well as local events. But, they also are a time capsule of product prices, entertainment and sports. It’s interesting to discover the headlines my parents read in the paper on my birthday. But, I did not stop at the front page. I’ve picked out a few items to highlight. Below are select pages, above the fold, from The Indianapolis Star for Thursday, October x, 1959.
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Stormy Weather – Family Finds

I enjoy researching family oral history and finding records to validate the story. But, sometimes the records reveal there is much more to the story. One such story involves some stormy weather and my great-great-grandfather, William Rumple, who served in the 123rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the American Civil War. The story told is he laid in the mud for two days during a battle and became chronically ill as a result.
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Voting – Family Finds

Since regular voting is typical among members of my immediate family, I have imagined most my ancestors being regular voters, too. However, there are rarely historical records of a person voting or being registered to vote that could provide proof. I have previously written about discovering news reports of my great-grandfather going to the polls to vote. [1] But, recently my mother provided a story about my great-grandmother voting for her first time in 1920. I found the story amusing, but I doubt if her experience was unique.
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