Aunt Willene

My childhood playmates were my cousins. One set in Atlanta, the other in a small farming community, Rainsville, Alabama, in North East Alabama. I grew up in Atlanta and when we went to Papa’s we were going to the mountain, Sand Mountain.

Mama and Papa Newman lived in a two story typical farm house with a front and back porch, both suited for sitting  The front porch had a double rocker and a single  Depending on the number visiting maybe an  odd chair or two  The back porch ran almost if not the length of the house  This is where you snapped beans, shucked corn or shelled peas  At sometime or another there was a wringer washing machine, a #2 washtub that the kids washed the grime off their body  it was usually brought inside for that or not  At the very end of the back porch was the well, yes there was a bucket, rope, dipper and yes I I did drink from it  

Mama Newman died in 1957 and Papa lived there alone for a while. I’m not sure of the reason, but after that I would go for a week or two in the Summer.  I cannot remember any extended stay before Mama Newman died  We would go before Christmas, maybe Thanksgiving, and draw names for Christmas  I only remember that happening one time, but I was young.  I have pictures of us all gathering in the warmer days, but I was very young and have no memory of them. 

Aunt Willene, Uncle Clarence and the girls, Myra Nell, Barbara Ann “Bob”, Carol, and Marcia, lived in a house that adjoined Papa’s land.  It was a two minute walk on a dirt path/driveway to their house with a large garden in between houses. Aunt Willene always met you with a warm smile and always made you feel welcome, whether she did or not you would never know.  She always seemed glad to see you come and sorry to see you go.

Uncle Clarence eventually bought Papa’s house and they moved in with him   My teen years, I most remember.  Aunt Willene still welcomed us all with open arms even with the extra work it brought.

My best memory of her is standing in the kitchen wiping her hands on her apron and smiling when you came through the door   She loved to tease with the kids  She had a hard life, but gave joy where she could. She was short in statue, but it never stopped, nor even I don’t believe slowed her down  

Alzheimer’s slowly took her away from us. The last time I saw her, she still had that sweet smile  I like to think she knew she was surrounded by love.  

Callie Myrtle Crafton Dodson

I was studying the stats on a grandmother that I never met.  She was born in 1889 in a rural farming community in South Georgia.  

Her father died sometime before April 1910, leaving 5 daughters, all under 20 and a wife. They could read and write, but never attended school. The 1910 Census says they were farm workers and hired out.  They worked in other folks fields  

The story goes that she and my grandfather corresponded and met up in Atlanta. They ate a meal, then got married, October 15, 1910. They were living in Atlanta until at least 1911.  He was a newspaper vendor, meaning he sold them on the street.

The next record I have is a Draft Registration in 1917 and they were back in South Georgia. In the 1920 Census they were living in South Georgia with my uncle, age 16 from his first marriage and two more children  Two more children were born, the last in 1923.  

My grandmother died May 16, 1925. The saddest thing it was noted, that after a hard days work, she collapsed and died 6 hours later. She was 35.   The Death Certificate also said buried by friends. 

Genealogy

 I have delved back into the search for my roots, not my hair, to where and who I came from. It goes from dull boring things I already knew to interesting, to who’s going to believe this.  

I could be my own grandma, not really, but picking were slim in some places and time. For instance, my great grandfather’s daughter married.  She had among others, a son who in turn married my grandmother’s oldest sister    

I am my husband’s 7th cousin on my father’s side.  My daughter in law’s mother’s 7th cousin one removed, whatever that means, and that is on my mother’s side. We actually thought it a good possibility we would be related through my husband’s family, but no go   

One researcher thinks my husband descended from some Native Americans from Jamestown and had unpronounceable names.  I looked at the research and with nothing but European showing up in my and Wade’s DNA, it’s washed out.  

More later, if I find anything else