One of the pleasures I have is sitting with my mother and looking at old photos and hearing stories of family,long gone. I have a trunk full of laces and quilts and diaries from these treasured people. You can click on the Next button at the bottom of the page to see some of them. I was blessed with ancestors who loved and served the Lord. Their's is a heritage that I want to pass down to those who come after me. I hope you enjoy a peek at my Family Album. Jane R. Elston Great-Great Grandmother  Jane was born on October 26, 1848 in Ross, Indiana. She married John Elston in 1866 and then in 1873, she along with her husband, sister and her oldest daughter, Minnie traveled by covered wagon from Indiana to Minneapolis, Kansas. There she raised 5 daughters. After John died she lived with her daughter, Pearl Mae and moved with her to Chicago in 1919. She often spoke to my grandmother about the Great Chicago Fire which stopped 13 miles from where she lived. In 1935, she moved back to Minneapolis with her daughter Pearl where she lived out her days. She was 97 years of age when she died and she outlived 3 of her daughters. Grandma Elston's Treatment of Cholera Equal parts of; Tincture of cayenne Tincture of opium Tincture of rhubarb Essence of peppermint Spirits of camphor Mix well. Dose 15 - 30 drops in wine glass of water according to age and the violence of the attack. Repeat until relief obtained every 15-20 minutes if necessary. Pearl Mae Elston Coughlin Great-Great Aunt  Aunt Pearl was born sometime after her mother and father moved by covered wagon from Indiana to Kansas. My mother has no record of her birth date or the date of her death. But, Aunt Pearl played a prominent role in my grandmother's life. Pearl married Lou W. Couglin in Minneapolis where he managed The Blue Store, a large establishment that sold dry goods and apparel. She had no children that we know of, but she was the caretaker of her mother when she became ill. She also raised my grandmother for reasons that are still a little hazy. When Uncle Lou was given charge of the "mother store" in Chicago, they all moved. They lived only a few short blocks from where the St. Valentine's Day Massacre took place. Uncle Lou died of leukemia in 1934 and she along with Grandmother Elston moved back to Minneapolis where her sister, Minnie also resided. I have a diary of hers that spans 3 years. In it chronicles VE Day, VJ Day and the sad day of her mother's death. It also is full of her proclamations of love to her Lord and thankfullness for His help and provision. She was always ready to share her faith. I look forward to meeting her in heaven. Grace Cline Bradshaw Grandmother  Grace was born February 7, 1900 in Minneapolis,Kansas. Her mother and father divorced when she was very young and for reasons still unclear, her mother decided to not be a part of her young daughter's life. Her father felt incapable of raising a small child and the job fell on Aunt Pearl. After the customary schooling of her day, she entered Emporia State Teacher's College for 4 years. She later taught in a one room school house and it was at that time that she met William Harrison Bradshaw, my grandfather. My mother says that her hair was so long that she could sit on it. And indeed up to her death, her hair, although short by then, was her crowning glory and she was very particular about it. My grandfather worked for the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe Railroad until his retirement. My grandparents eventually moved to New Mexico and then to upstate New York to be near my parents. My grandparents were my best friends growing up. Grandma, who was an artist in her own right, drew pictures for me to color. Grandpa would play "pitch and catch' for hours and take me for long walks. Grandma told me stores about Jesus and loved to listen to her album of Tennessee Ernie Ford singing hymns. Grandpa was 81 years old when he died and Grandma followed him 3 years later in 1971. Halsey Jean Borst Mother  My mother was born March 11, 1927 in Syracuse, Kansas. She worked at an air base right out of high school and was there to celebrate VE and VJ Day. She married young and a few years later, I was born. She and my father divorced when I was very young and she later remarried. She lives in Florida just a few miles from me and we often go on day trips. She attends Messianic Jewish Synagogue. We share a great faith in the Lord and she is so excited to be discovering her Jewish roots. Even though she is not Jewish by blood, she certainly is in her heart! She,like her mother, is very artistic and does beautiful calligraphy. The artistic bent seems to have passed me by, though. In the past, she has sung in church choirs (tenor!) and she tries to stay very active. My Mother's Favorite Poem Somebody said that it couldn't be done, But he, with a chuckle, replied, "That maybe it couldn't but he would be one Who wouldn't say so 'til he tried." So, he buckled right in with a trace of a grin On his face. If he worried, he hid it; He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldn't be done... And he did it. |
