Tuesday, April 27, 2010

TRIP DOWN THE MATERNAL MEMORY LANE

So glad I have a very computer literate daughter,who fixed the scanning/download problem from last night. For some reason my scanner is putting photos in TIF format and she showed me how to manually change them into JPEG, thank you honey!!!
So to continue with my trip down memory lane here we go.
This is my grandmother on my mothers side,Vinnie Laughter Ruff. She was born April 24,1893,that's a good day huh Amy, She had my mom,Goldie Jane, who was the oldest daughter on August 8,1914 at 21 years old. Then came my aunts,May 9,1918-Gertie Mae, October 19,1921-Carrie Lee,
August 31,1924- Hattie, September 10,1928-Mary.
Then tragedy struck a baby boy was born June 25,1931 and died,don't know any details,whether he was born dead or died after birth. He was not named so that leads me to believe the death was early. And to deepen the mystery Vinnie died a little over 3 months later on October 8,1931. I have no info on how she died either. She must have been about 40 years old at time of death.

This is my grandfather on mom's side in his WWI uniform.
Jessie Garrison Ruff, always known as J.G., was born February 28,1891. He was a native of Polk county NC,the son of Jessie and Sarah Bailey. He was a woodworker by trade and it sure didn't take him long to find another wife to help with his 5 daughters ,Exactly 3 months to the day on January 8,1932 he married Stella Rhodes. I have no information if they had children. He was married a 3rd time at some point later he married Ora Burgess. In his obituary there is a step-daughter listed,but under her married name so I don't know who's she was. J.G. died June 7,1954 at the age of 63, unexpectedly at his home.I was born July 31,1954 ,but I was not his first grandchild. It is an interesting thing to start trying to piece together the puzzling life of ancestors. Listed in the Obituary was only 1 brother Larkin Ruff of Gerton,NC. But evidently back then they didn't put the names of the preceded in death,so I don't know if this is his only sibling.This is the picture hubbie joking said look like it was out of the Deliverance movie. This is my great uncle Larkin Ruff's family in all their glory. I am assuming he and his wife are the older people in the middle,but am not sure.
I ran across so many pictures that I wish had names on the back. Funny thing a lot of them have the date but no names.
Even though my mom was the oldest,she out lived all but 1 of her sisters. Hattie died of a stroke at age 35, not sure of the date or cause of Gertie Mae's death, the youngest Mary died in her early 40's with a heart attack. Mary, was my cousin's,who is looking for his
dad,mother,he was only 15 at the time of her death and he came to live with us. My dad enclosed a back porch and made him a bedroom. He was like another brother for several years,until we all grew up and moved out. Carrie out lived my mother by several years,she lived in Michigan all her married life and after her and my mom's death,Carrie's husband who's name was Bob Warner, became closer to me than they had been while they were married. He never remarried and he died last winter. They had 4 kids and they all still live in Michigan.

Okay back to the present!!! Had to make a couple of Avon deliveries this morning before housework and laundry started. Finished 4 loads of laundry and was just finishing up mopping kitchen floor when daughter and hubbie got home. I am pooped!
It is c-c-cold outside and they are putting out freeze warnings for the counties just north of us so I'm not taking chances. I carried my pots inside again and covered things up outside. I have my fingers and toes crossed that we don't get freezing temps because my plum trees that I have never had fruit from are absolutely loaded with plums. The temperature here is only supposed to get to 36 and it's 46 at 10:30 so your guess is as good as mine. I know it sure felt colder this evening with the wind blowing but now the wind has stopped and the clouds that brought a few showers during the day today are clearing out opening the door for low temperatures and frost.This is a picture of the wild blackberry and blueberry vines and bushes at Graveyard Fields. Daughter always goes berry picking there when they ripen. They are so good and we freeze them and make jam from them.

I'm so pooped tonight I'm waiting until morning to do my baking so daughter could bake some tonight. I don't have a lot to bake,business at market has been so slow and I don't want a bunch of leftovers to have to try to sell elsewhere. I also have a couple aprons cut out I needed to sew up, maybe tomorrow on those too. I had extra work today due to g-son being here last Tuesday and it amazes me how much more work it creates when I skip a week cleaning. I think my house is invaded with all these little munchkins that love to put dust and dirt all over everything,I know I don't bring all that dirt in here!
Thanking God for the strength He gives me everyday.
Good Night and God Bless.

2 comments:

Amy said...

How cool that me and your grandma had the same bday! I love seeing old pictures and learning about family that you've never meet.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Well Marilyn, The dust bunnies live me me constantly --and I don't even have to feed them, like I do the birds... ha ha

Hope you don't get the freezing weather tonight. They said we might get some last night--but the temps stayed in the 40's here since it was cloudy and rainy.

Isn't Family History just so interesting??? Too bad you can't get more info about that family... Can you imagine how your grandfather felt --when your grandmother died and left him with 5 little girls??? I'm sure that is why he got married again so soon.

George and I have been to Graveyard Fields to see some waterfalls... That was in 2001 or 2002... Pretty area.

Hugs,
Betsy