Matrilineal Monday - Great Grandma Essie Mae STEWART (Clinton)

     

     Great grandma Essie Mae STEWART (Clinton) was born 4 November 1880 in Daviess, Indiana. Her parents were Stewart and Dicey Bugher. She married Edd Clinton on 8 August 1897; they migrated to Missouri around 1910 and settled in Sikeston, MO where they raised corn, soybeans, melons and some cotton. Around the mid 1940’s they purchased a stock of farm in the Perryville, Mo area. That is where Great grandma Clinton passed away on 30 January 1957 at 76 years of age. Great grandma and Great grandpa Clinton had seven children; Kenneth, Ora, Frank, Nellie, Eldon, Edra and Martha.

   

  I picked my mom’s brain again and asked what she remembered about my Great grandma Clinton. Once again I wasn't around so I never got the opportunity to meet her. As stated above she lived on a farm and they weren't a wealthy family, as far as money goes. She was a farming wife in every since of the word, lived off what the land had to offer. My mom recalls that when she and her brother, LeRoy, would go to visit. She was never allowed to go down to the barn with her brother and grandpa. That was not a place for girls as far as her grandmother; my Great grandma Clinton was concerned. I’m just guessing, but I’m pretty sure Great grandpa Clinton wouldn't have mind. She remembers helping with the little lambs and bottle feeding some of them with Great grandma Clinton.

    

  Now for the swinging chicken, I remember the story on this one also. Remember Great grandma Clinton was a farmer’s wife without question, when it would come time to prepare a chicken she was the one to collect. She would go out to the chicken coop and grab the best one for the night, pick it up and swing it in the air, above her head until it snapped. I picture a cowboy twirling a lasso above his head, but instead it’s my Great grandma with a chicken.

    

 The house they lived in was built by my grandpa, Fred Elfrank and my Great uncle Scott, it’s pictured below. When mom was reminiscing about what she remembered one memory was of the porcelain pot that set in the corner of their bedroom. She didn't want any form of plumbing in the house; they had a bathtub and sink basin but no toilet, just the porcelain pot. I guess some change was okay but they wanted to take it slow. Mom recalls great grandma sitting in the corner rocking chair rocking back and forth shaking a mason jar making butter; no they didn't have a churn. She also kept baby chicks in the fenced in on the back porch.

  

   Like I said they weren't a wealthy family when it comes to money and as for the photos, they were taken on a special occasion. It was her and Great grandpa Clinton's 50^th wedding anniversary that brought together many friends, the pictures were one of the gifts that they received from their children. I’m so grateful that this was a gift they received, because now I have received that same gift, and now I’m sharing that gift with all of you and my kids.