Letting Go of the Stories

Something to remember while doing your family research, and it might be the hardest thing you will ever do while researching.  “Let go of the stories and search for the truth”, some of you have already tackled a task like this and others haven’t found comfort in doing so yet.

Many of us have grown up with some of the most amazing family stories that have been passed down from one generation to the next. They were shared during dinners, holidays, and family reunions and even during visitations at funerals. For the most part they are that “stories” and as researchers we not only listen to the stories but we search for the facts, documents. Don't get me wrong not all of our family stories lack truth. I only bring this up because there are some who search for the facts to match the stories and either come up empty handed or with false documentation. While researching your families start with the facts that you do know and work backwards and then the stories will fall into place.

This photograph was taken in 1986 at family gathering. In photograph Fred Elfrank, Willard Estes, Ruth Strum, Mac Estes, Dallas Estes, Doris Collier, Dottie McLeon and Jean Hatson.

Tuesday Treasure - Quilts with Memories

     

     These are just six of the quilts that I have that were made by my great grandmother, some over one hundred years old. I received these quilts after the passing of my grandfather and there are so many warm memories I have with some of them. Right now they are on display, as pictured, hanging on an antique ladder that I purchased while in Germany. Recently though my mother voiced her thought that I should be enjoying them more as my grandma Elfrank had, yes mom I will use them more. 

     When we, my brothers and I, were younger and would visit my grandparents during the summer or even during a holiday visit we would use these quilts. I remember personally using the one on the bottom, the butterfly quilt on top and the bright orange and yellow quilt. I know my mom is right and I should be using them as they were meant to be used. Nothing feels better then wrapping yourself in a quilt especially one that was made by hand, by your own ancestor and made with love.  

Tuesday Treasure - Needlepoint Ducks

     Some of you might look at this and wonder how it can be a treasure with the beautiful stitching. Insert smile and a little giggle. I’ve shared a few items that were hand down to me from my grandma Elfrank well this one is one I created with her. Every summer my brothers and I would spend time with our grandparents, our parents needed a break I guess don’t know why we were such angels. While we would visit we would spend hours enjoying ourselves everything from playing cards, board games, going to the park, Shriner events and even learning new things. The year I made this slips my mind but I’m sure you can tell I was learning needlepoint.  Grandma had a few patterns to choose from and I liked the ducks for this tea towel. I also made two pillow cases one with a princes and one with a long eared puppy, I still have those but can’t remember where I packed them.  Looking at it I remember all of the times I got stuck in the finger with that needle, I’m surprised there aren't any blood stains, but I got through it and was so proud of these ducks. Minus the pain I look back at the time that I spent with my grandma and truly enjoy the memories, I miss her but I’m so lucky to have so many treasures around me to remind me of fun we had. 

Thursday Treasure Chest - My Wooden Treasure

My wooden treasure chest, so to speak. That would have to be the desk that I set at day in and day out blogging and doing all of my research. The desk that I comfortably set at once belonged to my grandparents, Fred H. and Martha C. Elfrank. This was the first piece of furniture they bought when they were married. I received it after the passing of my grandfather back in 2001 and it has traveled with us where ever we’ve gone. I couldn’t think of a better place to sit and post my blogs, research, write, and run my business. This is a treasure that helps me to produce more treasures.
 

Matrilineal Monday–Martha Colleen CLINTON

     Martha Colleen CLINTON is the next lady I would like to introduce you to. Colleen as she was often referred to was my maternal grandmother and she had a wonderful, fun filled, interesting and active life. She was born on 26 February 1922, in Matthews, New Madrid, Missouri; her parents were Edd CLINTON and Essie Mae STEWART. She had two sisters, Nellie Elizabeth CLINTON and Edra Mae CLINTON. There were four brothers in that house Kenneth Clair CLINTON, Ora Hilton CLINTON, Frank Stewart Clinton and Clarence Eldon CLINTON. She grew up on the farm and lived a simple life like most families did then.

     She married Fred Henry ELFRANK on 3 August 1940 while living in Missouri. They had two great kids, the oldest being Fred Leroy ELFRANK and the youngest Deborah Sue ELFRANK. The lived in Cape Girardeau, Missouri throughout the greater part of their marriage and raised both children while there. As you’ve noticed I'm speaking in past tense, we lost my grandmother on the 3 August 1995.

     Grandma was known as a very strong minded lady that had a point to prove and wouldn't stop till you either truly agreed or just agreed so you could move on. She had a knack with crafts and decorating that was passed on to my mom and me. I forget to mention the strong minded characteristics were also passed on to me. Thank you grandma!
     I know in the past post that I’ve done on Mater Women I’ve always gone to my mom or my dad for their input. I’m changing this up some only because I’m not sure if they are aware of how much of an impact she made with me. When I started this post I couldn't help but cry, I miss so much of my grandma. I wish so much she was here with us to see what a wonderful family I have and to get that stinging love pat we, the grand kids  always got when she was happy. It doesn't matter if we were sitting around playing card games or out back hitting the wiffle ball. Whenever she would give us a hug we would always get a strong loving pat on our legs or on our backs.
     Playing cards was always something we did with grandma. We would sit around this little breakfast bar style table and start dealing the deck, for games like spite and malice or even slap jack. My brothers and I had small hands and couldn't hold the cards so grandma let us lay them out on chairs next to us. The came couldn't start of course until we, the kids, had our soda and pretzels, while grandma would have her cigarettes, and a “Pabst Blue Ribbon,” her beer of choice. We would stay up for hour’s playing cards and no matter what we would never admit we were tired.
     I mentioned that my grandmother was very crafty and she taught me a few things. Needle point is one of the many crafts, I have two pillow cases one with kitty cats playing with a ball of yarn and another one with a princess. Funny thing is I don’t really remember making these with my grandma but I still have them and keep them close. I do however remember us making a trashcan together, strange I know but that was the coolest trashcan. She and grandpa grabbed a couple of those large, cylinder ice cream tubs from “Basket Robbins”, along with some Sears and JcPenny catalogs. We sat in her black and gold craft room and we would rip each page out of those catalogs. Then place a toothpick in one corner and roll to the other, attach a small piece of tape then lay in a pile. I don’t remember how many of those we rolled but we rolled a ton, we carried our rolls and ice cream containers to the kitchen table then began gluing each one on the outside all the way around the container. Then voila we had our new crafty trash cans ready to take home.
     It was always a treat watching grandma play wiffle ball with my brothers and I. Let’s just say, you had better use the restroom before you begin to play or you’re likely to have an accident from laughing so hard. She would grab that bat, step up to the plate, stick her butt out, do a full 360 spin with that bat, chant her batter- batter-swing; while all of this was going on she would shake her butt. You just had to see her; she was so serious about making us laugh.
     No matter how old you were or what you’ve done you could always count on grandma to love you. She might not agree with some of the choices you have made but you were always right there in her thoughts and heart.

I love you and miss you grandma……