Tuesday, May 12, 2009

May 12, 2009-My Grandmother's Facebook

There is a lot in the news about social networking on sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. They have rules for participation and even censor information that is submitted by some of its members. I am a member of Facebook, though not an active participant. I go there and learn a whole lot of information about my children and grandchildren. It's fun to "sneak around" and read what everyone is doing. I have recently realized that my Grandmother and her Grandmother also had their own social networking sources.

Their communication and social information came in several ways. Of course, they wrote letters to each other. I recently read a letter written in the 1920's from my Aunt Vera to her sister, my Grandmother in which Vera talked about her children and Grandmother's children. Aunt Vera was offering to send clothing that her children had outgrown. She gave the ages of all the children, their size, their favorite things and activities they were doing in school. It was a clear picture of her family which took her a while to write and even longer before it was received by my Grandmother. I could go on Facebook right now and see pictures of my grandchildren and probably learn what they had for breakfast.

Another way of sending information was through picture post cards. The photograph of the family member was printed on the post card and a card was mailed to all the relatives. The most significant way my ancestors gained their information about family, friends and neighbors was in the newspaper. The newspapers, many published weekly, reported national news, but was absolutely full of "social networking" information.

I got my first look into this "social network" when I purchased a book entitled, Caddo Newspapers, Vol. I, published by the Bryan County Genealogy Library in Calera, Oklahoma. The social information in the Caddo Oklahoma Star in 1875 and 1876 was listed under the headings called "Local Items" and "Star Lights". Later in 1900, The Caddo Herald had headings like "Bennington Notes", "Caney Cullings", "Durants Dots" and "Bokchito Notes". Here is some of the invaluable information I obtained.

"There will be a party at A.A. Conine's next Thursday.
Dr. I.W. Folsom, of Atoka, called to see us this morning.
A few days ago, while a sister of Timothy Dwight was at church, her house and its entire contents were consumed by fire.
Rev. Allen Wright will preach here next Sabbath at 11 o'clock.
The fur trade is brisk; numerous pony loads of polecat, and other skins arrive daily.
Henry Childs, of Pauls Valley, was in town last week.
T. Fisher has opened a new meat market. "

I learned from these snipets that I can go to a party next Thursday, go to church to hear Rev. Wright, buy meat at the new market, get some polecat fur and send condolenences to the Dwight's about their house having burned.

Here is more information of a social nature taken from the Marietta Monitor, October 1, 1896. In this newspaper, they classified the information simply under "Personal". Just look what you could learn.

"James Fish left Friday to visit his old home in Kentucky.
Randolph Ross went to Roff on Sunday.
Judge Love went to Tishomingo on Sunday.
Dr. Schwartz will be at the Marietta Hotel, one day only-October 5.
W. A. Culwell of Burneyville, shipped a carload of hogs from here on Tuesday. "

I learned that Mr. Fish, Mr. Ross and Judge Love probably did not make it to the Marietta Hotel to see Dr. Schwartz on October 5 since they were out of town. And for Mr. Culwell to have a carload of hogs to ship, he must have raised a whole lot of hogs.

In the Ardmore, OK newspapers their social networking categories included: "About Ardmore", "Inter-Territorial", "Davis Driblets" and "Items of Interest". I could go on and on giving you information from these old newspapers because they are so interesting. I will instead give you some links so you can do some reading for yourself. You can "sneak around" these links looking for information, just as I "sneak around" Facebook. I think you will learn that Facebook has nothing on the power of the printed word. You will also probably notice that it took the newspapers very few words and no pictures to convey a clear message.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~okbits/marietta.html

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~okbits/admorestate.html

Happy Reading!!!!!!!

Sunday, May 10, 2009

May 10, 2009-Today is Mother's Day

Today, I have received lots of Mother's Day wishes. It's a beautiful sunny day making Mother's Day even better. When I began researching genealogy and my family's history, I wanted to learn more about the women in the family. Traditionally, its much easier to learn about the men in the family. Learning about the women has been a great challenge. In honor of the Mothers in my family, I would like to give you their names. Some I know and love and others I haven't known, but have an understanding of their contribution to their family.

Naomi Harris Bonner-my Mother
Mary Alexander Harris- Maternal grandmother
Louella Palmer Bonner-my Step Mother
Doris Monroe Brown- Mother in Law
Eula Inez Bonner- Paternal grandmother

Mattie Hurst Alexander-Maternal great grandmother
Laura Griffith Manning- Paternal great grandmother
Minnie Todd Harris-Maternal great grandmother
Edna Bridwell Bonner-Paternal great grandmother

Matilda Leflore Manning-Paternal great, great grandmother
Amanda Mallow Griffith-Paternal great, great grandmother
Nancy McNeese Todd-Maternal great, great, grandmother
Analiza Alexander-Maternal great, great, grandmother
Margaret Guest Hurst-Maternal great, great grandmother
Grandmother Harris-Paternal great, great grandmother
Grandmother Bridwell-Paternal great, great grandmother
Grandmother Bonner-Maternal great, great grandmother

I could go on because I have learned about many of my grandmothers from other generations.
I think I will stop here so I can acknowledge all the Mothers and Grandmothers in my family for their contributions to their own family and the sacrifices they made.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

May 3, 2009-I Have Met An Angel

I haven't written on this blog in over two months. I have spent part of March and all of April visiting family and taking care of family. However, on May 1, I met an angel and would like to tell you about her as I return to the blog.

I was in Oklahoma when I met the angel. I had been there for about two weeks trying to help my Mother recover from a serious illness brought about by taking the wrong medication. Mother is 85, very independent and set in her ways. Because she was sick, I tried to take charge of everything for her. Well, she wanted none of that and clearly refused to do some of the things I knew would help her recover. She didn't want to eat the food I bought, she didn't want to get out of bed when I told her it was time, she didn't want to have the physical therapist come and help her rebuild her strength. It was frustrating because all I really wanted to do was help her.

On the afternoon before I was to come back home, I stopped by the grocery store for a few things. Not being familiar with the store, I wandered up and down the aisles looking for the things on my list. On every aisle I passed a very attractive, well dressed woman about 80 years old. She wore red shoes, red skirt, red sweater, red hat and red jewelry. She walked slowly and didn't have much in her shopping cart. When I went to check out, she was in front of me in the line. As I stood there, she turned to me and asked if I knew where she had put her grocery cart. I pointed to the cart next to the cashier. She said, "Thank you, I thought I had lost it". It was however her next words that gave me the message.

The angel, dressed completely in red, said to me, "I have two sons and they are here trying to take control of my life. They think because I'm old that I can't do anything for myself or make any decisions for myself. I have told them to stop and just leave me alone. You know, I once did that to my mother and she told me that I would know how she felt when my children did that to me". You can imagine how I felt when I heard her words.

I said to her, "Well, I'm here visiting my Mother and trying to control her life". She smiled at me and said, "Honey, don't do that. You wouldn't want someone to do that to you". I told her my Mother refused my suggestions and would say, "I'll do that when I'm ready". She thought that was a pretty good response and said would "have to remember that one". We chatted on for a few minutes and then she left with her groceries.

When I got to my car, I looked for her. She was getting into the drivers side of her car after thanking the boy who carried out her groceries. Her car was almost exactly like my Mother's car. I watched her drive away. I sat in my car for a few minutes thinking about what had just happened. I wondered why I met this angel today and who sent her. I wish I had met her earlier and had received the message before my last day in town. However, I am very glad I met her and I know it was not a coincidence.