Anyone who does genealogical research knows that you sometimes "bump" into your ancestors,(and sometimes a friend's),while reading something totally unrelated. It happened to me on 2 May 2021.
I was flipping through the online pages of The Austin American-Statesman (Austin, Texas), when my eyes caught the article to the left of the article I was reading. I saw my Granny's name, along with her sister Thelma's name staring back at me!
My "Granny" and my "Aunt Thelma" are Mozell DANIELS and her sister Thelma MITCHELL. They, along with Ethel DIXON, are named as sisters of Richard LEWIS, whose Funeral Notice in the 21 July 1967, Friday newspaper was my gift from above. Thank You, Newspapers.com!
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Upon finding Richard Lewis' Death Certificate in Texas, Death Certificates, 1903-1982 on Ancestry.com, I found that his death date as 16 July 1967.
First of all, I had NO CLUE that Granny and Aunt Thelma had other siblings. They both told me that they shared the same mother, but had different fathers. Granny always claimed that “a white man named McArthur was my fatha”....and it’s her surname on her Marriage License.
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The "Informant" on Granny’s Death Certificate was her only living grand daughter, who I concluded knew something more than I did. The “(Unknown)LEWIS" was definitely not “McARTHUR” who Granny repeatedly said was her father.
Some ghosts you have to give up, and I think this one’s mine. I DO believe that folks only know what they were told, and that's the ghost who got handed down to curious kids like me.This is Mozell circa 1977-1978.
My dear maternal Great Grandmother's sister was Thelma, whose MITCHELL surname was from her 2nd husband, Herman Mitchell. I've not yet found a Marriage License for her first marriage. I have nothing tangible of Aunt Thelma's but this Funeral Program.
Back to my newfound Great Uncle Richard Lewis, something gnawed at me after reading his Funeral Notice. I realized that I'd seen his name before, among a couple of my DNA Matches’ family trees on Ancestry.com!
I have spoken with two of Richard Lewis Sr.’s grandchildren by telephone, and have solved the mystery of the “Eskimos” in the photographs on my Granny’s What-Not shelf. After telling this particular grandchild about grilling Granny about the photos, I had the chilling realization that it HAD to be her family in the photos, because her ethnicity is 50% Northern Japan. This 5 year old called all Asian people Eskimos, until I learned differently.
My Granny’s photos, and all her personal affects have been long gone. They rotted in a garage, in Houston, Texas' dreadful climate. Even the elements couldn't warp my belief that SOMEONE may have the SAME photo that YOU have, or in my case, REMEMBERS. As fate would have it, my “Eskimo” cousin sent me copies of the SAME photos Granny had! I cried when I saw them.... I cried. I REMEMBERED those faces after so many years of dusting around them, and staring at them.
I don’t have permission to post them, but you can believe they‘ll be framed and sitting on a shelf /hanging on a wall in my house. It just won’t be one of these What-Not shelves! Any child who's ever dusted one of these things, loaded with framed photos and fragile figurines knows my struggle. It was REAL!
I no longer shudder at the sight of these shelves. I smile with fond remembrance, and deep gratitude for what it represents. It gifted me with my LEWIS branch.
⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰The "Dig" continues...⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰⇰
#LEWIS #Hutchins #Clark #Wilson #DIXON #Manor, Texas #Austin,Texas #Seattle, Washington #San Antonio, Texas
Cousin, I believe everyone at some point in life have those "what-not" shelves to deal with -- 😆
ReplyDeleteExcellent post! Yes, I love reading old newspapers and it amazes me on just how much information I find on my ancestors when I do. I also feel you will findout more about these ancestors when you least expect it!