Amanuensis Monday: 13 Feb 1797 deed from the Heirs of Absalom Fox to David Fox

This deed immediately follows the deed presented in last week's post, and was created on the same date of 13 Feb 1797. Again, the heirs of my 6great-grandfather Absalom Fox were granting land to one of their own, this time to my 5great-grandfather David Fox.

 

[p. 682]

The Heirs of the

Estate of Absalom

Fox deced

To

David Fox

This Indenture Made this thirteenth Day of February

in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and Ninety seven

Between Christion Fox (widow) Charles Fox and Mary his wife Bonham

Fox and Temperance his wife, Sampson Sargant and Ivy his wife, David

Sutton and Anker his wife, Mary Fox, Jonathan Fox and Rebekah Fox all of the

County of Washington and State of Pennsylvania of the one part and David Fox

of the same place of the other part Witnesseth that the said Christion Fox (widow)

Charles Fox and Mary his wife, Bonham Fox and Temperance his wife,

Sampson Sargant and Ivi his wife, David Sutton and Anker his wife,

Mary Fox, Jonathan Fox and Rekah Fox has this Day Bargained Released and

[p. 683]

Confirmed unto the above mentioned David Fox his Heirs and assigns

for ever a Certain Tract of land Situate on the waters of Ten Mile Creek

Beginning at a Walnut Tree thence by land of Philip Friend North Sixty seven

Degrees East forty three perches to a white Oak thence by land of James Graham North

Twenty eight Degrees West One hundred and twenty two Perches to a Hickory

thence by land of Henry Shidler North fifteen Degrees West One hundred and

twenty perches to a Stake, thence by land of Henry Hash South fifty two

Degrees West Sixty one perches to a Black Oak Noth thirtyseven Degrees West

fifty nine perches to a Stake, South thirty seven Degrees West One hundred

and thirty two Perches to a Post, thence by land of Tobias Friend South

thirty four Degrees East Seventy six perches to a Post then by land of

David Fox South Twenty eight and a half Degrees East One hundred and

Sixty nine perches to a White Oak North fifty degrees East One hundred and

thirteen perches to a State & South fifteen Degrees East Twelve perches to

the Beginning Containing Two hundred twenty eight acres and seventy

one perches and allowance of [CPCent?] for Roads &ca which land was Survey

ed in pursuance of a Warrant Granted to Absalom Fox the Seventeenth Day

of November (1787) for which a Patant Issued for the Land Office of the State

aforesaid to Absalon Fox Dated the Seventeenth Day of January (1792) and

was Inrolled in the Rolls of for the State of Pennsylvania Patent Book No 18.

Page 329. To have and to hold the said Tract and parsel of land with

the appurtean thereunto belonging unto the said David Fox and his heirs

To the only proper use benefit and behoof of him the said David Fox his

Heirs and Assigns forever from us and each of our heirs and from any person

or persons Claiming or to Claim in under through or by us or any of our

Heirs shall and will Warrant and forever Defend In Witness whereof

the said Christion Fox (widow) Charles Fox and Mary his wife, Bonham Fox

and Temperance his wife, Sampson Sargant and Ivy his wife David

Sutton and Anchor his wife Mary Fox, Jonathan Fox and Rebekah Fox

lawful Heirs of the Estate of Absalom Fox deceased has hereunto Set their hands

and Seals this Day and year above written_ Christion her x mark Fox (seal)

Charles Fox (seal) Mary Fox (seal) Bonham Fox (seal) Temperance

Fox (seal) Sampson Serjant (seal) Ivy her x mark Sargant (seal) David

Sutton (seal) Anchor Sutton (seal) Jonathan Fox (seal) Mary

Fox (seal) Rebekah Fox (seal) _ Signed Sealed and Delivered in presants

of Isaac Leet jur _ Mary Sutton _ Isaac Leet

 

[p. 684]

Washington County Ss

(seal) This Day Personally appeared before me the Subscriber one of the

Justices of the Peace in and for the County of Washington Christion Fox widow

of Absalom Fox deceasd Charles Fox and Mary his wife, Bonham Fox and

Temperance his wife, Sampson Sargant and Ivy his wife David Sutton

and Anker his wife, Mary Fox, Jonathan Fox and Rebekah Fox and all

Ackowledged the within Indenture well knowing it to be a Deed of Conveyance

to be their Act and Deed the women being examined seperate and apart from

their Husbands each one for themselves acknowledged that they became a party

thereto of their own free will and accord without the controul of their Husband

or any other person and allowed the same to be Recorded as such In Testamony

whereoff I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this thirteenth Day of

February 1797                                            Isaac Leet

Recorded and compared with the Original the 21st February 1797.

Samuel Clarke Recorder

 

As mentioned above, this deed was created on the same date as the one to Jonathan Fox presented last week. It was also witnessed by the same witnesses, so I will not repeat my comments.

Somewhat strangely, there is one more similar record I have found, created on the same day, but recorded not on a consecutive page, but actually in a different deed book. But that will come later.

Source:

Washington, Pennsylvania, Deed books, 1781-1886; deed index, 1781-1924, 1M-12: 682-684 (images #379-380 of 420), The Heirs of the Estate of Absalom Fox to David Fox, deed, 13 Feb 1797; digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, "Deeds v. 12, 1M 1796-1797," FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 29 Sept 2024).

Amanuensis Monday: 13 Feb 1797 deed from the Heirs of Absalom Fox to Jonathan Fox

Last week I alluded to the number of deeds regarding the Fox family in 1797-1798. Three have been found, all dated 13 Feb 1797, in which one of the heirs of Absalom Fox is granted land by the remaining heirs. However, there were more than three heirs of Absalom Fox, so I will need to look into whether the land was divided only three ways and the other heirs perhaps had other inheritances, or whether there are more of these deeds that I have yet to find.

Absalom Fox was my 6great-grandfather, and his son David was my 5great-grandfather. This first deed is to David's brother Jonathan. I love how these deeds name all the heirs.

[p. 680]

The Heirs of the )

Estate of Abolam )

Fox )

to )

Jonathan Fox )

This Indenture Made this thirteenth Day of February

in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Ninety seven

[p. 681]

Between Christion Fox widow of Absalom Fox decd. David Fox and

Sarah his Wife, Charles Fox and Mary his Wife, Bonham Fox and

Temporance his wife, Sampson Sargant and Ivy his wife, David

Sutton and Anchor his wife, Mary Fox, and Rebekah Fox, all of the

County of Washington and State of Pennsylvania of the one part and

Jonathan Fox of the same place of the other part Witnesseth that the said

Christion Fox Widow, David Fox and Sarah his wife, Charles Fox and Mary

his wife, Bonham Fox and Temporance his wife, Sampson Sargant and

Ivy his wife, David Sutton and Anchor his wife, Mary Fox and Rebekah

Fox Hath bargained Released and Confirmed and for ever Quit Claim of

and to a Certain Tract of land hereinafter described unto Jonathan Fox his

Heirs and Assigns forever a Certain Tract of Land Situate on a Branch of

Ten Mile Creek Beginning at an Elm Tree Thence by land of David

Sutton North Seventy Degrees West Eight perches to a Stone North forty

Degrees West Seventy six perches to a Stone North fifteen degrees West

Tenty eight perches to a white Oak Thence by land of David Frazee North

thirty degrees East Seventy eight Perches to an ash, Thence by land of Philip

Luallen South forty seven degrees East Two hundred and two Perches to

a Stone Thence by land of Charles Fox South Twenty six Degrees West

fifty two Perches to a Stone thence by land of sd. David Sutton North

forty six and a half degrees East Ninety six perches to the beginning

containing Ninety eight acres and three Quarters of an acre Strict Measure

being part of a Tract of Land Called "Fox Hill" which was Surveyed in

Pursuance of a warrant granted to Absalom Fox Dated the 26th of January

and by Pattant 14th Day of October in the year 1788 which is Inrolled in the

Rolls Office for the State of Pennsylvania in Patent Book No.  Page

To have and to hold the said Tract and Piece of Land with the Appurten=

=ances thereunto belonging or in anywise appurtaining thereto unto the said

Jonathan Fox his Heirs To the only proper use benefit and behoof of him

the said Jonathan Fox his Heirs and Assigns for ever from us and

[ower?] heirs and from any Person or Persons Claiming or to Claim in under

through or by us or any of our heirs shall and will warrant and Defend

for ever. In Witness whereof the said Christion Fox as above David

Fox and Sarah his wife, Charles Fox and Mary his wife, Sampson Sargant

 

[p. 682]

and Ivy his wife, David Sutton and Anchor his wife, Mary Fox and

Rekah Fox Heirs of the Estate of Absalom Fox decd. have hereunto set their

hands and Seals this Day and year above written Christion her X mark Fox (seal)

David Fox (seal) Sarah Fox (seal) Charles Fox (seal) Mary

Fox (seal) Bonham Fox (seal) Temperance Fox (seal)

Sampson Serjant (seal) Ivy her X mark Sergant (seal) David Sutton (seal)

Anchor Sutton (seal) Mary Fox (seal) Rebekah Fox (seal)

Signed Sealed and Delivered in Preasants of us  Isaac Leet [poz?]

Mary Sutton   Isaac Leet

Washington County [sall?]

This Day Personally appeared before me the Subscriber a Justice of the

Peace in and for said County Christian Fox widow of Absalom Fox decd David

Fox and Sarah his Wife, Charles Fox and Marah his wife Sampson Sargant

and Ivy his wife, David Sutton and Anchor his wife, Mary Fox and

Rebekah Fox and acknowledged the within Instrument of writing it being

a Deed of Conveyance to be their Act and Deeds the several Women being

examined Seperate and apart from their Husbands, each one for themselves

acknowledged that they became a party thereto of their own free will and

accord without the controul of their Husbands or any other Person allowing

the same to be Recorded as such In Witness whereof I have hereunto set

my hand and seal this thirteenth Day of February 1797

Isaac Leet

Recorded and compared with the Original the 21st February 1797

Samuel Clarke Recorder

 

One of the witnesses, Mary Sutton, was probably related to both David Sutton (the husband of Absalom's daughter Anchor) and Sarah Fox (the wife of Absalom's son David Fox). They were siblings, and also had a sister named Mary. I have no marriage recorded for Mary, so her surname may still have been Sutton at this point. Their mother was also sometimes called Mary, and I have no death date recorded for her, so she may still have been alive at this point. She would have been about 53 years old, so it seems likely. Those two seem to be the most probable candidates.

 

The very next deed in the book is to my 5great-grandfather David Fox, but we will look at that one later.

Source:

Washington, Pennsylvania, Deed books, 1781-1886; deed index, 1781-1924, 1M-12: 680-682 (images #378-379 of 420), The Heirs of the Estate of Absalom Fox to Jonathan Fox, deed, 13 Feb 1797; digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, "Deeds v. 12, 1M 1796-1797," FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 29 Sept 2024).

Amanuensis Monday: 1798 deed from William Wells Esquire to David Fox

This deed could prove quite interesting when I get to the point of analysis, as there are a number of deeds within the Fox family during this and the previous year. Most of them are in Washington county, Pennsylvania, but this one is in Hamilton county, Ohio. The buyer, David Fox, is my 5great-grandfather.

 

[p. 256]

This Indenture made the sixteenth day of Feb-
-ruary in the year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and ninety eight between Wil-
-liam Wells Esquire of the county of Hamilton
in the Territotory of the united States north west
of the River ohio of the one part and David
Fox of the same place of the other part wit-
-nesseth that the said William Wells for and
in consideration ot two thousand and eighty
Dollars to him in hand well and truly paid
at or before the ensealing or Delivery of these pre-
-sesnts by the aforesaid David Fox the receipt
whereof the said William Wells doth hereby ask-
-nowledge and thereof & therefrom doth acquit exon-
-erate and discharge the aforesaid David Fox
his heirs and assigns forever, have given granted
bargained sold aliened, released enfeoffed conveyed
and confirmed and by these presents do give grant
bargain sell alien release, enfeoff, convey, and con-
-firm, unto the said David Fox his heirs and
assigns forever. All that entire section numbered
Thirteen, situate lying and being in the fourth Town-
-ship in the third or military range in the miami
purchase in the county of Hamilton and Territory
aforesaid containing six six hundred and forty
acres. To have and to hold the above described
premises to the said David Fox his heirs and
assigns to the only proper use, benefit and behoof
of the said David Fox his heirs and assigns
forever. And the said William Wells for him-
-self his heirs executors and administrators doth
covenant grant and agree to and with the said
David Fox his heirs & assigns that all and singular
the above described premises against all and every
lawful claim and demand whatsoever to the said
David Fox his heirs and assign will forever
warrant and defend by these presents. In Witness
whereof I the said William Wells have hereunto set my

[p. 257]

hand and seal the day and year first above written.
Signed Sealed &c )
in the presence of ) Wm Wells (seal)
Jno. S. Eano )
Levi Woodward ) Territory of the United states
North West of the River ohio Hamilton ss.
Before me Aaron Cadwell Esq. one of the Jus-
-tices of the court of Common pleas in the county
aforesaid came personally Wells Esquire the within
grantor who acknowledged the within Instrument
of writing to be his voluntary act and Deed for
the uses and purposes therein contained agreeable
to the statute &c In Witness whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal at Sin-
-cinnati the seventeenth day of February in the year
of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and
ninety eight.
Aaron Cadwell (seal)

Source:

Hamilton, Ohio, Deeds 1787-1877 ; index 1787-1878, C-1: 256-257 (image #145 of 557), William Wells Esquire to David Fox, deed, 16 Feb 1798; digital images, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, "Deeds v. C-D 1796-1807," FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 28 Sept 2024). 

 

Sunday's Obituary: Rosa Fox

Over the past two weeks I have featured my 2great-grandparents, Louis Fox and Cora Jones. This week it seems only fitting to feature their young daughter Rosa, my great-grandmother's sister. Sadly, she died quite young, at the age of only 11. She was a victim of the 1918 influenza epidemic.

The Sun reported Rosa's death the same day that she passed.

Rosy Fox Dead

Elliott, Dec. 12--Rosy Fox, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Fox, died about 1 o'clock this morning from pneumonia, following influenza. Other members of the family who were sick are recovering. The funeral will be late Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock.

I enjoy the fact that they referred to her as "Rosy." It feels so much more personal than Rosa, and I can imagine her friends and acquaintances calling her by that name on an everyday basis. I also find it interesting to learn that other members of the family also came down with the influenza; that is something I might never have otherwise learned.

The following week, the Red Oak Express provided a more comprehensive obituary of Rosa's short life, plus a little more information on the experience of the rest of the family.

WEEKLY LETTER FROM ELLIOTT
Rosa A. Fox Dies of Influenza...

Rosa Adella Fox, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Fox, was born in Montgomery county July 1, 1907. She was called to her reward Dec. 12, 1918, at the age of 11 years. The entire family except her sister Hazel was sick with influenza, Miss Rosa developing a case of pneumonia after a short illness. During her short life she endeared herself to all her associates in school as well as in the bible school and junior work. She was a member of Miss Hazel Collins' class in bible school and under Mrs. R. N. Collins and Mrs. McKee in junior work. She will be greatly missed by the members of these departments. She leaves to mourn her departure her mother, father, three sisters, Mabel, Hazel and Viola, one brother Clyde, besides a number of other relatives and friends. Short services were held at the home Friday afternoon conducted by Rev. J. W. McKee. Interment was in Elliott cemetery.

Right off the bat, Rosa's reported name in this article provided me a small surprise. Here, it was recorded as Rosa Adella Fox. On Find A Grave and the index to "Iowa, County Death Records, 1880-1992" at FamilySearch it is recorded as Rosa Adolla Fox. However, Find A Grave does not cite a source for the middle name, and the photograph of her headstone shows that only a middle initial is inscribed. I have not yet been able to view an original document in the Iowa County Death Record database at FamilySearch, only the index, which could, of course, be subject to transcription errors. Naturally, newspapers are also notorious for misspelling names. Yet, "Adella" is a familiar name, as opposed to "Adolla." At this point, it cannot be determined with certainty which is correct.

Sources:

"Rosy Fox Dead," Sun, 13 Dec 1918, p. 6, col. 2; digital images, Community History Archive (https://redoak.advantage-preservation.com/ : accessed 24 Feb 2023).


"Weekly Letter from Elliott," Red Oak Express, 20 Dec 1918, p. 13, col. 4; digital images, Community History Archive (https://redoak.advantage-preservation.com/ : accessed 24 Feb 2023).


Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8643200/rosa-adolla-fox: accessed 28 March 2023), memorial page for Rosa Adolla Fox (1 Jul 1907–12 Dec 1918), Find a Grave Memorial ID 8643200, citing Hillside Cemetery, Elliott, Montgomery County, Iowa, USA; Maintained by Marty & Harley (contributor 47240226).


"Iowa, County Death Records, 1880-1992," database, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 26 Mar 2023), entry for Rosa Adolla Fox's 1918 death; citing Death, Sherman Township, Montgomery, Iowa, United States, page 193 cn98, offices of county clerk from various counties; FHL microfilm 1,481,703.

Sunday's Obituary: Cora Mae (Jones) Fox

Last week we did my 2great-grandfather, Louis Arthur Fox. Let's stay in that family for a bit and read about his wife, my 2great-grandmother Cora Mae (Jones) Fox, today. These articles are also courtesy of that wonderful Red Oak Community History Archive.

Her obituary appeared in at least two of the local papers, the Red Oak Express and the Sun. First we will hear from the Express.

Services Are Held For Mrs. Louis Fox

ELLIOTT--Funeral services for Mrs. Louis Fox, 77, Elliott community resident since 1897, were held Wednesday, Mar. 31, at the Methodist church here with the Rev. A. Breeling officiating and burial in Hillside cemetery.

She died Sunday, Mar 28, at the hospital in Red Oak, where she had been a patient four weeks.

Cora Jones was born Aug. 12, 1876, in Missouri and moved to Coburg with her parents as a youngster. She was married there in 1897 to Louis Fox, who survives.

Also surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Mable Peck of Elliott, Mrs. Hazel Hoyt of Council Bluffs and Mrs. Viola Leighton of Griswold, son, Clyde, near Stennett; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Her obituary in the Sun gave much of the same information, but with perhaps a few more details. (And an erroneous middle initial for her husband, Louis Arthur Fox.)

Mrs. Louis Fox Of Elliott Dies

Elliott, March 31--Funeral services were held Wednesday at 2 p. m. at the Methodist church here for Mrs. Louis F. Fox. Rev. A. Breeling officiated at interment was in Hillside cemetery, Elliott.

Cora Jones was born August 12, 1876 in Missouri. When a small child she came with her parents to Coburg and was married there Dec. 19, 1897, to Louis Fox. They have resided in this community since that time. Mrs. Fox has been a patient invalid for a number of years. She died Sunday afternoon at Murphy Memorial hospital where she had been four weeks She is survived by her husband and three daughters and one son as follows: Mrs. Mable Peck, Elliott; Mrs. Viola Leighton, Griswold, Mrs. Hazel Hoyt, Council Bluffs, Clyde Fox, Red Oak. There are seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

As if two obituaries weren't enough, there are a couple further notes in the Sun, mentioning some of the guests at her funeral.

Mr. and Mrs. Lon Sheppard and Dave Morgan were in Elliott to attend the funeral of Mrs. Louis Fox, 77, which was held at the Methodist church Wednesday.

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Jones attended the funeral of Mrs. Louis Fox in Elliott Wednesday. Services were held at the Methodist church.

Kenneth Jones was Cora's nephew, a son of her brother John Martin Jones. I have not yet identified Lon Sheppard or Dave Morgan. They may have been relatives of some sort, or they may have been friends.

Source:
"Services Are Held For Mrs. Louis Fox," Red Oak Express, 1 Apr 1954, p. 2, col. 1-2; digital images, Community History Archive (https://redoak.advantage-preservation.com/ : accessed 24 Feb 2023).

"Mrs. Louis Fox Of Elliott Dies," Sun, 1 Apr 1954, p. 2, col. 6-7; digital images, Community History Archive (https://redoak.advantage-preservation.com/ : accessed 24 Feb 2023).

"Personals," Sun, 5 Apr 1954, p. 2, col. 1-2; digital images, Community History Archive (https://redoak.advantage-preservation.com/ : accessed 24 Feb 2023).

 

Sunday's Obituary: Louis Arthur Fox

Here's a tip: If you don't already have access to Newspapers.com, make sure to at least get on their mailing list. About once a year they provide free access to the site for an entire three-day weekend, but you can only take advantage of the offer through the link in the email.

A little over a month ago, for President's Day Weekend, the offer appeared. It was an inconvenient time for me; my laptop had just died. And by died, I mean died. I could not get it to turn on. I bought a new one, but my genealogy program with all its tasks was still on the old one. There was no way I was going to miss out on free newspapers, though! I just couldn't be as strategic as I would have liked. My searches would have to be based on the bits and pieces I have in the cloud, and pure, fitful memory. Inevitably, searching this way resulted in finding some things I have found before, but I still made a considerable number of new discoveries.

In the past couple of years since I first began taking advantage of these Newspaper.com weekends, I have developed a process. I clip and download as many relevant articles as I can in the time available, and when the weekend is over I go through the tedious work of transcribing and creating citations. That is what I have been doing every evening in the intervening days.

So anyway, that was a long-winded way of saying that I have a whole new batch of obituaries, and they may be pretty random as to who they are or to which branch of family they belong.

Let's begin with my 2great-grandfather, Louis Arthur Fox. This was my Grandpa Jack's maternal grandfather, and the only grandparent whose name Grandpa Jack was able to tell me. The reason he knew his name, he explained, was that one day when he was visiting, a package arrived that needed to be signed for. Louis Fox had lost an arm, and was holding something in his other arm, so he had Grandpa Jack sign for it. He told him his name and how to spell it.

Incidentally, I also discovered a number of newspaper articles from the time that Louis Fox lost his arm, but I'll save those for another post.

Services at Elliott For Louis Fox, 87

ELLIOTT -- Services were held Wednesday, Dec. 3, for Louis Fox, 87 of Elliott, who died at his home here Monday, Dec. 1.

He was born July 3, 1871, at Lebanon, Ohio, and came to Iowa when he was quite young. He was married to Cora Jones at Coburg in December, 1896. He lived in the Elliott community a number of years as a farmer, retiring in 1943.

Services were held at the Elliott Methodist Church with the Rev. Clarence Landis, officiating.

Survivors are four children, Mrs. Hazel Hoyt of Council Bluffs, Mrs. Viola Leighton of Griswold, Mrs. Mabel Peck and Clyde Fox of Elliott; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

 I realize as I paste in the citation that this article did not come directly from Newspapers.com. I discovered it as an indirect effect of the Newspapers.com weekend special. Searching for this family and not finding them on that website, I did a search for newspapers from Red Oak, Iowa, and discovered that there is a free website of newspapers for that area! My finds from there and from Newspapers.com are all jumbled up in my head, and will continue to be all jumbled up in the order I present them.

Source:

"Services at Elliott For Louis Fox, 87," Red Oak Express, 4 Dec 1958, p. 2, col. 5; digital images, Community History Archive (https://redoak.advantage-preservation.com/ : accessed 24 Feb 2023).

52 Ancestors Week 10: Strong Woman

Katie Sandwina, "The Lady Hercules," lifting three men
Bain News Service / Public domain

It is incredibly difficult to narrow down the topic of "Strong Woman" to a single woman in my family. In just one generation--that of my great-grandparents--it is impossible to decide. There is Great-Grandma Flora (Amos) Underwood, who left England with her husband and infant son, to travel across the ocean on a journey to America, knowing she would never see her home in England again. She left a comfortable middle-class life for the unknown world of the western U.S., living almost a pioneer existence and learning the skills along the way.

There is Great-Grandma Cora (Wade) Brosius, who raised a family of six boys and one girl in Kansas, married to a man nearly twenty years older than she was. When he died and left her with four children who were still quite young, she packed those children into a car and the five of them drove across the country to the Pacific Northwest to begin their new lives.

There is Great-Grandma Mary (Craig) Stroesser, who grew up in "the Bottoms" in Omaha, a neighborhood marked by its shanty houses and poverty, and frequently flooded by the nearby Missouri River. She went on to marry and give birth to thirteen children, suffering post-partum depression after many of them according to family lore, and suffering also the deaths of three of her sons. Although Grandma Rose, her daughter, had a strained relationship with her, it seems clear that Great-Grandma Mary was battling her own demons.

Then there is Great-Grandma Hazel (Fox) Hoyt, who, according to family lore, graduated valedictorian. Unlike my other great-grandmothers, she began to work outside the home during WWII, and continued to work after the war was over. She was a shipping clerk at Dehner Boot Company until her retirement. She was also the only great-grandmother whose lifetime overlapped my own.

Truly, I believe that you could pluck almost any woman off my family tree and, looking at her life and circumstances, come to find that she deserves the appellation of a "Strong Woman."