"In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep to know our heritage - to know who we are and where we came from. Without this enriching knowledge there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness".



ALEX HALEY, ROOTS



Thursday, November 11, 2010

Melvina Gibbs Boling

After writing my first post about my Paternal Grandmother, I thought it was fitting my second should be about my Maternal Grandmother, Melvina Gibbs Boling.
Grandma Boling was born in Tennessee in 1890. She died in Minnesota in 1973, and is buried in Tennessee.
This picture is a postcard taken in 1917 in Ohio. During the First World War her and my Grandpa were living there. He is listed on his WWI draft registration as working at Peters Cartridge Company.
Grandma is on the left and her sister Florie is on the right.
The child on the left is my uncle Ruben, and the one on the right is Aunt Florie's daughter. I think her name might be Nellie.
Grandma Boling had 11 children, only 8 survived till adulthood.
My Mom was the youngest, she was born when my Grandma was 46 and my Grandpa was 50.
I don't remember as much about Grandma Boling, but I do remember that she carried butterscotch candy in her purse.
This is the back of the postcard. I love that she thought she was "old" at 27.
Grandma was sending it to her brother Joe Gibbs.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

A love of Genealogy, Photos, and Grandma

Well, here it is. My first post.
My obsession to learn my about my family's history began almost at birth. I used to sit on my Grandmas floor and look through her old photo albums and wonder who everyone was. Now, am lucky enough to be the owner of most of those same photos.
Thus begins my second obsession, sharing them.

While I can identify most of people in my photos. Alas, some I cannot. I hope that someone will come along, and figure it out. Not just for me, but for all of the people who have never seen a picture of their Great Grandparents.

I am looking forward to sharing some of the fun stuff I've learned, and uploading photos as I identify them. I'm also hoping to write what I know about someone along with their photo. Here's the first.

My Grandma
Clara Belle Heath Crosley
Born in Iowa in 1902
Died in Chicago in 1979 Buried in Lancaster Wisconsin.


Grandma lost her mother Alta Clinger Heath when she was only 5. She was then raised by her Maternal Grandparents Ella McCartney Clinger and John Alexander Clinger.
She never said much about this to me, but did mention her Grandmother in conversation. I didn't know about her loss until I started working on my family tree. Grandma always wore cool cotton dresses, and was "soft" when you hugged her. Just how Grandmas should be.
She always had dinner on the table at 4:30 exactly, and held the phone to her chest when she talked because of her hearing aid. Its funny the stuff you remember. She loved dogs (especially her dog Tiny), and to sew.

She was married twice. The first time to Jack Schaffner, with whom she had 2 sons. And the second to my Grandfather Reuben Thompson Crosley III, to which 2 more sons were born. The youngest being my Dad.