I come from a long line of strong, independent women. My female ancestors were bridging the gender gap long before the women's liberation movement of the 1970s, and one of them, May Stocking Knaggs, was even a well-known suffragette in her era. Naturally, while growing up. I heard many stories of these women's accomplishments. Some of the women were still living at the time, and I knew them as my dear great-aunts.
What I don't know very much about are the male ancestors in my family. So, when my great-aunt Faith sent me her father, Henry Etherington MacLennan's papers shortly before she died, I was thrilled and vowed to sort through them for more insight into his character. Time for such leisure pursuits slipped away, however, and the papers sat in a box in my study for several years. I kept telling myself that I'd get to them, one day.
Recently, as I was taking yet another fruitless stab at organizing my study, I noticed that the box with my great-grandfather's papers in it was starting to fall apart. I decided to go ahead and re-box them, so that they wouldn't be ruined before I managed to find time to look them over. Not wanting to get distracted from the overall goal of organizing my study, I told myself I would just sort the papers according to type, put them in plastic bags, and then go on with my organizing.
As I sorted, I began to realize that my great-grandfather, who was an Army doctor in World War I, stationed in France, must have written to his wife and daughters nearly every day that he was deployed. True to my vow, I didn't try to read the letters and cards while sorting them, but it sparked my curiosity and imagination. I had known his wife as my sweet, bedridden great-grandmother. who knitted beautifully and gave us lemon drops when we visited. The postcards and letters might serve as an insight into their relationship, and, ultimately, into who Henry really was.
As a new grandmother myself, I'm suddenly very conscious of the history that I will pass on to my granddaughter. I've been writing in a memory book, so that some day she will know who I am/was, and so will her children, and her children's children. As I was speculating about learning more about Henry, I knew it would be wise to scan in his papers for future generations. I thought, what the heck, I might as well blog about it as long as I'm going to the trouble. Thus the first idea for this page was born.
Today, I went through the trunk where I keep all my pictures and memorabilia in search of a picture of Henry. I found the one that heads this page, as well as another one I'll scan in later. I also found a few clues as to who Henry was while I was looking. My next post will outline what I already know, or have heard, about Henry. So, come along with me, if you will, as I get to know him. You'll see what I see when I see it, and I'll share my thoughts and impressions, as well as any new facts that arise in my research. Now that I've started, I can hardly wait.
What I don't know very much about are the male ancestors in my family. So, when my great-aunt Faith sent me her father, Henry Etherington MacLennan's papers shortly before she died, I was thrilled and vowed to sort through them for more insight into his character. Time for such leisure pursuits slipped away, however, and the papers sat in a box in my study for several years. I kept telling myself that I'd get to them, one day.
Recently, as I was taking yet another fruitless stab at organizing my study, I noticed that the box with my great-grandfather's papers in it was starting to fall apart. I decided to go ahead and re-box them, so that they wouldn't be ruined before I managed to find time to look them over. Not wanting to get distracted from the overall goal of organizing my study, I told myself I would just sort the papers according to type, put them in plastic bags, and then go on with my organizing.
As I sorted, I began to realize that my great-grandfather, who was an Army doctor in World War I, stationed in France, must have written to his wife and daughters nearly every day that he was deployed. True to my vow, I didn't try to read the letters and cards while sorting them, but it sparked my curiosity and imagination. I had known his wife as my sweet, bedridden great-grandmother. who knitted beautifully and gave us lemon drops when we visited. The postcards and letters might serve as an insight into their relationship, and, ultimately, into who Henry really was.
As a new grandmother myself, I'm suddenly very conscious of the history that I will pass on to my granddaughter. I've been writing in a memory book, so that some day she will know who I am/was, and so will her children, and her children's children. As I was speculating about learning more about Henry, I knew it would be wise to scan in his papers for future generations. I thought, what the heck, I might as well blog about it as long as I'm going to the trouble. Thus the first idea for this page was born.
Today, I went through the trunk where I keep all my pictures and memorabilia in search of a picture of Henry. I found the one that heads this page, as well as another one I'll scan in later. I also found a few clues as to who Henry was while I was looking. My next post will outline what I already know, or have heard, about Henry. So, come along with me, if you will, as I get to know him. You'll see what I see when I see it, and I'll share my thoughts and impressions, as well as any new facts that arise in my research. Now that I've started, I can hardly wait.
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