Aunt Zip's Farm
Vivian Melva was born in 1910, the fifth child in a family that would grow to include nine children at a time when large families were still the norm. We called her Aunt Zip for as long as I remember. It started long before I was born, and I have no idea when the nickname was given, or by whom. Aunt Zip was many things, and her bundle of energy was no surprise. The first-born in her childhood family, a son, died in infancy from Whooping Cough. Infant death was rather common, although never easy. The fact that he was the only infant death among these nine children in those days was as uncommon as the large brood was common. The only other child that didn't enjoy a long life was Thelma Mae, the third born and first daughter. She succumbed to TB in 1923 at the age of seventeen, in a sanatorium in Spokane. There would soon be a viable treatment. Only three months following Thelma's death, my mother was born, the last child, born in Spokane due to Thelma's
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She was beautiful to me, in every way. From her long jaw to her tanned, creased face, to her busy, worn fingers, fingers that were never idle, Aunt Zip was beautiful in the world. I know it was difficult for her to suppress her energy to sit and visit, and I'm sure she enjoyed the visit. Always patient and kind, I think her mind must have been at least partly on all the chores that were waiting for her. When she left us, it was a great loss, as was losing all the aunts. I do wonder if she would say her life was a happy one, and I know she did have happiness, but I wonder if she had enough. All the sisters suffered the tragedy of life, all came from the hardscrabble life of the early 1900's, suffered through the depression, the wars, the losses, and came out the other side. Strong stock, these woman, and wonderful role
As a person that has grown most of my own food, without chemicals or engine powered equipment, for the last 15 years and lesser so for many more years I can relate to some degree what it may have been like for a farmer in the 1800’s (I even live in a house built in 1850).
She lost her parents at a young age, so her grandparents struggled to take care of her and her brothers. Soon after her sixtieth birthday, my mom married my father, and they both welcomed me two years later. I was born in September 1999; unfortunately, five months after my birth, my father died in the hands of a stranger from a gunshot to the head. Although both my grandmother and mother were devastated by his passing, they both decided to once again fight for our future and raise me.
“Aunt Ida Pieces a Quilt” is a poem about an elderly woman who is stitching a quilt in memory of her great nephew, Junie, who has died of AIDS. It is a remarkable poem about a close knit family who comes together to help each other during hardship. Like “An Indian Story” this poem speaks of long family traditions and illustrates the importance of family. “My mama and my mama’s mama taught me”, says Aunt Ida (49). The two writings are also similar, in that, the main maternal figure also makes sacrifices for her family. This is illustrated when Aunt Ida helps sew a quilt for her family even though, as she describes, “My eyes ain’t good now and my fingers lock in a fist, they so eaten up with arthritis” (49).It is evident throughout the text that this family spends a great deal of time together and have a very strong bond.
When IDA was sixteen years previous each of her oldsters died from infectious disease. so as to stay her family along, IDA visited work as a
Clara worked hard to become the pioneering nurse. She knew she wanted to take care of people when she had taken care of her brother for three years. Her brother David fell off of a barn roof and wasn’t expected to live. Clara stayed by his side and took good care of him. When she heard that Southern sympathizers attacked soldiers from Massachusetts Regiment she decided to tend to the wounded.
The Industrial Revolution in America began to develop in the mid-eighteen hundreds after the Civil War. Prior to this industrial growth the work force was mainly based in agriculture, especially in the South (“Industrial Revolution”). The advancement in machinery and manufacturing on a large scale changed the structure of the work force. Families began to leave the farm and relocate to larger settings to work in the ever-growing industries. One area that saw a major change in the work force was textile manufacturing. Towns in the early nineteen hundreds were established around mills, and workers were subjected to strenuous working conditions. It would take decades before these issues were
Doris is my great-great aunt born on November 25, 1917, in Salina, Kansas. Nowadays if someone is born anywhere other than a hospital it is weird, but then it was not. Doris was born in her house. She lived in a 2-story house with a “big room”, also known as a living room, on the main floor and one bedroom upstairs. Doris’s family consisted of 5 people altogether: Mom, Hilma; Dad, Carl; 2 brothers (LeRoy, they also called him Sandy, and Lauren), and Doris. Doris was the youngest by eleven years. She lived in Salina during the Dust Bowl, she was 12 years old when the first storm hit.
Countless American farmers were faced with many challenges and problems during the 1920s. At this time, farmers made up one-fourth of the American workforce. During the World War 1, farmers were forced to increase their harvest yields and need to buy more land as the demands for crops was much greater. In addition to these expenses, things such as costly tractors and other mechanized farm equipment were added causing them to become contracted to huge debts followed by mortgage payments. The crisis caused the drop in the value of agricultural products. As a result, for the years 1929-32. The incomes of farmers decreased by 58% (reaching 4 748 million dollars instead of 11 312 million). At the same time, the value of industrial goods did not fall so noticeably that it did not allow farmers to purchase the necessary technical means and equipment for work. Most of them went bankrupt, unable to withstand against the background of low prices for agricultural products and high on industrial payments of taxes and land rent. They accounted for about 40% of their annual profits.For this reason, by March 1933, 897,000 farms had been sold (approximately 14.3% of all available in the US). By 1934 the collection of wheat was lower by 36%, corn cobs by 45%. Some farmers refused to use the money, switching to natural exchange. They lived, forming settlements and producing everything they needed for their
This book has an introduction, a total of 20 chapters, and a conclusion. King organizes her book by expressing how her daughter, Josie, passed away at age four due to a hospital error. She then gives contextual information about the family in the following chapter, leading up to when Josie was first taken to the hospital, and how Josie’s passing enabled King to revolutionize the healthcare industry regarding patient care. King narrates the novel in first person, and reveals her experience in a chronological order.
You're walking behind your horse in your field. It's so hot and you want to go inside but you know that market time is coming up and you have to get all of you corn cut up and put into bushels. Have you ever wondered about farm life in the 1800s? I am interested in the topic because I wanted to learn more about it and I thought that it would be an interesting topic. Some things that I want to learn from my topic are their lifestyle, the different types of people that moved West, and how many hours it took to farm certain amounts of land. Farm life was an important part of our country because it opened the West for other people to come.
I am Beverly Hemmings, one of Thomas Jefferson’s invisible children. I’m one of seven children that my mama Sally Hemmings had. We are being raised as slaves, but Master Jefferson provides us with better shoes and clothes. Whenever I call Master Jefferson papa in front of mama she whoops me. Mama said Master Jefferson loves me. He named me William Beverly, after his friend.
Marilyn was a loving sister to her brother, Gerry Cross, and to her parents, Linda and Roy Cross. Although she was young, Marilyn brought more than ample amounts of joy to the people of this world. A caring, heartful girl, Marilyn helped everyone she could, and worked arduously to achieve her goals. Despite never getting to tell her family, she truly loved them, and she showed it in her kind ways. Honest and responsible, Marilyn was an example citizen, and helped change this world for the better. To say Marilyn never accomplished anything is to tell a lie. Marilyn helped support her family, and also helped everyone they could. Perhaps Marilyn’s greatest accomplishment will be in her death, where she reminds us all the importance of following nature’s harsh rules, so that
Richlands Farmer's Day in Richlands, NC, is a festival the small town hosts annually. Many vendors, food trucks, and tractors line the field. I have always wanted to bring my children, and moving to the town allowed me to do so. Within sight, I drive over a small grass field which makes up the parking lot. Grass has now turned to dirt from the many tire tracks. Richlands Farmer's Day is a perfect place for a family day outing.
R.M is the first youngest child, two sisters, healthy, parents married, father had chronic alcoholism, mother remains in perfect general health, not known disease or condition. Grandmother on father’s side T.E, died at age 78, from cardiac arrest; Grandfather on father’s side, R.M, died at age 45, from automobile accident; Grandmother on mother’s side, L.S, suffered from Parkinson, died at age 79,
I woke up before my alarm. A distant square of eerie half-twilight from the window held the familiar outline of the locust tree. In the dark, I fumbled to dress without waking my parents. I slipped outside.