Seek and ye shall find

[CountAllVotes]

as they say huh?

As some may know on this group, I've spent years searching for my grandmother. My mother never knew who she was.

Alas, it was the day before Xmas that I received a telephone call from Indiana. It was my mother's first cousin.

My first cousin has written an entire book about her family because SHE NEVER KNEW WHO ANY OF THEM WERE EITHER (note to U.S. Gov't: MISSIONS OF EXTERMINATION/ASSIMILATION HAVE WORKED, but only to a point ...).

I spoke with her for quite some time and I asked her about the old grandma I have that was born in Arkansas. I asked her if she knew about any one in the family being Indian and she said that "Ma ... she sure looked Indian". She knew all about her and had a few photographs of her. "Ma" or "Maw" as they called her was born in Bradley county, Arkansas in 1834 before the last removals took place from Georgia (which is where both of her parents were born) and she was said to have relatives in Mississippi. I am thinking she was either Cherokee or Choctaw or both based on this statement. Other facts about her are quite elusive. She was kind enough to send me a copy of her unpublished book. She herself is in her late 70s now so I suspect I'm very lucky to have found her.

She also sent me pictures of my real grandmother and it turns out that she was living in New Orleans, Louisiana for many years and died in eastern Texas in the late 1960s. My cousin knew nothing about my mother's birth but was not surprised nor did she deny that it happened based on what info. I have and sent to her to prove it.

So, I finally found out who my mother was at the age of 50+ years. It seems that my mother had two aunts - one half-aunt that lived to be 96 years old and the other full aunt lived to be 94 years old (this second aunt actually outlived my own mother!) and one 1/2 uncle that lived to be almost 90.

Sad story in a strange way. Odd feelings everywhere.

I took this picture of old "Maw" to copy it at the copy shop nearby and they asked me who was the old woman in the old photograph and I said it was my great great grandmother. The lady looked at the picture and said to me that she saw her in my face. The dark eyes/eyebrows - identical.

I sent a copy of it to my only living relative - my older brother and told him of my findings. He was too busy to care I think as I never heard a word since.

I just don't know what else to say about any of this except that ol' Maw lived to be almost 90 and wow, I'm thinking she had one hard damn life at best but managed to outlive almost everyone anyway. ;)

Seek and ye shall find ... yes.

Was it worth it? YES.

CountAllVotes

[yellerpup]

1. What a wild ride, CAV.

I'm glad you found them because I know you've been searching for a long time. Too bad you couldn't have found out while your mom was still around, but wonderful that you look like your gg-grandmother and that the women in your family tend to live a long time. I'm glad the search was worth because you certainly are. :hug:

[CountAllVotes]

2. thanks for the well wishes

Osiyo,

and yes it has been a very long road to follow for many years searching.

I wish my mother had lived long enough to find out. Her aunt that died in 2004 can be found on the www as her daughter (my cousin) had it published.

The interesting part of all of it was the women in the end, you are right. They seemed to be strong and lived for a long time.

I can only wonder what my mother would have done/said had she found out. She died the year the 1930 census was published.

Wa-do,

:hug:

[yellerpup]

3. Your mother would have blessed you.

You labored long for love. So worth it, sis. I'm proud.