It turns out that my great grandmother Margaret Fagan named her youngest child after the person she was a housekeeper for prior to her marriage. That was Ella Marie Adams, my grandfather's sister. (My grandfather, Christopher Joseph Adams, was named after one of Margaret's brothers.)
Even though my grandfather died more than 20 years before I was born, I knew my Aunt Ella. She was my father's contact w/ his family, the only one I think.
When I met her, she had come to babysit while my parents went away. I was 7. She wore (as I recall now anyway) a black dress and black boxy tie shoes on stout heels. She had a matronly bosom and walk. When my parents got back, she said I was a very naughty girl, but never would say what I had done. I had no idea then what my crime was, and certainly haven't figured it out since.
My Aunt Ella was divorced. She had daughters of some sort, whom I never met. She called to talk to my father when someone in the family had died. He had a very hard time whenever he knew it was she on the phone.
She came again to babysit when I was about 11. I was not happy to see her.
How I would love to have an hour with her now! She died 30 years ago.
She had white hair, full cheeks, and a little nose. She was chunky and walked uncomfortably.
Last week when I was doing some family history, I went looking for her. I gradually pinned down more details of her life. Her mother died of chronic alcoholism when Ella was 13. She was sent to live with some relatives, which is where I found her in the 1900 census. She was married at 17 or 18 to someone who lived on the same street in Norwalk, Howard Hunt. They had two little girls, Grace and Dorothy. Ella and Howard were divorced sometime between 1920 and 1930.
We have our own Ella and Grace now.
This is just one of the families we are privileged to put together. I knew this woman and I want her to have her family with her forever, no matter what happened in this life.
We are working diligently on preparing for temple ordinances for our antecedents. The details are a different story. All of this is part of our preparation for our mission, with purposes and blessings that we only vaguely understand.
Ella and I would have great discussions today. I have so many questions for her. I feel so much compassion for her! I am so happy to be able to serve her...
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1 comment:
My first visit. I am ecstatic and love the Elder Hales quotation. I think you are about to embark (or are embarking) on the adventure of a lifetime. All the rest is prelude, gathering of skills, development of talents, for the crowning years of your life, of which a mission or missions will be among the choicest parts of the legacy you're going to leave.
As I mentioned to you recently, I was once urged, prodded, poked, prompted, encouraged, pushed, pinched, nudged, tweaked, persuaded, dragged, pulled, guided, inched, eked, massaged, etc, to go on a mission that changed my life in every meaningful way. Now I have the opportunity to applaud you as you launch yourself toward the long-awaited and patiently earned golden years of service.
For all your degrees, publications and other noteworthy accomplishments, the work your are about to perform is going to take up longer chapters in the book of life than all those (parenthood clearly excepted).
Thanks for sharing the blog! If it's support you want, let it be clearly and unequivocally stated that you have all of mine, pledged and secured.
Cuchulainn
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