This Souvenir is in the Journal created by Maita Ford born 2 March 1905 Chautauqua County, Jefferson Township. At age 5 she was in Harrison Township. I know you will enjoy reading the names of the students.
Maita's father was my Grandmother Ford's brother. This week I have been offered the opportunity to know Maita. I sit here with 3 journals that she wrote, a big box of pictures of her family, my family. I never knew her. I never knew that my relatives lived in CedarVale until recently. I never knew my Grandmother Ford. Oh how I wish I could grap these and run over to Nellie Walkinshaw's house and show them to her. How I wish I could show them to my Dad. 1913 is the year printed on the front. My Dad would have been 5 yrs old, living in Wilson County. I doubt he even knew his Uncle Thomas Elijah Ford even existed, let alone lived about 81 miles away.
Maita's mother was Mabel Maud Lavely. And the cousins who broght these to me, we did not know about each other until recently.
Reading Maita's journal I am meeting me. We have the same interests in so many things. She was a teacher. She was creative with her hands. She vauled education. She loved animals, even letting the baby deer into the house. (I would do that, really) As she wrote these she was in terrible pain, as I read these I am in pain. We are connected in so many ways. From the rush weaved ladder back chair, the woven Peacock chair, right down to the sewing table. I fought back tears this morning when I found the picture of the sewing table.
When she was writing some of these words she was in Pryor, OK I was in Cedar Vale. I was 130 miles from her during her life and mine. But now, I get to know her, her Journals are like a window into her soul.
There is so much joy in reading these Journals. Joy in finding and meeting my cousins Russell and Chuck. Joy in fact they are sharing all this with me. And joy that I can share these pictures of Cedar Vale and stories that I come across with you, my Cedar Vale Memories friends.
Maita's father was my Grandmother Ford's brother. This week I have been offered the opportunity to know Maita. I sit here with 3 journals that she wrote, a big box of pictures of her family, my family. I never knew her. I never knew that my relatives lived in CedarVale until recently. I never knew my Grandmother Ford. Oh how I wish I could grap these and run over to Nellie Walkinshaw's house and show them to her. How I wish I could show them to my Dad. 1913 is the year printed on the front. My Dad would have been 5 yrs old, living in Wilson County. I doubt he even knew his Uncle Thomas Elijah Ford even existed, let alone lived about 81 miles away.
Maita's mother was Mabel Maud Lavely. And the cousins who broght these to me, we did not know about each other until recently.
Reading Maita's journal I am meeting me. We have the same interests in so many things. She was a teacher. She was creative with her hands. She vauled education. She loved animals, even letting the baby deer into the house. (I would do that, really) As she wrote these she was in terrible pain, as I read these I am in pain. We are connected in so many ways. From the rush weaved ladder back chair, the woven Peacock chair, right down to the sewing table. I fought back tears this morning when I found the picture of the sewing table.
When she was writing some of these words she was in Pryor, OK I was in Cedar Vale. I was 130 miles from her during her life and mine. But now, I get to know her, her Journals are like a window into her soul.
There is so much joy in reading these Journals. Joy in finding and meeting my cousins Russell and Chuck. Joy in fact they are sharing all this with me. And joy that I can share these pictures of Cedar Vale and stories that I come across with you, my Cedar Vale Memories friends.
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