ZippityDoDa...There's Z's In My Family Tree

A to Z Family Tree...The Letter 'Z'

Her name was not Zinnia, although I'm willing to bet she wished it was at times. Zilpha was the seventh child of John and Mary Polly Rowe Pittman, my 5X Great Grandparents.  Of their twelve children, daughter number seven appears to be the only child given a really uncommon name.  Their other children  had relatively simple and traditional names like Martha, Grace, Timothy, and Lucy...so how and why Zilpha?  As I looked down the list, I noticed several of their children had names found in the Bible like John, Sarah, and Mary.  I had never heard of a Zilpha in the Bible, but I gave it a 'Google' and BINGO...EUREKA...ZILPHA!!!

Zilpha was the handmaid of Leah and the concubine of Jacob.  Her sons Gad and Asher were the founders of two of the twelve tribes of Israel.  It is Hebrew in origin and means dropping or sprinkling.  Now I know that John and Mary were not of Hebrew descent, and perhaps they could not come up with another girls name so to the Bible they went.  We've all done it, ya know....the closed eyes and stab a finger to a verse and the first name that pops up is the one.  Can you imagine their hesitation?  I'm sure I would have said, "Once more...for heavens sake".

Zilpha was born January 16, 1762 in Amelia, Virginia.  She was a young girl during the American Revolution.  Her father and brothers were soldiers and Virginia Patriots.  Zilpha was with her mother when the Tories raided their home and threw Mary Polly off the porch leaving her with a broken hip and a cripple for the rest of her life. 

When Zilpha married in 1782 at twenty years of age, I imagine she had thoughts of at least getting a new last name with a different letter of the alphabet other than 'P'.  But, no....it was not to be...she  married Simon Peacock.  Her initials remained the same...ZIP.

Zilpha and Simon had fifteen children.  Two of them had names that started with Z...Zadock and Zilpha.
Bible Naming history repeated!!!    Bless their hearts! 

Zachariah Andrew Marley, the brother of my Great Grandmother Martha Jane Marley Carroll, was named after a long line of Zachariah Leatherwoods...his Mother's Family name.  The first Zachariah Leatherwood was my 6X Great Grandfather born on November 5, 1735.   Zack the First did not give the 'Z' name to any of his thirteen children, but his son George Holland, my 5X Great Grandfather honored his father by naming my 4X Great Grandfather Zachariah Perry born in 1807 in the state of South Carolina.

Zachariah Andrew Marley was the first Texas born Zachariah.  My Great Great Uncle Zachariah was six years younger than his sister, Martha Jane, my Great Grandmother,  having been born on December 15, 1883.  He is pictured above with his bride,  Mollie Ideliah Jacobs on their wedding day May 4, 1909.

And although, they don't look overjoyed as newly weds, things must have worked out okay as 2XGreat Uncle Zachariah and Mollie had seven children..two girls and five boys.  None of them were given the 'Z' name.  So ends 277 years of Zachariahs in the Pittman-Carroll-Marley-Leatherwood Family Tree...or so I thought until recently.

Zachariah Andrew Marley was 'Googled' by someone other than me.  So thanks to the Letter 'Z',  I have a NEW COUSIN to add to my Family Tree. Texas Zack's Grandson found Me through my posts about The Pittman-Carroll-Marley-Leatherwood Family Tree on CollectInTexas Gal~Tracks of My Texas Ancestors.  He and I are First Cousins 3x removed, and from what I gather, there is the possiblity that 2XGreat Uncle Zack will not be the last of the Zachariahs born in Texas.


Always regard with esteem the name you were given with praise and renown that it should endure.

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X and Y...It's All About Genes and Skirts!

A to Z Family Tree...The Letters X and Y

Perhaps nothing is more of a determination of one's Ancestorial Branching of the Family Tree as the Letters X and Y.  Before the Science of Genetics and the XY Chromosomal discovery, ancient scholars believed that the sex of an infant was a matter of male and female insemination. 

 Whew...I was dreading this 'Birds and Bee's explanation of my Family Tree's Genes Jeans and Skirts, and I only had to use the 'S' word once.  It's pretty well know that the 'S' word was not used in the explanation of the 'Birds and Bees' during the times of my ancestors and that X and Y were known primarly as Letters of the Alphabet.  The Letter X was more versatile in that it could mark a spot or serve as a signature.

The X's and Y's  of my Great Great Marley Grandparents resulted in  eight boys and five girls with all living to adulthood except for a set of infant boy and girl twins and a one year old boy.  I doubt if they ever heard of the X and Y Chromosome Theories and were more than happy to have each and every one of their children...regardless of whether they wore pants or skirts.

   Oh wait....the pants or skirts thing!!!!  It's not always the way to tell!!!  Here is the oldest daughter of the above mentioned Great Great Marley Grandparents and my Direct Descendent Martha Jane Marley Carroll with her husband...my Great Grandfather Stephen Bennett Carroll and their three children.  When first this photo was found in Martha Jane's Photo Album their identities were not known, and I tagged it  "couple and three daughters".

This photo, also in the Album, had written on the back "sons and daughters of MJ Carroll".  So, let's do some 'Photo Detective" work and compare the above photo with this one. 

*First...look at the background.  The photos were taken in the same studio.

*Now look at the faces of the two boys in pants here and the two girls in skirts standing beside their father.  Same eyes, same faces.

*I'm looking at Stephen B. and  Martha Jane's June 14, 1900 Census Record now...hope you are still with me...it says:

 Stephen (27) and Jannie (23) Carroll, married 3 years, Othella (2) daughter and Merritt (1) son. 

 Well, that explains ONE of the skirts and makes the above photo a strong maybe as being Stephen, Martha Jane, Merritt and my Grandmother Estella born June 22, 1900...she's the baby and the photo was probably taken late 1900 or early 1901.

'To make a long story short' or 'short work of 'Photo/Census Research', I'll tell you that the 'couple is indeed Stephen B. and Martha J. Carroll and their three children taken in 1901 before my grandmother's first birthday.  And that Othella is really a boy that the 1900 Census Taker  mistakenly put an A at the end of his name instead of an O.  One look at him in that skirt, and I'd have done the same thing.

The photo labeled 'sons and daughters of MJ Carroll' was taken in the fall of 1903 after the death of their father, Stephen, on June 23, 1903 at 30 years of age.  The fourth child, Mary Ella was born the year before on July 14, 1902.

I imagine that my widowed Great Grandmother was very grateful to have these four children, and never gave a thought to the 'How's and Why's of their X's and Y's.

I know...I sure am!!!

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Womankind - My Paternal Grandmother Kind

A to Z Family Tree...The Letter 'W'

If you trace your Direct Ancestor Line back to your 5X Great Grandparents you would come up with 128 Grandparents.  Sixty-four of them would be your Grandmothers.  Thirty-two of them would be your Paternal Grandmothers.

I didn't growup knowing my Paternal Grandmother.  I met her only once.  I held her hand for this picture and everytime I look at it I wonder why she wasn't holding mine.  Her story:  The Grandmother I Met Only Once.

In the search and research of my Pittman-Carroll-Marley-Leatherwood Family Tree, I have been able to trace back to my Paternal 5XGreat Grandmothers on three of the four Family Names.

The Pittman Grandmother Line

5X Great Grandmother...Mary Polly Rowe Pittman

Born: 1730 in Isle of Wrights, Virginia

Died: May 1, 1810 in Kiokee Creek, Georgia

4X Great Grandmother...Lucy Eunice Marshall Pittman

Born: July 18, 1760 in Wndsor, Connecticut

Died:  October 17, 1821 in Gwinnett County, Georgia

3X Great Grandmother...Frances Jackson Stone Pittman

Born:  January 6, 1783 in Franklin County, Georgia

Died:  January 28, 1857 in Pauylding County, Georgia

2X Great Grandmother...Mary Anne Howell Pittman

Born:  January 28, 1822 in Cobb County, Georgia

Died:  August 22, 1890 in Queen Mills, Georgia

Great Grandmother...Emma June Howell Pittman

Born:  August 20, 1849 in Georgia

Died:  May 4, 1895 in Mapleton, Georgia

Grandmother...Effie Estella Carroll Pittman

Born:  June 22, 1900 in Jack County, Texas

Died:  April 29, 1962 in Anchorage, Alaska 

Womankind...My Granddaughters Kind...Their Great Grandmother and Grandmother Kind!

I can't imagine not 'Holding Her Hand'.

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Uncle MD and Aunt VI

A to Z Family Tree...Letters U and V

Uncle MD and Aunt Vera Irene were my Dad's brother and sister.  Both older siblings and both had a special place in our Family Tree. 

If ever there was a favorite Uncle, MD was well loved by all his nieces and nephews.  He was funny.  He made us all laugh from the time we were children to grown adults with our own children...who thought he was funny, too! 

His name was MD.  He liked to tell the story of how the Army insisted he could not have initials as a name.  The letters M and D had to stand for something.  So, he let them decide what it should be, but always stood by his birth certificate.  He was named after his mothers brother Merritt Douglas Carroll and no one ever questioned that just the initials of his namesake was recorded on his birth certificate....except the US Army.

Through out their lives MD and Willard, my Dad, stayed close as brothers.  They stayed close to their Pittman Family Pioneer Roots in Ward County raising their families within fifty miles of where they were born and raised.

MD was the fifth child of Chappo and Stella Carroll Pittman and Vera Irene was the first.

Vera Irene Pittman Sinks 1917-2000

Beatrice Ruth Pittman Sanders 1918-2000

Chapel Bennett Pittman 1920-1981

Maudie Mae Pittman 1922-1998

MD Pittman 1924-2011

Willard Carroll Pittman 1927-1988 

Pictured:

Above...Vera Irene and MD

Right...Ruth Beatrice and Vera Irene

MD..between his sisters

Chappel Bennett..center back

Willard Carroll

Pictured here in the mid 1980's at Pittman Place in Grandfalls, Texas where they were born and raised...Ruth Beatrice, Vera Irene, MD and Willard.  Vera Irene spent most of her life in California, but came back to her roots in Ward County for several years.  It was at this time that she shared  her 'Collection of Pittman-Carroll-Marley-Leatherwood Family History' with me.  

I am honored to carry on as The Pittman Family Tree Historian. 

Posts on CollectInTexas Gal and Tracks of My Texas Ancestors about my Aunts and Uncles.

A Sister Is A Sister Forever

Aunt Bea...A Vast Violet Veranda

Aunt Irene...She's A Keeper

Two Boys and A Donkey

EXTRA EXTRA!!! Read All About It

FIND A GRAVE MEMORIALS

Vera Irene Pittman Sinks

Ruth Beatrice Pittman Sanders

Chapel Bennett Pittman

MD Pittman

Willard Carroll Pittman

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Tracks of My Texas Ancestors

A to Z Family Tree...Letter 'T'

Welcome to Tracks of My Texas Ancestors

A Collection of Family History and Genealogy Research

of my

Father's Texas Pioneer Families

Pittman~Carroll~Marley~Leatherwood

Our Family Mesquite Tree has grown deep roots in Ward County Texas where my

 Great Grandfather journeyed in a covered wagon from Georgia in the 1890's.

Mesquite trees grow in twisted and intertwining branches, survive in a difficult environment and produce a bountiful crop of beans, so the comparison to the Pittman/Carroll/Marley/Leatherwood Family is appropriate. Two of these Family names became intertwined with the marriage of Pittman Brothers to Carroll Sisters which produced a bountiful crop of 'Double Cousins', and a long line of descendents throughout the state of Texas and the Southwest.

My siblings and I are the 5th Generation of these West Texas Pioneer Ancestors.  We were raised where our great grandfather, grandfather and father put down roots.  Our Family Geneaology Study and Documentation began with my Aunt Irene who spent countless hours researching Historical Societies from Georgia to Texas. Her many pages of 'Family Group Logs', notes, letters and memorbilia have given me an unprecedented head start.

Tracks of My Texas Ancestors serves as a Data Base for the Collections of Family History

 which is first posted or announced on CollectIn Texas Gal. 

The Two Blogs are Linked and Intertwined together much like our

Family Mesquite Tree through the Posts, Pages and Sidebar Links.

Twenty years ago, or so, I began writing short stories based on Aunt Irene's notes and collections of family history.  Mostly, though, the stories stem from hours of listening to my Great Uncle Mert, Dad's brother MD, and several 'Old Timers' who knew my Great Grandfather, Grandfather and Dad back in the day.  It's one of the advantages of growing up in the same small West Texas Town as ones ancestors...'Everybody knows you and All your Family, their business and history'!

One of my first stories was based on this photo of my Dad and his brother MD who was two years older than Dad and was a great story teller.  I'll begin the introduction of 'The Stories' with

 Down The Dusty Road...Two Boys and A Donkey,

 and invite you to view and read the other stories which are just a click away on Tracks of My Texas Ancestors.

In creating and maintaining Tracks of My Texas Ancestors, my hope is that it will preserve our Family History, be a resource for others tracking our Texas ancestors, and inspire future generations to become Family Historians.  It is a rewarding and amazing journey made possible through Twenty-First Century Technology. 

From Colonial America to Georgia to Texas! 

We HAVE come a long way, Baby!

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Sisters Are Forever

A to Z Family Tree...Letter 'S'

The Marley Sisters

Lou Ida and Anna Etta

Sisters of my Great Grandmother Martha Jane Marley Carroll

A sister's a sister forever,
A bond that diminishes never,
A friend who is kindly and caring,
A sibling God chooses for sharing.

The Plate Sisters

Maude and Edith Plate

Sisters of my Grandmother Minnie Martha Plate Klemish

Minnie Martha Plate Klemish and Maude Plate

Few ties as deep and profound
And with so much affection abound
Though some thoughts are seldom expressed
Love endures and survives every test.

The Klemish Sisters

Clara and Martha

Sisters of my Maternal Grandfather Joseph Thomas Klemish

Of the constants that rest in the heart,
A sister's a primary part.
She'll always be there when you need her-
You listen, you value, you heed her.

The Pittman Sisters

Beulah Magnolia and Mattie Maude

Sisters of my Paternal Grandfather Chappo Pittman 

As growth, independence you ponder,
Your feelings grow deeper and fonder;
And life tells you one thing thats true:
A sister's a large part of you.

The Pittman Sisters

Connie Marie and Sandra Sue

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The Rattlesnake Whisperer and The Sidewinder Rider

Ato Z Family Tree...Letter 'R'

The days passed into weeks and the weeks into months, and as time had a way of doing, the months added up to a few years since Bob Offield* had seen Willard and MD. Those Pittman boys were the closest folks he could call family. 

“Lordy, how I regret losin' Martha Jane*.  We should have worked out our differences,” Bob thought as he sat rockin’ on the same porch where Willard and MD regularly stopped to tell him about their school day.  “Yep, those two rowdy boys growed up purt near right before my tired ole eyes.   I reckon Chappo* misses those two broncs, too, livin’ by hisself down there by the ‘Ditch’.” 

Last he’d heard MD joined the Air Force. Now that was somethin’ to think about. Air Force. It taxed his mind to understand them new fangled flyin’machines.  He marveled at the planes flying overhead as they took off and landed at the Rattlesnake Air Field* over in Pyote. “Why, I remember the days when the only thang flyin’ over hot dusty West Texas was buzzards,” he mused as he looked to the sky.

Down the dusty road a mile or so before crossing the ditch, Willard wondered if ‘Old Bob’ would be porch sitting. It had been six months or more since he’d had a day off from the Wristen Ranch*, and today he was on his way home. Sure enough, ‘Old Bob’ was on the porch sittin in the same old chair, looking at the sky. As soon as Bob saw the cowboy, his hand went up in greeting and he leaned heavily on the arms of the rocker as he stood to meet Willard at the edge of the porch.

Git down from that wild lookin bronc, Willard, and I’ll fix us something to drink. Thanks, Bob, but I just came from *Grandma Elsey’s, and you know how she can fill you up on pie and coffee. “Well, then have a sit down and catch me up on what’s happenin’ at the ranch. How’d you git a saddle on that twistin son-of-a-gun ole bronc,” he asked as he lowered himself back in the rocker.

"He’s a might more accommodating since Gid* had a talk with him about his buckin’ habits,” Willard laughed as he flipped open the flap of his Sunday white western shirt pocket and pulled out the bag of Bull Durham. Offering Bob a smoke and a light, he recounted the psychiatry session Gid had with the bronc.

This dang bronc has thrown every cowboy on the ranch including me more than once. We were one more pitch into the dirt away from sending him out to pasture, when Gid* drove up in that old truck he’s so proud of.   He asked us if that sorry mount was too much horse for all us broken down bronc busters. A couple of the older wranglers swelled up and said they’d have the black devil broke before the week was out.  Gid looked me over as I was knockin off the dirt, and commenced to walkin' toward the snortin' stallion.  He began talkin’ real quiet and soothin’ like, all the time inching closer to the horses’ head.

We was all gettin’ a spot on the corral fence thinkin’ we’d be seein’ that ‘Old Man’ hit the dirt like the rest of us had done tryin’ to break this black beauty. It was somethin’ to see, I’ll tell ya that. That horse was bewitched or somethin’. He never twitched a muscle as Gid stroked his neck and talked in his ear. I had a hell of a time getting the saddle on him not an hour earlier, and there he stood as docile as an old broodin’ mare after pitchin’ everyone of us in the dirt.

In no time at all, Gid gathered up the reins, and handed them to me and said he guessed that the Black Devil was just the horse for me. I’ve been riding him ever since, but anybody else gets near him with a saddle and he goes to pawin’ the ground.  Bob nodded his head and said, “Yep, I seen Gid do the same thang once when he was a young man over in Fort Stockton. It shore enough gits you thinkin’ bout man and his relationship with Gods creatures. Did you know that ‘Old Man’ has been known to have live rattlesnakes under the seat of his old truck? I seen it once myself or I wouldn’t have believed it. Gid said the rattler found it's way into the truck one day while he was on a surveying job over by the Pecos River.  He guessed it’d git out when it got to where it was goin’.”

“Yeah, I heard that story, but I’ve never seen any rattlers in there, and you can bet your life I look before I step into that Old Man’s truck. Daddy told me that when Gid was a young boy, an old woman gave him the Mystic Power, and when he died he should pass it back to a woman. Kind of interesting to think about…the type of woman that would cotton to a thing like that. I don’t guess it would be one of his own, since he never married.

The black stallion started pawin' the ground, and the day was getting on into evening when Willard said, “Guess I’d best be getting on down the road, Bob.   Dad should be home from riddin' the ditch.  There's enough daylight left for us to  have some supper and talk awhile before I have to get back to the ranch. We got a couple of dozen wild broncs to break next week, and I don’t think we’ll be able to count on Gid to be there to do any horse witch-docterin’.”

Bob, slapped his knee and said, “Speakin of Rattlesnakes, I heard MD joined the Air Force. Is he trainin’ to drive one of them‘Flyin Contraptions’ over at the Pyote Rattlesnake Base?” As he stepped in the stirrup, Willard said, “Naw, Bob, MD joined the Army. He’s trainin’to march and shoot one of them bolt-action rifles. I doubt he’ll be shootin’ Diamondback Sidewinders where he’s goin’.”

Well, I’ll be dogged, I was jest thinkin’ bout you two boys as youngin’s, and how ya’ll are the closest folks as I can call kin. I shore hope MD is as good with that rifle as he was with that ole pistol ya’ll used to shoot rattlers. I’ll be prayin’ he comes home safe and sound. What about you, Willard, are you goin’ to join up?   I betcha you’d be right good at flyin’ one of them Rattlesnake Flyin’ Machines.”

As Willard settled himself in the saddle and took the reins in his hands, Bob said, “By the way son, what did you name that bronc?” With a flick of the reins and a wink at Bob, Willard said, “Let’s go, Sidewinder”.

*Bob Offield was a cowpoke in Grandfalls, Texas around 1915 when my Great Grandmother Martha Jane Carroll arrived in Ward County..
*Bob Offield and Martha Jane Carroll married April 1, 1916 and seperated in July that same year.  It is not known if they ever legally diviorced, but Martha Jane never went by the name Offield.
*Columbus Chappel 'Chappo' Pittman married Effie Estella Carroll August 11, 1916.  Estella was the daughter of Martha Jane Carroll.  Chappo and Estella were Willard and MD's parents and my grandparents.
*Rattlesnake Air Force Base was a World War II USAF training base located in Pyote, Texas.  It was nicknamed the Rattlesnake Bomber Base for the numerous Rattlesnake dens that were uncovered during its construction. Ruins are still standing today and a museum is housed in nearby Monahans.   References:  Wikepedia and  Texas Escapes Online Magazine
*Wristen Ranch located between Grandfalls and Monhans where Willard worked as bronc buster and cowhand.  Still in operation and Wristen Family owned.
*Grandma Elsey's Diner was a train dinning car turned into a cafe'.  It was located on the main street of Grandfalls and run by Grandma Elsey who really did make the best homemade pies in Ward County.
*Gid Reding a surveyor by profession and a man with many talents.  It was said that he had a photographic memory and could tell you about every plot of land he surveyd and where every rock pile marker he made was located in and around Ward County.  He is pictured in this story at the 100 Year Celebration of Ward County in 1992...he was 92 years old.  He was a great story teller and I was a good listener.

Dedicated to the Memory of

Willard Carroll Pittman.......March 14, 1927 ~ April 1, 1988
MD Pittman......March 6, 1924 ~ April 2, 2011

Gideon Lowe Reding ..... June 3, 1900 ~ March 6, 1993

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Families Are Like Quilts...

...Stitched Together One Piece at a Time.
AtoZ Family Tree...Letter 'Q'

When the wind mixes with a driving sleet in West Texas, a cow, a calf and a young girl should be someplace out of the bitter cold. Preferably someplace warm.  Stella's thoughts about someplace warm kept her going in the driving sleet. 

The cow was having a hard time of it, too.  Stella could tell by the tension on the rope that kept the mother as close to her newborn as she could get.  The calf, barely four hours old, was draped across her saddle sharing the slicker that was doing a passable job of keeping the rain and ice from soaking them both.

Stella looked up just before her horse crossed the road through the gate where the sign was covered in snow and dripping with ice sickles.  Just able to make out Wristen Ranch through the blowing sleet and snow, she peered beyond the sign to make out the house and barn  down the snow covered  wagon rutted tracks.  Holding back on the horse so the cow could keep up, she spoke softly to the shivering calf, "Hang on little one, we'll get you warm and fed real soon.  Dear god, let there be somebody here who will take us in for the night.

The answer to her prayer was standing beside the barn swinging a lantern.  As she neared the barn door, Stella allowed the cowboy to take the reins and lead them inside.  For the first time in what seemed like hours, she took a full breath of air without the wool scarf filtering the cold and ice. 

Numb and shivering, she handed the calf to the out stretched arms who quickly rubbed the calf down with a toesack, laid it beside it's mother and returned to the girl as she nearly fell from the saddle.

"I bet yore Stella Carroll," said the cowboy as he helped her to the pot bellied stove in the tack room of the barn.  "I'm Bob Offield.  I met yore Mother, brothers and sister today when they was stuck in a mudhole jesta mile or two down the road from here.  Can't say I'm surprised to see you.  Yore Mama said you were jest a few hours behind with a cow and a newborn calf.  Looks like you did a right fine job of getting all of you this far.  Now let's get you unfroze a bit before we git on up to the main house where Miz Wristen will fix you somethin' to warm you up".

With her chattering teeth, Stella was having a hard time saying her thanks, but managed to nod her head in agreement as Bob motioned her to the stool in front of the fire.  He threw in another log and stoked the embers as Stella pulled off her gloves and hat, and unwrapped the shawl she had covering her head and shoulders.  Bob noticed that she had the same color hair as her Mama, and the young girl seemed to have that same proud stance and determination that he had witnessed earlier in the day.

The following day dawned with the sun shining on the snow drifts that had piled on the window sill of the room Mrs. Wristen had insisted Stella take for the night.  Stella hadn't had the luxury and comfort of a real bed since leaving Grandpa and Grandma Marleys place.  It seemed like a long time ago, but it had been less than three weeks since she had left Borden County to travel to Grandfalls in the covered wagon she watched roll out of sight so many hours ago.  Now she would have to catch up with her Mama...oh how she wanted to stay under the warm scrap quilts, eat hot food and wait for warmer weather before venturing out again.

"My Daddy died nearly thirteen years ago.  Mama, my brothers and sister and I have been living with my Grandpa and Grandma Marley on their farm in Gail.  Mama heard that Ward County was offering homesteads to farmers who could make it for two years.  So we started off and when we got to Monahans, the storm hit and the cow decided to have her calf.  I'm very grateful to you, Miz Wristen, for your hospitality.  I couldn't have gone much further.  "Stella found herself telling Mrs. Wristen, who was busy making a pan of biscuits and stirring gravy for the ranch hands that would be sitting down to the long oak table for breakfast.

"Your Mother must be a determined woman to take on homesteading in this part of West Texas without a husband.  It's a tough life, and God knows, it takes a mighty strong will and strong back to make it work.  I wish you and your Mama well.  Stella, I can see that you are strong, young Texas woman.  You'll make it."

I am a 'Scrap Quilt Maker' and collector of Vintage Quilts and Scraps.

Stella Carroll was my Grandmother, and this story is one of the 'Scraps' pieced into my 'Family Quilt'. 

I hope you have enjoyed this story and the others of my Pioneer Family in Grandfalls, Ward County, Texas.  They are all based on real folks, and real events in the Lives and Tracks of My Texas Ancestors.

Sue

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