Friday, January 9, 2015

When Harry Met Sabra


My grandmother, Sabra, was around 26 when
she married my dirt-poor grandfather Harry
in the early 1900's.
Back then, single ladies of her age were
known as spinsters.

Harry, being a poor cowboy and hired-hand,
must have thought he'd died and gone to heaven
when Sabra agreed to married him. Her wealthy
father gave the newlyweds 100 acres of land.

My dad told me he remembered his father Harry
lighting cigars at poker games with $20 bills.

Surely Harry must have invented the term
 'Easy come, Easy go'
-- and it haunted him all his life.

Harry's mother was an Indian woman,
 (we say Native American now)
and his father was some sort of fur trapper.

Harry was born in a log cabin in the Ozark
Mountains. No birth certificates in that sort
of situation back then.

I wish I had gotten Harry's beautiful dark skin.
Instead I got Sabra's pasty light complexion.

When they argued, Harry called Sabra 
"a flat-headed, Pennsylvania Dutch woman"
One can only imagine what feisty Sabra
called him!

So, I'm setting out to learn more about these
two this year. I have a lot of family stories
and papers, and a few pictures, to help me
with my research.

Have you ever noticed how you can look at
your kids...or even your grandchildren...
and see your ancestors in them?


Thanks for dropping in!




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16 comments:

  1. I find lineage to be so incredibly interesting. I know you will really enjoy this and I look forward to your stories

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  2. How interesting! I can't wait to hear more.

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  3. Sounds like a wonderful project for this year, you'll be hooked. I love searching out our more interesting relations, these are the basics for soap operas.

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  4. I love stories like this one and the old pictures. I simply get lost in old pictures, trying to imagine what it was like back then.

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  5. Rivercest Cottage,
    The hopeless romantic in me is quite smitten with your ancestors!!! Love their story!!!
    I always told my MoMa, I was born in the wrong era. She would always giggle and smile, then reply, "What makes you think so?" Then I would share my dreams of romantic love with her. As I finished we would both laugh like 'school girls'!!!
    Thank you for sharing this 'love story' with us!!!
    I am secretly hoping for a sequel. . .
    Fondly,
    Pat

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  6. I hope you are going to share more of their story with us!

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  7. I loved reading this and can't wait to see what you find out!

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  8. Loved reading this story and I hope to hear more!

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  9. Wow. What a great story. I can't wait until you find out some more. Thanks for your encouraging words this week.

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  10. That's so true about seeing features of your ancestors in your children and nieces and nephews. Interesting story. A couple of my sisters really got into this research last summer and they found out all kinds of interesting things. xoxo

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  11. What a fun project. You can tell that those two had a lot of personality, even from their photo. Reminds me a little of my grandparents. When they'd argue, he'd always calmly say, "Now, Marcella" which would drive her crazy. :)

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  12. It's a lovely photo and a lovely cute story..I enjoyed it ty I'm your new follower with love Janice

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  13. I loved the story! You have a great talent for writing that really puts me into the scene. I can just picture old Harry lighting those cigars with $20 bills. Too expensive a habit by todays standards. He was really something else!

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  14. Hello, I so enjoyed reading this story of your family history! I think this was my whole point in why we are bloggers. Thanks for stopping in and leaving me a comment!
    Loved the closet make-over and I am sure your daughter was truly blessed! I am going to read a few more posts. Please come visit again soon! Roxy

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  15. Well, I must say that Sabra was a very beautiful spinster! And what a fun and unusual name. Loved reading about their history and can not imagine burning a $20 bill like that. Especially in those days. Yes, I often can see heritage in my kids and grandchildren. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  16. I loved this story! I once heard that people inherit more traits from their grandparents than their parents. I know that's certainly the case in my family. I too inherited my Irish grandma's pasty white complexion instead of my other grandmother's beautiful olive skin. Oh well, that's the breaks I guess.

    Thanks so much for telling me about this delightful post! I can't wait to read more!

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