Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Lily Rose...A Southern Belle born Sept. 5, 1887

Tomorrow is the birthday of my beloved grandmother, Lily Rose, called "Mammy" by her grandchildren. She was born 120 years ago on 9-5-1887 and in those days I suppose it was fashionable to name girls after flowers and jewels with names like hers, Lily Rose, and others such as Violet, Opal, Ruby, Pearl, etc. This old and faded photo was taken about 1925 under a magnolia tree at the home my grandparents built on their Hope Estate Plantation near Wisner, Louisiana. It is one of my favorite pictures of my grandparents and reflects the happiness of those days when times were really, really good for them before the Depression hit. They were in "High Cotton" and it was the "Roaring Twenties". Mammy lived to be 101 years old and when I think of all the "firsts" she witnessed during her long life such as the first cars, the first electric lights, the first airplanes, the first time women got the right to vote, first radios and television, etc., etc. it boggles my mind. She was the wise and wonderful matriarch of our family and I am blessed to have known her and grateful to be her grandson.

2 comments:

RUTH said...

I always find it comforting to know that a little of our loved ones of the past still lives on in us and make us the people we are. A moving post.....
Rx

Anonymous said...

It surely is true that our ancestors' genetics and the nurturing of those who raised us help make us the people we are today. I often think I view life and current events through the eyes of my parents...both of whom are long gone.