Meet my Great-Great Grandmother Jessie Ellen Freed. You might have noticed her in my Daffodil post. She hangs above the side table between the living room and dining room. She is one of my favorite family heirlooms and comes with a story!
Jessie was born in Feb of 1882 in Clinton, Ohio and as far as the records go lived a fairly normal life. Married in 1906, raised two children, moved a few miles over and back and died at the age of 87. She left us five pictures and a bit of mystery.
Did you notice the little brooch Jessie is wearing in the portrait above? It was also handed down to me. Which is amazing! It is rather small and easily misplaced. But I think it had a special place in Jessie's heart and was well cared for.
My Grandfather loved telling how he would walk down the hill as a boy to visit Jessie, his grandma. He would take a nap on her big bed and fall asleep looking at her portrait. Whenever he asked her about the picture on her brooch, she would just smile, because it certainly wasn't his grandpa!
Don't you love stories like the mysterious young man? Do you have any in your family? A lot of living is in our family genealogies and histories, its fascinating to catch an occasional glimpse!