52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 2 – Challenge Favorite Photo
I’ve decided to join Amy Johnson Crow’s 2019 challenge: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. I haven’t been successful in following through in the past, but some stories are better than none! I hope you find these interesting, if you think we might be related let me know, and if you are related and/or have more information for me I would certainly appreciate it.
Well, the topic Challenge was too big a challenge for me and I decided to write on one of the topics from last year that I didn't complete. "Favorite Photo" was the one I chose.
The challenge rules are extremely flexible with the goal of getting us to write family stories. Amy wrote this in this week's email: "If you haven't done the 52 Ancestors challenge before, you might be a bit surprised at the prompts. Yes, they are vague. That's by design. There is no right or wrong way to interpret the prompts. The goal is to spark ideas for your writing. Each week, I'll give some suggestions, but they are just that — suggestions.
You do not need to blog to do this challenge. Some people keep a journal or make scrapbook pages. Some people post a photo on Instagram. Others send an email to family members. The goal is to write something and get those discoveries out of your genealogy software and into a format that others can see and enjoy."
MY FAVORITE PHOTO
This is my favorite photo because I wondered for years if anyone in the family had a photo of her. Her daughter, Verda had a picture of her husband but as far as I knew she didn't have a photo of her Mother.
She is my Great Grandmother, Dillie McDonald Strunk. Dillie was a twin - her sister was Millie. She was born in Scott County Tennessee to Samuel and Rebecca Reed McDonald in November of 1858.
She married George Washington Strunk in 1875 about a week before her 17th Birthday. George was 25 years old. In 1870, George was living with his parents and was a "clerk in store." By 1880, living in Huntsville, Scott County Tennessee, George was a "Register of Deeds" and they were the parents of three, 2 sons and a daughter.
In the 1900 Census, they have moved across the state line into McCreary County Kentucky. George is working as a "Coal Weighmaster" and they have 11 living children. The census record states she is the mother of 11 with 10 living.
However, there are 11 children listed and I know (99% sure I copied his name and dates from the family Bible back in the 1960's and have since misplaced those hand written notes) that Leslie Lane Strunk was born in 1888 and died in 1889. There was also an Elma Strunk, twin to Velma, b April 1897 and died 30 Nov 1897 - information also from the Family Bible.
Dillie died on 17 Jan 1901 at the age of 43. I've never heard of her dying in Childbirth, but it is a possibility even if she was 43 years old. But after 12 pregnancies in 25 years and losing two children, I'm sure she was worn out and susceptible to many diseases.
The photo of Dillie was received from my first cousin, Dillie Weddle Sanders daughter in 2016. It was a tremendous surprise.
Sources:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46311616
George Washington Strunk Family Bible - Last known in possession of Vera Strunk Green Coleman's Granddaughter.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54418771/deliah-strunk (In 1870 Census she is listed as Delilah but so far that is the only source of the name)
Clips from the 1870 and 1900 Censuses
She is my Great Grandmother, Dillie McDonald Strunk. Dillie was a twin - her sister was Millie. She was born in Scott County Tennessee to Samuel and Rebecca Reed McDonald in November of 1858.
She married George Washington Strunk in 1875 about a week before her 17th Birthday. George was 25 years old. In 1870, George was living with his parents and was a "clerk in store." By 1880, living in Huntsville, Scott County Tennessee, George was a "Register of Deeds" and they were the parents of three, 2 sons and a daughter.
In the 1900 Census, they have moved across the state line into McCreary County Kentucky. George is working as a "Coal Weighmaster" and they have 11 living children. The census record states she is the mother of 11 with 10 living.
However, there are 11 children listed and I know (99% sure I copied his name and dates from the family Bible back in the 1960's and have since misplaced those hand written notes) that Leslie Lane Strunk was born in 1888 and died in 1889. There was also an Elma Strunk, twin to Velma, b April 1897 and died 30 Nov 1897 - information also from the Family Bible.
Dillie died on 17 Jan 1901 at the age of 43. I've never heard of her dying in Childbirth, but it is a possibility even if she was 43 years old. But after 12 pregnancies in 25 years and losing two children, I'm sure she was worn out and susceptible to many diseases.
The photo of Dillie was received from my first cousin, Dillie Weddle Sanders daughter in 2016. It was a tremendous surprise.
Sources:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46311616
George Washington Strunk Family Bible - Last known in possession of Vera Strunk Green Coleman's Granddaughter.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54418771/deliah-strunk (In 1870 Census she is listed as Delilah but so far that is the only source of the name)
Clips from the 1870 and 1900 Censuses
