Edna

My very interesting great grandmother, Effie, had many sisters and brothers (more sisters though). Among them was her sister Edna. From all the documents and obituaries I found, Edna and her family lived in Laramie, WY.

Besides finding Edna in obituaries from the 1920s and 1930s, I did find her in some US census reports with her family. I knew her married name and knew the names of her children because of the census reports. I then found what appeared to be one of her sons, Everett, had died in Monterey County, California, in 1943. It took me a little while, but I finally began to look for Edna and her family. When I hit the oh so common brickwall with Lola (which is now pretty constant) I begin looking elsewhere in her family, and it was now time to focus on the elusive Edna.

Edna married Wes in the late 1890s and they had four children (possibly more that may have died young) in Illinois. By 1910, Edna and her family lived in Texas and by 1930 (census) they were in Wyoming. Oddly enough, I cannot find all of them in 1920.

So, I took action. I sent my application and money to Monterey County, California for Everett's death certificate. I also found Everett's grave on findagrave.com. I then decided to post to the Wyoming message boards and when I did that I noticed a woman had posted back in February of this year, that she was available to go photograph graves in a particular area (happened to be where Everett was buried). No one had ever replied to her (at least on the boards) so I did! I am so glad I did respond to her! What a gem she turned out to be!

She not only went to the cemetery and took photos, she informed me of Everett's wife that I wasn't yet aware of. I gave her information on the family and she went to the library and genealogical society in her area and found TONS of info on Edna and her family and has shared that with me! She even found Edna's obituary as well Edna's son, Elzie's obituary. These documents are in the mail now and I can't wait to get them! Turns out, Edna's youngest daughter Hazelle died in Southern California in 1987. Another missed opportunity to meet family. I now will look for Hazelle's children and/or grandchildren to reach out to.

I'll be able to share more on them once I get these docs and can do more research. I cannot say it enough - genealogist are the most generous people I've encountered. These are people that are so giving and willing to help a stranger. I am daily amazed by them. If you're at all interested in doing your own research, please do. You will be like me - amazed at the kindness of strangers!

More to come. PS - I did take pictures of the before mentioned stenciled dishtowel, but the picutres came out bad. I'll take better pictures and post later.