Over the years I've developed a soft spot for my ancestors who either never married, were married but never had children, or who had children but none lived. Often times those individuals get overlooked or have no direct descendants to remember them. Another group of individuals that might get forgotten are the first wives or husbands of our direct descendants. Their story is so important to our own story and we are forever joined together even though we share no blood. Because of their deaths our direct descendant wouldn't have remarried and we would not exist today. It's a very sad thing to think about and that I always try to honor them and remember them as well. There are 2 ladies in particular who fit this description for me who I visit each year on memorial weekend and place flowers at their graves.
The first is a woman by the name of Clarinda Patterson Miner. She was the first wife of my 2x great grandfather Jessie Franklin Miner. Together they had 3 children Cora, Walter, and Clay. Unfortunately Cora passed away in 1886 at the age of 2 and then Clay passed away 2 months after birth in 1888. Clarinda passed away shortly after Clays birth. Such a tragic few years for my 2x great grandfather. Having his wife and 2 children all pass away within a 2 year span and then having to raise his 1 year old son on his own. In 1890 he married my 2x great grandmother Katie Slavin and in 1891 my great grandmother Blanche was born. Jessie and Clarinda's son who survived lived a long life and married but never had any children of his own. Recently I've tried to do more research on Clarinda and am hoping I can find a photo of her. (Fingers Crossed)
The next woman is Delia Rogers Mullins. She was the first wife of another one of my 2x great grandfathers Matthew Mullins. They were married in 1893 and had a daughter Fern in 1894. Unfortunately like Clarinda and Jessie, Baby Fern passed away at the age of 1 in 1895. Then in 1898 Delia passed away. He then went to Osteopathy school and worked as a physician for a short time in Northern Iowa but the stories I heard it was hard for him to work as a doctor when his wife and child died. His sister Elva also passed away in between there in 1894 very tragically. (I'll tell her story another time). In 1910 he married my 2x great grandmother and in 1911 had my great grandfather.
Our lives are so precious and so many things had to happen or line up just right for us to be here and that includes happiness, love but sometimes even death and tragedy. I challenge you to look up those first wives or husbands and remember and tell their stories too.
What a touching post. I agree with you--all of these folks were part of our family history. I make a point of remembering so-called maiden aunts and bachelor uncles in my family tree, for instance. Also second spouses, who married a widowed ancestor!
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