Genealogy - Pictures

Jennie & Edward                                                                                     Jennie



I was elated to receive these pictures from a cousin I just recently was connected to.  She saw my name on a genealogy site and contacted me.  My father had given these pictures to her several years ago and she felt that I should be the rightful owner.  I have always wanted to find a picture of my Grandmother Anna Eckland (My father's Mother) as she died at a very young age.  Grandmother Anna had two children one being my father and his older sister Jennie.  I am not so sure that when this picture was taken,  Grandmother Anna had already passed away, as I know my father was a small baby when she died.  I was told by my Grandfather that I was Jennie sent back to him as Jennie died during surgery to remove her ruptured appendix at age 12.  He told me that I looked like her.  I know our hair (Auburn) was the same color as I have some of her hair in my genealogy files.  It was given to me by an Aunt who also felt that I should have it as Jennie was my full blooded Aunt.  Grandmother Anna died from complications of a ruptured Gall Bladder.

As I looked at the baby picture of my Father there was something familiar about it.  Then I realized my youngest son Garen resembled my Dad in his baby pictures.  Not only does Garen resemble his Grandfather, he has his temperament.  I used to tell Garen when he displayed this temper that I should send him to live with my Father to see how it was to live with a hot head.  I too had a temper but I learned to control it as I didn't want to be like my hot headed Dad.  It takes a lot to lose my temper, but when I do LOOK OUT!  

When I started to research my Swedish Grandmother Anna, I felt a closeness to her and that is when I yearned to see a picture of her.  As I discovered the tragedies that my Grandfather went through, losing his young wife, and then his young daughter in a short period of time, I could feel the pain that he must have felt.  He was left with two small children and they had to be taken care of.  He had a sister, Lottie who took over the care of my Father and saved his life when he was so ill.  Jennie had passed away by this time.  I know my Dad felt the loss of his mother and sister even thought he was so young. My Grandfather eventually remarried and my Dad was raised by a mean step mother who had a heavy hand in disciplining.  No wonder he had a hot head, or is that the Swedish blood that runs in our veins?  Dad also had red hair and his nickname was Red at one time. Red heads are known to have hot headed temperaments. Is this a falsehood or is it true?  I have seen many hot headed people in my life and they had many hair colors. All I know is that I wanted to have my Mother's black hair instead of my Dad's red hair and freckles that go along with it.  I used to look in the mirror and cry because of those freckles.  Why? because I was teased immensely by kids at school. Some day when I cross over to the other side, I hope to meet my Grandmother and Aunt.  I look forward to that day.